OBITUARY - CARL TESCH

Submitted by: Judy Card, JCard20983 at aol dot com

The funeral services for the late Carl Tesch who passed away at his home on
Green Mountain on November 5, 1920 were held Friday at two o'clock at the
Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Faucett officiating.  Intern was in the local
Odd Fellows Cemetery under the direction of Kirch of Vancouver, Washington.  The
pall bearers were William Ballhorn & A. B. Bozarth.
 
Mr. Tesch was born February 2, 1847 in Masson, Germany.  He left there at an
early age to escape compulsory military service.  He came to Chicago and there
he met his old schoolmate, Frank Klager.  Neither dreaming they were to be
future brother-in-laws, each marrying a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Gotfried Thiel, pioneers of this section (of the state).
 
After working awhile he and Mr. Klager came to Woodland, each taking up a
homestead on Green Mountain.  These are now known as the Schmitz place.
 
After leaving these homesteads, Mr. Klager married Hulda Theil and made their
home on the present Roberson place.  Mr. Tesch married Mrs. Bertha (Thiel)
Hagerman, a sister of Mrs. Klager, at St. Helens on September 22, 1882.  They
lived a few years in St. Helens (Oregon) where he was employed in the Murkle
Brothers sawmill.  Later, he returned to Cowlitz county, buying the farm which
he has hewed out of the wilderness.  During these early years he spent the
spring and summer fishing on the Lower Columbia River in order to buy food and
clothing for his family and the necessary things for his new ranch.
 
He cast his votes here when Washington was a Territory and he took on active
interest in politics, taking out his citizenship papers at an early date.  This
early pioneer leaves his wife and helpmate, Mres. Bertha Tesch, daughters Mrs.
Sophia Wodaege and Mrs. Martha Wodaege; three sons, Carl and Deed of Woodland
and Fred of Hillsboro, Oregon and two grandchildren.  He also leaves a step
daughter, Mrs. Lillie Hofferman and three children, of Irene, South Dakota and
the widow of his step son, Mrs. Henry Hagerman and children, all of Yankton,
South Dakota, besides his many friends and neighbors.