Albrechts of Knox County, Indiana

Greetings:

I am posting this message, first to provide what info I have about the Albrecht family of Freelandville, IN to others, and second to see if there are others out there in cyberspace who can provide more information about this family.

My grandmother, Bertha Hamke Hossfield was descended from the Albrechts on her mother's side. She collected quite a bit about the Hamkes, which I plan to post in the appropriate surname forum at a later date, but she did not collect much about the Albrechts. What I have is the following, which my grandmother wrote:

"About my mothers family Grandma & Grandpa Albrecht [Frederick Albrecht and Julian Kettlehutt Albrecht].Grandpa had 25 cents in his pocket when he came to Freelandville Indiana.They came to U.S.A. on a sailing ship & it took 6 weeks.The two oldest children Herman & Bertha were born in Pommern Germany.At first they lived on a farm owned by a Pastor Miller.Then on the one Uncle Rob took over from the family.Grandma would work all day in the wheat fields & sometime the children did not have enough to eat.Grandpa was often sick had trouble with his stomach.Also had one bad eye. it is not known what caused it.He stayed with his daughter Bertha Wessel 5 year after his wife died.She was 75 and he was 85 when they died.Aunt Bertha Albrecht Wessel had to walk 6 miles to German school.So a Mrs. Ritterscamp took her in, she stayed with them 13 years.

Our mother [Tillie Albrecht] worked for Charles Polk in Freelandville.Herman did not go to school, he could not read or write.

Grandpa Albrecht was a small man & was sick most of his life, he had dispepsi and Herman and grandma did most of the farm work.Later in life he had very poor vision cause by catracts, he read his Bible by using a magnifying glass.Usually had a goose for Christmas dinner. raised geese to have feathers for pillows and feather beds."

As the saying goes - that's all she wrote! Nevertheless I am posting it here in case it can help others and in the hope others can provide more about the Albrechts.

PS - I inserted names missing from my grandmother's account in [brackets].