Eduard Mosblech (1884 – 1956)
Eduard Mosblech is my maternal great-grandfather. Eduard was born in St. Louis, Missouri on October 24, 1884, to German immigrants Gustave Mosblech and Bertha Mosblech nee Monse. Mara nyingi huandikwa kama Edward lakini hutamkwa kama kuweka pamoja misaada na kata, Eduard was as unique as his name.
I struggled with writing much about him because the stories I heard about him growing up were not positive. Eduard alitawala nyumba yake kwa ngumi ya chuma na hakupingana na mtu yeyote kutia ndani mama yangu mkubwa., Magdalena. Eduard hakuwa mtu mwenye jeuri, lakini babu na mama yangu walimtaja kuwa baridi na mbali.
St. Louis Globe Premier Clothing Advertisement with Great Grandpa Mosblech from the March 19, 1929 toleo la St. Louis baada ya Dispatch
When Eduard would come home from work, he might announce that he wanted to go look for a picture. After making this announcement, Eduard alitarajia kila mtu ajiunge katika msako huo wakiwemo wakwe, nk. Kitendo hiki kilisababisha mlipuko maarufu na babu yangu, Gilbert Ellis, after Grandpa married Eduard’s seventh child, Alvina Mosblech.
It is easy to disparage Eduard but recently my view has softened a little. Eduard na Magdalena walilea watoto kumi na wanne. They also suffered the loss of one of their children, when 4-year-old Loretta died from diphtheria in St. Louis’ Isolation Hospital.
Despite the financial challenges of raising such a large family, Eduard put every child through Catholic grade school. Mara watoto walihitimu darasa la nane, Eduard alitarajia waende kazini. Inaweza kuonekana kuwa kali leo, lakini haikuwa kawaida ndani 1910 -1930 for children to complete eighth grade. Many children had to work to support the family.
Eduard, Magdalena and 12 of their 14 children from the July 5, 1934 toleo la St. Louis Star-Times
One of the mysteries around Eduard was the manner of his death. Polisi walimpata Eduard akielea kwenye Mto Mississippi chini ya Iron Street. Kwa miaka, bibi yangu na dada zake kadhaa waliamini kuwa kuna mtu alimuua Eduard. Baada ya kifo chake, his second wife Mary inherited all of Eduard’s possessions.
In 2006, I was able to access a copy of Eduard’s death certificate. Mchunguzi wa maiti hakuweza kubaini ikiwa ni kujiua au kuua. Hata hivyo, a couple of things struck me. He died a few days after Great Grandma Magdalena’s date of death, which was May 10, 1945. The death certificate also did not note any other injuries.
When I told my mother I thought it might be suicide because he missed Great Grandma and was not happy in his second marriage, aliniambia kuwa polisi walidhani aliruka mtoni kwenye ukumbusho wa kifo cha Bibi Mkuu. Mashahidi waliripoti mzee mmoja aliruka kutoka kwenye daraja siku hiyo.
Eduard hakuwa mtu wa kushirikiana, lakini sijui kwamba tungetarajia tofauti nyingi wakati huo na historia yake. Hata hivyo, kujitolea kwake kwa elimu ya watoto wake na namna ya kifo chake kunaonyesha undani wa hisia hizo zilizofichwa. History should be kind.
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