The Last Surviving Grandchild of Gustav Kramer Dies at 98
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Send to friendGustav Kramer (1835-1908) was Elwood's greatest builder. Coming to America from Germany in 1858, "Gus" Kramer gave Elwood many of it's early industries and luxuries. The Kramer Excelsior Factory (Elwood's first factory), the Kramer Stave and Barrel Factory, the Elwood Iron works, the Elwood Radiator Works, 3 ice houses, the cold storage plant, several bath houses in different parts of town, a hotel, several downtown buildings (including the Kramer Block that currently houses the Chamber of Commerce),the Elwood Opera House, and the Kramer Grand Opera House. He was also a major contributor to the construction of the beautiful Saint Joseph Church. Gustav and his wife, Magdelena "Lena" (Mater), had 9 children and 30 grandchildren.
I've always been proud to boast of being a great-great grandson of Gus Kramer. During my 13 years of being affiliated with the Historic Elwood Opera House, I have put nearly 8 years of research into the building and the stars that appeared there, and to the Kramer's. I must now close a chapter in the Kramer family history.
As the current sexton of St. Joseph Cemetery, I had the honor of over-seeing the burial of the last serviving Kramer grandchild, Johanna (Fettig) Biltz. She was just weeks short of her 99th birthday. Johanna, a first cousin to my grandfather, was laid to rest on February 13th, 2012, in the small Catholic cemetery south of town on the west edge of the golf course.
She is now at peace, buried amongst her many family members. This list includes her great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Mater; her grandparents, Gus and Lena (Mater) Kramer; her parents, B.J. and Lenora (Kramer) Fettig. Also, most of her 15 brothers and sisters, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and of course, many friends and parishioners who knew her well.
A few years ago, the late Moe Fettig (a 2nd cousin to my mother) helped me put together a list of the 9 Kramer children in order of birth, and the 30 grandchildren, including the 16 Fettig children of which Johanna belonged.
My list is as follows:
~Anna married Thomas E. Conner. Children were: Lawrence, Celeste, Magdalene, James (my mother's father), and Theodore.
~John Adam, died very young.
~Francis Eugene (Spanish American War Veteran) married Estella Green. Children were: Herman, Mary, Katheryn, Rupert, and Frederick.
~Lena Lenora married Benedict J. Fettig (Fettig's Canning). Children were: Paul and Gertrude (twins), Theodore (priest), Helen, Margaret, Edwin (Moe's father), Mary, Anna, Leo, Bernard, Robert, Herman(died as an infant), George, Johanna and Marie (twins-Marie died at birth), and Lawrence (Lenora died in child birth).
~Joseph August (Opera House manager) married Rose Hamilton. No children.
~Maria Theresa married Joseph H. Fihe. Children were: Joseph, Carolyn (nun), and Charlotte Helen.
~Charles Peter married Lena Vurpillat and had a son, Charles Edward ("Red").
~Leo John (Kramer Hotel manager) did not marry.
~Paul Agustus died very young.
~~~They are all gone now. May they rest in peace.
It is indeed a great honor and a privilage to be the sexton at the St. Joseph Cemetery where I not only oversee all burials, but devotedly oversee the maintenance of every resting place, including the grave of my son, Spc. Tim Israel, who is 7th generation of my bloodline to be buried there.
Another lesson in history,
~~~Pops
I can remember Fettigs canning factory and the strong smell of catsup in the air during pack. Us kids used to sneak into the front lot of Fettigs and swipe a few "maters" off the trucks and run to my neighbors house. We kept a salt shaker hid in his bushes. We would hide and eat our "spoils!" His mom was always looking for her salt shaker! Sorry Fettigs, we was just kids!!!
Just a note of interest: I spoke to Johanna's son while he visited his mother's grave at the cemetery yesterday. I asked him how many grandchildren B.J. and Lenora (Kramer) Fettig had. He is the 50th of 74 granchildren! Can you imagine all the birthday parties, and what about buying Christmas presents for 74?
~~~Pops
Gpops I also wanted to tell you I was named Keith for more than your mothers brother. The other inspiration mom and dad had was Father Keith Hosey of Saint Joeseph's Catholic Church. Keith Fettig
Gpops thanks for telling the story of Tim. I agree with you all Americans should be proud of him and you are surely a father any son or daughter would be lucky to have.
I will check out his Facebook page. He may not have died on the battlefield but he definitely gave his life in service of his country and your pride in having raised him seems well deserved. God Bless you and yours.
Keith Fettig
Thanks for the second post, Keith, and thank you for your kind words about Tim. Tim did not die on the battlefield, he came home to die from the effects of war after only 6 months being stateside. In 2008, 438 Iraqi War Veterans committed suicide, about 3 every 2 days. May 9th was the worst day in that year. 17 soldiers died from the horrible effects of war that day. Tim was one of the 17. They make it home, and you think the enemy didn't get them. But you don't know what the return with.
Tim was a member of a very special group of men of the 1/152 Army Infantry, commonly known as "Team Gator." Their original mission was to be in support of supply convoys. But, this was the start of "The Surge." Their mission changed. Tim's unit was routed out to the Marine Corps, involved with the last sweep of Fallujah, in Al Anbar province (Iraq's most dangerous province and al Qaida stronghold). He wore 1st Marine Expeditionary Forces combat patch on the shoulder of his Army uniform when he returned home (a patch that many Marines would be proud to wear).
Tim had an expert certification on 6 weapons of the infantry, and served his unit as lead gunner and as a member of the Bravo Sniper Unit. His platoon participated in over 250 mounted missions and over 150 on foot. They are credited with the capture of over 200 targeted insurgents (hardcore foreign fighters), with an unknown KIA. They were engaged daily in combat, and according to Army records incountered 43 exploded IED's, 18 truck bombs, and countless small arms and mortar attacks. Tim's vehichle was blown up 7 times, (I wear his mangled dog tags around my neck everyday.) Fallujah averaged over 30 attacks a day when Team Gator arrived. By the time they pulled out, this number had been reduced to 1 or 2 a month and shortly after this area was turned over to the Iraqis.
Tim came home busted up. Hearing loss, vision loss, he had constant headaches and ringing in his ears. The nightmares would not allow him to sleep. A full body scan just a few weeks before his death showed that he had fractured C2 and C3 vertibrae in his neck, but he had refused treatment. He wished to stay with his men.
I buried him with 13 medals on his chest, including the Purple Heart, 2 Army Commendation Medals (one for valor for saving his commanding officer's life), and numerous other combat awards and medals for his exceptional valor and service.
Even though I miss him dearly, I do find some comfort knowing that he is at peace and I will see him again. He was laid to rest at St. Joseph Cemetery just 20 feet north of our great-great grandfather, Gus Kramer. The VA officially lists his death as war related, my pride in knowing I raised a great soldier and patriot carries me on. I'm not the first parent to trade their son in for a flag, and I won't be the last. Such is the price of Freedom, and such is the price of what makes our country great.
Don't worry about my grief, I get by, but be proud that he was from our family and from Elwood, ONE of US!
~~~General Pops
Proud US ARMY Dad
PS~~~General Pops was the name given to me by Tim. Also on Facebook check out "RIP Timothy Keith Israel." There is a wealth of photos of Tim in Iraq, with no pictures of the "supply clerk" that Brizendine and others in the EPD had falsely claimed of him.
Gpops when I read your posts here I thought it might be my good friend from long ago and wished I had asked you to identify yourself in my post. So today I came back to rectify my error and found you had already done so.Yesterday I also was thinking of our dominance in table hockey during recess in Mr. Hazelbee's class. (my favorite teacher)Let me just say it was a good surprise and I am glad to have the chance to wish good health and happiness to you and yours. I would also like to express my sorrow at hearing you lost your son. I assume he died defending our country. I can not imagine the grief his lost must have caused you. I have only one daughter who will be 23 in April and she means the world to me. She is currently in her last few months of grad school at Bard College in New York and plans to teach high school biology after graduation.She makes me so proud and always has. I don't know what I ever did to be blessed with such a wonderful child. I live in Citrus Heights, CA about 15 miles from the state Capitol in Sacramento. I have been here since 1981 when I was stationed at Mather AFB.
I have on several occasions looked up information about my hometown Elwood and my ancestors via the web and just wanted to say thank you for your contributions. I have always been proud to call Elwood my hometown except maybe when the Discovery channel aired a documentery on the KKK and mentioned Elwood IN and its infamous "don't let the sun set on your back sign". It was really great to read your posts especially the last one.
Best wishes Keith Fettig
Keith Fettig is the grandson of Edwin Fettig and another great-great grandson of Gustav Kramer. He is also a 3rd cousin to me. Keith's father, Ben, and my mother are 2nd cousins and were very close while growing up. Keith and I are only a few days apart in age, and are both named after my Grandmother Conner's brother, Keith Ellerman, of Ellerman's Ice Cream. Keith and I were also very close until they moved far away when we were young. (No one could beat us on the slide post hockey game when we were in 6th grade!)
It's been nearly 40 years, but it was good to receive a post from him here! Thanks for the response, Keith, hope all is well with you!
Keith "General Pops" Israel
Thanks for sharing BJ was my great grandfather and my father
also was named Benedict Joseph after his grandfather.I grew up in
Elwood and lived across the street from the Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
Keith Fettig
We all know the Fettigs! I remember Fr.Ted, Margaret, Mary, George, Johanna, and Lawrence. Ate their catsup for years, even had my car fixed at the bodyshop!
Johanna was a sweet gentle woman. R.I.P.
I knew several from these families. I did not know they were all related. Thanks for sharing.
Guest, that is a commonly asked question, especially during my 8 years of managing the Historic Elwood Opera House. Because I am a great-great grandson of Gus Kramer, in the Conner bloodline, people have confused that the building was still owned by Kramer descendants. Gus sold the building in 1907 to the Mason's Lodge who sold it to the third and current owner, Randall Hall, in 1999.
I've stated that I will share my history of early Elwood with you in several upcoming threads, the history of the Elwood Opera House will be next---coming next week!
Keep reading,
~~~Pops
Thank you for reading. I tried to keep this story brief. There was so much more that could be written about the Kramers, especially about the Fettig family. B.J. and Lenora (Kramer) Fettig had 16 kids, and over 70 grandchildren in my mother's generation. I don't know how many there are in my generation, and I'm not even sure if anyone in the Fettig family knows how many descendants of Gus Kramer there are now, several generations later, just in their family line alone! It has to be in the hundreds!
Also, I've had some private requests that I share more of the unwritten history of Elwood on EIO that I have stored in this fat head of mine, and I plan to do this in the very near future. Perhaps the "Black History of the Elwood Opera House" might be next. This was a time before the Klan when many Black stage stars were welcome and successfully entertained in Elwood.
Keep Reading!
~~~Pops
Nice article gpops. Extremely interesting and Thanks to both you and threejsmom for all that you do for the community that we love. You don't have to live there, or even be close to love our hometown.
Love your tribute! And the fabulous history it tells! Thanks for sharing here Pops!
Yes 3/14 guest, I remember that also. I only lived 2 blocks from the plant when I was little, and may have grabbed a tomato or two myself! Remember all the farm trucks loaded with baskets of tomatoes? Now they bring them in in semi trailers. Everything is so much different now, I guess that's progress.
~~~Pops