Julianna (Julia) Altwasser

The Sixth child of Gottlieb Altwasser and Euphrosine Beier

Information about Gottlieb Altwasser and Euphrosine Beier

Julianna was born July 1, 1886 in Kamenka, Province of Wolhynia, Russia and died September 1972 in Portland Oregon. She married Chris Felske who was born November 15, 1884 in Poland and died in February 1970 in Portland, Oregon. His father was Martin Felske, his mother Karoline Breier (could be Brier, Breuer or Brier). They had two children, Martha and Dan. The family is pictured below.

About 1917

Dan, Chris, Julia, Martha.
about 1917

Julianne Altwasser and Chris Felske

Julia came to Canada with her parents in  1905.   Herb Domes thought that his Aunt Julia worked for the Chase family in the Yellow Grass area for several years before moving to Portland, Oregon. Sure enough, on page 320 of 'Yellow Grass Our Prairie Community', there is a small photograph of the Chase family on their farm in front of their barn and windmill. One of the adults in the picture is Julia Altwasser. Since the people in the photo are quite small, it's hard to positively identify her, but quite likely it's our Julia. The Chase homestead quarter was sold in 1911 and the photo was taken about 1908/09.

The United States Federal Census of 1910 records Julia Altwasser living in Portland Ward 10, Multnomah, Oregon with the family of her sister and brother-in-law, Fred and Florentine Greger. Her name is incorrectly transcribed by ancestry.com from the original document as Julia Oltwaner. Her occupation is laundress, a woman whose work is washing clothes, ironing etc.

Julia married Christof Felske on January 20, 1912 in Portland, Oregon, with the Rev. H.H. Koppelmann officiating. The marriage is recorded on Certificate No. 21391 in Multnomah County, State of Oregon, U.S.A.

Children of Julianne Altwasser and Chris Felske

Martha Helena Felske was born May 14, 1913 in Portland, Oregon. Martha did not marry and passed away on January 29, 1994 in Portland, Oregon. Daniel Christ Felske was born on June 11, 1915. Both the Oregon Death Index on the web site ancestry.com as well as the Social Security Death Index show the death of Daniel Christ Felske in Multnomah County on April 6, 1996.

More about Daniel C. Felske
Source:
AncestryLibrary.com - U. S. Veterans Cemeteries Records

Rank:	TEC 4
Branch:	U. S. Army
Last Known Address:	11800 SE Mt. Scott Boulevard, Portland, OR
Birth Date:	11 June 1915
Veteran Service Start Date:	30 Oct 1942
Veteran Service End Date:	13 Feb 1946
Interment Date:	10 Apr 1996
Cemetery:	Willamette National Cemetery
Buried At:	Section Y, Site 452

1942 - A Letter to Julian

In the spring of 1942, Julia wrote a three page letter to her nephew Julian Altwasser and his new bride Alice. In it she makes reference to the effect of the war on life in Portland and she mentions her two children, Martha and Dan, her brother Fred and his wife Lottie, her sister Florence (Julian's aunt) and the Abrahams. The Abrahams are related to her through the marriage of her sister-in-law Holdena Grams to Gus Emil Abraham.

Julia and Chris at home 1952

Dan, Martha, Julia and Christ Courtesy of Art Domes and Gary Gregor

September 1985 L-R: E.Jay and and Len Greger, Olga Wagner, Marge and George Gregor, Lottie Altwasser, Martha Felske.

Personal Glimpses
From Carol Castleman

I found the funeral home who handled the Felskes. It says Julia arrived in 1909 in Portland. It does not say when he arrived or where he came from.

The 1910 census record (incorrectly transcribed as Julia Oltwaner, age 14) shows Julia Altwasser living in Portland Ward 10, Multnomah, Oregon with the family of her sister and brother-in-law, Fred and Florentine Greger.

The voting records show Christ was naturalized July 21,1917 and had voting privileges. Julia became a citizen under her husband's citizenship, but she could not vote. He was a welder for Crawford and Doherty Foundry and lived at 2626 N.W. 25th Place, Portland, Oregon.

Chris died on February 27, 1970 in Portland. Julia passed away on September 17, 1972. They are buried at Riverside Cemetery as is their daughter Martha who passed away in 1994. Dan Felske passed away on April 6, 1996 and is buried in the Willamette National Cemetery.

A Bit of Dark Humour

The U. S. Veterans Cemeteries Records shows the last known address of Daniel C. Felske as 11800 SE Mt. Scott Boulevard, Portland OR. This is the address of the Willamette National Cemetery, his final resting place. Talk about bureacratic precision!