Ada Augusta Freudenberg (1884-1957) Kohlman (b. September 02, 1884; Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. January 23, 1957, 3:30 pm; 60 Krane Avenue, Rutherford, Bergen County, 07070, USA) Social Security Number 068075094.

Parents:
Ada was the second born child and first to live beyond infancy of Maximillian S. Freudenberg (1857-1921) a German immigrant and Eloise Lindauer I (1860-1935) aka Ellie Lindauer, a native of the Oyster Bay area of Long Island, New York.

Religion:
Ada was ethnically half Jewish and was probably agnostic. Her grandfather was Siegmund Freudenberg and he is buried in a Jewish cemetery. Siegmund's son, Max Freudenberg, married a Lutheran, Eloise Lindauer. Some children self identified as Jewish, Louis Freudenberg was buried with a Star-of-David on his tombstone when he died in WWI. His mother had it changed to a Latin cross. Another child of Max was Arthur Oscar Freudenberg, and he joined a Congregationalist church. At least one child of Max and Eloise appears to have had their death recorded at a Lutheran church in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Birth:
He was born on September 2, 1884 in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Siblings:
Max S. Freudenberg II (1881) who died as an infant; Charles Fredrick Freudenberg (1887-1942) who married Julia Mary Buttomer (1883-1973); Jenny Gertrude Freudenberg (1888) who died as an infant; Clara Freudenberg (1890-1959) who never married; Arthur Oscar Freudenberg I (1891-1968) a real estate broker who married Maria Elisabeth Winblad III (1895-1987) aka Mae Winblad; Max Freudenberg III (1893-aft1900) who lived till at least 7 years old and appears on the 1900 census; Louis Julius Freudenberg (1894-1918) who was killed in action in the last battle of World War I; Harry Freudenberg (1895-1896) who died as an infant; Richard F. Freudenberg I (1896-1988) a chemical salesman who married Charlotte C. Kahrar (1897-1963); Eloise Freudenberg (1898) who died as an infant; Eugene Freudenberg (1900-1956) aka Gene Freudenberg who was a freight handler that married Florence Catherine Skinner (1901-1986) and died of emphysema from smoking; Ralph Freudenberg (1903-1980) a typesetter for the New York Times who married Nora Belle Conklin (1905-1963) and after her death married Lottie Dombrowska (1916-1995); and Grace May Freudenberg (1904-1981) who married George Dewey Sanford I (1898-1965) who worked at a print shop.

Marriage:
In 1904 she married Ralph Kohlman (1885-1957) and the two of them lived with her parents until at least 1910. They may have had one child who died at birth, and no others. Ralph was working as a stereotyper in a printing house, and later he would be part owner of the Elliot Matta Printing Company in New York City.

Lyndhurst, New Jersey:
Ada was living at 277 Travers Avenue, in Lyndhurst, New Jersey in 1935 when her mother died, and she rented a summer house at Matavan Beach, near Keansburg in New Jersey. Later she moved to 60 Krane Avenue in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Personal wealth:
Ada and Ralph were wealthy and the oral family tradition was that Ada would hide money all over the house, and when she died her husband found $90,000 in cash hidden under rugs and in cups in the locked cupboards. This explains why she would never let anyone in the house, even to use the bathroom.

Death:
She died January 23, 1957 and her husband died June 05, 1957, just 4 months later. Ralph left half of his accumulated wealth to his mistress, Dorothy Rommel and the rest to his best friend, Benjamin Cohen, who owned a hardware store in Jersey City. Arthur Freudenberg, Ada's brother, lamented at the funeral that if they had died the other way around, Ralph would have left his money to Ada and then when she died, the Freudenbergs would have inherited the money.

Obituary:
Mrs. Ralph Kohlman. Rutherford, New Jersey. Mrs. Ada Augusta Freudenberg Kohlman, 60 Crane Avenue, died Wednesday in her home after a short illness. A former resident of Jersey City and Hoboken, she had resided in this borough 14 years. Surviving are her bus-band, Ralph; two sisters, Miss Clara Freudenberg and Mrs. Grace Sanford; three brothers, Arthur, Richard and Ralph Freudenberg. (Source: The Herald-News of Passaic, New Jersey on 25 January 1957)

Funeral notice:
Kohlman — Formerly of Jersey City on January 23, 1957, Ada Augusta (nee Freudenberg), beloved wife of Ralph, sister of Clara, Arthur, Richard, Ralph, Mrs. Grace Sanford and the late Eugene Freudenberg. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services at her home, 60 Crane Avenue, Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday evening, January 27, at 8 P. M. Funeral Monday, 10:30 A. M. Interment East Ridge Lawn Cemetery. (Source: New York Times on January 27, 1957)

Burial:
Ada and Ralph are both in a mausoleum at lot 448, section 21, East Ridge Lawn Cemetery, 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, Passaic County, New Jersey.

Memories about Ada Freudenberg:
Arthur Oscar Freudenberg II (1929- ) on May 03, 2003 said: "Aunt Ada had a house down the shore, that she rented, near Laurence Harbor. She lived on 60 Krane Avenue in Rutherford, New Jersey. When her husband Ralph Kohlman died, my brother, got $3,000 from his will. Ralph's girlfriend owned a hardware store, Ben Cohen Hardware in Jersey City and he left her $75,000 in his will. He always had a mistress when he was married. He would never let anyone in the house. The house was probably worth about $500,000 when he died. He had a printing business. He got me a job as a messenger carrying the heavy printing plates around from business to business. He had a pool table in the house."

Memories about Ada Freudenberg:
Thomas Patrick Norton II (1920-2011) said in 1998: "Ralph Kohlman (1885-1957) was Jewish. At Ralph Kohlman's funeral Arthur Oscar Freudenberg said "its a shame Ada died first". The meaning was that if Ralph died first Ada would have inherited the money, then when she died a few months later, the Freudenbergs would have inherited it. Ralph Kohlman dated a younger woman after Ada died. Ralph probably wore himself out dating the new woman. He had just bought a new Buick before he died. He left an estate worth $250,000. Ralph left half to a best friend and half to the woman that he had just started dating. Sally would clean Ralph's house. Ada would love to shop, then never even open the packages from the store. Ralph was a printer and was half owner of the print shop. They had no living children. Eloise Reilly's father, Joe Reilly worked for Ralph Kohlman as his supervisor.

Memories about Ada Freudenberg:
Selma Louise Freudenberg (1921-2009) said in 1998: "Ralph Kohlman was Jewish and his family ostracized him when he married Ada who was Lutheran. My mother, Marie Elizabeth Freudenberg (1895-1987) was asked to work as a cleaning woman for them when Ada died in 1957. She turned down the job because the pay was low, but I accepted it. Ada and Ralph would invite my mother, Helen and myself down to her beach house at Matavan beach, New Jersey. I think they rented it and did not own it. The other beach we would go to was Point Pleasant where Otto Winblad had a house. I met my friend Kitty there. Ada would hide money all over the house, and when she died her husband found $90,000 in cash hidden under rugs and in cups in the locked cupboards." Note: Ada was ethnically half Jewish and was probably agnostic (see above).

Legacy:
Ada's husband Ralph owned a quality camera and many pictures of them are extant. Ada Augusta Freudenberg (1884-1957) middle name comes from: Anna Augusta Kershaw (1841-1931) who was married to Charles Frederick Lindauer (1836-1921). Ada Freudenberg also has a cousin: Adeline Lindauer (1882-1962) aka Ada Lindauer.

Relationship:
Ada Augusta Freudenberg (1884-1957) was the grandaunt of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ). She was the godmother of Naida Muriel Freudenberg (1915-1998). She was married to the granduncle of Lynn Kohlman (1946- ), the fashion photographer.

Research:
Researched and written by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ) for Findagrave starting on June 17, 2003. Updated on March 3, 2010 with her funeral notice from the New York Times. Updated on September 25, 2019 with the text of her obituary. Updated on October 27, 2019 with information on Ada's religion.

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