Charles Rothert Family

In May 1881 Charles (Johann Carl) and Emelia Steinke Rothert with their five children: 

Annie Reames (1872-1942), Gustav (1874-1953), Pauline Starr (18761950), Fred (1878-1968) and Martha Sperger (18811929) left Poznon, Prussia and traveled approximately five hundred miles to the port city of Bremen, from where they set sail for America.

After sailing the Atlantic for three weeks they disembarked at Baltimore, on to Chicago and from there to Porter, Indiana where they lived for two years and Mr. Rothert worked on the railroad for $30.00 a month.

By now the great northwest was beckoning and the family came to North Dakota in June 1883.  Mr. Rothert filed on the S1/2 of NE quarter, and W1/2 of SE quarter of Section 8 in Township 146 (Clearfield) range 60, Griggs County, North Dakota A sod house was built and was improved with some wooden structure in 1885.

Several children were born: 

Helen McCulloch (18851965), William (1887-1922), and Emma Pittenger (1891-1974).

Mr. Rothert was one of the men who built the Sanborn-Cooperstown branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad.  He also worked on Cooper's Ranch and several large farms to earn money with which to purchase farm machinery.  During this time Mrs. Rothert was seeing to home operations, she broadcast seed, harvested with a scythe and "threshed" with a flail.  She often walked the thirteen miles to Cooperstown for family provisions and either carried or used a wheelbarrow to get them home.

Mr. Rothert's earthly sojourn ended September 7, 1908.  He was laid to rest on Zion Lutheran cemetery, Binford, North Dakota, which is a part of his homestead.  Mrs. Rothert passed on March 5, 1914 and is also buried there.  All but three of their children are buried within a twelve-mile radius.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 page 262