Bertha was probably born in the town of Marjanowka (pronounced Marjan-oofka) also spelled Marianowka, which was about 12 km northeast of present day Rivne, Ukraine near the Horyn River (there were a number of towns with that name). This village was in the area of Sergejewka/ Sergiejowka and Aleksandria/ Alexandrowka. At the time of her birth this region was known as Rowno, Volhynia, Russia-Poland. When Bertha was about four years old, her father Martin traveled to Philadelphia to seek a better life. She and her mother began their immigration several months later, along with younger sister Annie. They were supposed to take the ship Rhynland from Liverpool and be picked up by father Martin on Christmas Day 1899. Instead, Annie's illness forced them to be admitted to the Brownlow Workhouse for several weeks over Christmas. Marie's brother Reinhold Eisbrenner continued to Philadelphia without them. Annie died and was buried in Walton Park Cemetery. Bertha and her mother Marie finally arrived in Philadelphia on January 18 aboard the ship Belgenland.
Bertha traveled with her parents to Milwaukee during the early 1900's. She was educated at the German School. Later the family returned to Philadelphia where Martin died in 1915 at age 40. After Martin's death, the family apparently had no further contact from his brothers. Michael Fix stayed in Milwaukee with his family. Conrad Ficks and Maria Eisbrenner Ficks (sister of Bertha's mother Marie) stayed in Breslau. Johann Ficks/Fix went to Winnipeg after his wife Elizabeth died in Philadelphia. There may have been another brother Joseph Fix in New Jersey. His daughter Julie Anna told her family she had an 'Uncle Martin' who only had one child- a daughter. This Julie's mother may have been an Amen or Aymen according to her family.
Bertha married Robert William White in 1917. She gave birth to seven children, but sadly her husband Robert died in 1930. After Robert's death, her sons Thomas and Louis were sent to Girard College for Boys. Her oldest son Robert was sent to a dairy farm to work. Bertha and her daughters did piece work sewing at home and also created costumes for the famous Mummers Parade each year. Bertha continued to receive assistance from the Lutheran Settlement House of Philadelphia and raised all of her children as Lutheran. She may have attended St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Kensington, or Tabor German Lutheran Church in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia. According to her son Lou, Bertha went to a 'chest clinic' in the 1940's. Perhaps she survived tuberculosis.
Bertha had a friend named Pete (Bernard?) Aymen who provided companionship for her during the last twenty years of her life. Though they did not live together, Uncle Pete was a fatherly presence when children and grandchildren visited. Pete was legally known as 'Bruno Eimont' because in World War I he enlisted in the navy underage using someone else's birth record.
Bertha died in Episcopal Hospital from arteriosclerosis a week before Christmas. She had recently turned 64 years old.
Bertha resided at 3215 North Hope Street.
[This LDS record may be a reference to her birth- Bertha Fietz, 1896, Wladimir-Wolynsk 2380036/1896 Reg 549]
Research note~Shortly after she married Robert, his mother Mary married Harry Smith. Probably just a coincidence, but Harry's daughter was already married to Harry Joseph Feege (parents born Poland) and later married his brother Andrew Feege. The Ficks name was sometimes spelled Feige. The Ficks family have been traced to Edenkoben and nearby areas of Germany in the early 1800's where the names Ficks and Feigs seem to be used interchangeably.
Bertha traveled with her parents to Milwaukee during the early 1900's. She was educated at the German School. Later the family returned to Philadelphia where Martin died in 1915 at age 40. After Martin's death, the family apparently had no further contact from his brothers. Michael Fix stayed in Milwaukee with his family. Conrad Ficks and Maria Eisbrenner Ficks (sister of Bertha's mother Marie) stayed in Breslau. Johann Ficks/Fix went to Winnipeg after his wife Elizabeth died in Philadelphia. There may have been another brother Joseph Fix in New Jersey. His daughter Julie Anna told her family she had an 'Uncle Martin' who only had one child- a daughter. This Julie's mother may have been an Amen or Aymen according to her family.
Bertha married Robert William White in 1917. She gave birth to seven children, but sadly her husband Robert died in 1930. After Robert's death, her sons Thomas and Louis were sent to Girard College for Boys. Her oldest son Robert was sent to a dairy farm to work. Bertha and her daughters did piece work sewing at home and also created costumes for the famous Mummers Parade each year. Bertha continued to receive assistance from the Lutheran Settlement House of Philadelphia and raised all of her children as Lutheran. She may have attended St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Kensington, or Tabor German Lutheran Church in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia. According to her son Lou, Bertha went to a 'chest clinic' in the 1940's. Perhaps she survived tuberculosis.
Bertha had a friend named Pete (Bernard?) Aymen who provided companionship for her during the last twenty years of her life. Though they did not live together, Uncle Pete was a fatherly presence when children and grandchildren visited. Pete was legally known as 'Bruno Eimont' because in World War I he enlisted in the navy underage using someone else's birth record.
Bertha died in Episcopal Hospital from arteriosclerosis a week before Christmas. She had recently turned 64 years old.
Bertha resided at 3215 North Hope Street.
[This LDS record may be a reference to her birth- Bertha Fietz, 1896, Wladimir-Wolynsk 2380036/1896 Reg 549]
Research note~Shortly after she married Robert, his mother Mary married Harry Smith. Probably just a coincidence, but Harry's daughter was already married to Harry Joseph Feege (parents born Poland) and later married his brother Andrew Feege. The Ficks name was sometimes spelled Feige. The Ficks family have been traced to Edenkoben and nearby areas of Germany in the early 1800's where the names Ficks and Feigs seem to be used interchangeably.
Bertha was probably born in the town of Marjanowka (pronounced Marjan-oofka) also spelled Marianowka, which was about 12 km northeast of present day Rivne, Ukraine near the Horyn River (there were a number of towns with that name). This village was in the area of Sergejewka/ Sergiejowka and Aleksandria/ Alexandrowka. At the time of her birth this region was known as Rowno, Volhynia, Russia-Poland. When Bertha was about four years old, her father Martin traveled to Philadelphia to seek a better life. She and her mother began their immigration several months later, along with younger sister Annie. They were supposed to take the ship Rhynland from Liverpool and be picked up by father Martin on Christmas Day 1899. Instead, Annie's illness forced them to be admitted to the Brownlow Workhouse for several weeks over Christmas. Marie's brother Reinhold Eisbrenner continued to Philadelphia without them. Annie died and was buried in Walton Park Cemetery. Bertha and her mother Marie finally arrived in Philadelphia on January 18 aboard the ship Belgenland.
Bertha traveled with her parents to Milwaukee during the early 1900's. She was educated at the German School. Later the family returned to Philadelphia where Martin died in 1915 at age 40. After Martin's death, the family apparently had no further contact from his brothers. Michael Fix stayed in Milwaukee with his family. Conrad Ficks and Maria Eisbrenner Ficks (sister of Bertha's mother Marie) stayed in Breslau. Johann Ficks/Fix went to Winnipeg after his wife Elizabeth died in Philadelphia. There may have been another brother Joseph Fix in New Jersey. His daughter Julie Anna told her family she had an 'Uncle Martin' who only had one child- a daughter. This Julie's mother may have been an Amen or Aymen according to her family.
Bertha married Robert William White in 1917. She gave birth to seven children, but sadly her husband Robert died in 1930. After Robert's death, her sons Thomas and Louis were sent to Girard College for Boys. Her oldest son Robert was sent to a dairy farm to work. Bertha and her daughters did piece work sewing at home and also created costumes for the famous Mummers Parade each year. Bertha continued to receive assistance from the Lutheran Settlement House of Philadelphia and raised all of her children as Lutheran. She may have attended St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Kensington, or Tabor German Lutheran Church in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia. According to her son Lou, Bertha went to a 'chest clinic' in the 1940's. Perhaps she survived tuberculosis.
Bertha had a friend named Pete (Bernard?) Aymen who provided companionship for her during the last twenty years of her life. Though they did not live together, Uncle Pete was a fatherly presence when children and grandchildren visited. Pete was legally known as 'Bruno Eimont' because in World War I he enlisted in the navy underage using someone else's birth record.
Bertha died in Episcopal Hospital from arteriosclerosis a week before Christmas. She had recently turned 64 years old.
Bertha resided at 3215 North Hope Street.
[This LDS record may be a reference to her birth- Bertha Fietz, 1896, Wladimir-Wolynsk 2380036/1896 Reg 549]
Research note~Shortly after she married Robert, his mother Mary married Harry Smith. Probably just a coincidence, but Harry's daughter was already married to Harry Joseph Feege (parents born Poland) and later married his brother Andrew Feege. The Ficks name was sometimes spelled Feige. The Ficks family have been traced to Edenkoben and nearby areas of Germany in the early 1800's where the names Ficks and Feigs seem to be used interchangeably.
Bertha traveled with her parents to Milwaukee during the early 1900's. She was educated at the German School. Later the family returned to Philadelphia where Martin died in 1915 at age 40. After Martin's death, the family apparently had no further contact from his brothers. Michael Fix stayed in Milwaukee with his family. Conrad Ficks and Maria Eisbrenner Ficks (sister of Bertha's mother Marie) stayed in Breslau. Johann Ficks/Fix went to Winnipeg after his wife Elizabeth died in Philadelphia. There may have been another brother Joseph Fix in New Jersey. His daughter Julie Anna told her family she had an 'Uncle Martin' who only had one child- a daughter. This Julie's mother may have been an Amen or Aymen according to her family.
Bertha married Robert William White in 1917. She gave birth to seven children, but sadly her husband Robert died in 1930. After Robert's death, her sons Thomas and Louis were sent to Girard College for Boys. Her oldest son Robert was sent to a dairy farm to work. Bertha and her daughters did piece work sewing at home and also created costumes for the famous Mummers Parade each year. Bertha continued to receive assistance from the Lutheran Settlement House of Philadelphia and raised all of her children as Lutheran. She may have attended St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Kensington, or Tabor German Lutheran Church in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia. According to her son Lou, Bertha went to a 'chest clinic' in the 1940's. Perhaps she survived tuberculosis.
Bertha had a friend named Pete (Bernard?) Aymen who provided companionship for her during the last twenty years of her life. Though they did not live together, Uncle Pete was a fatherly presence when children and grandchildren visited. Pete was legally known as 'Bruno Eimont' because in World War I he enlisted in the navy underage using someone else's birth record.
Bertha died in Episcopal Hospital from arteriosclerosis a week before Christmas. She had recently turned 64 years old.
Bertha resided at 3215 North Hope Street.
[This LDS record may be a reference to her birth- Bertha Fietz, 1896, Wladimir-Wolynsk 2380036/1896 Reg 549]
Research note~Shortly after she married Robert, his mother Mary married Harry Smith. Probably just a coincidence, but Harry's daughter was already married to Harry Joseph Feege (parents born Poland) and later married his brother Andrew Feege. The Ficks name was sometimes spelled Feige. The Ficks family have been traced to Edenkoben and nearby areas of Germany in the early 1800's where the names Ficks and Feigs seem to be used interchangeably.
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