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Theodore's birth and death dates are confirmed by the Social Security Death Index. His death certificate lists his name as Theodore F. Potthast, and there are some sources (including handwritten notes from his daughter-in-law, Helen Hoos Potthast) that record his middle name as Franz. However, other sources list his middle name as Joseph, and the memorial card distributed at his wake, list his name as Theodore J. Potthast. Of course, it is also possible that he had two middle names, although none of his siblings had more than one middle name. Theodore immigrated to the USA in 1900. He is listed as an immigrant on the ship manifest of alien immigrants of the SS Mainz which sailed from Bremen and arrived at the Port of Baltimore September 1, 1900. Theodore lists his age as 25, although he was 26 at the time. His last residence prior to sailing was Elberfeld; I suspect that his eldest brother, Franz -- who married Maria Grumesbach from Elberfeld -- was living in Elberfeld at the time, and Theodore paid a vist to his brother before sailing to America. The aforementioned ship records provide some definitive proof about Theodore's immigration, which has been incorrectly stated on several occasions. The 1920 US Census indicates that he emigrated in 1899, and the 1930 US Census indicates that he emigrated in 1883. (This 1883 date is certainly in error; in 1883 Theodore was only eight years old.) Adding to the puzzle, Dot Wimsatt states: "I've been told he [Theodore] was forced to return to Germany (by the Germans) to serve in the military before he was allowed to stay here." This would indicate that Theodore visited America prior to his immigration in 1900. However, the ship's manifest of his 1900 Immigration states that he had not previously visited the USA. Perhaps he was prohibited from immigrating until he had served in the German military. However, there is no known record of Theodore's German military service. Potthast Brothers' records indicate that Theodore joined the firm five years after John. John arrived in America on November 30, 1894. It's likely that John would have waited until after the Christmas holidays to join the firm, making his join date 1895 ... five years before Theodore's immigration to America. Theodore became a naturalized American citizen in September, 1906. A copy of his naturalization papers is in this author's possession. According to the US Census of 1920 (enumerated on January 16, 1920), Theodore and his wife Maria were living at 2306 W. Fayette Street in Baltimore. This was the boyhood home of my father, Berthold Potthast, and I remember him talking of his early years living downtown. The Census lists his occupation as proprietor of a furniture store (i.e. Potthast Brothers). Additionally, the 1920 US Census indicates that Theodore's recently widowed brother, John, along with John's son, William, were also living in Theodore's household. William, then 18, was already working as a clerk in a furniture store (presumably Potthast Brothers). In 1924 Theodore travelled to New York City (this was two years after his wife had travelled to Germany). This was probably a business trip related to Potthast Brothers. We know of his trip because of a postcard he sent home to his son Michael ... promising him a bicycle. Six years later, in 1930, Theodore was a Vice President of Potthast Brothers according to the Baltimore City Directory. There are some records of Potthast Brothers that do not include Theodore as one of the "brothers." This is probably because he joined the firm several years after its founding, although I do recall hearing intimations of a "falling out" among the brothers. However, most sources now include him as one of the four Potthast Brothers. By 1930 Theodore had moved his family to 5115 Greenwich Avenue. This is the home I remember as "Nana and Pop-Pop Potthast's house." We visited there often on Sunday afternoons. I especially remember that the backyard was a vegetable garden. There was a Seckel pear tree and a cherry tree. Pop-Pop took great pride and pleasure in his garden, and Nana Potthast preserved just about everything he grew. Their basement was stacked high with Ball jars, filled with a never-ending variety of homegrown fruits and vegetables, although for a young child growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, this seemed very "old-fashioned." Maria and Theodore stayed at the Greenwich Avenue house for the rest of their lives, although after the death of Maria in 1965, Theodore could no longer live alone and moved in with his son Berthold. Everyone felt that after the death of Maria, Theodore lost his reason to live, and, in fact, he died only a few short months thereafter. His obituary appeared in The Baltimore Sun on May 28, 1966: "Potthast. On May 27, 1966, Theodore F. of 5115 Greenwich Avenue, beloved husband of the late Maria Potthast (nee Schenke) and beloved father of Berthold T. and Michael J. Potthast; also survived by six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren." "Friends may call at The Witzke Funeral Home, 4101 Edmondson Avenue on Saturday after 7:00 P.M. and Sunday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Prayers on Monday at 9:30 A.M. Requiem mass at St. William of York Church at 10:00 A.M. Interment in New Cathedral Cemetery."
Georg
Potthast
