Susan Sharp's Research Notes:
Letter to Magnus Tadsen from relatives in Germany after World War 2.
Letter was in the possession of June Rader. Copy given by her to PaulD. Sharp, who, in turn, gave a copy to me. The original letter was in German, I don't know who had it translated.
Dear Family of Magnus Tadsen: I know you'll be surprised to receive mail from Germany especially since we never corresponded. However, my mother, while alive, kept up a correspondence with her oldest sister, Doris. In 1934, almost 87 years old, our mother (born Pauline Knudsen) died. Our father died two years previous, thank the Lord. We say it this way now because, after all, they were spared the worries and hardships of World War 2 and its aftermath.
In the first World War, my brother, Peter, was killed in Russia and I myself was severely wounded in Flanders. In this last war, my wife and I and our two girls, 19 and25 years old, were lucky to escape with our lives. However, we lost all our possessions by bombing as did my sister Christine who also lived in Hanover. Christine is not married. Yes, dear relatives, Hitler sure put us on the "beggar's stick."
Germany will only, with American help, stage a come-back. That will take many years. However, despite the endless ruins and rubble one still sees the iron will to rebuild Germany. In this manner we really have lived since 1914, first war, then collapse, revolution and inflation and then again, the samething over. Really the best times in Germany were before 1914 under the regime of the Kaiser. We'll probably never see such times again.
I think how lucky Magnus Tadsen and Doris Knudsen were at that time to go to America. Of course, I wouldn't know what hardships and experiences they had to go through there.
Am I not on that picture. I left home when I was 14 to become a merchant and have followed that for years. Before the war I enjoyed it very much as I liked travel and really was a business salesman. However, the business is not satisfactory now because of shortage of goods and inflation. Christine found out your address when she was up home and the reason for my writing you can no doubt guess when you read about the hunger rations in Germany in your papers. However, I'll try and picture for you what is really going on here.
The food supplies in Germany are used up and of the necessary 1500 calories a day, we are only getting 800 per day. This consists of 50 gram fat, 100 gram meat, 62 gram cheese, and 3 pounds of bread per week, as a result of this ration and the long scarcity of fats, I now have anemia. Under such circumstances I have the courage to write and ask that you send a package. I will reimburse you for this again just as soon as the German mark is stablized.
I close this letter in hope you will understand the situation and not hold it against me as circumstances have really forced me to write thus. Best regards to my dear relatives in a better world and hope to hear from you in the near future. Hans Hansen
P.S. I'm including a picture of my two girls. Are these not Peter Knudsen faces?
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Another letter from Germany in the possession of June Rader.
Longenhorn April 8, 1948
Mr. Tadsen First of all, my name is Emma Matthiesen, am 78 years old. Don't know if any of the Tadsen's are still alive. If so, I'm sure you will remember me, I visited my cousin Anna Kreutzfeld. Now I should like to have someone send me the address of Henry Nielsen or Ilana Nielsen. At the time of my visit they were on the Hopfinger Farm. Stayed there for a time when their oldest daughter was born. I'm old but my mind is still very clear. I'm all crippled up badly with rheumatism and have been for 14 years. My right hand is totally worthless that is why I'm writing this with pencil.
What are Ingver Kreutzfeld's children doing? The oldest wanted to be a teacher and Lore was just born at that time. Are any of the Bahnsens still alive? If so, from all the people that I used to know should be one there that could send me a package of used clothes, mainly for my grandson. He is big and broad, 22 years old -maybe some shirts, underwear, or anything else you might have. He is working on the Farm. Should this letter get into your hands, please let me hear from you.
May the Lord repay you for anything you do to help us as we are in no position to do so. Best wishes. E Onenvelope:
From: Germany Crbf. Emma Matthiessen This was written on Langenhorn Loheide the ba Kries Husum receipt. S Holstein Germany British Zone According to the notes of Paul David Sharp, the Tadsens were from the Schleswig Holstein area of Germany and the Lorenzens were from the Hamburg area. According to their collections of Kathryn Tadsen Sharp, Uncle Epke Lorenzen (1851-1936) and Aunt 'Rickey' Friederike (1862-1948) were related to the Krietzfelts-- they are mentioned in the letter of Emma Matthiessen to Magnus Tadsen copied above. Aunt Rickey was also a witness on Nick Tadsen's Registration of Birth. I am still not sure of these relationships. I have copies of their death certificates.
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Magnus Tadsen was a carpenter. He built many houses in Port Clinton, including the Zeis home and the home of Dora and Nick Tadsen. Kathryn Tadsen Sharp remembers she took "rent" of $6.00 per month to her grandparents from her parents. Magnus paid her $.25 for this"job." The 1910 U.S. Census for Ottawa County, Ohio, lists his occupation as carpenter. Robert Tadsen Sharp has the stamp he used to imprint his name on his tools and work. Also in the possession of Robert Tadsen Sharp is a J. B. Clement double barrel shotgun with a large hole in one of the barrels. The gun bears the stamp of M. Tadsen on the stock. According to the family story, a fox was getting in the chickenhouse. Nick Tadsen, Magnus' son, stayed outside all night with his gun "at the ready" to try to kill the fox. He fell asleep and the barrelof the gun went down into the snow and an ice plug formed in the end of one barrel. He awoke to find the fox in the chicken house and fired the gun. The ice plug caused a pressure buildup when the gun was fired and a hole was blown out of the barrel, narrowly missing his hand. The gun was in the possesion of Nick Tadsen, who gave it to his daughter, Kathryn Tadsen Sharp, who, in turn, gave it to her son, Robert Tadsen Sharp.
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According to the recollections of Kathryn Tadsen Sharp, Magnus made several trips to Germany to visit his relatives. Perhaps passport records might yield some information. According to the recollections of Kathryn Tadsen Sharp, the Tadsen's had a fainting couch in their dining room. Her grandfather, Magnus, used to lie on the couch and Kathryn would straddle his big stomach and play with his watch chains.
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US Census 1910, Ottawa County, Ohio, Roll 367, Volume 141,Enumeration District 0170, Visitation No. 530, House No. 518, Street -Fourth St., Magnus Tadsen, head, male, white, 67, married, 40 years in present marriage, place of birth- German Frisian, Place of father and mother's birth- German Frisian, Year of emmigration toUSA-1866,naturalized or alien- ua, able to speak English- yes, Trade-Carpenter, Nature of industry- House, Employer or employee- employer, Able to read- yes, able to write- yes, Owned or rented- owned, owned free or mortgaged, - free, farm or home - home, all other entries blank; Dorres, wife, female, white, 68, married, 40 years in present marriage, No. of children born- 6, No. of children living- 5, Place of birth- German Frisian, Place of birth of father and mother- German Frisian, Year of Emmigration to USA- 1869, Speaks English, Trade or profession- none, able to read and write- yes, all other entries blank; Peter K., son, male, white, 35, single, place of birth- Ohio, Place of birth of mother and father- German Frisian, Speaks English, Trade or Profession- agent, Nature of industry- fire insurance, able to read and write- yes, all other entries blank.
Magnus was married after he came to this country. Nick Tadsen was born in Sandusky-perhaps Magnus was married there? Sandusky is in Erie County.
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Certificate of Death. Place of Death: Ottawa County, Village of Port Clinton; Registration District, 981; Primary Registration District,3039; File No. 11; Full Name, Magnus Tadsen; (lady at the courthouse told me it was filed under the name Nagnus Tadsen) Sex, male; Color, white; Date of Birth, February 22, 1843; Age: 70 years, 7 months, 2days; Single, Married, Widowed, or Divorced, married; Birthplace, Germany; Occupation, Carpenter; Name of Father, Niss Tadsen; Birthplace of Father, Germany; Maiden Name of Mother, Sike Tadsen; Birthplace of Mother, Germany; The above stated personal particulars are true to the best of my knowledge and belief: Informant, Mrs. M.Tadsen; Address, Port Clinton, O; Filed October 14, 1913; J.A.Singler, Registrar. Medical Certificate of Death. Date of Death, October 13, 1913; I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from September 28, 1913 to October 12, 1913. That I last saw him alive on October 12, 1913 and that death occurred on the date stated above at 5:15 a.m. The cause of death was as follows: apoplexy; duration, 14 days; Contributory, arterio slerosis; signed Paul de la Barre M.D., October 14, 1913; address, Port Clinton, Ohio; Place of Burial, Lakeview; Date of Burial, October 15, 1913; Undertaker, R. Gerner; Address, Port Clinton, Ohio.
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BOOK: ?SEVERAL VOLUMES PASSENGER LISTS GERMANS TO AMERICA INDEXED BY NAME AND YEAR - Page 290, Ship, Borussia, from Hamburg to New York, arrived 7 May 1866. Tadsen, Magnus, 23, male, carpenter, Germany, province and village unknown. Soenke Knudsen, 30, female single, Germany, was also on this ship. Letter to Susan Sharp from Natalie Bredbeck, 218 Hayes Avenue, PortClinton, Ohio 43452-1246, states that one of the first families of Ottawa County, Ohio has an ancestor named Sieke Tadsen from Efkebull, Langenhorn, Germany. The zip code for Langenhorn is 25842. Sieke Tadsen was the name of Magnus Tadsen's mother and the letter to Magnus from the Germans after the war was from Langenhorn, so I should check this out.