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Malinda (Meinder) Bauder
(1845-1924) 

 

Malinda (Meinder) Bauder was born on March 9, 1845 (or 1847) in Berks County, PA, the daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Breidegam) Meinder. She never learned how to write and lived as a young woman in Lyons, Berks County. 

 

Conestoga wagon headed
to Reading, ca. 1876

On Feb. 24, 1872, at the age of 27, Malinda married 27-year-old John Edward Bauder (March 13, 1847-1907), son of Mary Ann (Bland) Bauder of Exeter Township, Berks County. The marriage was performed by a clergyman with the Schwarzwald Reformed Church in Exeter. A record of the event is published in the Berks County Genealogical Society's booklet, Schwarzwald Reformed Church, 1855-1928

The couple produced two children -- Jacob Daniel Bauder and Katherine Elizabeth "Kate" Griesemer. They also adopted a son, Amos Kissling. Another son or stepson was involved with this family, Samuel Bauder.

When the federal census was enumerated in 1880, the Bauder family resided in Exeter Township, next door to Malinda's sister Caroline Meinder and her son Daniel Oxenford. That year, John made a living as a laborer but found himself unemployed about four months out of the year. John's 68-year-old widowed mother Mary Ann Bauder, who suffered from dropsy, resided under their roof.

The Bauders were members of the Schwarzwald Reformed Church.

They have not yet been found in the 1900 United States census. They are known to have been in or around Birdsboro circa 1907.

Burdened with cirrhosis of the liver and acute "gastroenteritis" (infected stomach and intestines), John died in Stonersville on Aug. 10, 1907, at the age of 60 years, four months and 27 days. Burial was in the Schwarzwald Cemetery in Jacksonwald, Berks County. An obituary in the Reading Eagle said that the cause of his passing was "a complication of diseases."

 

Obituary, 1924

Malinda outlived her spouse by 17 years. In September 1913, at the Reading Fair, she exhibited her homemade canned pickles, catsup and chili sance, and was cited by name in the Reading Times.

When the federal census count was made in 1920, the 72-year-old widowed Malinda lived with her married daughter Katie Griesemer in Reiffton, Exeter Township.

At the age of 77, on Nov. 7, 1924, afflicted with "perniceous anaemia" (a disorder where insufficient numbers of red blood cells are produced), and despite occasional blood tests, Malinda died in the Griesemer home. Funeral services were held in the residence. Reported the Eagle, "The remains were attired in a cream silk dress with blended brass trimmings." Burial was in Schwarzwald Cemetery. 

 

~ Son Jacob Daniel Bauder ~

Son Jacob Daniel Bauder (1873-1939) was born in 1873. 

He married Elizabeth E. "Lizzie" Hiester (1873-1933), daughter of Thomas S. and Mary (Sharman) Hiester of Berks County. Their nuptials were held in Reading on Dec. 21, 1895, when Jacob and Lizzie both were age 22. At the time of marriage, Jacob worked as a laborer and lived in Stonersville, while Lizzie made her home in Lower Heidelberg.

They had seven known children -- Raymond W. Bauder, Oswin J.T. Bauder, Harry H. Bauder, Paul H. Bauder, William H. Bauder, Esther M. DeLong and John Martin Bauder. 

The Reading Eagle once said that Jacob "conducted a produce stand in Reading markets for many years and was a member of the Reformed denomination." 

Elizabeth passed away in 1933 at the age of 60.

 

Bird's-eye view of Reading, early 1900s

 

Jacob died on Oct. 1, 1939, at the age of 66, at the home of his son John in Oley. He was laid to rest in the Spies Zion Cemetery in Berks County, with Rev. Edwin C. Nagle leading the funeral service.

Son Raymond W. Bauder ( ? - ? ) lived in Centerport, Berks County in 1939.

 

Spies Church chancel

Son Oswin J.T. Bauder ( ? -1964) married Amelia I. Schlegel ( ? -1995), daughter of Milton H. and Amelia I. (Seidel) Schlegel. The couple had one son, Ray O. Bauder. They resided in Esterly, PA in 1939. Oswin died on May 16, 1964. Amelia outlived him by many years. She worked in Reading Hospital as a kitchen helper for 16 years and retired in 1978. She was a member of Zion (Spies) Lutheran Church. Later in life, she relocated to West Wyomissing, PA, and lived at 2817 Hiester Boulevard. She died at Berks Heim at the age of 86, on or about Jan. 13, 1995. Burial was in Zion (Spies) Cemetery.

Son Harry H. Bauder (1900-1988) made his home in 1939 in Fleetwood, Berks County. He died in 1988 and is buried with his parents in Zion (Spies) Cemetery.

Son Paul H. Bauder (1901-1988) was born in 1901. He married Emma Youse Troxel (1906-1973). They lived circa 1939 in Stony Creek Mills, Berks County. Sadly, Emma died at the age of 67 in 1973. Paul survived her by 15 years. He passed away in 1988 at the age of 87. He is interred with his wife in Zion (Spies) Cemetery.

Son William H. Bauder (1903-1977) was born on Jan. 31, 1903. He died on March 3, 1977, at the age of 74. He is buried in Forest Hills Memorial Park in Reiffton, Berks County.

Daughter Esther Bauder ( ? - ? ) married (?) DeLong. Her home in 1939 was in Stony Creek Mills.

Son John Martin Bauder (1905-1993) was born on March 12, 1905. He married Emily R. Reifsnyder (1907-1989). They lived in Oley, Berks County in the late 1930s. Emily passed away in November 1989. John outlived her by four years. He died on Nov. 11, 1993 and rests for eternity in Zion (Spies) Cemetery.

 

~ Daughter Katherine Elizabeth (Bauder) Griesemer ~

Daughter Katherine Elizabeth "Kate" Bauder (1878-1959) was born on Aug. 29, 1877 in Stonetown, Exeter Township. As a young woman, she made her home in Stonersville, Berks County. 

At the age of 20, on Oct. 23, 1897, she wed 23-year-old Henry G. "Harry" Griesemer (1873-1935), son of Wellington B. and Sarah A. (Keefer) Griesemer and a resident of 419 Elm Street in Reading. Rev. James R. Brown performed the ceremony in Stonersville. The couple requested that news of their marriage license not be published. At the time of marriage, Harry was employed as a salesman. 

Katie and Harry lived in Exeter Township in 1920 when the federal census was taken. That year, Harry worked as a hardware store clerk, and Katie's widowed mother resided under their roof.

They had at least two daughters, Helen C. Keller and Florence E. Zuber. There well could have been more offspring. They were members of the Schwarzwald Reformed Church, and he belonged to the local chapter of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America.

 

Obituary, 1935

In about 1921, the couple moved into the home of their married daughter Helen Keller and husband at 3224 Perkiomen Avenue in Reiffton, Exeter Township. They remained there for the rest of their lives, which in Katie's case was 38 years.

Sadly, Harry died on March 31, 1935 at the age of 61, after suffering with influenza and pneumonia for a week. Interment was in the Schwarzwald Cemetery.

Katie lived for another 24 years as a widow and belonged to the Reformation Lutheran Church of Reiffton. In October 1939, at the death of her brother, she was mentioned in his Reading Eagle obituary.

In 1956, she endured the death of her adult daughter Florence.

Kate died in the Keller home at the age of 81 on June 16, 1959, due to a cerebral hemorrhage following a decade of hardening of the arteries. She was laid to rest in the Schwarzwald Cemetery, with Rev. William J. Ducker presiding at the funeral service. An obituary in the Reading Eagle noted that she "was the last of her immediate family."

Daughter Helen C. Griesemer (1899- ? ) was born in 1899. Unmarried and living at home in 1920, at the age of 21, she earned a living as a joiner in a local pants factory. She married Claude Keller ( ? - ? ). In 1935, the Kellers made their residence in the home of Helen's parents.

Daughter Florence E. Griesemer (1900-1956) was born on Oct. 6, 1900 in or near Reiffton. In 1920, at the age of 19, she was employed in "seaming" at a local pants factory. Then when she was 30, on Oct. 4, 1930, she was joined in holy wedlock with George J. Zuber ( ? - ? ), son of William I. Zuber of Reading. Their nuptials were held at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, led by Rev. W.F. Fluck. A related story in the Reading Times said that "The bride who was unattended wore a gown of light blue georgette crepe, trimmed with chantilly lace. Her flowers were a bouquet of blue chrysanthemums." They lived at 1110 West 36th Street in Reiffton, a new home which was a gift of Florence's parents. George was employed in 1930 as a surveyor in the city's engineering department. Afflicted with hypostatic pneumonia and multiple sclerosis, Florence died at the age of 55 on April 25, 1956. Her remains were placed into eternal rest in the Aulenbach Cemetery in Reading.

 

~ Adopted Son Amos Kissling ~

Adopted son Amos Kissling ( ? - ? )

He dwelled in Norristown, Montgomery County, PA in 1924 and was named in his adoptive mother's obituary in the Reading Times.

 

Copyright © 2013, 2015, 2019-2020 Mark A. Miner

Conestoga wagon sketch from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Jan. 15, 1876.