Five sisters for four brothers

Henry Krecklau wanted to get married, but ... he didn't want to work too hard at it.
The Krecklau family in 1900. Back row, from left to right: Ed, Emil, Bertha, Adolph. Front row: William, Johann, Justina, Henry

Fortunately, he was the youngest of six children, and therefore could solicit recommendations from his siblings and sisters-in-law.

Henry's only sister Bertha got married 1900, the year she turnd 19. Adolph, the fourth oldest, saw no reason to wait, and married Lydia Arlt in December 1903 when he was 19.

Feeling the pressure, Emil -- the oldest -- then married Bertha Martha Schauer in 1905, just after turning 28.

Edward, the second oldest, took the easy route and married Bertha's sister Wilhelmine ("Minnie") Schauer in 1907 when he was 29. He unwittingly set a precedent.

So as Henry neared his 21st birthday in 1909, I imagine him asking Bertha and Minnie for input. If he did, they might have replied, "Well, our sister 'Tillie' turns 20 this year."

Now, I have no details of their courtship, nor any idea how well matched they were, but they at least found each other good enough. Henry Krecklau and Ottilie Schauer got married that year.

(Henry's older brother Willam, the last of the six, married Emma Stradtman in 1910, when he was 24.)

By 1912, Henry and Tillie had two sons together, and all seemed well until tragedy struck in 1914. That year, Tillie experienced complications following an operation for appendicitis. She developed an abcess, and passed away within three weeks of her surgery. That left Henry alone with his two sons, aged four and two.

In those days, it was more common for the recently widowed with children at home to remarry quickly, and again, Henry turned to family for recommendations.

But it wouldn't be the Schauer sisters; instead, William's wife Emma Stradtman referred Henry to *her* younger sister named Wilhelmina (another "Minnie").

Emma's recommendation appears to have been a good one, because Henry and Minnie married a year later. They would go on to add three daughters to Henry's two sons, and live a long life together.

So, what does this story have to do with my family? Well, that rather severe-looking mother in that top picture from 1900 is Justine Krecklau, née Kottke. She was my step-3x great-grandfather Christoph Kottke's older sister.