#2 Wilson – Home of Anthony Izza, Rhode Island, book cloth machine operator
#28 Wilson Street – Home of Hilmer Ekland, Sweden, floorcovering machinist
#29 Wilson Street – The home of John H. Schacht
Bought the (21,949 sq ft) land from Abbie Ellis in 1891. (would have been “Lot 3” on Abbie Ellis map). John Henry A. Schacht was born Dec 1855 in Essen, Germany and died 1920 Norwood. He married 19 Dec 1881 Catherine Emelia Burrmann in Walpole. Together they had four children – John, Emily, William and Florence.
#35 Wilson Street – The home of John & Helmina Eppich
John & Helmina Eppich bought “Lot 2” on plan of Abbie Ellis, from Henry B. Baker in 1891. Their children, Elizabeth Berkland, Minnie & Carl sold their share of the family home to their brother Frederick. Older residents may remember coming to this house to buy plants and flowers, as Fred ran a flower shop/nursery here in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, this house is still in the Eppich family as Fred’s daughter lives here!
John Eppich was born 24 Dec 1857 in Tiefenthial, Gottschee. He was the son of Johan Eppich and Maria Sigmund. He came to the United States arriving on 22 Aug 1884. It is highly likely that John was the first Gottscheer in Norwood. It is unknown when he arrived in Norwood, but it was before 1890, as he is listed in the 1890 Norwood Business Directory and he married February 15, 1890 to Helmina (Voderer) Sern here. She was born 3 Dec 1865 in Johlingen, Germany, and was the daughter of Carl Voderer and Sophia Vogel. John bought his property on Wilson Street a year later in 1891. He and Helmina had five children – John, Elizabeth, Minnie, Carl and Fred.
John and Helmina’s son John was the third Norwood resident to die during the influenza pandemic of 1918. He was stationed at Camp Devins at the time and because of the fear from the flu the Eppich’s had a hard time getting the body home for burial. Norwood’s first resident to die of the Spanish Flu was Carl Carlson of 37 Cedar St in Swedesville. Carl contracted the flu while at Fort Dix and died at home in Norwood.
John’s brother Joseph lived around the corner on Bullard Street, not far from the Wilson Street intersection. His niece and nephew, children of his brother Mathias came to Norwood too. Maria Eppich married Joseph Pogrelz they had two daughters and lived in 504 Walpole Street. Her brother Mathias (Jr) never married and lived with the Pogrelz.
John died April 27, 1925 five years after his wife had died in 1920. They are both buried at Highland Cemetery
#41 Wilson – The home of Michael Verderber
The house is gone now. Bought from 21, 977 sq ft of land from Albert & Sabina Krueger “Lot 1” on plan of Abbie Ellis in 1905. Michael Verderber, was born 8 Jan 1881 Ort Mitterdorf, Gottschee; died 8 Mar 1972 in Norwood. He was the son of Michael Verderber and Mary Wolf. He married first on April 10, 1904 to Sophie Fitz in Norwood. She was born 1884 in Gottschee, Austria and died April 22, 1907 in Norwood and was the daughter of John Fitz and Lena Tschinkel. He married secondly on October 4, 1908 to Margaret Knaus in Norwood. She was born 1879 and died 1960. She was the daughter of John Knaus and Margaret Debernak. Michael and Margaret had five children – Edward, Flora, Arthur, Emil and Laura. Over the years Michael worked for different divisions of Winslow Bros – as a tanner and as a wool puller
When Michael arrived 21 Dec 1903 in the US he stated he was going to his brother Louis/Lewis on Wilson St., Norwood. Lewis died 28 Nov 1903 in Norwood at age 20. Does not appear to have married. Michael & Margaret (Knaus) Verderber were the parents of six children – Edward, Flora, Arthur, Emil, Frank and Laura.
#42 Wilson – Home of Arthur Balduf, Mass., Electrician for floor covering Co
#46 Wilson – Home of Edward Motola, Finland, house carpenter
#56 Wilson – Home of Adolph Wiskelis – Lithuania, tannery
#57 Wilson – The Home of Edward E. Balduf
#71 Wilson – The home of Julius Balduf.
The house is gone now. Replaced by two large center entry colonials. Julius was the first German on the street. He purchased 2 acres of land from George S. Winslow in 1878. The deed does not indicate there were any buildings on the property. It is highly likely Balduf built the family home. Over the years Balduf bought several more parcels of land that mostly abutted his original purchase.
Julius Franz Balduf was born 7 Aug 1848 in Rastatt, Baden, Germany. He was the son of Johan Peter Balduf and Maria Anna Goelieje. According to his naturalization papers, Balduf arrived in New York April 6, 1864. Interestingly, Julius’ older brother, Peter Balduf, also came to Boston and he married there to Katherine Schaier, daughter of Casemir Schaier and Franzika Fuchs in 1869; Katherine’s brother, Carl Joseph Schaier lived on Bullard Street. Peter was born in 1845, was naturalized in 1875, and apparently ran a tavern in Boston as early as 1874 when a “small amount of liquor was seized from saloon keeper Peter Balduf. He also applied for “a license to sell intoxicating liquors as a victualler of the first class, at No. 307 Third street, in said Boston, the first floor of said building,” in 1883. He died at that address in March of 1887. Julius named his firstborn son in his honor. Julius younger brother Frederick, born 1854, also came to the United States and married in Norwood, first to Maria Bochuke in 1898 and then to Augusta “Dora” Bieler in 1909. Fred died in 1932 in Norwood, and Julius named his sixth child after this brother.
Julius Balduf married first January 1872 to Eliza Becker in Boston. It is highly likely Eliza died soon after she and Julius married. The Julius married again on July 7, 1874 to Louisa A. Kuld in Norwood. She was born 17 Aug 1851 in Joehlingen, Baden, Germany and died 30 Jul 1915 Norwood. Interestingly Rastatt and Joehlingen are less then 40 miles apart. The Baldufs and the Kulds may have known one another from Germany. She was the daughter of Lawrence Kuld and Francisca Leicht. Julius and Louisa became the parents of twelve children, ten of whom grew to adulthood — Lawrence, Annie, Louisa, Edward, Julius, Frederick, Martin, George, Grover, Edith, Else and Velma.
Julius worked for the Winslow tannery but was also involved with supporting the social and cultural activities in Germantown. He was involved with the Turnverein, but he also had his own social club behind his home at number 71 Wilson Street. He visitors could bowl, play pool and apparently enjoy an alcoholic drink. The fact that he served alcohol with out a licence was a problem for the town, as on March 17, 1906 Balduf’s bowling alleys were raided and Balduf was ordered to appear at Dedham District Court to answer the charge of maintaining a liquor nuisance. Norwood town annual reports show Balduf applied and paid fees to maintain a bowling alley and billiard hall for many years.
Julius Balduf died in 1927 in Norwood. He out lived his wife, Louisa by some twelve years. This couple is buried in Highland Cemetery.
#83 Wilson Street – The home of Wolfgang Waldheim.
Wolf purchased an acre of land from George S. Winslow in 1887. Wolfgang “Wolf” Waldheim was born 5 April 1861 in Esch, Bohemia, Germany and was the son of Frederick Waldheim and Elizabeth Putz. He arrived in the United States in January of 1883 along with his brother John and John’s family, wife Katherina Anna and children Carl and Bertha who lived in Swedeville. Originally Wolf and John found jobs in New Hampshire. That is where Wolf married on March 13, 1884 Elisabeth Schmidt in Manchester (NH). She was born 17 Sept 1862 in Asch Germany and was the daughter of John and Katherina Schmidt. Wolf and Elisabeth had two daughters, Emma in 1884 and Clara in 1886, both born in Manchester, NH.
Soon after his daughter Clara was born in 1886, Wolf met Francis O. Winslow. Winslow found him to be a gifted musician. He offered him a job at his family’s tannery and a plot of land sold to him for a very good price, if he would consider relocating to Norwood. The Norwood Band, originally founded in 1866 had disbanded soon after Norwood was established. By 1883 several townsfolk were working diligently to start reestablish the band. It occurred to FO Winslow that Wolf would be an excellent addition to the newly reorganized band. Wolf took up Winslow’s offer and in 1887 he bought the land on Wilson Street and built a house. John Waldheim and his family also moved to Norwood. He purchased a home on Cedar Street, and worked in the tannery, but he also taught music.
Wolf died in June 15, 1917 in Norwood. His wife, Elisabeth had a long widowhood, dying in December of 1951. She continued to live in the house with her daughter Clara, who never married, as well as with her daughter Emma (Walheim) Schroder and her family.
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