Author: Keith Millard, in collaboration with Shana Greatrix
Introduction:
The primary connection, and perhaps the only direct connection between the Greatrix and Kleinsteuber families resulted from the 1882 marriage of Amanda Kleinsteuber (born 1864 to John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber and Annie Youmans) and Oran (or Aaron Greatrix, born 1863 to John Greatrix and Mary Jane Potter).
This means that all the descendants of John Henry Lorenz and Annie Youmans, including those of Amanda and Oran, are connected genetically as well as by marriage relationships.
Both Amanda and Oran were children of immigrant fathers, with John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber having been born in Germany in 1834, and John Greatrix having been born in England. Both of their mothers were children of United Empire Loyalists and had been born in Ontario.
The German Settlement was located on Concession VI Lot 4 of Elzevir Township, John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber's home was on the east side of the Scootamatta, and we believe John Greatrix' home was immediately to the north in Lot 5 on the south side of Robinson Road (see Concession map below).
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Introduction:
The primary connection, and perhaps the only direct connection between the Greatrix and Kleinsteuber families resulted from the 1882 marriage of Amanda Kleinsteuber (born 1864 to John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber and Annie Youmans) and Oran (or Aaron Greatrix, born 1863 to John Greatrix and Mary Jane Potter).
This means that all the descendants of John Henry Lorenz and Annie Youmans, including those of Amanda and Oran, are connected genetically as well as by marriage relationships.
Both Amanda and Oran were children of immigrant fathers, with John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber having been born in Germany in 1834, and John Greatrix having been born in England. Both of their mothers were children of United Empire Loyalists and had been born in Ontario.
The German Settlement was located on Concession VI Lot 4 of Elzevir Township, John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber's home was on the east side of the Scootamatta, and we believe John Greatrix' home was immediately to the north in Lot 5 on the south side of Robinson Road (see Concession map below).
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
The Early Years:
Although Amanda went to school in Elzevir Township near where she was born, German was still the most common language of the German Settlement where she was born and lived until her marriage, although her mother, Annie, was English speaking; it is likely that John Henry Lorenz and Annie Youmans each learned enough of each others language to communicate easily.
The German Settlement was a commune environment with (we think) all the family members working together to clear land, grow enough food to eat, and sell enough products (shoes, eggs, butter, etc.) to live. Most of the men worked at timber jobs or as labourers during the winter to help make ends meet. We are quite certain Henry Kleinsteuber was the leader and property owner of the commune, and we know less about him than almost any of the other Kleinsteuber immigrant families.
We expect there was little time for play and never enough time to get all the work done, but we speculate the younger people in the area saw each other frequently at market days in the booming lumber town of Bridgewater.
The home environment must have been interesting and hard to imagine from today's perspective. Based on what we know about the Elzevir Township poor soil, rocky outcroppings, large areas of marshland, etc. there were likely not a lot of hardwood trees (think large and tall) for making larger log homes. The log home pictured below was likely representative of what was built in the German Settlement.
Think of a home of between 400 and 500 square feet (about the square footage of the great room in our 1,800 sq ft patio home). It would likely have been divided into three parts, half for the living area (kitchen, eating, and daily activities), a small bedroom for mom and dad (think 8' by 10'), and another of the same size for the children to sleep in. As the family got larger, the boys would sleep on pallets in the living area and the girls in the bedroom.
A covered or closed in porch at the back would be for washing up, doing laundry, cutting meat, cleaning fish, and often cooking during warmer weather. An outdoor privy would have been with 30 feet or so of the back door. Water for all purposes would have been dipped from the Scootamatta River (including cutting through the ice in winter). In the 1881 census (seen below), Amanda was 16 years old, and there were seven people living in the house.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Although Amanda went to school in Elzevir Township near where she was born, German was still the most common language of the German Settlement where she was born and lived until her marriage, although her mother, Annie, was English speaking; it is likely that John Henry Lorenz and Annie Youmans each learned enough of each others language to communicate easily.
The German Settlement was a commune environment with (we think) all the family members working together to clear land, grow enough food to eat, and sell enough products (shoes, eggs, butter, etc.) to live. Most of the men worked at timber jobs or as labourers during the winter to help make ends meet. We are quite certain Henry Kleinsteuber was the leader and property owner of the commune, and we know less about him than almost any of the other Kleinsteuber immigrant families.
We expect there was little time for play and never enough time to get all the work done, but we speculate the younger people in the area saw each other frequently at market days in the booming lumber town of Bridgewater.
The home environment must have been interesting and hard to imagine from today's perspective. Based on what we know about the Elzevir Township poor soil, rocky outcroppings, large areas of marshland, etc. there were likely not a lot of hardwood trees (think large and tall) for making larger log homes. The log home pictured below was likely representative of what was built in the German Settlement.
Think of a home of between 400 and 500 square feet (about the square footage of the great room in our 1,800 sq ft patio home). It would likely have been divided into three parts, half for the living area (kitchen, eating, and daily activities), a small bedroom for mom and dad (think 8' by 10'), and another of the same size for the children to sleep in. As the family got larger, the boys would sleep on pallets in the living area and the girls in the bedroom.
A covered or closed in porch at the back would be for washing up, doing laundry, cutting meat, cleaning fish, and often cooking during warmer weather. An outdoor privy would have been with 30 feet or so of the back door. Water for all purposes would have been dipped from the Scootamatta River (including cutting through the ice in winter). In the 1881 census (seen below), Amanda was 16 years old, and there were seven people living in the house.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
The Marriage Years:
Amanda and Oran married in 1882, and in the 1891 Census they were living next door to the John Greatrix family (John Greatrix), three houses from the John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber family (Amanda's parents), four houses from the Carl Kleinsteuber family, and next door to the Ernest Kleinsteuber family (pages 15 and 16 of the Census). In other words, Oran and Amanda were likely living on the other side of the road from the German Settlement.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Amanda and Oran married in 1882, and in the 1891 Census they were living next door to the John Greatrix family (John Greatrix), three houses from the John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber family (Amanda's parents), four houses from the Carl Kleinsteuber family, and next door to the Ernest Kleinsteuber family (pages 15 and 16 of the Census). In other words, Oran and Amanda were likely living on the other side of the road from the German Settlement.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Life after Marriage:
Irreconcilable difficulties in the marriage arose between Amanda and Oran at some time after Freddie was born in 1890. We believe that Amanda was having difficulty coping with 4 small children, and she was still only 26 years old; a young neighbour, Martha Minnie (born 1874) was brought in to provide household help, and in 1896 the first of her 3 children was born.
Joseph Henry Greatrix was born in January 1898, and Oran and Amanda separated immediately after. The 1901 Census found Amanda living with her father at his house in the German Settlement with her two youngest children, Nettie Mildred and Joseph Henry.
In 1909, Amanda's brother, Julius had married Edith Almira Way and was building a new home on Concession IX, Lot 2 (as was John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber). In 1910 Nettie Greatrix married David Jackson, and Amanda and Joseph were living with her brother Julius at the new Kleinsteuber Homestead several miles away from the old German Settlement (on Concession IX, Lot 2). In 1915 Joseph joined the British Expeditionary Force in World War I, and the photo is believed to be Joseph and the girl he married in England, Mary A E Brown.
In the 1921 Census, Joseph was married and living in Toronto, and Amanda was living with her younger brother John David Kleinsteuber's family, including her elderly father and her elder widowed sister.
We do have a photo in the Gallery below of Amanda attending the 1937 Kleinsteuber Picnic.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Irreconcilable difficulties in the marriage arose between Amanda and Oran at some time after Freddie was born in 1890. We believe that Amanda was having difficulty coping with 4 small children, and she was still only 26 years old; a young neighbour, Martha Minnie (born 1874) was brought in to provide household help, and in 1896 the first of her 3 children was born.
Joseph Henry Greatrix was born in January 1898, and Oran and Amanda separated immediately after. The 1901 Census found Amanda living with her father at his house in the German Settlement with her two youngest children, Nettie Mildred and Joseph Henry.
In 1909, Amanda's brother, Julius had married Edith Almira Way and was building a new home on Concession IX, Lot 2 (as was John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber). In 1910 Nettie Greatrix married David Jackson, and Amanda and Joseph were living with her brother Julius at the new Kleinsteuber Homestead several miles away from the old German Settlement (on Concession IX, Lot 2). In 1915 Joseph joined the British Expeditionary Force in World War I, and the photo is believed to be Joseph and the girl he married in England, Mary A E Brown.
In the 1921 Census, Joseph was married and living in Toronto, and Amanda was living with her younger brother John David Kleinsteuber's family, including her elderly father and her elder widowed sister.
We do have a photo in the Gallery below of Amanda attending the 1937 Kleinsteuber Picnic.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
The Final Years:
We believe that Amanda later lived for some time with her daughter, Nettie Greatrix Jackson's family, at West Lake, and in 1955 at the age of 91 moved to the Hastings County Home in Belleville, Ontario (essentially a Long Term Care facility). At some points in these time frames she suffered from mental health issues and spent some time at the Psychiatric Hospital, and likely was forced to undergo electroshock treatments. We believe she also suffered from severe dementia in her later years.
In the attached late 1950s or early 1960s photo, Amanda is seen in a summer setting, perhaps at her daughter Nettie's house, and also a Christmas photo that may have been taken in 1964.
Amanda passed away on February 24th, 1964 at the age of 100.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
We believe that Amanda later lived for some time with her daughter, Nettie Greatrix Jackson's family, at West Lake, and in 1955 at the age of 91 moved to the Hastings County Home in Belleville, Ontario (essentially a Long Term Care facility). At some points in these time frames she suffered from mental health issues and spent some time at the Psychiatric Hospital, and likely was forced to undergo electroshock treatments. We believe she also suffered from severe dementia in her later years.
In the attached late 1950s or early 1960s photo, Amanda is seen in a summer setting, perhaps at her daughter Nettie's house, and also a Christmas photo that may have been taken in 1964.
Amanda passed away on February 24th, 1964 at the age of 100.
Click on image(s) to enlarge, cursor over to see caption:
Epilogue:
Oran never divorced Amanda nor did he remarry, perhaps due to religious reasons,as he was a devout member of an evangelical church in Belleville. We do know there were no laws requiring spousal or child support in that time period, and we do not know if Oran did or did not provide support. We DO know that Amanda functioned largely as a servant in her father's and brother's houses and resented it very much.
Memories and Reminiscences:
Note that these anecdotal quotes are exactly that and may or may not be entirely factual.
Ruth, a grand niece in her 90s who lived at West Lake in the 1930s and 40s;
Mandy Greatrix? Didn't she have mental problems?
Melanie, a direct descendant in her 60s;
- We knew Amanda had been ill for a lengthy time (my aunt said German measles or could have been chicken pox).
- Martha was hired to come to the house to live as a domestic and child care worker. (It looks like she may already have been pregnant and lost a baby).
- A love affair developed between Aaron and Martha and she became pregnant.
- It became apparent that alternative arrangements were needed. The boys stayed with Aaron and Martha, while the girls went with the mother to Julius' house out in the country where the help was needed on the farm and they had room. Nettie became more of a prime caregiver to Joe as he grew.
- Charlie and then Lillie were born to Martha.
- The ties to the Kleinsteubers remained strong through all of the tragedy. Some of the Greatrixes left to start a new life in Niagara Falls including Herb, my grandfather. Some moved along with other Kleinsteubers to the West Lake area of PEC. Herb returned from the Falls and moved to the County as did his sister and brother, Nettie and Fred, after marriage.
- Amanda ended up in the Belleville home for many years and was physically healthy to live to be over 100. My father and Herb still visited Amanda regularly, but I was not allowed to go. I was told "she had returned to her childhood" which I didn't think was such a bad thing and I could still play with her.
- Aaron died still married to Amanda after all those years and he was buried in the Actinolite cemetery. There was not much left for Martha, but I believe she was taken care of by her children, Charlie and Lil. When Amanda died she was buried next to her husband in Actinolite. Aaron had remained a staunch Christian and was very involved in community groups.
- Aaron had opportunity to divorce but never did. To me this proves he still loved her and fulfilled his obligation in marriage, but when illness and hard times get in the way, more than love is needed to feed the kids, keep money coming in and deal with daily life. Till death do us part seems to be the theme.
- My conclusion after connecting the dots is that it is likely that Amanda suffered from encephalitis after the exposure to the chicken pox virus which caused the symptoms she had.
Oran never divorced Amanda nor did he remarry, perhaps due to religious reasons,as he was a devout member of an evangelical church in Belleville. We do know there were no laws requiring spousal or child support in that time period, and we do not know if Oran did or did not provide support. We DO know that Amanda functioned largely as a servant in her father's and brother's houses and resented it very much.
Memories and Reminiscences:
Note that these anecdotal quotes are exactly that and may or may not be entirely factual.
Ruth, a grand niece in her 90s who lived at West Lake in the 1930s and 40s;
Mandy Greatrix? Didn't she have mental problems?
Melanie, a direct descendant in her 60s;
- We knew Amanda had been ill for a lengthy time (my aunt said German measles or could have been chicken pox).
- Martha was hired to come to the house to live as a domestic and child care worker. (It looks like she may already have been pregnant and lost a baby).
- A love affair developed between Aaron and Martha and she became pregnant.
- It became apparent that alternative arrangements were needed. The boys stayed with Aaron and Martha, while the girls went with the mother to Julius' house out in the country where the help was needed on the farm and they had room. Nettie became more of a prime caregiver to Joe as he grew.
- Charlie and then Lillie were born to Martha.
- The ties to the Kleinsteubers remained strong through all of the tragedy. Some of the Greatrixes left to start a new life in Niagara Falls including Herb, my grandfather. Some moved along with other Kleinsteubers to the West Lake area of PEC. Herb returned from the Falls and moved to the County as did his sister and brother, Nettie and Fred, after marriage.
- Amanda ended up in the Belleville home for many years and was physically healthy to live to be over 100. My father and Herb still visited Amanda regularly, but I was not allowed to go. I was told "she had returned to her childhood" which I didn't think was such a bad thing and I could still play with her.
- Aaron died still married to Amanda after all those years and he was buried in the Actinolite cemetery. There was not much left for Martha, but I believe she was taken care of by her children, Charlie and Lil. When Amanda died she was buried next to her husband in Actinolite. Aaron had remained a staunch Christian and was very involved in community groups.
- Aaron had opportunity to divorce but never did. To me this proves he still loved her and fulfilled his obligation in marriage, but when illness and hard times get in the way, more than love is needed to feed the kids, keep money coming in and deal with daily life. Till death do us part seems to be the theme.
- My conclusion after connecting the dots is that it is likely that Amanda suffered from encephalitis after the exposure to the chicken pox virus which caused the symptoms she had.