Robert F. Kruse Family Home Page:Information about Mada Annie Otte
Mada Annie Otte (b. 02 Nov 1892)
Notes for Mada Annie Otte:
Mada Annie Otte was born Nov. 2, 1892 at the home place west ofMason, Cooksville, in Mason County to Henry Otte and Marie Kruse Otte.She was baptisted Nov. 22, 1892 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church inMason as Anna Marie Otte. Mada's sponsors were Anna Kruse, AnnaWartenbach stood in for her aunt, and Ernest Naber. Her Godfather wasFrank Harper, and her Godmother was her aunt, youngest sister of hermother, Anna Kruse.
Mada's mother died when she was seven years old, on May 12, 1900shortly after the birth of her sister Minnie.Mada's ,older marriedsister, Rosie, came from near San Angelo with her baby, Walter for thefuneral.Walter got sick and it turned out to be Scarlet Fever.Alfred and Mada caught Scarlet Fever from Walter. Alfred's feversettled in his ears and caused a hearing loss. Mada's fever settled inher neck and she had to have her neck lanced four times. She had ascar on the right of her neck the rest of her life.
Mada's mother, Marie and Marie's sister,Katie Kruse Ischar hadmade an agreement. If one of the sisters died and had child, the othersister would raise her children or help to raise them. Katie cameafter Marie's death and carried Minnie home with her. She raised heruntil she was four.
Alfred, age 13, and Mada, age 8, stayed with their dad and thenwith Granny Cook when Henry had to go with the Ranger group shortlyafter Marie died.They stayed with their Aunt Katie for about a yearand went to school.Mada went to first grade in Simmonsville and herteacher was Miss Streigler. The next year they stay in Mason with theHenry Reugner family and went to school in Mason. Henry paid for theirroom and board.
Henry Otte married a second wife, Virginia Alice Banner Jan. 29,1904. After the wedding they went to Katie Ischar's house and gotMinnie, age 4, and carried her home with them. This was very hard onKatie since she had had Minnie since she was a newborn.
The year Mada was in third grade she stayed with Mrs. Hasper atCooksville and Mrs. Hasper's daughter and Mada walked to schooltogether. Then Mada stayed with her brother Jacob and his wife Annieat Long Mountain and went to the 4th grade. Her teacher was MissValley Leslie. She only had two dresses to wear to school and when sheneeded some new shoes, Alice made her come back home instead ofgetting her new shoes since the kids didn't need shoes at home.
The family worked oxen in the fields on the farm. The kids used towork in the fields with bare feet. There were lots of grassburrs andthey would stick into their feet and hands. They didn't bother thekids because their feet wereso tought from going barefooted.
Henry and Alice had two sons who only lived for a short time. Theboys were called "blue babies" because of breathing problems.
Henry Otte, who was Lutheran, had made a promise to Marie to raisethe children in the Catholic faith when they married. He kept hispromise and raised the children in the Catholic religion. Alice wasChurchof Christ and the children attended her church sometimes andthe Lutheran church sometimes as well as the Catholic church. Mada andAlfredwereconfirmed and received theirFirst Holy Communion atSt. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mason on Nov. 10, 1907.Mada was 15.Mrs. Cook gave Alice white material and lace to make Mada's dress andhelped Alice to make it. According to Mada it was one of the prettiestdresses there. After the confirmation the family went to HenryReugner's house for dinner.
Alfred left home because he didn't get along with Alice. He livedwith Jake and Annie.After he left Mada helped do his job. She saidshe planted, plowed, picked corn, and helped with the crops, sincethere was no one else to help. Minnie had gone to stay with their AuntKatie Ischar so she could go to school at Simmonsville. She becamesick with Dropsy and died May 5, 1909 at the age of almost 9.
Mada went to stay with her sister Rosie near San Angelo for abouttwo months when Robena was born. Mada dated Dr. Woodardson and SilTempleton while there. Sil and Mada wrote for a long time after secame home. He wrote and asked for permission to marry her.Madastopped writing to him but he kept on writing. (Mada was very bashfuland shy as a teenager, according to her husband, Hugo. She dated twobrothers, Joe and Charles Wonderly. She dated Charlie for a long timeand was good friends with his sister. Once she got very mad at himbecause he kissed her on the cheek. She didn't go with him for awhilethen. She was dating Charlie when she met Hugo Reichenau. She datedother boys but no one was special.
When Mada was about 16 years old she worked for Max Martin, astockman and banker. She cooked and kept house for the familyincluding three children. She only worked there a few months becausethey were so strict and cranky. Mada said, " They wanted thingscleaner than clean." She had to polish the kitchen stove everyday ifit needed it or not. She had to get up at 4:00 a.m. everyday and goout to the cowpens to milk the cows. They had a negro man working forthem and Mada said she was afraid of him since she had never beenaround any colored people before. Mada was very homesick and when Mrs.Martin went on a trip back to Germany she quit and went back home.Then Mada when back to working in the fields again. Henry had a graymare that pulled a walking planter. The mare was very hard to handle.The mare would turn so sharply that she would turn the planter over.Mada said, "She finally learned to manage that hardheaded mare."
The first time Mada saw Hugo Reichenau was at a box supper party ather Aunt Katie Ischar's house. Hugo played with the Hoffman's Band andthey played for the party. She was interested and forund out who Hugowas, but she didn't do anthing else about it because she was verybashful. Hugo noticed Mada when she was going into the house andstepped in front of her. She couldn't get through the door. She said,she thought he was crazy because he didn't move to let her in. Theynever spoke to each othr, he just finally moved and she went inside.
The second time she saw Hugo was when she was going to spendSaturday night with Erna Reichenau atGus Reichenau's house. Hugo wasthe half-brother of Gus and near the age of his niece Erna. Herparents had gone to Kerrville to look for another place to buy. Hugowas boarding with Gus Reichenau's family and came in from his andBenno Keller's blacksmith shop on the square in Mason. Mada and Hugowere introduced by Erna. Erna, Mada, and Hugo went outside and weresitting against the house talking.Hugo kept flipping little rocks atMada while they were talking. Erna, playing at match making, got upand went into the huse for a drink, but it was really to leave Madaand Hugo alone. Mada stayed for awhile but she didn't talk to Hugobecause she was so bashful. Hugo said, "I even flipped some largerrocks to get her to say something." Mada finally went into the housewith Erna and Hugo went back to town. That night there was a bigschool program and entertainment at Simmonsville at Mr. PhillipSchmidt's house. The Hoffman's Band played that night and Hugo was amember of the band. He playe the French horn and cornet in the band.Erna, her mothr, and Mada went to the program. Hugo saw Mada and toldthe members of the band, "He was going to take that gal home tonight."After the program Mada went to the buggy to leave and Hugo came overand tried to talk to her. She was so bashful that she went to theother side of the buggy. Erna, her mother, and Mada left because ithad got dark and started to rain and there was a lot of lightning andthunder. The horse got spooked and ran off the road into a mesquiteflat. The traces came loose and they had a hard time getting back homethat evening.
Later Mada went home with Aunt Katie Ischar after the CatholicChurch service to visit for awhile. Katie had a box supper at herhouse in Simmonsville the next Saturday. The girls all fixed boxes offood and then then drew for a boy's name. She drew Hermann Ischar'sname so she ate supper with him. While they were eating the Hoffman'sBand and Hugo showed up. Mada and Hermann were still eating when Hugowalked up behind her. She had a dove in her hand and was about to takea bit when Hugo said, Give me a bite." She didn't turn around she justreached over her shoulder and handed him the dove. No one said anthingelse and Hugo just walked off. They played games later after thesupper.
The next Sunday Mada went to the Methodist Church and then to lunchwith her parents, Charles Wolderly and his sister. After lunch theywent to look around at the new court house that was being built on thesquare. That night they went to the Church of Christ ad after churchthey stopped at the big well on the square for a drink. Hugo was thereand drew some water and handed it to Mada. On the way home Charlie wasmad because she had taken the drink from Hugo. Charlie came back thenext Sunday and demanded to know if Mada wanted him to come back. Shesaid she didn't care if he came or not and they broke up.
Hugo started writing letters to Mada and she finally answered them.He would go to her house and visit but he continued to write herletters. This went on for a long time. He asked to take her to hismother, Johanna Reichenau's house, and asked if she could spend thenight with his sister, Katy Reichenau. she was allowed to go and thatafternoon they went to a school picnic at the creek with Katy and EmilItz. That night they all went to a dance at Been Reichenau's house.Mada took Katy home with her for the week when then Hugo and Madacarried Katy back home. Coming back to Mada's hourse they got towithin two miles of her house in the Kothmann pasture when they had tostop at the Double Gates. Before Hugo got out of the buggy he askedher to marry him. She thought about it for a few minutes and said,"Yez."Hugo waited about a week before he built up enough courage tocome back to talk to her father. Hugo asked Henry to come outside enenif it was dark. He asked him for permission to marry Mada. Henry toldhim, "If they thought theywould get along all right together, it wasall right with him." Then Hugo had to go into the house to askpermission from Alice.
They planned to get married on Christmas Day but the Hoffman Bandmembers were going hunting. They decided to marry between Christmasand New Years Day instead. They got their marriage license Dec. 23,1909 from Ben Hey Clerk. in Mason, at the Mason County Courthouse. Itis inMarriage Book 4 page 99(it was returned and filed for therecord Jan. 19, 1910 and recorded on Feb. 16, 1910 by Ben Hey Clerk)
On Christmas Day, Hugo went to the house to see if Mada and MinniePolk, a friend of Mada's who was spending the week, could go to theChristmas tree in town. She asked her father and he said to ask Alice,who said , "No".Mada told Hugo and he got mad, so they walked to theKothmann's tank and back to the house. Hugo was stillangry so he goton his horse and left.
Their marriage was recorded at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Masonpage 45. Hugo Reichenau and Meta Otte signed by her father HeinrichOtte of Mason, standing up for them was Benno Keller and ErnaReichenau. Mada was seventeen and Hugo was twenty-seven when they gotmarried on Dec. 27, 1909 (date in Mada and Hugo's bible) at HenryOtte's house with the Luther preacher, Carl Ziehe from Masonofficiating. The license said they married Dec. 28, but it was notreturned until Jan. The Hoffman Band came to play and Hugo bougt somebeer for them to drink. They served cake and punch to the weddingguest.
Mada's wedding dress was made of white silk. It had a high collarmade of lace. The fitted bodice was made with many small pin tucks upand down the front panel which was trimmed in lace. The waist band wasmade like a cummerbund with many pin tucks going around the waist. Thedress also featured a long straight skirt. The sleeves were wristlength and trimmed in lace. Mada wore a veil trimmed with a halfwreath of small dainty white flowere. She wore a cross locket as heronly jewelry. (This locket belonged to her mother, Marie) ErnaReichenau was her bride's maid and also wore a silk dress. BennoKeller was the best man for Hugo.
Hugo and Mada spent the first night with her parents. The nextmorning they moved to their first home. It was the Ben Hey's houseonPost Hill near old Fort Mason and overlooked Mason. Hugo worked withhis partner Beeno Keller and ran their blacksmith shop on the squarein Mason.
A picture of Hugo was found. hugo said it was taken in 1910 infront of the shop. Jim Searcy's horse was being shoed and got caughtin a board in the doorway of the shop. There was a bit of troubleinvolved in freeing the animal without harming it. Helping free andhold the horse was Lorenzal Schmidt, Benno Keller, Jim Searcy, HugoReichenau, Bill Searcy and Jess Johnson. After the horse got up hethanked them by kicking Hugo in the leg. Hugo said, " It left a horsehoof print on my leg."
Hugo sold his half interest in the blacksmith shop on the square inMason to Benno's brother and Mada and Hugo moved to Wagram. Hugo ranthe blacksmith shop for Cap Bellow, and they lived with the Bellow'sfamily. Mada kept house and cooked for the family.
Elgin was born there on Oct. 26, 1911. They stayed there about ayear and then moved about three miles to Fredonia. They lived withMrs. Essison and Hugo ran the blacksmith shop for Willis Nowland.Mada, said the Essison daughter thought Elgin was something else andcarried him everywhere.
In less than a year they decided to move to Doss. They lived in theLange's house and Hugo opened his own blacksmith shop. Buttery andWalkins equipped the shop and he paid them back as he could. Theylived in Doss about four years.
Mr. Tom Nixon told Hugo about a farm for sell near London. Hugo andMr. Nixon went to look at it. Mr. Charlie Vater owned the farm, heowned the drug store and didn't use the farm. He rented it out. Hugosold out his blacksmith shop in Doss and they bought the farm locatedin Little Saline Community in Menard County.
Mada and Hugo moved from Doss on Thanksgiving Day in 1915. Thewind was from the west and blowing so hard they could barely move.They moved everything in two wagons. They camped on Beaver Creek thefirst night and got the wagons stuck. It took four hourses with themules to pull the wagon out. Charlie Doyle got on a horse and headedthem off. They got out finally and then had to do the same thing withthe other wagon. They had more problems when they got to Mason. One ofthe men helping them move said he wasn't going on to London with them.Hugo told him if he didn't go with them he would have to fight him.The man said it would be easier to go on than to fight Hugo. Anotherproblem was deep sand. Hugo had the wagons loaded very heavy with hisblacksmith tools and seed plus the household items. The mules almostcouldn't pull the load through the sand. The second night they campedat Streeter. After three days they reached the Little SalineCommunity.They couldn't move into the main house because a familyhad it rented and wouldn't leave until the first of the year. Theymoved into a log cabin near the house. (later used as a corn crib).After January the first they started to move into the main house. Theyfound it had no window glass, and had red bugs, chinch bugs, and rats.Hugo bought a little spotted dog that was a good rat catcher. Hugo,the dog, and two men went into the house with sticks and knocked downand killed the rats. Elgin had a little red wagon and he would pick upthe rats they killed and put them into his wagon. There were so manyrats that the wagon was filled and they fell out. Elgin got upset andcried because he couldn't keep them on his wagon. Hugo worked on thehouse after he workeked in the fields all day. There were so many redbugs and chinch bugs you could catch and fill a match box in oneminute. He pulled down the cheese cloth from the walls and burned it,then he burned sulfur in the house to help get rid of the pest. Hefinally got the house ready and they moved in. H. C. was born thereOct. 31, 1917.
Elgin started to school at Little Saline School and had to walkthe first couple of years. Then they got a donkey and he rode it toschool. He was stilin school when H.C. started to school.
Harold was born Nov. 11, 1924. Harold started to school but gotsickand died of Pneumonia Dec. 27, 1930 on Mada and Hugo's 21stanniversary. He was buried at Gross Cemetery in Mason.
The family attended church at the Saline Community church. Hugowas a school trustee for the Saline school and then for Londonwhenthe two schools joined in 1951. He was a trustee for 20 years.
Elgin married Elon Russell Nov. 25, 1935 and had Helon Kay andthen Geana Gay. H.C. married Genevieve Durst on Aug. 2, 1941 and hadCharles Harold and Donald Ray.
Hugo and Mada remained on the farm and worked it until 1972, whenHugo had a heart attack when he was ninty years old. He was drivinghis tractor, planting and harvesting crops, and riding a horse at thetime. Since Mada couldn't drive and they had outlived most of theirneighbors they had to move into Mason.H.C. moved them into a renthouse on the Fredericksburg Highway. They remained there until theycould find a huse to buy. They bought a house on Live Oak Street, neartheir first home on Post Hill.
Mada had a garden and grew flowers. She had chickens for a coupleof years. Hugo did a lot of visiting on his front porch swing. Hugowent deer hunting at the age of 92 with his son, Elgin, andgranddaughter, Kay and her husband, Norman. Hugo could still spot abuck quicker than his granddaughter even though his eyes were gettingbad. He said, "It's the way they act, they hold back and wait for thedoes to check things out for them". He said, "Even though you hadn'thunted in years you never forget how it feels to see a big buck." Heclaimed he got buck fever when he saw the biggest buck he ever saw andcouldn't shot. After that he just gave up hunting.
A grandson, Charles sad Hugo had killed his last deer when he was89. He was raised in the Blue Mountain area and deer hunting andfishing were a part of his early life.
Mada was a true Texas pioneer who worked side by side with herhusband clearing their fields and working their crops. She loved toquilt, and do needle work. She canned fruits and vegetables, andentertained friends, family and neighbors in her home. Hergranddaughter, Kay, remembers many parties while she was growing up.There would be as many as 50 to 100 people at the a Bar-B-Que. Her bigold round table was always loaded with more food than any one familycould eat. Her daughter -in -law, Elon, said that when they lived withHugo and Mada, that they would work in the fields and Mada and herwould go home to fix lunch. Elon said about lunchtime that cars wouldstart showing up to eat. Many times they would also have to cook forthe field hands that were helping. Elon said many times they wouldhelp in the fields, come home cook a big meal , and then clean up thekitchen before going back to the fields. The men would take a napwhile the cleaned up the kitchen. Elon said Ma, Mada, could runcircles round her when it came to working hard. Mada and Hugobutchered their own meat. They made hommade sausage, and smoked theirown meat in a smoke house at the back of the house. Mada made lye soapin a big kettle with ehe grease from the hogs that they butchered.Mada continued to work hard until she was in her late 90s.
Mada and Hugo lived together in Mason for eleven years, until 1983,when Hugo died on Saturday, july 30, 1983 at Shannon Memorial Hospitalin San Angelo. Hugo was 101 years old. Hugo's funeral services wereheld Monday, August 1, 1983 at 10 a.m. in the Mason Funeral HomeChapel. The Rev. Bob Huie, assisted by the Rev. Janice Huieofficiated. He was buried next to his son, Harold, in Gooch Cemeteryin Mason.
Mada continued to live at home by herself . In 1988 , age 96, Madawas hoeing her tomato plants when she fell and pulled a herna tryingto get up. She had to have surgery to repair the herna. She stayed byherself again until in the fall of 1989, when she had a flair up withher heart and went to live in the Mason Nursing Home around the cornerfrom her home on Live Oak Street. Mada died Wednesday, March 22, 1995in the Mason Nursing Home in Mason, Texas, at the age of 102 years.She had lived in the nursing home for the past five and one halfyears. Her funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 24,1995, in the Mason Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Clay Hallofficiating. Mr. Chris Hooten wrote and read "A Ballad for Hugo andMada" at the service. Mada was buried at the Gooch Cemetery in Masonnext to Hugo, her husband of 74 years and their son Harold
Mada was a true Texas pioneer who worked side by side with herhusband clearing their fields and working their crops. She loved toquilt, and do needle work. She canned fruits and vegetables, andentertained friends, family and neighbors in her home. Hergrandaughter Kay remembers many parties while growing up where 50 to100 people came for Bar-B-Que. Her big old round table was alwaysloaded with more food than any one family could eat. Many times shewould help in the fields, come home cook a big meal for her family andthe field hands, and then clean up the kitchen before going back tothe fields. Her daughter-in-law, Elon, lived with them after she andElgin married, she said Ma, Mada, could run circles around her when itcame to working hard. Mada and Hugo butchered their own meat. Theymade homemade sausage, and smoked their own meat in a smoke house atthe back of the house. Mada made lye soap in a big kettle with thegrease from the hogs they butchered.
Died in the Mason Nursing Home, Mason Co., TX at the age of 102 years
Body visitation and funeral service at Hoffman's Funeral Home Chapeland then burial at Gooch Cem. with a smaller service.
At Mada's funeral Mr. Chris Hooten read a poem he had written intitled
"A Ballad for Hugo and Mada"
The joy and peace they found in life are the fruits that they wouldbear
and the seeds they planted within the soil was the love that theywould share.
All in turn their life they lived with humor, joy and song.
The love of life they sived so full and it never steered them wrong.
The blacksmith's shop on Mason's square the horse hooves Hugo shod.
The mules he fell between one day unscratched, he thanked his God.
Their first home made in 1909 on top of high Post Hill
Then Wagram, Doss he blacksmithed there and those long hours did hefill.
In 1915 on to London to the land that they had sought
Not even home or shelter stood on the new land they had bought.
Willing friends and helpful neighbors true pioneers at heart the new
ground broke with plow he bore from raw land came their start.
With land as wild as the bronco steed with a spirit pure as gold
They opened up the London land from here their roots took hold.
With Mada's hand he held so tight with a lust within his soul
And children did she bear for him and their family made them whole.
One day in London was Elgin lost set Mada's fears unrest
Perhaps he lay within the waters of the lye soap tub she guessed.
Wild hogs, too, perhaps had come and led the lad away
Yet, Elgin had just wondered off and in Erna spent the day.
Harold passed away at six with pneumonia's fatal sting
A handsome child the angels found when his soul to them did bring.
With haunts as wild as land he knew
From which screams do fill the night
Hugo killed the spotted panther when it leapt o'erhead in fright.
From head to tail the wagon full with pride he there displayed
And Mason folks from far away came to see the catch he made.
Hunter Hugo they woud say no truer shot you've seen
To lay in stalk throughout the night and end the leopard's dream.
It takes a family of grit and strength to plant the summer corn.
It takes a family of steel and wits to last the drought's long scorn.
No less they were with coming age though bent from time and use
A handsome couple inside and out something time could not abuse.
From driving cattle in his youth to the rancher that he made
From the blacksmith's anvil that he used Hug's heart and soul obeyed.
From youth's eternal spring they sprang to the grey that age required,
Their love of life and laughter sought were the memories theyinspired.
Pioneers, father, mother, friend it's the heart they all loved best,
It's the part of them that never left the piece that ne'er knew rest.
And when the final roundup be way up there in heaven's land
And when the last steer crosses o'er to get its final brand.
Somewhere behind a ridin' herd is where Hugo's sure to be
A waitin' for the final call that will end all history.
Now, Mada's passed to join him there where the starherds fill the sky,
and hands hey hold again on high and with tears of joy we cry.
For every thing there is a season for their lives it was the same
Our Father who art in heaven with you their memories remain.
Her sponsors were Ernest Naberer (Naber) and Anna Wartenbach who stoodin for her godmother Anna Kruse.Mada was written down as OnamidaOtte.
She was baptisted Nov. 22, 1892 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church inMason as Anna Marie Otte. (Mada was written down as Onamida Otte.)Mada's sponsors wereAnna Wartenbach who stood in for her aunt andGodmother, Anna Kruse , and Ernest Naber. Her Godfather was FrankHarper, and her Godmother was her aunt, youngest sister of her mother,Anna Kruse.
Mada Annie Otte (German spelling of her name is Meta but she wasMada)was born Nov. 2, 1892 at the home place west of Mason,Cooksville, in Mason County to Henry Otte and Marie Kruse Otte. Shewas baptisted Nov. 22, 1892 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Masonas Anna Marie Otte. Mada's sponsors were Anna Kruse was her godmother, Anna Wartenbach stood in for her aunt, and Ernest Naber. HerGodfather was Frank Harper, and her Godmother was her aunt, youngestsister of her mother, Anna Kruse.
Mada's mother died when she was seven years old, on May 12, 1900shortly after the birth of her sister Minnie.Mada's ,older marriedsister, Rosie, came from near San Angelo with her baby, Walter for thefuneral.Walter got sick and it turned out to be Scarlet Fever.Alfred and Mada caught Scarlet Fever from Walter. Alfred's feversettled in his ears and caused a hearing loss. Mada's fever settled inher neck and she had to have her neck lanced four times. She had ascar on the right of her neck the rest of her life.
Mada's mother, Marie and Marie's sister,Katie Kruse Ischar hadmade an agreement. If one of the sisters died and had children at thetime of death, the other sister would raise her children or help toraise them. Katie came after Marie's death and carried Minnie homewith her. She raised her until she was four.
Alfred, age 13, and Mada, age 8, stayed with their dad and thenwith Granny Cook when Henry had to go with the Ranger group shortlyafter Marie died.They stayed with their Aunt Katie for about a yearand went to school.Mada went to first grade in Simmonsville and herteacher was Miss Streigler. The next year they stay in Mason with theHenry Reugner family and went to school in Mason. Henry paid for theirroom and board.
Henry Otte married a second wife, Virginia Alice Banner Jan. 29,1904. After the wedding they went to Katie Ischar's house and gotMinnie, age 4, and carried her home with them. This was very hard onKatie since she had had Minnie since she was a newborn.
The year Mada was in third grade she stayed with Mrs. Hasper atCooksville and Mrs. Hasper's daughter and Mada walked to schooltogether. Then Mada stayed with her brother Jacob and his wife Annieat Long Mountain and went to the 4th grade. Her teacher was MissValley Leslie. She only had two dresses to wear to school and when sheneeded some new shoes, Alice made her come back home instead ofgetting her new shoes since the kids didn't need shoes at home.
The family worked oxen in the fields on the farm. The kids used towork in the fields with bare feet. There were lots of grassburrs andthey would stick into their feet and hands. They didn't bother thekids because their feet wereso tought from going barefooted.
Henry and Alice had two sons who only lived for a short time. Theboys were called "blue babies" because of breathing problems.
Henry Otte, who was Lutheran, had made a promise to Marie to raisethe children in the Catholic faith when they married. He kept hispromise and raised the children in the Catholic religion. Alice wasChurchof Christ and the children attended her church sometimes andthe Lutheran church sometimes as well as the Catholic church. Mada andAlfredwereconfirmed and received theirFirst Holy Communion atSt. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mason on Nov. 10, 1907.Mada was 15.Mrs. Cook gave Alice white material and lace to make Mada's dress andhelped Alice to make it. According to Mada it was one of the prettiestdresses there. After the confirmation the family went to HenryReugner's house for dinner.
Alfred left home because he didn't get along with Alice. He livedwith Jake and Annie.After he left Mada helped do his job. She saidshe planted, plowed, picked corn, and helped with the crops, sincethere was no one else to help. Minnie had gone to stay with their AuntKatie Ischar so she could go to school at Simmonsville. She becamesick with Dropsy and died May 5, 1909 at the age of almost 9.
Mada went to stay with her sister Rosie near San Angelo for abouttwo months when Robena was born. Mada dated Dr. Woodardson and SilTempleton while there. Sil and Mada wrote for a long time after shecame home. He wrote and asked for permission to marry her.Madastopped writing to him but he kept on writing. (Mada was very bashfuland shy as a teenager, according to her husband, H
More About Mada Annie Otte:
Baptism: 22 Nov 1892, St Joseph's Catholic Church, Mason, TX.
Burial: Gooch Cemetery, Mason, TX.
Confirmation: St Joseph's Catholic Church, Mason, TX.
More About Mada Annie Otte and Hugo Robert Reichenau:
Marriage: 27 Dec 1909, Parent's home-Mason, TX.
Marriage Notes for Mada Annie Otte and Hugo Robert Reichenau:
They married at Henry Otte's house Dec. 27, 1909. The Lutheranpreacher, Carl Ziehe from Mason officiated. Marriage is recorded atSt. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mason on page 45
Mason County Court House shows
Mada Otte and Hugo Reichenau Dec. 28(?) 1909 by Carl. Ziehe at HenryOtte home- filed on Dec. 23, 1909 to Ben Hey Clerk
Mada's wedding dress was made of white silk. The fitted bodice wasmade with many small pin tucks up and down the wide front panel whichwas from her shoulders to the floor. The panel was trimmed with a laceedging .The waist band was made like a cummerbund (a wide sash orband around her waist) with matching pin tucks goingaround tucksgoing the waist. The dress featured a long straight skirt with thelong pin tucked panel down the front.It had a high fitted collarmade of lace and trimmed with a lace edging. The long wrist lengthfitted sleeves were trimmed with lace edging at the wrist. Her veil isthe the one she more for her confirmation at age 15. The veil wasfinger length and was trimmed with a half wreath of small dainty whiteflowers with a few green leaves. She wore a small gold cross locket asher only jewelry. The cross hung just below the lace collar. It wasthe same one she wore when she was confirmed.(This locket belonged toher mother, Marie)
Erna Reichenau was her bride's maid and also wore a silk dress. BennoKeller was the best man for Hugo.
Children of Mada Annie Otte and Hugo Robert Reichenau are:
- +Elgin Oscar "Gene" Reichenau, b. 26 Oct 1911, Wagram, Mason Co., TX,d., Knopp Nursing Home, Fredericksburg, Gillespie Co., Texas.
- +Henry Carl (H.C.) Reichenau, b. 31 Oct 1917, Mason Co., TX.
- Harold Ervin Reichenau, b. 11 Nov 1924, Mason Co., TX, d. 27 Dec 1930, Little Saline Community, Menard County, Texas.