Rauscher Family Tree: Rauscher Family : Generation 3 : George Andrew Rauscher and Flora Hilbert

(4) George Andrew Rauscher (my 2nd great-grandfather) was born on 8 Nov 1869 in Vernon, Oneida County, New York and died 19 Jan 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first son of (8) Frank Joseph and (9) Rosiene Kaiser Rauscher.

(5) Flora Hilbert (my 2nd great-grandmother) was born about 1877 in the Ithaca, New York and died 2 Sep 1905 in Rochester, New York. She was the daughter of (10) Casper Hilbert (1847-1925) and (11) Sarah J. Slaughter Hilbert (1847-?). Sarah’s father immigrated from Wurttemberg, Germany in 1854. Flora came from a long line of US soldiers. Her grandfather (22) Henry Slaughter was a civil war soldier for the Union Army, who was wounded at Gettysburg. Her great-grandfather, (34) Thomas Sloughter, served in the War of 1812. Her 2nd great-grandfathers, (46) John Sloughter and (48) Corp. Jacobus “James” Personius, both served in the Revolutionary War in the same Regiment as her 3rd great-grandfather (57) Gysbert Van Der Mark. All of these ancestors' individual lives will be covered in future posts.

George and Flora married on 23 Oct 1894 in Rochester, New York. He was 24 years old and she was about 18 years old. At this time, they begin to build their family, having 5 children between 1895 and 1902: Martha b.1895, Rose b.1897, (2) Joseph Casper b.1897, Leo Andrew b.1899, and Fred H b.1902.

The 1905 New York census shows the family living Gates, Monroe County, New York. On September 2 of that year, tragedy strikes according the following news story:

Announcement of Flora's Death at Dentist Office

Flora’s death had disastrous consequences for her family. In the 1910 US Census, George is 40 years old, listed as a widower, and is living with his two daughters, Martha and Rose. They are living at 861 Cottage Street in Rochester, New York. He is renting a house and is listed as a contractor/decorator. His three boys (Joseph 12, Leo 11, Frederick 7) are listed as boarders at St. Mary’s Boys Orphan Asylum run by the Sisters of St. Joseph. I think it is safe to assume that George simply could not take care of, and provide for, 5 children. It was probably safest to put the boys into the Orphanage, but this must have been traumatizing for all involved. By the time of the 1915 NY Census, the whole family was back together again.

By 1920, the whole family is still living together, except Martha, who got married in 1916. They are living in Lima, Livingston County, New York on Doran Road. George owns his own house and is now a farmer.

By 1921, it appears that things have changed, yet again. On 31 Aug 1921, George marries Bertha May Green in Arkansas. And then, on 21 Mar 1925, George and Bertha get divorced. To make things even stranger. In the 1930 census, George and Bertha Rauscher are renting a house in Memphis, Tennessee and renting rooms out to boarders. He is listed as a contractor. At first, I thought this must be a different George A. Rauscher, but on his death certificate it lists his parents as Joseph Rauscher and Rose Kaiser AND the informant for the death certificate was Bertha Rauscher.

In 1940 US Census, George is living with his daughter, Rose Freida’s family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is listed as a laborer and we find out that he only completed 8th grade, he worked 40 hours the previous week, worked 52 weeks in the previous year, and made $906 (about $20,000 in 2022). So, at 71, he was still working and making very little. We do not know what happened to Bertha during this time.

And to complicate things further, in the 1950 census, George and Bertha Rauscher are back living together in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is still working at 81 years old and made $2,000 that year ($25k in 2022).

On 19 Jan 1951, George Andrew Rauscher dies of cardiac decompensation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 81 years of age.

On 7 Sep 1916, his daughter, Martha, married William Weidenborner and they had 3 children.

In 1923, his daughter, Rose, married John Freida and they had 4 children.

Also, in 1923, his son, Joseph Casper, would marry (3) Leona May Loughlin, my great-grandparents. They would have 10 children total, the oldest 4 would be adopted by Joseph.

In 1927, his son, Fred G, married Isabelle Mallaber and they had 3 children.

In 1935, his son, Leo, married Joyce Brown and they would have no children.

George Andrew Rauscher (1869-1951) and Flora Hilbert Rauscher (1878-1905)