The Herzog House (photo by LLKearney)

#89 Wilson Street – The home of Herman Herzog.

Hermann Reinhold Herzog was born 27 Feb 1859 in Langenbielan, Germany (now Poland); died 1936 Norwood. He was the son of William Hertzog and Caroline Wolf. He (1) married 1884 to Augusta Helena Miller. She was born Aug 1857 in Germany; died 4 April 1920 Norwood. She was the daughter of Frank Miller and Rose Baer.  Herman and Augusta arrived in the (NY) US in 1884. Initially they settled in Manchester, New Hampshire where the births of their first two children are recorded. It is highly possible they knew the Waldheims and it might have been through them they relocated to Norwood. Their daughter, Emma’s birth is recorded in Norwood records in 1887, and they purchased (approximately) a ½ acre plot of land on Wilson Street in 1888 from George S. Winslow. Hermann and Augusta had three more children (six in total). After Augusta died, Hermann remarried on April 22, 1926 to Mette (Christiansen) Griebel in Boston. She was born 1863 in Denmark, and died 1930 in Norwood. She was the daughter of Peter Christiansen and Dorothea Fredericksen.

Hermann worked for the Winslow tannery and was one of the founders of the Norwood Turnverein. He served the club for many years, and when the property was sold off in 1906, he signed the deed as the club’s treasurer.

The Groote House (photo LLKearney)

#95 & 97 Wilson Street – The home of Franz Groote. (aka Wilson Street Hospital)

Franz purchased to land from Julius Balduf in 1889 (Balduf bought the land in 1888 from Winslow). Bought a small triangular lot of land from Joseph P. Hamlin (626 sq ft) in 1898. Franz F. “Frank Groote” was born 28 Jul 1841 Germany and died 17 Oct 1909 Norwood.  He was the son of Franz E. Groote and Maria R. Wilmes. He married 1864 Anna [?] in Germany. She was born 16 Jun 1840 in Blanckenburg, Germany and died 10 Jun 1927 Walpole. They arrived to the US (NY) in 10 May 1887 from Wehringhausen, Germany. According to the 1900 census, Frank and Annie note they had one child who had died. Also living in the home at that time were Julius and Ottolie Emilia (Kniege) Krueger and their sons Carl and Kurt. By 1920 the two Krueger boys had been adopted by Annie and were using the surname “Groote.” Annie Groote opened her home at 95 Wilson Street as a local hospital, it is not clear when Annie opened her hospital, but it may have been around the time Frank had passed away.

The Hauck House (photo by LLKearney)

#99 Wilson Street – The home of Peter Hauck

Bought land (45,382 sq ft) from Joseph P. Hamlin in 1898. He arrived in the United States in June 15,1880, first setting in New York City, at the time he arrived he stated he was a cloth maker. He was in Massachusetts by 1890. Finally settling in Norwood. He worked for the tannery as a wool washer. He applied for naturalization in 1895

Peter Hauck was born 8 May 1853 in Lambrecht, Bavaria, Germany and died 28 Jul 1938 Norwood. He was the son of Jakob Hauck and Katherine Susanna Hammel. He married (#1) Rose Anna Sperling 2 Apr 1882 in NY. She was the daughter of Ferdinand Sperling and Elizabetha [?]. She was born 1858 in Germany and died 1894 in Norwood. He married (#2) Pauline Emily Morganer in 26 May 1894 in Dedham. She was born 1862 in Saxony, Germany and died 1936 in Norwood. She was the daughter of Carl Morgner and Augusta Hammel. This family lived at #99 Wilson. Peter & Rose (Sperling) Hauck had five children –John, Carl, Ferninand, Bertha and Anna. Peter had two more children, Peter and Oscar, with his second wife, Emily Morganer.

The Lobisser House (photo by LLKearney)

#107 Wilson Street – The home of Frank & Gladys (Balduf) Lobisser in 1920….Frank is a Gottscheers. He and his wife owned this house. Frank/Franz Lobisser, was born 9 Mar 1889 in Mitterdorf, Gottschee and died 21 Jul 1972 in Milford. He was the son of Johan Lobisser and Magdalena “Helen” Jaklitsch. He married 19 Jul 1919 Gladys Mae Balduf in Norwood. She was born 21 Aug 1897 in Norwood, and died 23 Sept 1987 Milford. She was the daughter of Laurence Balduf and Alice Tillieston.

Frank arrived in the US in 1914 on his way John Verderber’s house in at 500 Walpole St., Norwood. Frank and Gladys lived in Norwood until the mid 1930s when they relocated to Milford, where they owned a house on East Main Street and Frank worked at a dairy. Frank and Gladys had nine children – Helen, Frances, Frank, Gladys, Elizabeth, Richard, Alice, Barbara and Janet.

The Hoegler House (photo by LLKearney)

#108 Wilson Street – Home of Lawrence Balduf

#110 Wilson Street– Home of Herman Nordstrom, Massachusetts, papermaker

#111 Wilson Street – Home of Louis Hoegler,

Alois “Louis” Hoegler was born 6 Dec 1885 in Kukendorf, Gottschee; died 5 Aug 1960 in Walpole. He was the son of Johan Hoegler and Maria Jaklitsch. He married 6 Feb 1915 Mary Obersteiner in Medford (MA). She was born 1887 in Villach, Austria and died 16 Oct 1971 in Walpole. She was the daughter of Johan Obersteiner and Maria Egarteur. Louis & Mary (Obersteiner) Hoegler became the parents of two children – Aurelia and Louis “Ted”

The Verderber House (photo by LLKearney)

#112 Wilson Street– The home of Jacob Verderber

Bought land from The Norwood Housing Association, Inc. in 1920 (initially they rented this house). Jacob Verderber was born 29 May 1860 in Gottschee and he died in Norwood in 1927. He married Magdalena “Lena” Kram in 1891 in Gottschee. Lena was born 1867 in Gottschee and died 1947 in Norwood. They came as a couple to the United States in 1892 and originally settled in Brooklyn, NY where the births of their first two children are recorded. They relocated to Norwood just before the birth of their third child was born in February of 1900. Jacob & Lena (Kram) Verderber had five children – Ernest, Arthur, Frank, Charles and Mary.

There are two other Verderber families living in the neighborhood, but they do not appear to be directly related.

The J. Eppich House (photo by LLKearney)

#116 Wilson Street – The home of John & Magdalena Eppich

John Eppich 1875-1957. (courtesy of Thomas Shields)

This couple bought from the Norwood Housing Association in 1920. Already had a house on the lot. The previous renters of this house was John’s sister Joanna “Jennie” (Eppich) Koch. John Eppich born 12 Feb 1875 Tiefenthal. Gottschee; died 14 May 1957 in Norwood. Married Magdalena Eppich in Gottshee. She was born 28 Jun 1878 in Tiefenthal, Gottschee, and died 1941 in Norwood. She was the daughter of Franz Eppich and Maria Meditz. Family lived in Norwood and Walpole. The family arrived in 1905, and were living next door to first cousin, Mathias on Wilson St in #116. John & Magdalena (Eppich) Eppich had four children – Joseph, Mary, Sophie, and John.

#120 Wilson StreetHome of Michael Sansone, Michigan, automobile painter

The G. Waldheim House (photo by LLKearney)

#121 Wilson Street– The home of Gustave Waldheim

Gustave Waldhem was the younger brother of Wolfgand and John, he arrived in the United States in 1906. He was born 17 Jan The Verderber 1879 Esch, Bohemia, Germany. He purchased a plot of land from Joseph P. Hamlin on Wilson Street (#121) in 1908. Also in 1908, he married on December 26th to Marie Fitz in Norwood. She was born in 1886 in Gottschee and was the daughter of John Fitz and Lena Tschinkel. Gustave and Marie had one daughter, Helen who married Martin Balduf (grandson of Julius).

The Pfeiffer House (photo by LLKearney)

#124 Wilson Street – The home of Mathias Pfeiffer

Bought land from Joseph Hamlin in 1900. He bought the second lot in 1906 also from Hamlin (today it is #128)

Mathias Pfeiffer was born 17 Feb 1864 Tiefenthal, Gottschee, and died 8 Jan 1920 in Norwood. He was the son of Joseph Pfeiffer and Agnes Honigman (NOTE: Agnes was also Maria Yonke’s mother, who married Mathias Eppich). He married Gertrude Eppich in 1892 in Tiefenthal, Gottschee. Gertrude Eppich was born 5 Feb 1864 Tiefenthal Gottschee, and died 4 Jan 1920 Norwood. She was the daughter of Georg Eppich and Agnes Mausser. They arrived in the US in 1897. Mathias & Gertrude (Eppich) Pfiffer became the parents of five children –Joseph, Gertrude, Frank, Elizabeth and Louis.

#132 Wilson Street – The home of Mathias Eppich

The M. Eppich House (before the addition) (photo Google Earth)

Bought land from Joseph Hamlin in 1906. Mathias Eppich was born 7 Jan 1860 Tiefenthal and died 15 Feb 1925 Norwood.  He was the son of Georg Eppich and Agnes Mausser. He arrived in NY 11 May 1889, and was in Norwood by 1890 as he is listed in the 1890 Norwood Business Directory, making him one of the first Gottscheers in Norwood. He married 1891 Maria Jonke Tiefenthal, Gottschee. She was born 27 Mar 1873 Tiefenthal, Gottschee, and died 14 Mar 1966 Norwood. She was the daughter of Mathias Yonke and Agnes Honigman. Mathias & Maria (Jonke) Eppich were the parents of seven children. Joseph, George, Emma, Frank, John, Sophie, and Agnes.

The end of Wilson Street, from #99 down to Bullard Street, is actually quite interesting. Besides the fact that these families were Gottscheers, most are related. In house number 124 was the family of Mathias & Gertrude (Eppich) Pfiffer and next door, was his brother-in-law Mathias & Mary (Jonke) Eppich. In house number 116 was their nephew (son of Anton) John & Magdelena (Eppich) Eppich. This home had been previously rented to Charles & Joannah (Eppich) Koch, Joannah was Mathias and Gertrude’s half-sister.

It should also be noted that Mathias Eppich and Gertrude Pfiffers other children are John Eppich (yes another John!) and Sophie (Eppich) Verberder, wife of John Verderber, lived on Walpole Street at numbers 500 and 504…..and their niece, (daughter of Anton) Sophie (Eppich) Sigmund lived on Bullard St.

Turn the corner onto Bullard St (first half)

Back to Norwood Neighborhood Exhibit main page –>

3 thoughts on “1930 German Residents of Wilson Street (second half)

  1. This is great history of my old house. 112. I remember a lot of these names of people who lived there thru the years.. Enjoyed this is it possible to buy a copy??

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