REWITZER

BIOGRAPHIE: George Rewitzer was born on December 11, 1851, inNeubäu, a tiny village in the hills of Bohemia.In the summer of 1869, the 17-year-old George emigratedto America, accompanied by his sister Katherine, her husbandFrank Wagner, and their two children. They boarded thesteamship ".Schmidt" on June 10th, 1869, at the North Sea portof Bremen. After four weeks at sea, the arrived in New Yorkon July 12th. The group traveled to Wheaton, Illinois, wherethe ,Wagner family remained. George continued alone to NewUlm, Minnesota. George found work as a farm hand at theMichael Grubel farm. He worked there until he was able tosave enough money to repay his brother-in;law Frank Wagnerfor his passage to the United States, and to buy some land ofhis own.In 1871, George applied for his first "letter of intent"for naturalization; however, he did not become a citizen untilMay 19, 1908.George Rewitzer married Franziska Grossman on February 5,1872. Fanny, as she was known, was born in Muttersdorf,Bohemia, a short distance from Neubäu, the village where Georgewas born. She was the daughter of Joseph Grossman, the townmiller, and Katherine Zischka. Katherine Zischka died inBohemia. Joseph Grossman, his daughters Franziska andElizabeth, and his second wife Barbara Stadelbeck and their threechildren Franz, Barbara and William left Bohemia in 1868. They came toMinnesota and settled on a small farm in Cottonwood township.The Grossman family was well-to-do, having descended from aninfluential milling family of Muttersdorf. They had developedrather sophisticated tastes in food and clothing, and they spoke"high" German. Fannie was a very sophisticated young lady.George Rewitzer, on the other hand, was from peasant stock inthe hills of Bohemia, a poor farmer. The first time Georgeasked for Fannie's hand in marriage, he was refused. He askedthree times before he was accepted. In Bohemia it was unseemlyfor a poor farmer from the hills to approach a young lady froma wealthy town family with an an offer of marriage. This classdistinction soon changed in America.The Rewitzers farmed in Cottonwood township; in 1877 theymoved to Sigel where they purchased a farm in section 26 inthe year 1882. By 1886 they had accumulated 320 acres insections 25 and 26.Eight children were born to the Rewitzers: Alouis in1873; Wilhelmina in 1875; Mathilda in 1877; Elizabeth in 1879;Bertha in 1882; Sophie in 1883; Katrina in 1887; and Albert in1890.In 1902, at the early age of 51, George Rewitzer suffereda severe heart attack. His physician advised him to give upfarming. The family then moved to 669 North 15th Street inSleepy Eye, directly across from St. Mary's Catholic church.In 1909, George sold the farm to his son-in-law, Joseph Helget,who had married his daughter Mathilda. The Rewitzers lived inSleepy Eye until 1925 when Franziska died at the age of 73.George sold the family home, and moved to New Ulm to live withhis widowed daughter, Mathilda Helget.The Rewitzers were a devout family, as is indicated bythe fact that they insisted on living near the church when theymoved to Sleepy Eye. George remembered that his native villageof Neubäu did not have a church; as a youth he, along with hisfamily, had to walk several miles to the village of Heiligenkreuzto worship at the church there. In 1913 George Rewitzer andhis sister Katharina Wagner sent several thousand dollars to Neubäu forthe purpose of constructing a church. The church was built, andnamed for his patron saint, St. George.The villagers of Neubäu wanted him to come back for for dedication buthesaid he was too old and the journey was too difficult. GeorgeRewitzer died on August 6, 1932 at the age of 81.

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