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Date Original
1900 May 20
Description
This item is a postcard from Emil Cornelius Wehrfritz and his wife Elizabeth Wehrfritz during their tour of Europe in 1900, to their children in Little Rock, Arkansas. They sent the card from Hamburg, Germany.
Biographical/Historical Note
E.C. (Emil Cornelius) Wehrfritz was born April 14, 1847, at Schwabhausen, Germany, near Bingen-on-the-Rhine. He came to the United States, where he resided in St. Louis, Missouri. Following the death of his brother Charles Edward Wehrfritz, who was naturalized at St. Louis in 1858, E.C. married Charles' wife Elizabeth Berloing on July 4, 1868. In the spring of 1876, Wehrfritz moved to Little Rock with Elizabeth, Elise (Elizabeth's daughter by Charles), and their four children Edward Charles, Emelia Kate, Alexander Ferdinand, and Emil Cornelius Junior. In July 1885, E.C. opened the Union Machine Works located between Markham and Second Streets. He became a naturalized citizen at Little Rock on September 25, 1906. Wehrfritz served several terms on the city council and ran unsuccessfully for mayor. He was a member of Knights of Pythias, the Knights of Honor, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He also was president of the Little Rock turnverein (German-American gymnastic union) and director of the Mechanics' Loan and Building Association. E.C. Wehrfritz died at Little Rock on April 7, 1910, leaving his business in the hands of his son, Alexander Ferdinand Wehrfritz. A newspaper report indicates his wife contested his will. Elizabeth died at age 76 on August 22, 1917.
Transcription
Cruss aus Hamburg
We hope you are all
well, we are the same
the weather here is still very
cold, we will go to Berlin to-
morrow, with Love your
Father & Mother
Mrs. Ola Wehrfritz
Little Rock, Arkansas
in North Amerika [SIC]
Wohnung #111 Commerce Str.
Physical Description
Postcard, 5.5" x 3.75"
Subjects
Postcards; German community; Business people; Travel
Geographical Area
Hamburg, Germany; Little Rock, Pulaski County (Ark.)
Language
English and German
Identifier
MS.000173, Box 1, Folder 1
Resource Type
Image
Collection
Rex F. Wehrfritz papers, MS.000173
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Emil and Elizabeth Wehrfritz Postcard, May 20th, 1900, Rex F. Wehrfritz papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6901 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.