Bertha (Rössler) Knobloch (abt. 1837 - 1908)

Born about 1837 in Germany

Died 30 Sep 1908 at about age 71 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Biography

Bertha Amalie Rössler was born about 1837 in Germany.

She was married to Karl Augustus Knobloch. Their known children are:

• Fanny Amalie Knobloch (1859-1949)
• Ida Knobloch (abt.1861-abt.1869)
• Alma Sedonia Knobloch (1863-1943)
• Paul Gerhart Martin Knobloch (abt.1866-1894)
• Carl William Knobloch (1869-abt.1869)^[1]
• Wilhelm Bruno Knobloch (1872-1872)^[2]
• Pauline Amalie (Knobloch) Hannen (1874-1939)

She arrived in the U.S. on 21 March 1868 along with her two youngest children (Alma, age 4; Martin, age 3).^[3][4] The 1870 U.S. Census shows the Knobloch family living in Washington, D.C.: Augustus (age 36, Architect), Amelia (age 31), Fanny (age 10), Alma (age 5), Martin (age 4).^[5] The 1880 U.S. Census added another daughter: Pauline (age 5).^[6]

Amalie Knobloch became a member of the Bahá'í Faith during the early 1900s and, like her daughters, was an integral member of the Washington D.C. Bahá'í community.

She passed away on 30 September 1908, and was buried with her family at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.^[7] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, then-Head of the Bahá'í Faith, revealed a special Tablet to be recited at her graveside:

"HE IS GOD !

"O thou Pure Spirit, Amalie Knobloch! Although thou didst soar away from this terrestrial world, yet thou didst enter into the immeasurable, illumined Universe of the Almighty. While in this life thou didst hear the Divine Call, beheld the light of Truth, became alive by the Breaths of the Holy Spirit, tasted the sweetness of the Love of God, became the Maid-Servant of the Lord of Hosts and the object of the Bounties of His Highness the Desired one. Thou didst lead the erring ones into the Path of Truth and bestowed a portion of the Heavenly Food to those who are deprived. Thou didst consecrate the days of thy existence to the Service of His Highness the Clement and spent thy time in the diffusion of the Fragrances of the Paradise of Abha. There are many souls perfumed and many spirits illumined through thy services!

"O, thou divine, beloved Maid-Servant! Although thou didst disappear from the mortal eyes, yet thou didst train and educate thy daughters, each of whom has arisen to serve the Kingdom like unto thee and is engaged in the guidance of souls. In the Assembly of wisdom they are the lighted candles; they sacrifice their lives in the Path of God; they are gardening in thy orchard and irrigating thy rose-garden. Happy is thy condition, for thou art enjoying Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Everlasting Glory and hast left in this world kind and loving Remembrances.

"Happy are those souls who visit thy luminous resting-place and through thy commemoration receive and acquire spiritual Powers."^[8]

Research Notes

A presentation created for the book Aflame with Devotion: The Hannen and Knoblock Families and the Early Days of the Baha’i Faith in America (written by Amalie's great-granddaughter) has photos of Amalie Rössler's parents identified as Count A. Von Rössler and Elizabel Dresler. However, other descendants' online family trees have their names as Karl Gabriel Rössler and Johanne Christiane Elisabeth Burach Porsche; this appears to be based on an 1837 baptism record as well as German birth/marriage/residence records showing some of their other children living in the right area. I could not find any records offhand to support the first set of parents, but that doesn't exclude them either. Clearly more research/clarification is needed - Freeth-52 07:07, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ "District of Columbia Births and Christenings, 1830-1955", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F754-JPK : 10 January 2020), Bertha Amelia Rosler in entry for Carl William Knoblosh, 1869.
2. ↑ "District of Columbia Births and Christenings, 1830-1955", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V23Z-8SN : 10 January 2020), Bertha Amalie Roesler in entry for Wilhelm Bruno Knoblauch, 1872.
3. ↑ "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPJ-TV45 : 20 February 2021), Amalie Knobloch, 1868; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication M237 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 175,648.
4. ↑ "United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDQN-2Z5 : 27 December 2014), Amalie Knobloch, 21 Mar 1868; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship Germania, departed from Hamburg, arrived in New York, New York, New York, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN4M-F6T : Sat Oct 07 00:22:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Augustus Knoblach and Amelia Knoblach, 1870.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6C4-J41 : Thu Oct 05 17:22:41 UTC 2023), Entry for August Knobloch and Amelia Knobloch, 1880.
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37486315/b-amalie-knobloch: accessed 26 January 2024), memorial page for B Amalie Von Roessler Knobloch (1837–30 Sep 1908), Find A Grave: Memorial #37486315, citing Prospect Hill Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA; Maintained by Candace Hill (contributor 47629018).
8. ↑ Ida A. Finch, Fanny Alma Knobloch, and Alma S. Knobloch. "Flowers Culled from the Rose Garden of Acca". 1908-1911. Bahai-library.com https://bahai-library.com/finch_knobloch_flowers_acca

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to J. Steele, whose online family tree gave lots of clues about where to search for more information on this family! - Freeth-52 07:07, 28 January 2024 (UTC)