FAMILIES I-L: KOLB ~ Justus Kolb
Justus Kolb (1832-1912)
By comparing data from the U.S. Federal Census, it seems that Justus Kolb may have been known as Eustus Kolb.
The two following images were taken from the U.S. Federal Census reports at Ancestry.com and a comparison of the two reveals that the information for Eustus (in 1880) and information for Justus (in 1900) is very similar - except for the 20 years difference in ages. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that Eustus and Justus are the same person.
Curiously, the summary of the 1880 census report (above, left) indicates that the home of Eustus Kolb was located in Collinsville, Ohio.
However, that is probably an error.
In the image at the right, which is copy of the original, 1880 census, several Darrtown family names (i.e., Bufler, McMachen, Teckman, Mee, and Kirkpatrick) appear on the same census page as the Kolb family.
Typically, census takers go from door to door; conducting the survey in one neighborhood at a time or up and down the one street or road, at a time. So, it seems logical that the names on this page were names of Kolb neighbors - in Darrtown.
Consequently, Justus Kolb is considered the first Kolb to reside in Darrtown and, as a result of this logic, Justus is cited as the first Kolb in the Darrtown Family Tree.
Children of Justus and Caroline Kolb
A Google search that combined the words "Kolb" and "Darrtown" led to a findagrave.com page that provided some of the following information. Additional information about the Justus Kolb family was gleaned from the George Kolb obituary and the Ancestry.com website.
Justus Kolb of Darrtown was born in 1832 and died in 1912 (source: image of grave headstone; see www.findagrave.com)
Justus Kolb [1832-1912] and his wife, Caroline Kolb [1834-1912] had five children:
> Theodore Kolb [1864-1873]
> George Kolb [1866-1966]
> John Kolb [1876-1900]
> Ella Kolb [1878-1969]
> Annie Kolb [?-?]
Two of the children born to Justus and Caroline Kolb died prematurely; Theodore at age nine (cause of death unknown) and John at age 23. John was killed in a trapshooting accident.
The second son, George Kolb, who married Margaret Betz, lived to the age of 100. George and Margaret (Betz) Kolb had three sons (Edward, Clarence, and Harry); see George Kolb obiturary.
Ella Kolb, who was active in the Darrtown community, married Jacob Kaefer in 1925 (see the Ella Kolb section below).
Records regarding Annie Kolb have not yet been found.
Webmaster Notes:
From the following research, it appears that Caroline Kolb, wife of Justus Kolb, was a Liebrich. Consider the following points:
1. The obituary of George Kolb, lists his parents as Justus and Caroline.
2. "Carolina" Liebrich was married to Justus Kolb, when they immigrated to the USA in 1869, according to the following notes (found at this Genealogy source)
"According to a letter written to Andreas and Katharina Scherer (née Liebrich) living in Laumershein (Pfalz/Palatinate) from Darrtown (Ohio) dated 29. 6. 1869, seven brothers and sisters of Katharina arrived at June 1 in 1869 in New York. They had been departed from the little village Sippersfeld (Pfalz) at May 15, 1869. The name of the seven emigrants, all born Sippersfeld, are:
> Carolina (née Liebrich, born 14. 1. 1834) and her husband Justus Kolb (26. 4. 1850)
> George Liebrich (born 24. 5. 1836)
> Peter Liebrich (born 10. 10. 1838)
> Ludwig Liebrich (born 2. 5. 1842)
> Anna Maria Liebrich (born 15. 8. 1847)
> Augustina Liebrich (born 20. 11. 1857) (oo Pandorf, in Cincinnati)
> Jacob Liebrich (born 13. 1. 1841
According to the letter, the Liebrichs from Sippersfeld traveled from New York (departed: Wednesday evening) to Hamilton, Ohio (arrived there: Friday morning). They met a friend named Philip Giesler and went with him to Darrtown (Ohio). As a foot-note in the letter: "Jacob had been for one time in Cincinnati to visit a brother in-law".
3. Perhaps there is a connection between the following facts:
> In the middle part of the 20th century, George Kolb and his sister, Ella, lived in the house that is located at the southeast corner of North and Main Streets in Darrtown.
> Peter Liebrich and his wife, "Myrt," lived two doors north of the Kolb house. Peter Liebrich and Caroline Liebrich are listed above, as arriving in New York together. Were Peter Liebrich and Caroline (Liebrich) Kolb brother and sister?
Kolb family headstones in Darrtown cemetery
Justus Kolb
1832-1912
Caroline
His Wife
1834-1912
Sons of
J. & C Kolb
Theodore
1864-1873
John
1876-1900
SIBLINGS: George Kolb (1866-1966) and Ella Kolb (1878-1969)
George A. Kolb
George A. Kolb was born in Ohio, on August 31, 1866, to Eustus and Caroline Kolb - both of whom were of German descent.
In 1880, at the age of 14, George Kolb, was living with his parents and other relatives. Presumably, George got an early start in farming, since he was a listed as a "farm hand."
Twenty years later, in 1900, George (age 34) was married to Margaret (known as "Maggie") and the couple had three sons (Edward G. Kolb, Clarence J. Kolb, and Harry H. Kolb).
In 1920, the family of five was still intact, as George, Margaret, Edward, Clarence, and Harry are listed as residents of the same household.
The next ten years brought considerable change to George's life. By 1930, George was widowed and living alone, as his three sons were not listed as household residents.
Sometime between 1930 and 1940, George's sister, Ella moved in with George, as she is listed as a household member in the 1940 Federal Census. As noted above, this living arrangement continued until Ella died.
George A. Kolb lived to 100 years of age. He died in 1966, one month after passing the century mark.
Ella Kolb
Census records indicate that Ella Kolb, the youngest child of Justus and Caroline Kolb, was born in 1878 and died in 1969.
Ella Kolb is remembered as a lady who took pride in her appearance and usually wore a hat, whenever seen in public. Ella had a quick smile and happy countenance about her. Known as "Ellie" to her family and friends, Ella Kolb was active in church and community activities.
In the years before her death, Ella and her brother, George, lived together in the house that stands in the southeast corner of Darrtown's Main and North streets.
Several contributors to this website, who are 70-80 years old (in 2014), have personal memories of George and Ella. Their recollections, written in October 2012, along with the research that is described above, shaped the following depictions of George and Ella Kolb.
On 10/31/12, Charles Teckman sent the following email:
Fred. Here is what I would say about George and Ella Kolb.
"George Kolb spent his early life as a farmer - west of Darrtown on Schollenbarger Road. He retired to Darrtown in the 1930s to live on the Southeast corner of North Street and Route 177. He was married twice and had three sons: Harry, Clarence, and Edward. After his second wife died in the mid 1930s, his sister, Ella, came from Fairfield to Darrtown to share his home. Each of them lived a long life in retirement, George to his 100th birthday. George was known for making a large garden each summer. Ella was an active member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church."
Charles Teckman
QUESTION: Who was Julius Kolb?
Darrtown website research first discovered the name "Julius Kolb" on the Darrtown Lodge Knights of Pythias membership list. Then, the name was found in Luther McVicker's ledger. Also, the 1880 & 1890 U.S. Federal Census (above) reports Julius as a member of the Justus Kolb family. Additionally, Ancestry.com records confirm that Julius Kolb was the son of Justus and Caroline Kolb.
This link connects to a June 11, 1925 news item about a gift shower for Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Kaefer.
This link connects to a May 30, 1925 news item that reported a marriage license acquired by Jacob Kaefer and Ella Kolb. At the time, Jacob was age 54 and Ella was 47. The license application reveals that Jacob was a "commercial traveler" - i.e., traveling salesman.
BELOW: This link connects to a December 5, 1918 news clipping about Ella Kolb taking a job as a matron at the local children's home. Born in 1878, Ella was 40 years old at the time.
The two links below lead to items which confirm that Ella Kolb was married prior to returning to Darrtown and living her final years with her brother, George Kolb.
NEWSPAPER ITEMS RELATED TO ELLA KOLB
NEWSPAPER ITEMS RELATED TO GEORGE KOLB
RIGHT: This link connects to a December 10, 1937 newspaper article about the death of George Kolb's second wife, Katherian Kelly (Huber) Kolb.
RIGHT: These two links connect to two parts of a July 31, 1929 newspaper article about the death of George Kolb's first wife, Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" (Betz) Kolb.
The following link connects to a December 10, 1937 newspaper article in which George is interviewed about his thoughts on farming. See George Kolb talks farming.
Justus Kolb appears to be the earliest known Kolb family member to live in Darrtown, according to research that was conducted prior to October 4, 2012.
Two links (below) relate to a January 29, 1914 news clipping about Ella Kolb traveling to Montana, with the intention of staying a year. No records have yet been found to confirm Ella's actual length of stay.
The following link shows the news item that cites Ella's plan to visit the Burton Roth family of Poplar, Montana for one year. The news item does not reference Darrtown, which prompted the inclusion of the link at the right.
The following link confirms that the 1914 newspaper clipping(at the left) was part of the Darrtown section of the newspaper.
What connection did Ella Kolb have with the Burton Roth family? For now, that is an unknown. It may have been simply a friendship that evolved from a Darrtown connection, as both Ella and Mrs. Burton Roth were from Darrtown or vicinity. Mrs. Roth was the former Edith Irene Herron, whose obituary (see link at right) cites some of her Darrtown roots.
