Lena deVries

Lena (aka Gebkelina) deVries was born on October 26, 1905 on a farm in Lammertsfehn, Leer, Germany, to parents Lena Klover and Boelke deVries.

Other than living and working on the farm, not much is known about Lena’s childhood. She gave birth to Hermann in March 30, 1923.

At the age of 23, Lena boarded the USS President Harding on April 5, 1929 from the port of Bremen and sailed to the United States. See photos of her actual steamship ticket below. She arrived in New York May 4, 1929 and then likely took a train to Baltimore. She was sponsored by the Büttner family, who lived next door to Henry Bethke in Rossville (aka Raspeburg, at Philadelphia Road and Race Road) and were distantly related (or, as I found out, Anna Klover Büttner was Lena’s aunt). She lived there and worked as a governess for a wealthy family with one child who lived in Guilford. It is also possible that Lena came to Baltimore because she had heard that Henry’s wife passed away and he needed a wife to help raise the two young boys.

The Bittner (Büttner) family farmed land east of Henry’s house and at mealtimes, Lena would walk out across the farm to call Mr. Bittner and the other workers to come eat. Henry heard a young woman calling out and introduced himself. The courtship began. She married Henry Bethke, on October 19, 1929. He had recently lost his wife shortly after giving birth to their second son. Lena and Henry had six more children.

Lena’s Baltimore Sun obituary said she was employed by clothing manufacturers for 18 years. She was a sewing machine operator for the Essex Manufacturing Company for 10 year and worked at the Raleigh Manufacturing Company for 8 years.

Henry was a foreman at the Baltimore Brick Company.

A farmer that she worked for wrote a letter of recommendation (see below) for her to take to America. It says “I hereby certify that the woman Gebkelina was here from December 1, 1927 to September 1, 1928 in my farm as an agricultural assistant and carried out all the work to my full satisfaction. She is able to do all agricultural work that occurs. The above signature of the farmer W. Heykes of Neermoor and the correctness of the information are hereby certified.”

Lena passed away after a tragic accident in Overlea on a dark, rainy morning when she was crossing Belair Road to go to work. November 8, 1972.

Lena’s Ship Ticket from 1929

In March 1868, direct steamship service was established between Baltimore and Bremen and became one of the most important immigration sea-links between Europe and North America.

Steamship Ticket, Third Class. $115 for the sea voyage and $6.70 for the continuation of the journey. American head tax $8. Last place of residence was Loga, in Leer Ostfriesland (East Frisia).

Lena on the farm

When the children were young

Photos of the house

Inside the farmhouse

1957 Letters From Lena’s Sister Anna (Ewart Martens’ wife) to Lena

February 26, 1957

Dear Leni, Hinni and children.
I received your letter a long time ago. I was really happy to read that you are doing well. We’re all doing well too. The children are also doing well. Leni [Anna’s daughter] married well in Neudorf. She has such a beautiful boy of 5 months. Grete is still work in Deternerlehe by a farmer. On April 10th she will be 6 years there. Bernhard is a journeyman butcher in Detern. Evert and Ewaldine are at home with us. Ewaldine is now 12 years old. How time flies. Grandma doesn’t eat much anymore either. She is getting very old now.

Page 2

Last Friday she was with us for a day. Our neighbor picked them up in the car. But she almost can’t get in and out of the car. She’s doing so badly. At the moment she is completely alone. Willi, Lini and Leni, who live with her, are in Hamburg for a week. Willy??? (last name cannot be interpreted) and Leni (probably unknown servant/maid) who lived with her wanted to go there. His parents came there from the Russian zone and he wanted to see them there. [This Willi ??? and Leni are obviously not from our family]. Now Harm had to look after grandma, so that she gets food and drink and her warm bed. If you can, write to her too. Then she is happy. What are you doing now? Do you still go to work in the factory? What kind of work do you do and which days of the week and how long of the day?

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I always thought you had it best out of all of us, but that turned out to be a lazy story. Which of the children stick with you? As you write, the Harm de Vries family also wrote to you. We had offspring this Bach. A sow gave birth to 13 piglets. two of them are dead now we still have 11 pieces. Do you also have animals? Do you still have your cow? What does Heini (Henry?) do during the day? Hermann is doing well again. He can work again. We went to Grandma’s for a day last week. Brother Willi, I can’t say anything good about it. He was very sick all winter.

Page 4
Now Anna was with grandma. Willy felt better. They live near Bremen and have almost nothing that is their own anymore. There are no words for it. Willi and Anna still get along very well, what a blessing. Now it’s spring again. We haven’t had any frost here yet, always open weather. The flowers are already emerging from the earth. Ornamental shrubs and hedges are already sprouting. The golden wedding anniversary was already a year ago. Did I send you a picture of it or not? I do not know it anymore. Your sister Anni, husband and children send you many greetings from all of us. please write again soon

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Stallbrüggerfeld, March 24,1957

Dear sister Lini and children and husband,

Yesterday I received your dear letter with the pictures, you can be seen well and you look good on it. In Florida it must be beautiful with all the flowers. We are very sorry that you feel the same way with your husband. Have the children grown up now and now something like that. There is something like that here as well. Grandma was no longer aware of it. We already told her that, but we want to forgive her.
She was already suffering enough from Willi. Willi is not well either, he was sick almost the whole winter. Willi and Anna and a son were at the funeral. They ate at Harm’s. Anna didn’t greet anyone. Willi well, we shook hands. But they have nothing left.

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With grandma it went very quickly, we weren’t prepared for that at all, but it doesn’t work there. How she was buried, because 3 weeks earlier she was still with us. Our neighbor picked her up by car. She was so lively, had a good lunch and also a piece of bacon. We drank tea and ate cake. In the evening she ate bread and rusks and tea. She was with me in the stable 2 times a day and saw the animals. 3 weeks later she was underground.
I can’t understand that yet. This afternoon Ewaldine and I went to her grave. She has over 20 wreaths. Antje had a large, beautiful wreath with the inscription “As a last greeting from her 3 daughters”, which is still clearly legible on the ribbon

Page 3
Our dear mother had such a gentle death. When she got sick, she didn’t say that she wanted to have a doctor, which she always did. Brother Harm went to the doctor a few times, and the doctor was still there, but said to us, you can’t help her, it’s old age, her life is over. Antje wrote Willi and Hermann right away. Willi was no longer there. Hermann still had a little bit of her, then it was over. Antje will probably write you everything, she was not back Grandma’s bed. I had Antje her little Leni here, I went in the morning, afternoon and evening. Antje and I stayed with her for 2 nights. Gerd couldn’t do anything, he also got sick, didn’t see grandma again, not even for the funeral, lay still in bed for a long time.

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Now he’s feeling better again, he can get out again. We always woke up at grandma’s every night. The time Leni and Willi were gone, she was with Harm during the day. In the evening Harm brought her home, made her fire in the stove, provided a hot water bottle in bed and that she came to bed at night. She still had her cow, who had brought a beautiful cow calf. Harm fed the cow and milked her too. So he often came to grandma’s. Every few days Ewaldine and I went to see her, then she was happy like a child. She said I am grateful to you even after death that you visit me. When she was still with me, she had broken her wallet. Ewaldine got her a new one from the merchant, which made her happy.

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When she was dead, I took it back with me. She said to me at the beginning of March she wanted to go to Leni, to Neuburg. Because she had money, which she had to take Leni with her a bit. When she had her money, she was soon dead, I can’t believe that. Hermann has fetched grandma’s cow. Antje has fetched the calf. The land, we have the one behind the house, on one side of the house have Gerd and Harm. Behind the house, Gerd Kaiser wants to have hay himself. Leni want the garden and Willi, the kitchen will stay that way and Leni will do the flowers. I haven’t been back to grandma’s kitchen after everything was put back in order. I want to go there someday. So we are all doing well, including the children. I also hope that you are all well. I’ll get myself a black dress for the money, thank you from the bottom of my heart for that. I will also take care of grandma’s grave. I’m also making Grandpa’s grave. she has her black dress on in the grave. So now, dear sister, I want to close. Grandma was so clean when she died, we made sure of that. The last day we put a new blanket under her and Antje also washed it last Sunday. Thank you for your writing and the pictures and keep your head up, don’t lose heart, our mother endured too. Many greetings from all of us, Sister Anni, husband and children.

1958 and 1961 Trips Back to Germany

My Trip to Germany

From Baltimore to New York in 35 minutes put on your safety belt. We left home at 5:00 then put my flowers in the Frigidaire ice box; we sit still; we come here at 10 of 8, from Baltimore too, we had candy and cherry juice, magazine and a folder with papers to read; we leave here.

I was talking to a man from Washington, he was going to London. We are leaving here out from at 8:30 to London in six hours. At 10:00 we had dinner. Our route to London is the shortest distance track called a giant circle over London and Shannon. We have a fast flight time expecting to arrive 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Local time in London is 5 hours ahead of Washington and New York. Greenwich and Greece is 4 hours ahead of Washington and New York. We are the flight at 33,000 feet above sea level – 10,500 meters.

Captain Parker; we had for dinner fried chicken, corn fritters, potatoes, shrimp, cream cheese and pear. Bread, butter, tea crackers. It is 20 after 10 at night.

Now it is 1:30. They wake you up by Good Morning and hand you a glass of orange juice. We had butter, jelly, hot roll bun and a drink with fruit tea or coffee. I should be sound to sleep by 2 1/2 hours. In one more hour we are supposed to be in London.

We are flying the west coast of 33,000 feet on the coastline of Shannon Island and it is 55 degrees in London. The weather is fair. Our time is 15 minutes of 3 and we are landing in London time 15 of 8.

Now we left London at 9:15 to Hamburg. Had a cup of tea. Met a lady from West Baltimore. She was flying Amsterdam Germany. We will be in Hamburg in one hour. Again we had lunch – tea, ham sandwich and egg sandwich, cookies and ice cream. I just feel fine and the time is 11:00, 5:00 in the morning by Baltimore time. Captain Cook said we are 19,000 feet, 530 kilometers.

Return Trip to Baltimore

We left Stadtlengsfeld (sp?) at 9:30 from Leer with Anni, Grete, Gerhard, Ewaldine with train from Leer near Bremen in Stergennach. I had left Hamburg at 4:00 and now at 4:30 we get supper – apple, bread, ham, cookies, tomatoes, eggs, herring, tea, cheese on black bread, pineapple with whipped cream, cherry.  We will be in London in one hour and 15 minutes.

Now I am in London at 5:30 and waited for one hour then we left by bus to west London to Empire. Hotel Bailey’s there I had a room overnight. Dinner at 8:30 and I came back to my room. Rugs on the floor white and red and gray and white in my bedroom. Here the time is just like in Stallbruggerfeld. I have to get up in the morning early and leave by 7:30 to go back to the airport. I have three lights, a radio, and telephone.

I got up at 6, got dressed and now I am ready to eat breakfast and leave by taxi for London airport. I slept really good and had a very good night’s rest. Now it is 9:30 and leaving my seat, 18A. We are now landing in Manchester at 10:00 then to Prestwick. It is now half past 10 and we are staying here for 1/2 hour.

We are now leaving Manchester and will get something to eat. We are now at 11:30 in Prestwick Schottland and will leave in half an hour. And now we are in a height of 33,000 feet above sea level. We left at 12:15 and will be in New York approximately at 6 hours flight. We have gained time, over 25 minutes, and will be early in Boston and also in New York. Germany time is 3:30.

In about 6-10 minutes we will briefly turn over to Canada and can see the airport from there we will go to Boston and then to New York. It is 5:00 Germany time, 12:00 USA time. Ham sandwiches, pickles, cake, tomato, tea. We are now flying over Halifax City. We got in New York half past six Germany time. and New York time 1:30 and we are leaving here at 10 of 3 for Baltimore.

Saturday August 23, 1958

Dear Hilda & Ray & Familie,

I don’t have much time to write the mail man comes real soon and I was glad to hear from you yesterday and from Leni too. Well it rained all day everything is so wet yes that sure was something last week I am glad that you will go and pick her up. Hilda we have so much fun, my sister has too much work and one boy mashed his whole finger and now he can’t milk so I helped milk two cows. Then we get up 5:00 then we went to milk we don’t walk we ride the bicycle, and next week I will stay with my one brother for a couple of days we go there he is always sick, that is real close to Bremen. Then for a couple of days by my sisters daughter we went to Leer Wednesday and and last night some people came here where I was working for and then in the morning where I went to school with. Tomorrow we go to church. I hope to take some pictures today. I wish you could all see it. Every day people just come not 1-2 by 5 or 6 it it so funny to see them people for 2 days. My sister and I go for out to Anna and Antje brother’s family.

I have to close now and then we talk more what is Dad doing. May God be all of us till we meet again. With love, Mom

Tuesday, September 1, 1958

I got your letter yesterday and when I get mail they are so glad and Hilda we have so much company yesterday evening, we had 19 people for supper, you should have just seen it, then by 8:00 everything was cleaned up, and then came a Mason and his wife, they know Anna and Antje and went to school with me, and Sunday was Sister Anni’s girls here, one is married, they were here all day, then after dinner Anna de Riese her Father came here, he’s 86 years old and he danced just like Daddy. boy oh boy did we have some fun. When I have this letter ready, I go for one day to my Brother Harm for Dinner. Then we go to visit his Daughter. Hilda my hair is just fine layer in waves. I haven’t washed it yet, I feel good that what I have to say and sleep good we put two beds together and there’s where we sleep with 5 of us believe me we have some fun, my sister’s two Boys Bernhard and Eward sleep upstairs, we had really some good weather for 2 wees and this morning we have rain. Hilda we took some pictures on that you can see us real good I send 33 cards so far, not by air mail, I hope they will get them in time.

Today is our Pop’s Birthday, 86 years old. Hilda I don’t really need any money at all, I still have 60 Dollars left and when you see what my sister is making for all you 5 girls you really be surprised when I get back, we went there Sunday and picked it.

Well Hilda I will close now and hope you will get this letter in the best of health. May God be with you all til we meet again. Did you hear from Howard. With love, Mom

Tuesday September 9, 1958

Dear Ray and Hilda, Debby and Baby Ray,

I got your letter yesterday and when I get mail they are so glad and Hilda we have so much company yesterday evening we had 19 people for supper. You should just have seen it, then by 8:00 everything was all cleaned up and then came Mason (sp?) and his wife, they know Anna and Antje and went to school with me, and Sunday was sister Anni’s girls, her one is married they were here all day then after dinner, Anna de Riese her father came here, he’s 86 years old and he danced just like Daddy. Boy oh boy did we have some fun.  When I have this letter ready, I go for one day to my brother Harm for dinner, then we go to visit his daughter. Hilda my hair is just fine layer in waves. I haven’t washed it yet, I feel good that what I have to say and sleep good we put two beds together and there’s where we sleep with 5 of us, believe me we have some fun, my sister’s two boys Bernhard and Eward sleep upstairs, we had really some good weather for two weeks and this morning we have rain. Hilda we took some pictures on that, you can see us real good, I send 33 cards so far, not by air mail. I hope they will get them in time. Today is our Pop’s birthday, 86 years old. Hilda I really don’t need any money at all, I still have 60 dollars left and when you see what my sister is making for all of you 5 girls you’ll really be surprised when I get back. We went there Sunday and picked it. Well, Hilda, I will close now and hope you will get this letter in the best of health. May God be with you all til we meet again. Did you hear from Howard. With love, Mom

Monday evening, September 15, 1958

Dear Hilda & Ray , Debby & Baby,

Well Hilda, I just got your letter and we just got home again from visiting all day and we had 4 times same thing to eat and Hilda I wished you could be with us for one day – eat and black white gray bread all with the best very fine meat then been wine, snaps and tea. Hilda I don’t need any clothes then we washed last Thursday and this week I go away every day to different places. Tomorrow I go with my brother’s daughter away with auto, and Hilda we have so much fun, and the people what they give to me to take back as a remembrance from them, it is some times cold here all day, but then we have a nice fire on before we go to bed we drink a glass of red wine. Hilda I leave here on October 4 so by 4:50 then the plane comes in New York at 8:30 on October 4 on Saturday evening it is late  but I am afraid that I will ride on a greyhound bus all night, so if you and Ray could get me it would be nice. I still don’t know what I could bring for Ray, I bought myself a very nice black sweater and I still have $50 left. Tomorrow evening we go to my brother’s wife’s birthday party and Friday evening to my sister’s grandson’s birthday party, September the 19th. I make out real good with my clothes and so Saturday evening we went to a dance and I didn’t pay for one thing and my sister her husband has two sons, two daughters either while I was from Amerika everything was full and we dance. We got home at 3:00. Hilda, what is Marie doing yet, is she still in town or what. I had a letter Saturday from Howard. Hilda I send you some pictures Anna and I and Grete sitting on the ground, Eward and her husband and her son Evert and Ewaldine. This building picture we took when we went to see my brother Willi and family – 7 – Anni, me, Willi, Harm, Gerhard, Berthold and Hini and Willi’s three sons. That house building was made 1705. There we had a good time.

Well Hilda, that’s all for today, this morning when we got up one cow was fresh had a little calf. That’s all for today, my girlfriend is here. With all my love, Mom. Bye Bye Debby and Ray

Grandkids

Lena’s church in Germany

Miscellaneous

1868 Direct Steamship Service between Bremen, Germany and the port of Baltimore

March 27, 1868: The citizens of Baltimore turned out in a great show of civic pride to hail the establishment of direct steamship service between Baltimore and Bremen. It would prove to be one of the most important immigration sea-links between Europe and North America.

For many a day hereafter, the 26th of March 1868, will be memorable as being an event marking the beginning of a new epoch in the career of Baltimore. For many years, one of the highest ambitions of Baltimore has been to place herself on an equal footing with her sister seaboard cities, by having transatlantic lines of steamers intimately connecting this port with the leading maritime cities of the old world.

Excerpt from The Baltimore Sun, May 24, 1987.