After much study I have figured out who the Unknown teacher was who kept the Journal.  It is Clara Brandt.  She was one of the Orphans in the Asylum.  She was born December 25, 1869 and admitted to the Orphanage December 2, 1879 at age 9 along with 2 younger siblings, Alfred Brandt and Wilhelmine (Minnie) Brandt.   The very first entry in the Journal is Clara Brandt - Confirmed- May 25, 1884 at age 14.  She was appointed public school teacher Feb. 1. 1891 at age 21.  She "went housekeeping" at 1601 N.J. Ave. N.W. Sept. 29, 1891 and was joined by her sister Wilhelmine on Nov. 9, 1891.  In the journal she usually identifies herself with the initials Miss. C.M.T.B.  The last entry in the journal is her class for the year 1926.  She taught school for 35 years.

Alfred Brandt ran away  from the Asylum on Nov. 19, 1883.  Entered Marines in the Spring of 1887.  Alfred married Mary James Nov. 12, 1900.  They had a child, Minnie Elizabeth Brandt on Sept. 25, 1901.

In 1891, Clara M T Brandt  resided at 1601 N.J. Ave. N.W.
In 1901, Clara M T Brandt was a teacher residing at 145 S St NW
Also listed at that address were:
Alfred E Brandt, employed at the Bureau of Printing
Minnie E Brandt, employed at the Bureau of Printing

There were also a Paul and Martha Brandt admitted to the Orphan Asylum  July
1880.  But they were taken back out by their mother.

Clara M.T. Brandt, Schr (It is NOT listed in the abbreviations but I imagine that means school teacher.),
145 S nw.  Further, the enumeration district for the 1910 Census is:  ED 162

Alfred Brandt shows up also.
Alfred E. Brandt, bur ptg (bureau of printing), Langdon (no street address provided)

Wilhelmine does not appear.

Sources:
Boyd's Directory of District of Columbia - 1910; Latter Day Saints (LDS) Family History Library film #1697717.  Directory info provided: name, occupation, address.

Enumeration District # for District of Columbia Census of 1910; LDS
Microfiche #s 6331480 and 6331481, #18.

From: <CDEnge64@aol.com>
Dottie Engemann
Ormond Beach, FL
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 2:56 PM

Thank you for your letter. You gave us some information we did not have,
because prior to 1886 original cemetery records have only the name and burial
site of the person buried.

Although we have a number of Brandts, I did not find Clara. There is an
Alfred, but born later than what you indicate (1910). We do have a Minnie
Elizabeth Brandt, born in DC around 1875, who died in 1931. If you feel she
might be "your" Minnie, I can send you more information about her.

We do have Sophie Peters, buried in D-83-14 on August 7, 1882. She is listed
as the lot owner. For her, we have no other information.

"Our" Carla Obermeyer, born in DC in 1888, died of enteritis on August 17,
1888, at the German Orphan Asylum. She may have been the daughter of Karl
Thomas and Rosina Obermeyer. Karl Thomas Obermeyer was a superintendent of
the German Orphan Asylum. He died at 315 8th Street, NW, on August 9, 1896.
In March 1940 his remains were moved to Cedar Hill Cemetery, but Carla
remained with us.

Dorothea Amalia Fuchs (German for "Fox") was born in DC on March 12, 1883.
She died March 19, 1889, at the German Orphan Asylum with cause of death
listed as "exhaustion" (which often meant coma, which could have resulted
from convulsions). She was the daughter of Charles H. and Anna M. Fox. (The
Fuchs family switched to the English "Fox" very soon after coming to America,
but German records continued to carry them as "Fuchs." )

Charles H. Fox was born in DC ca. 1838. His parents were from Wurtemberg,
Germany.
A baker by trade, he and his wife, the former Anna M. or Mary A. Betz, were
married at Concordia Church July 22, 1864. At the time of the 1880 Census,
they were living in the 800 block of 7th Street, NW (a block from what exists
today as the Chinatown Gate and the new MCI Center). He and his wife were
affiliated with Concordia Church (now known as "The United Church.")

Charles died of cancer and was buried December 22, 1905.

Anna M. (or Mary A.) was born around 1844 in either Magstadt, Wurtemberg or
Stuttgart, Germany. Her parents were from Wurtemberg. She died April 14, 1885.

Children included:

    Maggie E. Fox, born ca. 1865, in DC
    Joseph Walker Fox, born March 21, 1866, and baptized at Concordia May 13,1866.
    Lulu C. Fox (baptized Louisa Catherine), born October 3, 1868 in DC, and baptized at Concordia may 18, 1869.
    Mary B. Fox, born in DC ca. 1871
    Ernest W. Fox, born in DC ca. 1873
    Rosa D. Fox, born in DC ca. 1875
    Emma Fox, born in DC ca. 1877
    Florence Elisabetha Fox, born December 6, 1880, baptized July 8, 1881 at Concordia with Ernst G. Betz and Anna            D. Friess as godparents.
    Dorothea Amalia Fox, born in DC March 12, 1883, baptized at Concordia August 29, 1883 with Frau Maria Dorothea Friess as godparent.

    Also buried in the family plot is the child of Walter and Florence Donaldson, who lived only one hour and may have been a grandchild of Charles and Anna.

We do not have a Jacob Ermold. However, there was a stillborn child born to
Henry and Elisabeth Ermold at the German Orphan Asylum and buried at Prospect
Hill December 19, 1893. Henry, born in Germany on March 11, 1856, died June
17, 1900. He was a superintendent of the German Orphan Home. Known children
(who appeared in the 1900 Census, which, of course, would not include Jacob)
were Bertha L., born in Germany in May 1883; Marie H., born in Germany in May
1885; Lena M., who was born in Germany in August 1886; Henry J., born in
Germany in April 1889; and a second Henry, born in DC on June 1895. The
family immigrated to the US in 1892. In the 1900 Census, Elizabeth indicated
she had given birth to 8 children, five of whom were still living.

From a personal standpoint I am quite familiar with the German Orphanage
since I have cousins who grew up there. It used to stand on a high hill to
the east of the Anacostia River. When I was growing up, it had a family
atmosphere with Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman as the superintendents. Children
attended public schools and had chores on the small farm surrounding the
orphanage. As they grew older, some (including some of my cousins) found
part-time employment with the florist across the street. My cousin Bobby
became very interested in horticulture as a result and eventually became the
bonsai expert at the National Arburetum. I also remember May Day celebrations
and other festivals.

I believe originally the idea of the orphange came from Friedrich Imhof of
Concordia Church. Germans immigrants, soon after they came to Washington, set
up ways to take care of "their own" in need. After building a church, they
established an old folks' home, an orphanage, and a cemetery. Until the
middle of the 20th Century, children were often placed in the orphanage if
one of their parents died. Unless she had family here, a German immigrant
woman was often unable to earn enough money to support herself, much less any
children; and men were not expected to work and care for children.

Some time around the 1970s, I believe, the orphanage moved from Anacostia,
DC, to a site in rural Prince George's County, Maryland. The time came when
orphans no longer were placed in institutions; the orphanage was used by
Second Genesis, a drug rehabilitation program. This year the orphanage was
sold. German activites such as Sängerbund concerts and Ocktoberfest will
probably need to find somewhere else to hold their celebrations. We will miss
the orphanage. Perhaps in years to come the only reminder of the original
purpose of the institution will be the large statue of Steuben, which was
moved from the first building in central DC, to Anacostia, and then to
Maryland.

For more objective information about the German Orphange, I would suggest you
contact the Washington Historical Society. I believe the records are kept in
their German collection. Eda Offutt would be the person you would want to
contact.

If I can help you in any other way, just let me know.

                                Jean Crabill
From: <JBCrabill@aol.com>
To: <  >
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: Prospect Hill Cemetery

Dear Trisha,

You may find the following useful:

"The German Orphan Home, a landmark on Good Hope Road, SE, since 1879, was
being demolished and everything movable was to be relocated at the newly
acquied tract of land in Upper Marlboro, including, everyone hoped, the
2-foot 6-inch monument to Baron von Steuben. The monument had stood at the
Orpahn Home since 1893 when the Schuetzenverein moved it there from the
Schuetzen Park. But it was now 1966 and the City was changing. The Orphan
Home land was slated for moderate-income garden apartments.

"Lothar Klingler, stone mason and building contractor, was standing by with a
flat-bed truck equipped with crane and pulleys. He and [Karl] Knobloch eyed
the situation one final time. The bust and the inscribed pedestal below, yes.
But not the base. That would have to stay and be destroyed along with the
house itself. 'How was it possible that the Schhuetzenverein had moved the
entire monument there in the first place?' [Pierce, Frank H., III,The
Washinton Saengerbund, 1981, pg. 20] The story continues that in the hollow
base there were many documents which had not been seen for 96 years.

                                Jean

Minnie Elizabeth Brandt was born in DC around 1875. Her occupation is listed
as "counter, U. S. government." She died on February 17, 1931, at the DC Ear,
Eye and Throat Hospital. She was 56 years old and her cause of death is given
as "acute ethnoditis and doc. spi. [sic]" She is buried in B-145-7. Mary C.
Thalberg was the lot owner.

Others buried in this plot owned by John and/or Mary Thalberg include Elenora
M. May (buried in the same grave as Minnie), born in DC ca. 1866, who died of
tuberculosis at 1603 New Jersey Avenue, NW, on October 7, 1892, at age 26;
Annie Mary (Anna Marie) Thalberg, born in Germany ca. 1831, who died of liver
cancer May 19, 1895, at 1601 New Jersey Avenue, NW; 5-year-old Clara Koehler,
born in DC around 1890, who died in Garfield Hospital, DC, from a fracture
and amputation of her arm and was buried October 20, 1895; George H. Brandt,
age 12, a student, who was born in DC December 6, 1903, and died at 19th and
Bryant Street, NE, of tubercular meningitis on April 3, 1916; Pearl Brandt,
of the same address, born in DC in 1912, who died of poliomyelitis August 26,
1917; Paul May, born ca. 1888, who died of pulmonary tuberculosis at Mt.
Wilson Sanitorium May 27, 1938; Mary C. Thalburg, born ca. 1867, who died at
age 75 of cardiace dilatation at St. Elizabeth's Hospital on July 5, 1942;
Alfred E. Brandt, born in Maryland in 1910, a railroad worker who died in
Prince Frederick, Maryland, on February 14, 1985 at age 75; Kati (Catharina)
Kohler, born in DC ca. 1857, who died March 2, 1877 at age 18; John Kohler,
born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 11, 1829, who died at age 32 on April 21,
1862; a child of John Kohler, buried December 2, 1859 (this may have been a
reinterment from the "Old H Street Cemetery," which proceeded Prospect Hill;
Gustavus Thalburg, born in DC ca. 1870 who died in DC December 8, 1871, at
age 1; a child of John Thalburg who was buried October 17, 1865; and John E.
Kohler (Koehler), husband of Caroline, born around 1857, who died May 26,
1888â?"he was a carpenter.

I don't have a clue about how these people are related. Any information you
can give me would be greatly appreciated.  About the only way we have of
identifying family interrelationships is through a descendent.

                            Jean

Trisha,

My grandfather's family moved to the D.C. area in 1884.  His father was a
tailor, he had 3 siblings, Fred, Ella and Henrietta.  His name was George.
He married Mathilda Hafner and had two children Eunice (a schoolteacher) and
George.  They were active in the German Orphan Home.  That is all the info I
have.  Don't know of any Clara.  Sorry.

Judy

Trisha,
I remember going there as a child with my grandmother, Mathilda Hafner
Brandt and my grandfather George William Brandt.  He was a printer at the
Washington Post.  I know they were both quite active in the 1940s, but other
than that I have no information.  My aunt, Eunice Brandt Anderegg was also a
school teacher in Washington, D.C.

Judy

Name Business Name Occupation Location 1 Location 2 City State Year
Adam Brandt   bkbudr 422 I northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
Charles Brandt Adjutant General's Office clerk 1430 Pierce place northwest District of Columbia DC 1890
Edwin S Brandt navy clerk 1410 Pa avenue northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
Frederick L Brandt   clerk 466 C northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
George Brandt   restaurant 1216 7th northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
Gustavus A Brandt Adjutant General's Office clerk 631 Md avenue southwest District of Columbia DC 1890
John F G Brandt   painter 466 C northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
Louis Brandt hotel   N J avenue c D northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890
Louis Brandt   musician 466 C northwest   District of Columbia DC 1890

Washington, D.C. City Directory, 1891

Adam Brandt   bookbinder 1119 4th northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
Charles Brandt Adjutant General's Office clerk 1430 Pierce place northwest District of Columbia DC 1891
Edwin S Brandt navy clerk 514 8th southeast   District of Columbia DC 1891
Frederick L Brandt   clerk 522 6th northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
George Brandt   tailor 139 L northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
Gustavus A Brandt Adjutant General's Office clerk 631 Md avenue southwest District of Columbia DC 1891
Henry Brandt   tailor N J avenue c D northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
John Brandt   painter 811 E northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
Louis Brandt hotel   N J avenue c D northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891
Louis Brandt   musician 811 E northwest   District of Columbia DC 1891

From: "ejlangley" <ejlangley@email.msn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 10:03 AM

Year Surname Given Name (s) County State Page Township or Other Info Record
Type Database ID#
1850 BRANDT JOHN D. Washington County DC 075 Washington 6th Ward Federal
Population Schedule DC 1850 Federal Census Index DCS5a183783
1860 BRANDT JOHN D. Washington County DC 653 Washington City 6thward Federal
Population Schedule DC 1860 Federal Census Index DC37918216
1860 BRANDT JOHN F. Washington County DC 659 Washington City 3rdward Federal
Population Schedule DC 1860 Federal Census Index DC3798216
1850 BRANDT ROSANNA Washington County DC 076 Washington 6th Ward Federal
Population Schedule DC 1850 Federal Census Index DCS5a183788
1870 BRANDT GEORGE Washington DC 440 2nd.W.Washington Dc Federal Population
Schedule DC 1870 Federal Census Index DC51323195

Conbow@aol.com <Conbow@aol.com>

mborchar@poptal.com <mborchar@poptal.com>

Return to Teacher's Journal

Return to Barkanji Page

Disclaimer:  The purpose of this Web Page is to share information for the purpose of research.  I have not proved documentation of all genealogy material, nor have I kept source notes as I should.  But I had lots of fun and met some great people along the way..

If you find any mistakes please contact the Web Page creator, Trisha Carden   , and I shall try to correct them.

Site copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 Trish S. Carden (Please feel free to use this information but if you do please put a link back to this page)