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You are here: Photo
Albums • MOLL • Wilhelmina
Fredericka Sophia Wilhelmina "Minnie" MOLL was born March 30, 1847 in Mechlinberg, Germany. She and her family came to the United States when she was sixteen years old. Although she and Henry were born in the same area, there is no record that they ever met before meeting on the ship. Since Henry was nine years older than Minnie, and had been away sailing, this is understandable. After settling into their pioneer farm near Frankenmuth, Michigan, Minnie began her life as a hard worker. She had a big vegetable and flower garden and during dry weather, all family members were drafted to carry water to each individual plant in Minnie's garden. Her daughter, Lina, recalls that she never saw her busy mother sit down without some knitting in her hands. The one exception was Sunday when she sat down to read her Bible. Minnie spun wool into yarn on her little spinning wheel, a gift of her husband; and knitted all the socks and mittens for the nine members of her family. In those days, department stores were scarce and limited and such work was a necessity.
There was much sorrow in Minnie's life. Two of her boys: blond curly-haired Fred and Carl, apparently fine, strong children, died of diphtheria during a terrible epidemic of the disease which ravaged the the countryside. The bodies of the children were removed through the bedroom window at night, placed in a wagon, and taken to the cemetery where they were buried without ceremony. Minnie was pregnant with August at the time that Fred and Carl died, and the doctor warned her that the baby she was carrying would also have the disease. August, too, was a fine, healthy-looking boy, but when he was four or five years old, he came to Minnie one day, pointing a finger at his throat. She looked and recognized the horrible, gray, strangling phlegm already coating his throat. At that time, there was no medical way to fight this disease. The victims either lived or died, and many of them died. So the SONSMITH's lost August, too. Three brothers lie buried in Bloomfield Cemetery near their Grandmother, Anna S. MOLL. The loss of these three strong, beautiful children was the great and lifelong sorrow of the parents' lives.
Minnie was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church, and all her life she was a dedicated Christian: loving God, trusting in the salvation of Jesus Christ, always lending a helping hand to others according to their need. It was said of her that she never turned anyone away hungry. She was a superb cook and any tramp could be sure of a good meal, but she did require that he do some work for it, if only to chop some wood. Perhaps she believed with St. Paul that "If any will not work, let him not eat." (2 Thes. 3:10) ~Written by Eleanor (DEMUN) HASTINGS, Minnie's granddaughter. See The SONSMITH - MOLL Family In America for more information about Minnie. |
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Wilhelmina
Fredericka Sophia MOLL
Seven
children were born of the marriage: six boys and one girl. Frederick
(Fred), born March 5, 1866; died March 16, 1879 at age 13. 
After
the move from Frankenmuth to Standish in 1899, the SONSMITH family
first lived in a log house, but about five years later, they built a
frame house which is still standing in good condition. A few weeks
after moving into the new house, Minnie passed away on January 1,
1905 at the age of 57 years. The cause of death was a strangulated
rupture. The doctor had urged surgery, but surgery at that time was
little known or understood. Minnie refused it, later changed her
mind, but the doctor said it was too late. Burial was in Woodmere
Cemetery, Standish, Michigan.
