Catherine Caroline Rachel Pötter was born on Feb 26, 1824 in Dortmund, Hessen-Kassel. She was the daughter of Gottlieb & Catherine Poetter. About 1853 She married Adam Stephan who came back for her in Hessen. That same year her brother - also Gottlieb immigrated to Dewitt, Texas with his new family. At the time of her marriage the communities of the Black Forest area were suffering from economic hardship due to crop failures. By 1854 conditions were worsening with the communities and churches overwhelmed with the needs of the people. A decree was issued by the Grand Duchy government which gave permission and money to communities to begin a forced emigration of paupers to the United States. She arrived in America in Oct 1854 with Adam and a young one year old son Adam. We believe Adam Michael died in 1858 at the age of 5. We find the family on the 1860 Census for Hollidaysburg, Blair Co. She lived most of her life in & around Ebensburg, Cambria Co, Penns. She passed away on October 12, 1906 in Cambria City, Pennsylvania having lived a long life of 85 years. Her son Christ, shown sitting on the porch with her, 'found her dead in her bed' according to her 0bituary found in the newspaper in the Johnstown Newspaper down in Johnstown, Penns. The Lutheran germans had a tradition of giving their children a 'Saints' name & an everyday 'Use' name and sometimes a middle name. We know Caroline was her everyday name as that is what we find on most of the Civil records. She is found as Rachel on the 1870 Census while living in the Cambria Co Poorhouse with her then Invalid husband Adam who died in 1874. His marker is located right next to hers & simply says 'Father', which apparently defines his final resting place. Both of her sisters lived within miles of her & she had an Uncle Adam Becker who immigrated to Minnesota (Credit goes to Brian & Linda for taking the Photo of both their Graves shown to the right) See memorial #49212422 for Adam Becker & #108244128 for her brother. Her 0ther brother Heinrich 'Henry' Becker b1825 also lived in Dewitt, Texas. They had large families in that area of Texas as well.