| Parents: Occupation: Marriage: |
Carl Balder Maria Ratter Brewer [Source: 1880 Federal Census, NA Film No. T9-0634, p. 442B] Dorothea "Dora" Eckel November 29, 1874 Reformed Dutch Town, Addison, Washington, Wisconsin [Source: Washington County, Wisconsin Marriage Records] Witnesses at wedding were Christopher Kaiser and Conrad Faust From Neal Degner, Germantown, WI June 2000 |
 |
| Children | Clara M. | Oct. 7, 1875 | † June 5, 1916 |
| Frank R. | June 22, 1878 | † March 14, 1920 | |
| William J. | 1880 | † Oct. 13, 1940 | |
| Louis Carl or Charles | Aug. 30, 1882 | † July 7, 1942 |
| Notes: | At the time of the July 1st, 1870 U.S. Federal census, Frank was 20 years old and living in Ward 6 of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois at the home of Armand |
| and Johanna Balder and
their four children. The house was valued at $4,500.
Frank was working as a beer brewer, Armand (age 45) was working as a carpenter, and Armand's son William (age 15) was
working as an apprentice druggist. Both Frank and Armand indicated that they were from Prussia, Johanna was from Hungary,
and all Armand's and Johanna's children were born in Illinois. [Source: 1870 U.S. Census, Chicago Ward 6, Cook Co. Illinois, Roll M593-201, p. 378] Frank's marriage record indicates he was a beer brewer in Mayville, Dodge County, Wisconsin. From Neal Degner, Germantown, WI June 2000 At the time of the 1880 federal census, Frank was 30 years old and living with his wife Dora and their two children, Clara (age 4) and Frank (age 2), in St. Cloud, Stearns County, MN. Also living with them were Lina Stamonn (age 18), a servant, and Charlie Novak (age 48), Henry Richter (age 21), John Gaffka (age 22) and Jacob McGeyor (age 22), laborers. Frank was working as a brewer at the time. [Source: NA Film No. T9-0634, p. 442B] "FRANK BALDER, of the firm of Balder & Weber, Brewers, was born in Prussia, on the 17th of November, 1849. He came to America in 1870, first settling in Chicago, where he remained two years, thence to Napierville, Illinois, one year, after which he came to St. Cloud, but only remained five months; going to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and remaining five years. In 1878 he returned to St. Cloud, and became a partner with A. Thierse, in the brewery business, which partnership continued until the 1st of February, 1881, when his present partner, Nick J. Weber, purchased Mr. Thierse's interest. Mr. Balder was united in marriage with Miss Dora Eckel, on the 29th of November, 1875. Their children are, Clara M., Frank R., and William F." -- from "History of the Upper Mississippi Valley," St. George Township (1881) Frank owned a brewery in St. Cloud, located on 7th Avenue. He was the alderman from the Fourth Ward from 1881 to 1883, and was a fireman at the old Little Giant Engine Company. Frank died of typhoid fever at home on his fortieth birthday. Clara, the oldest child, married in 1898, the two oldest boys, Frank and William worked for the brewery for a time and then enlisted in the 13th Company M Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection. While they both survived, their health was not good. Louis, Clara and mother Dora wrote letters to the boys during their military service. (Connie Balder Mickolajak talks of visiting her great-grandfather's grave:) "After much searching... I found Franz's headstone. Most of the carving is worn away and the top cross is missing. Apparently, these early burials were in another cemetery not too far from either the brewery and Holy Angel's Catholic Church. A couple of years after Franz was buried, the entire cemetery was moved -- coffins and stones -- by wagon through the city of St. Cloud. They were reburied in Calvary." |
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