Louis Goldner - Short Biography

Louis Goldner - Chicago, Illinois

Louis Goldner was born on October 28, 1861 in Chicago. He was the middle child of  three sons of Frederick Goldner (b.1829, d.1906) and Louise Ebersold (b.1830, d.1889). 

Louis Goldner, probably in Oak Park, Illinois

Frederick had come to America from Wittenberg (or possibly Bavaria) sometime in the 1850's. He may have been in eastern Michigan prior to coming to Chicago. There was a Charles (or Karl) (b.1825, d.1894) and Henry Goldner (b.1827, d.1900) in Detroit and I believe Frederick was related to them but not sure exactly how (they may have all been brothers). Charles and Henry lived very close to each other in Springwells Township.

Louise Ebersold came to America, possibly from Bavaria but her Cook County Death Record indicates she was born in 'Gweibrucken, Rhein @ falz' (which may be Zweibrücken Rheinpflaz). She is believed to be the sister of Frederick Ebersold and Peter Ebersold. This is the information was obtained from a related family member but also has not been completely proven. Her maiden name was definitely Ebersold as that is stated in a death notice from an October 7, 1889 entry in the Daily Inter Ocean (an early Chicago newspaper).  Frederick and Peter where both civil war veterans and Chicago police officers. Frederick rose to the rank of Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department in 1885. Louise's arrival date is also uncertain but probably was in the middle of the 1850's.

At the time of the arrival of Frederick Goldner and Louise Ebersold, Chicago was still a relatively small place. The population in 1850 was only about 30,000 but it was starting a period of rapid growth. Louis Goldner would grow up in this boomtown. At the time of his birth, the population was about 110,000. By the time he was married, it had grown to over 1 million and by the time he died it was over 3 million. From the 1850's to the 1950's, three generations of Goldners would watch Chicago grow from a cow town to a large and complex industrial city.

By the 1870's, the Goldner Family, Frederick, Louise and sons, Peter, Louis and Frederick Junior were living on the near south side of Chicago on Lisle Street. The house was just off Halsted Street but no longer exists. By 1880, the parents were divorced and Frederick was living in Michigan at the Charles Goldner house. There he is listed as a "border" and this is the basis for me thinking he was the brother of Charles. Frederick was still alive in 1900 and living with his son Louis. About 1890, Louis Goldner would marry Anna Pazel and they would settle on the south side of Chicago.

Louis at the 'Swimming Hole'

Anna Pazel

Anna Pazel (b.1863, d.1937) was the daughter of Louis Pazel (b.1843) and MaryAnn Wurster (b.1844).  Both had immigrated to Chicago before 1860 from the Germany (Mecklenburg and Wurttemberg). They had two additional children, Lousia and Charles and lived on the south side of Chicago where Louis Pazel was employed as a teamster and later worked for a brewery.

The Louis Goldner family lived at 184 West 18th Street in 1900 and may have been in Oak Part by 1910. The Lakeside City Director (Chicago) lists Louis Goldner at 825 South Washtenaw in their 1910 edition and notes 'saloon.' It is unclear of the family was living at 825 or if that was the address of the business. No buildings survive at either Chicago location. Family stories indicate that Louis owned and operated a Saloon that was said to be located in the vicinity of Roosevelt Road or Taylor Street and Halsted Street which is almost three miles farther to the east from the Washtenaw location. In Oak Park, they owned a two-flat at 823 Euclid Avenue where Louis and Anna would live our their lives. A family story has been told that oldest daughter Louise was so enamored with her much younger twin brothers Frederick and Edward (they were 20 years apart) that she named her two boys Fred and Ed. They were just a few years younger then there uncles.

The Goldner 2-Flat on Euclid Avenue in Oak Park, Illinois.

 

The children of Louis Goldner and Anna Pazel:

• Louise (b.1882, d.1964) - married Frederick Roth in 1908. He had come to Chicago from Wisconsin and was a police officer until 1915. The family would head back to his home town of Monroe, Wisconsin in about 1920 and he would own and operate the Monroe Hotel. They had two children Frederick and Edward and lived out their lives in Monroe. Read more about Frederick Roth here.

Louise Goldner, daughter of Louis and Anna.

• Emma (b.1884, d.1969) - married Thomas White in about 1905. According to the 1930 census, they were living in Forest Park. The 1940 census has them living on West Diversey Avenue in Chicago. He was employed in the dry goods business and she was noted to have worked at Carson Pirie Scott. They had no children and later in life she lived near Fox Lake, Illinois.
• Annie (b.1888, d.1969) - married Charles Hecker in about 1917. According to the 1930 census, they were living on Henderson Street in Chicago’s 39th Ward. The 1940 census has them living on Narraganset Avenue. He was employed as the driver of an Oil Truck. They had no children and later in life she lived in Fox Lake with her sister Emma.
• Charles (b.1891, d.1970) - never married and lived most of his life with his parents and then with one or more of his sisters. He was noted in census records as a clerk at the Board of Trade. Family stories say he had a seat on the board and lost it in the Great Depression. Census records also indicate that he was a veteran and he was of the right age to serve in WWI but it is unclear if he did.
• Edward (b.1902, d.1982) - twin of Frederick, married Gladys Calcott in 1933. They had two daughters, Audrey and Janet. According to the 1930 census (and prior to his marriage), Edward was employed as an auto mechanic and later worked for the Water Department in Oak Park. Edward and Gladys lived in Oak Park, first in the Louis Goldner 2-flat and then at 1042 South Clinton Street. They later retired to Florida and are buried in New Port Richey.
• Frederick (b.1902, d.1985) - twin of Edward, married Alice Eis in about 1926. According to both the 1930 and 1940 census, they were living in Forest Park, Illinois and Frederick was employed as a clerk in a broker’s office. They had two children, Alice Joyce and Donald. Frederick and Alice also retired to Florida.

Louis and Anna.

Anna Pazel died in 1937 and it was noted in her obituary that she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star (O.E.S.), Circle Chapter 888. Louis died three years later. They are buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in the western suburbs of Chicago. Their son, Charles is in the same plot and daughters Annie and Emma (and husbands) are nearby. The twins, Edward and Frederick are buried in Florida and Louise is buried with her husband in Monroe, Wisconsin.

Both Anna and Louis had their funeral service in the chapel at the (former)
Haggard Funeral Home on Madison Street in Oak Park. This building still stands.

The gravesite of Louis Goldner and Anna Pazel at Oakridge
Cemetery, located west of Oak Park in Hillside, Illinois.

Additional Information:
Read the story "The Goldners of Chicago - Finding a Lost Family," here

Research Notes: The information for this report is mostly from the United States Census, other vital records and with additional information from the authors own family papers.

This is one of a series of short biographies of individual ancestors. These are undertaken, from time-to-time, when enough information becomes available about an individual. Post updated in 08/2024.