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| The Kroll Family Home- Elm Cote |
In the previous post we explored the name of the house. Now that we know what to call it, let’s investigate the family that lived and farmed there for nearly half a century.
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| detail of 1930s Orange county map labels W. R. Conklin as owner of Elm Cote House |
A 1930s Road & Property Ownership Map of Orange County New York omits the name “Elm Cote” but, like the 1903 map, reflects ownership of a house at that location by W. R. Conklin. Although there is no question that this is the location of the house lived in by the Kroll family, it would seem to contradict the post card in my Grandmothers handwriting that states:
“Elm Cote in Chester was Owned by Grandpa Kroll”.
To unravel this mystery I looked at newspapers, immigration lists and census records for clues as to when the Krolls arrived at Elm Cote and did they actually own it? [1]
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| undated Post Card in my Grandmothers handwriting stating that her father owned Elm Cote |
On September 24, 1943 The Middletown Times Herald Newspaper published an article entitled “Krolls of Chester mark 50th Wedding Anniversary” in which are described their origins in Chester, presumably based on their own recollections to the reporter [2]:
“Brief periods of unemployment as a railroad fireman, steelworker and Carpenter convinced Julius Kroll who emigrated to America from Germany in 1890 that in order to provide for his large and growing family there was but one answer–take to the soil and become a farmer.
So it happened that in 1902 the Kroll family came to this community [Chester, N. Y.] and settled as farmers. They were successful. They raise their crops and their children. Eleven of them.”
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| Part of 1943 newspaper Clipping |
Julius and his growing family returned from an extended “visit” to his birth country, Germany [3], on April 17, 1902. The “Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York” [4] shows the Kroll family's destination to be Chester, N. Y. Julius brother-in-law, Heinrich (Henry) Herzke, was living in Chester, earning a living as a “Farm Laborer” and is listed as the person in the passenger list column entitled “(16) wether going to join a relative, and if so, what relative, their name and address”.
Julius arrived with his wife, seven young children, and $100 (roughly $3,000 in 2020 dollars) to re-start his American dream.. The youngest daughter, Margaret, was less than a year old and the oldest daughter, Anna, barely seven.
One has only to look at a map of Germany to see the arduous journey it must have been for two young parents to manage seven very young children and all their worldly belongings traveling 400 miles across Germany just to reach the ship in Hamburg, not to mention a long ocean voyage to America. [5]
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| 1910 Railway map of northern Germany showing rail routes from Posen to Hamburg |
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| S.S. Pennsylvania [7] |
He listed their previous residence (Bisheriger Wohnort) as [Murowana-]Goslin in the State or Province (Im Staate resp. in der Provinz) of Prussia. Today this town is within Polish borders. Murowana Goślina lies about 12 mi north of the major city of Poznań (Posen) for which this region is named. Berlin, Germany lies about 190 miles due west and Warsaw, Poland is about 200 miles due East. [8]
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| Portion of Map of Posen, showing location of Murowana-Goslin |
Like the majority of the ship’s passengers, the Kroll family had third class accommodations (Zwischendeck) often known as “steerage”. This was the least expensive way to travel, and for a large family, perhaps the only way. It would have cost the family hundreds of dollars more to move up to second class accommodations, money they probably couldn’t spare. There was nothing luxurious or comfortable about traveling this way. [9]
Why did they Come to America?
I can find nothing of signifigance that would prompt a family to leave Germany in 1902, No major political pressure, no depression or economic upheavals, in fact this is really a period of low immigration from Germany. When you look at their station in life, they are free laborers in a serf/peasant economy. They had the freedom to leave, but not the security of work opportunities or property ownership, even though their freedom was only slightly above slave labor. Their chances of owning their own farm were probably beyond their ability. So America offered them and their children the chance to prosper and possibly to someday own a farm of their own.
The 1943 newspaper interview describes their decision, presumably in their own words:
“In 1902 they decided to return to America, which had already become the husband’s adapted home through naturalization, to take up farming.”
Why return to America? In his own words “to become a farmer” and provide for his family. Couldn’t he do this in his native Germany? Probably not.
I suspect that, through letters, the Kroll’s had made their intentions known to relatives in America that they were ready to return. Whatever their reason, they must have been willing to take a huge risk to start a better life in America. I have not found any specific cause to compel them to leave, but we know they had a specific place to come to… Chester, New York in 1902.
Why Chester, New York?
What was it that tipped the scales to make them choose Chester over the more familiar Blue Island, Illinois?
If you turn the page on the “Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York” to one beyond the page listing the Kroll family (list 15), we find, that in addition to the Krolls, The S. S. Pennsylvania carried (list 16) Ottillie’s Mother, 2 brothers and 2 sisters... on the exact same ship! [10] However, their final destination was NOT Chester, it was Blue Island, Illinois! They all knew their final destination BEFORE they left Germany. So again, what was it that tipped the scales to make Julius Kroll choose Chester over the more familiar Blue Island, Illinois?
This can be interpreted that Ottilie’s brother Heinrich, already living in Chester, probably helped them make arrangements to lease a farm. I can’t find sufficient documentation to show it was the Pine Hills farm in Chester or that their new home was initially Elm Cote. However It would be impractical and a huge imposition for a large family to expect to just “drop in” on a relative for an extended visit. Furthermore, what are the chances they would find accommodations for a large family, and an anticipated agricultural opportunity for Julius in a small rural village in the middle of nowhere, New York? It would be more likely that the details were worked out ahead of time and their accommodations waiting for their arrival.
A 1938 Newspaper article [11] describing a surprise 45th Anniversary party at their home reported that
“...they have lived in Chester for the last Thirty Six Years”This calculates to 1902.
The 1943 Golden Anniversary article say they came to Chester in 1902.
Chester…1902…very consistent! So they either lived someplace else in Chester when they first arrived or they simply moved into “Elm Cote” in 1902 by a pre-arranged agreement. Unfortunately, with no one to ask and little documentation, this minor detail may remain a mystery.
Living in Chester, New York
Reviewing census returns is one of the few ways to find documentation about a families composition and whereabouts at a given time. This is especially true for rural areas where city directories and other types of listings simply don’t exist.Unfortunately, the 1905 New York State Census for Orange county is missing so there is no official census document available to identify the Kroll family or their residence between their arrival in 1902 and 1910.
There is a small clue in the 1904 NYS Birth index for my Grandmother, Lydia Kroll. Her birthplace is listed as Chester...which we sort of already know, but this again adds to the consistency.
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| Early Postcard view of Elm Cote, the Kroll Family Farm house. |
Keep this in mind- Chester…Kroll, Conklin, Roe… Craigsville. When you look at the map after leaving Chester you first come to the Kroll farm, then the Conklin farm next door then the Roe orchard next to the Conklin Farm before arriving at Craigsville. This order was described to me by my Mother, and is consistent on all census records from 1910 to 1940, the last census currently available.
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| Location of neighboring farms consistant on all censuses from 1910 to 1940 |
In 1910 Julius kroll is NOT the owner of the house he lives in. He declares himself a renter, and is not required to complete a separate farm schedule, which would be required if he had his own farm. What this implies, to me, is that Julius may be renting his families home and working for the owner, William Roe Conklin, as listed on the 1903 map. As a farm hand for Conklin, he may have been learning the trade of farming in America as sort of an apprentice.
The following table summarizes the available Census information pertaining to the ownership of the property where the Krolls reside. Reviewing it, a pattern starts to emerge that tells me the story of an immigrant building up his skills and limited finances until he can finally achieve the American dream to own his own farm.
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| Census summary of ownership of Kroll Farm compiled by Rick Walton |
The 1915 New York State Census [13] shows 50 year old Julius Kroll listed as a Farm Laborer and a “wage earner” (vs. an employer or working on his “own account”). His next door neighbor is still William R. Conklin (56) a Farmer who owns his own farm. I’m guessing Julius may work for him. As a wage earner, he is working for somebody.
The 1920 Federal Census [14] lists the now 55 year old Julius as a dairy farmer who is still renting his home. He is still a wage earner, but has submitted a separate farm schedule from his neighbor. Maybe this indicates he is straddling both worlds, still earning a wage working for another farmer, but starting his own dairy farm, perhaps on a small scale.
His next door neighbor is still 61 year old William Roe Conklin, who owns his own farm and lists himself as self employed. He submitted his own separate farm schedule.
The 1925 Census [15] lists Julius as a farmer (vs. a farm worker) and specifies his wages come from working on his “ own account”. Perhaps this is just semantics or maybe we can interpret this to mean that Julius has “completed” his apprenticeship, owns his own dairy herd and is leasing the farm now.
The 1930 Federal Census [16] lists the 65 year old Julius as a dairy farmer who is renting his home (monthly rental $25.00) and lists himself as “working on his own account”. He also completed a separate farm schedule which would provide specific information about the type and value of his farm. This would be a fantastic resource, but unfortunately these records have been destroyed. To me this is a pretty clear indication that Julius, while perhaps still leasing the property, is an established farmer in his own right.
His next door neighbor is still 71year old William Roe Conklin, who owns his home but answers No to the question Farm and None to occupation. He has filed no farm schedule. According to his obituary, Conklin purchased and ran the Grange feed store, which he ran until his death. He died in 1933 and is buried in the nearby Greycourt Cemetery.
His obituary stated: "Mr. Conklin manifested a keen interest in the young people of the community" [17]Could this have included a young German immigrant searching for his American dream?
The 1940 Federal Census [18] lists the 75 year old Julius as a farmer who owns his farm and his home. The value of his home is $12,000. (Note: The median price of a house in N. Y. in 1940 was $4,389 , so perhaps this is the value of all his real estate on his farm? [19]) He has again filed a farm schedule which is unavailable. He lived in the same house in 1935. It is not clear when he bought the farm, but Family oral history is that an agreement was made upon the purchase that it would be sold back to the Conklins when Julius either retired or passed away. Could William Roe Conklin's death in 1933 been the event that spurred the Conklin Family to sell the farm?
His next door neighbor is William R. Conklin, 43. This is the son of the deceased William Roe Conklin. He lists himself as the proprietor of a Feed and farm supply business. He has not submitted a farm schedule, so although he is living on the family farm, he is not farming it himself. The 1940 census asks “Does this household live on a farm? Yes or No”. He answers “Yes” which may indicate he is leasing the farmland to be worked by someone else. He owns the house and places the value at $4.00. It is also interesting to note that their household includes a live in maid, something neither his father nor his neighbors had.
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| Contemporary view of Conklin Farm house from Google maps |
The family listed as living between Julius and Conklin is Conrad Kroll, his wife and 5 children. This is Julius and Ottilie’s youngest son.They rent the home ($8 per month) and he lists his occupation as a farmer, but has not submitted a separate farm schedule, suggesting he works for someone else. We know from several sources that he helped his father on the farm during this time period and lived in a house behind Elm Cote and in between the Kroll and Conklin farm.
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| Contemporary view of Elm Cote from Google Maps. Conrad Kroll's house is peaking out from the trees behind Elm Cote. The Conklin house is to the right out of this view. |
“Mr. Kroll is still an active farmer [age 78]. Daily, morning and night, he joins his son, Conrad, in the barns to do his bit of the milking and during the day assumes those tasks that his strength will allow.”
A little over six months later his strength finally gave out. He collapsed with a stroke, from which he never recovered.
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| Julius and Ottilie surrounded by family on their 50th weddding anniversary in their homes large "Ballroom" (Colorized by MyHeritage) Click here for the story behind this photo |
My mother recalled the day it happened,
“My Father {Erwin Packhiser] had just gotten home from a day of fishing. He came in the house with a string of freshly caught fish only to learn that his father-in-law had just suffered a stroke. The family was bundled into the car, fish and all, for the long drive out to the Kroll Farm.
Sportsman Erwin Packhiser with a fresh catch of fish Circa 1943 (colorized by MyHeritage)
Grandpa Kroll was never himself after that and died about six weeks later, but that night I remember Grandma Kroll sitting in the kitchen slowly eating a cooked fish dinner and staring off into space in a daze.”
Shortly after his Stroke occurred, daughter Johanna, a nurse, arrived to take charge. Julius was placed in a hospital bed that was set up in the first floor ball room, the site of their anniversary celebration half a year earlier. Mom recalled visiting as a child, and having to tip-toe around to make sure Grandpa wasn’t disturbed, but he never recovered.
Julius died at Elm Cote on May 28, 1944. So...My grandmothers post card was, in fact, correct.
“Elm Cote in Chester was Owned by Grandpa Kroll”.
Post Script
On Saturday, March 31, 1945 an auction was held to sell off the farm equipment [21]. Ottilie moved into a house across the street from her daughter Lydia. The house was in the name of herself and her three single daughters, Johanna, Margaret and Elsie.
Julius is buried in the Wallkill Rural Cemetery alongside him are his wife and several children.
Notes
1- 1930 Road & Property Ownership Map of Orange County New York in collection of Chester historical Society, Chester, New York. Accessed online 04/2020 New York Heritage digital collections- https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/chs/id/225/rec/1
2- Middletown Time Herald, September 24, 1943 “Krolls of Chester Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary”; Copy in authors collection.
3- His homeland was actually Przependowo, a Gut (Estate) near the city of Murowana-Goslin in the province of Posen in the kingdom of Prussia, considered part of the German empire by her German citizens.
4- Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Year: 1902; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 0268; Line: 18; Page Number: 39
5- Source: "Northern Germany as far as the Bavarian and Austrian Frontiers; Handbook for Travellers" by Karl Baedeker. Fifteenth Revised Edition. Leipzig, Karl Baedeker; New York, Charles Scribner's Sons 1910 accessed 4/2020 at https://www.gifex.com/images/0X0/2009-09-18-8593/Railway_Map_of_Germany_1910.jpg
6- Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934; Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 130; Seite: 774
7-photo of S. S. Pennsylvania from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Pennsylvania_(1896)
8- Map and description of Posen from Meyers Gazeteer-the most important of all German gazetteers. The goal of the Meyer’s compilers was to list every place name in the German Empire (1871-1918). https://www.meyersgaz.org/help/help.html; additional mileage estimates from Google maps.
9- The S. S. Pennsylvania had accommodations for 162-1st, 197-2nd and 2,382-3rd class passengers. http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsP-Q.shtml
10- Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C.;Year: 1902; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 0268; Line: 6; Page Number: 38
11- Middletown Time Herald, September 24, 1938, Page 6, “Krolls Celebrate 45th Anniversary”.
12- 1910 United States Federal Census Census; Place: Blooming Grove, Orange, New York; Roll: T624_1059; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0002; FHL microfilm: 1375072
13- New York, State Census, 1915; New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1915; Election District: 02; Assembly District: 01; City: Washingtonville; County: Orange; Page: 06
14- 1920 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Blooming Grove, Orange, New York; Roll: T625_1251; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 87; Image: 575
15- New York, State Census, 1925; New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 02; Assembly District: 01; City: Blooming Grove; County: Orange; Page: 3
16 1930 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Blooming Grove, Orange, New York; Roll: 1632; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0002; Image: 36.0; FHL microfilm: 2341366
18- 1940 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Blooming Grove, Orange, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02708; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 36-2
19- Historical Census of Housing Tables; Home Values 1940; https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/values.html
20- Middletown Time Herald, September 24, 1943 “Krolls of Chester Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary”; Copy in authors collection.
21- Middletown Time Herald, 1March 28 & 29., 1945; Classified section- Auction of Kroll Farm
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