Love - The Odessa Record

Odessa Record subscriber Larry Fisher of Spokane continues

his series of articles on the

history of the Batum/Lauer area where his wife, the former Joyce Kiesz, grew up.

Hi, here I am again.

Last week, I started telling you about Pauline Catharina Paulsen Rodeck, this week we continue on.

While gathering information about Pauline, I found an article

on Mr. & Mrs. Karl George Rodeck

written by a daughter, Georgina Martha Rodeck Nicholls.

Mentioned in the article was the following:

Pauline Paulsen, born in Bohmstedt, Germany, had come to visit America, where her uncle, also from

Germany had settled near Canada. She was hired by Karl as his housekeeper. They married within the year and to them was born Paul William, Jacob Frederick, Augusta Catherine, Diana Marie, Janalene

Pauline, Georgina Martha and George Martin.

Georgina also said the following about her father Karl George Rodeck, born in Floh, Germany in 1876,

came to Odessa from Spokane where he had owned a restaurant. He had come to America in 1901,

working with Buffalo Bill’s circus for a year and a half.

From there he and another fellow owned a

restaurant in San Francisco. He lost everything in the big earthquake. He then moved up to Wyoming and

worked in Yellowstone Park for a short time before going to

Idaho and working in a mine. From there, he

went to Spokane where he opened a restaurant. He married Margaret Danz, also from his home town in

Germany. With their little son, Conrad Fred, they came t

o the homesteading parcel west of Odessa to

begin farming. It was not as lucrative as expected, so Karl went to work in the Irby Warehouse as

manager. After two years, Fritz Carl was born. Karl’s

wife, Margaret, however, was afflicted with

Bright’s disease and dropsy, and even though she was rushed

to the Ritzville Hospital, she died in 1914.

The 1930 Federal Census listed the following; the family was l

iving in West Odessa, Lincoln Co.,

Washington. Karl George Rodeck age 53, Pauline age 39, Conrad F. age 22, Fred C. Age 17, Paul W. age 13, Jacob age 12, Augusta age 10, Anna age 9, Vanalene age 5. (Note: Pauline and Karl married on Aug. 28, 1916. Pauline was age 25.) Next week, we learn about the calamity. Until next time.