The Family of Ernst Hubrich of Chicago

This page outlines the Hubrich family of Chicago.

Ernst HUBRICH was born Aug 31 1859 in “Kunzen, Germany.“ Another record says "Kunzen, Schlesien.” Schlesien is also known as Silesia and Sudetenland. It was formerly part of Germany and is now part of Poland. There are different possibilities for the location of that place.

He immigrated April 2, 1883, on the ship Hapsburg from Bremen. He was a carpenter age 24. His name was mangled as ULBRICH. He was naturalized Mar 19 1891. From his ship record to his death record, he always said he was a carpenter. He died Jul 20 1933.

Ernst emigrated to South Evanston, Illinois and joined St Henry’s Church in Rose Hill. Around 1884 he married Mary FUERTSCH, born in South Evanston on Feb 26 1860.

Mary’s parents were Michael DIDIER and Margaret KETTEL. There were four DIDIER brothers, or 3 and a cousin, who had come from Beckerich, Luxembourg, although they were earlier from Buvange, Lux. Province, Belgium. Michael was the youngest brother. Michael and Margaret arrived on Mar 31 1859 aboard the Hammonia.

The DIDIER families settled in South Evanston, between what is now Howard St. and Mulford St., and between Asbury Ave. and Dodge Ave. Michael had 30 acres on Howard St., later expanded. Two brothers had farms nearby. They are considered prominent early citizens of Evanston., and had many children. Mary DIDIER was Michael's oldest child.

Mary DIDIER married Joseph FUERTSCH on Nov 9 1880 in Rose Hill, Chicago. He was born July 2 1856 in a town called Weißensulz, German Bohemia, now known as Belá nad Radbuzou, Czech Republic. He was a house painter living in Evanston. They had one daughter, my grandmother, Mary Katherine FUERTSCH, born on Nov 21 1881. When Katherine was about 3 months old, thus around Feb 1882, the family took a trip back to Europe. Joseph had been suffering from lead poisoning, and he died either there or on the boat on the way back.

Mary FUERTSCH remained for some time with relatives in Luxembourg. Then after she returned to the US, she married Ernst HUBRICH. This must have been around 1884 but I have not found the record. Ernst HUBRICH adopted Katherine and he and Mary had five more kids. My grandmother sometimes used the name FUERTSCH and sometimes HUBRICH.

Ernst and Mary never owned a home, but were always renting. They moved quite a bit. Before 1900 they lived in Evanston as follows:

1886   west side of Railway Av, 7th and Keeney Av   city directory
1888   First north of Warren Av   city directory
1889   First 2d south of Monroe Av   city directory
1890   Custer Av south of Monroe   city directory
1891   745 Custer   naturalization document
1891,1893   715 Center Av   city directory
1894-1896   649 Custer Av   city directory
1897,1898   304 Ridge Av   city directory
1899   645 Custer Av   city directory

In 1900 they moved to 4356 E Ravenswood in Chicago (7061 in today's addresses.) Kate had already moved out of the house and was working as a domestic servant for an accountant.

Around 1908 they lived at 806 Balmoral Ave (1526 Balmoral today.)

Ernst turns up in the 1920 census in Cleveland.  He's staying there with his daughter Martha Brooks.  Mary is not listed.

In 1930 they lived at 4135 N. Moody.

Mary died Jan 16 1931 at age 70 of Chronic Myocarditis (Inflammation or degeneration of the muscle walls of the heart) compounded by arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries.)  Ernst, who was apparently staying with his son Laurence at the time, died Jul 20 1933 at the age of 73. His death certificate states that he drowned in the Chicago River, but there is no newspaper article reporting that. He and Mary are buried together in All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines IL.

Hubrich family

  1. Katie FUERTSCH (Nov 21 1881 Rogers Park Chicago- Apr 30 1971) m Francis X HECKENBACH (Apr 30, 1878- March 4, 1953) in 1900. They lived at 525 Howard St in Evanston in 1918 and at 7529 N Parkhurst (now Winchester) in Chicago in 1930. They lost their Parkhurst home during the Depression.  Frank was a carpenter and also a machinist.
    1. Ernest HECKENBACH (Feb 27 1901- Dec 26 1983) m Rosemary SCHMIT (Jan 4 1903-1983)
    2. Laurence F HECKENBACH (Apr 1 1903- Jul 13 1965) m Gertrude Anna BRUHN (Jul 17 1907- Aug 27 1968
    3. Frank J. "Bud" HECKENBACH (Nov 12 1914- Jun 23 2001) m Mary BIERCHEN (Mar 7 1922-)
  1. Laurence Charles HUBRICH (Nov 3 1885- Sep 29 1952, buried Eden Cemetery) m (1915) Helen F. BEYER (1890- Jan 31 1963 Eden Cemetery.) They lived at 3923 N. Southport in 1930 and 1933, and later at 3933 N Wayne St. Laurence was a carpenter.
    1. Laurence C “Larry” HUBRICH II (1917- Jul 27 1975) m Dorothy SANDHOEFNER (Jan 13 1917- Jan 15 1970 Eden Cem.)

  2. Frank X HUBRICH (Oct 12 1887- Nov 1978) m  Mabel Theresa CLARETT (1891-1977) on Aug 14, 1912. They lived at 2935 Grace St in 1920. Mabel’s father was French-Canadian. In 1930 they were living at 4054 Meade Ave.  Frank was a carpenter.
    1. Ernest HUBRICH (Nov 27 1913- May 1993) m Clara M (1907-1999). Frank was also a carpenter.

  3. Martha HUBRICH  (Feb 8 1890 Evanston IL- Apr 7 1971 Cleveland OH) m Jim BROOKS (Apr 15 1890 Petrolia ON- Jan 28 1944 Cleveland OH), Lakewood Hts OH. In the 1920 census he was age 30, living at 1382 W 116th St. and working as a bricklayer. He was born in Petrolia, Ontario. Their address in 1932 was 13314 Merl Avenue, Lakewood, OH
    1. Richard BROOKS (Apr 8 1914 Chicago-?) m Mary Lou Oravets (Oct 17 1916 King’s Mine OH- ?). 
  1. Alfred Peter HUBRICH (May 1892 Evanston IL- Nov 29 1931 Chicago, buried Acacia Park) m (May 22, 1913) Elizabeth White (Aug 18 1892 PA- Feb 3 1942 Chicago, buried Acacia Park.) Lived at 4220 N. Kedzie Ave and at 5912 Grace St in Chicago. Alfred was a truck driver.
    1. Peter HUBRICH (May 22 1914- May 22 1914) buried St Henry's Chicago
    2. Alfred HUBRICH (May 22 1914- Jul 10 1943 aboard the destroyer USS MADDOX DD 622) sunk by German planes off Sicily. Machinist's Mate 1c, USN.
    3. Frederic Laurence HUBRICH (Nov 14 1915 Chicago- Jan 1978 Maryland) m Charlotte McQueen (Mar 14 1918-)
    4. Robert HUBRICH (May 22 1919- Feb 1987 Grayslake IL) m Myrtle R Tank (Sep14 1920- Nov 28 2005) (buried Acacia Park)
    5. Richard Lewis Hubrich (Jun 11 1921- Apr 9 2009) m Fern Diehl (Apr 23 1927-)

  2. Laura Marie (Mary) "Maude" HUBRICH (May 22 1894 Chicago- Aug 22 1988 Orange County CA) m Albert F GREENENWALD in 1912 (name was Swiss, orig. Gruenwaldt, changed at Ellis Island) They lived at 1530 Balmoral, Chicago, in 1913, at 2001 Howe in 1915, and at 1529 Victoria in 1920. Al was a carpenter.
    1. Laura GREENENWALD (Mar 25 1913 Chicago - July 19, 2002 Heston KS) m Arthur KRETZ (Sep 27 1897- Chicago Apr 15 1975 Orange County CA) They had no children but Arthur did. Laura, Arthur, and Maude moved to Garden Grove CA at some point. Laura was a Bell Telephone Co. accountant. Around 1995 she moved to the Wichita KS area.
    2. Albert GREENENWALD (Jan 18 1915-Aug 24 1990) m Lavergne LEFTHOUSE no children. He was a carpenter's business agent.

Page created May 1, 2009, Updated January 29 2017.

There were other Hubrich families in Chicago that have not been researched.

I'm currently collecting pictures of the Hubrichs and looking for more.
I also need help identifying the ones we have.

If you're connected to this family, it's likely we can share more information.
Please send comments, corrections, and complaints to Jim Heckenbach heckenbach@ameritech.net.

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