John Westphale, Sr. Descendants  
 
 
 
 
 


Westphale Family History

& Genealogy


Descendants of Johannes Albert Robrecht Westphalen
also known as
John Westphale, Sr

Generation One

 
1Johannes Albert Robrecht1 Westphalen was born on 25 May 1816 in Herstelle, kreis Höxter, Westphalen, Germany first-born child of Johannes Franciscus Antonius Westphalen and Anna Maria Lippmann.1 He was christened the following morning in Saint Bartholomäus Katholische Kirche in Herstelle where his baptismal witness was his maternal grandfather Albertus Lipmann.2 Johann, as he was popularly known in Europe was named in part in memory of his father's first wife, Justina Robrecht. Johann Westphalen married twice, first with Clementine Franke, daughter of Rheinhard Franke and Elisabetha Rest, on 8 February 1846 in the Catholic church of Saint Bartholomäus in Herstelle. The detailed church entry reads as follows:
Johann Westphalen, Fabrikarbeiter in Herstelle. Vater: Johann Westphalen, Schiffsmann und Anna Maria geboren Lippmann in Herstelle. Alter: 29, Geboren 25/5 1816. Jüngling. Braut: Clementine Franke, Nätherin in Herstelle. Vater: Meinhard Franke, Schiffsmann und Elisabeth geboren Rest in Herstelle. Alters: 29 Geboren 11/4 1816. Jungfrau. Am achten (8) Februar. Joseph Lüking, Pfarrer. Zeugen: Cornelius Hodes Schiffsmann und Friedrich Robrecht, Schiffsmann beide in Herstelle.3
In English this record is translated as:
Johann Westphalen, factory worker in Herstelle, son of Johann Westphalen, boatman and Anna Maria Lippmann. He was a single 29-year old born on the 25th of May 1816. His bride was Clementine Franke, daughter of Meinhard Franke a boatman and Elisabeth Rest from Herstelle. She was a single 29-year old born on the 11th of April 1816. They were married on the eighth of February [1846] by Reverend Joseph Lüking before witnesses Cornelius Hodes and Friedrich Robrecht both boatmen in Herstelle.
After the death of his first wife in July 1853, Johann Westphalen married secondly Maria Florentine Becker, daughter of Johann Andreas Becker and Maria Amelia Lautze, on 4 October 1853 again in Saint Bartholomäus Catholic Church.. The church record contains the following entry:
Johann Westphale, Wittwer von Florentine Franke, Tabakarbeiter in Herstelle. Schiffm. Johann Westphale u. Anna Maria Lippmann in Herstelle. Alter: 37, Geb 25 Mai 1816. Die nachlebends Mutter hat eingewilligt. Braut: Florentine Becker in Herstelle. Vater: Fassbinder Johann Becker und Amalia Lautze in Herstelle. Alters: 29 geb. 29 Sep 1824. Die Eltern haben eingewilligt. Tag: Am vierten (4) October. Rev. Offergett, Pf. Zeugen: Arbeitergemeinde Franz Wille in Herstelle und Fussmann August Schulze aus Beverungen."4
The English translation reads:
Johann Westphale, tobacconist and widower of Florentine Franke in Herstelle and son of boatman Johann Westphale and Anna Maria Lippmann, aged 37 years, born on 25 May 1816. His widowed mother consents. The bride is Florentine Becker, daughter of cooper Johann Becker and Amalie Lautze in Herstelle. She was 29 years old, born on 29 September 1824. Her parents had given consent. Johann Westphale and Florentine Becker were married on the fourth of October [1853] by Reverend Offergett before the following witnesses: Franz Wille a worker in Herstelle and August Schulze a footman from Beverungen.
Notice that the priest recorded Westphalen's first wife as Florentine instead of Clementine. He was not the first to make this mistake. Perhaps because of the similarity of the names Florentine and Clementine, confusion was bound to occur. Furthermore, this record attests to the fact that the Westphalen surname was on occassion rendered as Westphale even in Europe. Later, after immigration to Maryland, the surname is consistently spelled Westphale and generally pronounced West-fail. There are of course inevitable misspellings including Westfall, Westfale and a variety of others. Once in the United States, Johannes Albert Robrecht shortened not only his surname but his given name, being known as John Westphale, Sr while his eldest surviving son was known as John Westphale, Jr.

John Westphale earned his living in a variety of occupations. In Germany, between 1846 and 1864, he is most often noted to be a tobacconist or Tabakarbeiter although atleast one church entry refers to him as a Fabrikarbeiter or factory worker. Just before emigration, Westphale is described in a baptismal record as a  Postbote or mail man. In Baltimore he was recorded in city directories as  a saloon keeper or occassionally as owning a restaurant.


Westphales emigrate from Europe to Maryland in 1869

Generation Two
 
5Ludwig Johannes [also known as John Westphale, Jr]2 Westphalen (Johannes1) was born on 29 December 1854, the last Friday of the year. His place of birth was in the Westphalen home, house number 37 in Herstelle, Kreis Höxter, Duchy of Westphalia. He was the first son of Johannes Albert Robrecht Westphalen [John Westphale, Sr] and Maria Florentine Becker.48 The baptism of this child was performed on New Year's Eve 1854 in Saint Bartholomäus Katholische Kirche in Herstelle. The church register reads:
Haus no. 37, Westphalen, Ludwig Johannes [Johannes is underlined indicating the preferred name] . Am neun und zwanzigsten December, 2 Uhrs Mittags, ehelich Sohn des Johannes Westphalen, Tabaks fabrik. Arbeiter und Clementine Becker in Herstelle. Tauf d. 31 Dec 1854, Offerzett, Pf. Nahmen der Taufzeugen: Küfer, Johann Becker und Ehefrau Sophia Wustefeld, beide aus Herstelle.
In English this entry is translated as:
House number 37, Ludwig Johannes Westphalen was born on the 29th of December at 2 PM, the legitimate son of Johannes Westphalen, tobacconist and Clemetine Becker in Herstelle. He was baptised on 31 December 1854 by Father Offerzett. The names of the witnesses were the cooper Johann Becker and his wife Sophia Wüstefeld, both from Herstelle.
Note that there is a significant error in this record. The mother is referred to as Clementine Becker, an amalgamation of Westphalen's deceased first wife Clementine Franke and the actual mother and current wife, Florentine Becker.49 This mistake perpetuates the confusion, in names at least of Westphalen's wives.

Johannes Westphale immigrated with his parents roughly about 1869. In the United States, he followed his father's path in using the anglicized name John Westphale, Jr. There is no evidence that either man undertook any legal change of name, but like so many immigrants, anglicized their birth names, in this instance, no doubt a consensual and deliberate process. 

Unlike his father, John Jr. earned his living as a shoemaker. Since he was roughly 14 years old when he left his homeland, presumably John learned his trade during an apprenticeship in Maryland. Where and with whom he learned this trade are not known. In a petition to the Mayor and City Council, John Westphale, Jr. was permitted to place a sign in front of his buisness on Mulberry Street.54 Between1878 and 1881, John and his young family lived at 112 Preston Street in central Baltimore City not too distant from his parent's residence.52,53 By 1885 and at the time of his death one year later, the Westphales were residing at 46 St. Mary's Street near Druid Hill Avenue in Baltimore City.55,56

John Westphale, Jr. married Mary Elizabeth Stinner, daughter of Johannes Stinner and Catherine Bossle, on 13 April 1880 in Saint Alphonsus German Catholic Church in Baltimore City.50


Early death of John Westphale, Jr at 31 years


John Westphale, Jr lived a very short life. He died on 17 October 1886 at age 31.51 He was interred two days later on a Tuesday afternoon in Saint Alphonsus Catholic Cemetery probably next to his father who had predeceased him by about four years. St. Alphonsus Cemetery is no longer extant. All interred were removed to Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery on Belair Road. Although the original burial registers from Saint Alphonsus Cemetery are housed at Most Holy Redeemer, they have not been microfilmed and are not accessible for research. No doubt further information about the Westphales' final resting place is contained in those volumes.

Mary Elizabeth Stinner, John Westphale Jr's wife was born in Baltimore on 9 April 1859 to German immigrants Johannes Stinner and Catherine Bossle.57 She was christened on 16 April 1859 in Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church where information from the church baptismal record includes: "16 April 1859: Maria Elisabeth, born 9 April 1859 to Johannes Stinner from Fischbach, Borussia and Catharina Bossle from Misenbach, Bavaria. Witness is Elisabeth Bossle."58 She was confirmed on 13 September 1874 Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church. The church record reads: "13 Sep 1874: Confirmation of Maria Elisabeth (nomen impositum Anna) daughter of Joannes et Catharina Stinner. Witness: Anna Greb."64

When her husband John Westphale died, Mary was 27 years old, the mother of two young sons ages four and two. She was also most remarkably eight months pregnant with her third child, Frank or Fanciscus. Clearly, she and her young children suffered during these next years. Two of her sons, the eldest John H. and the youngest Frank were admitted in the Spring of 1887 to Saint Vincent's Catholic Orphan Asylum by Justice of the Peace John B. Hebb under the imprimatur, "Father's dead and mother unable to provide." Sadly, when Mary Westphale returned to claim her children in 1888, her youngest had died. The middle child, Louis J. Westphale born in 1884 apparently remained with his mother or other relatives as his name is not included in Saint Vincent's registers.

By 1889, life began to improve for the young widow, Mary Stinner Westphale. She had met Jeff Pentland, slightly younger than she and world's apart. He was the son of Scots-Irish immigrants who had carved a comfortable life as one of Baltimore's leading florists and horticolturists. How the poor young German Catholic widow with two sons came to know the Irish Presbyterian Pentland is not known, however they married on 31 January 1889 at the Harford Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church where the Reverend Benjamin F. Clarkson was the presiding minister.59,60 Pentland the son of James Pentland and Roseanna was born in Baltimore during the height of the Civil War on 6 January 1862 and was given the dubious name of James Jefferson Davis Pentland, clearly reflecting his father's Democratic pro-Southern sympathies. Fortunately, he adopted the nickname Jeff by which he was generally known throughout his life.

Jeff Pentland and Mary Elizabeth Stinner Westphale had no biologic children. They raised John H. and Louis J. Westphale.

Mary Stinner Westphale Pentland died on 13 May 1941 at 3133 Chesley Avenue in the Hamilton suburb of Baltimore having attained the age of 82 years. She had outlived both of her husbands. Her last years were spent with her grand daughter, Naomi, daughter of Louis J. Westphale.

Information in the death record includes, Elizabeth Pentland, a married white female born in 1859 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her husband's name was Jefferson. No information was provided for her parents. The informant was Louis J. Westphale of 5644 Belair Road. She died of carcinoma of the stomach and was buried on the 16th of May in Lorraine Park Cemetery by the Leonard Ruck Funeral Home of 5305 Harford Road.61 A Requiem Mass was offered at Saint Dominic's Church.65  She is interred in section 12, lot 47, grave I with her elder son John H. Westphale and his wife Mary Estelle.62,63
 


John Westphale, Jr.& Elisabeth Stinner's Children


The three known children of Ludwig Johannes [John Westphale, Jr]2 Westphalen and Mary Elizabeth Stinner were as follows:

  • 12. i. John Herman3 was born on 25 May 188266,67 He was christened on 28 May 1882 in Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church.68  John H. married Estella Mary Weber, daughter of John H. Weber and Caroline Kurtz. John Herman Westphale died on 14 December 1951 in Baltimore City at age 69. He was buried on 17 December 1951 in Lorraine Park Cemetery, Baltimore.69

  • His "Return of Birth" filed in the city  stated that John H. was the second child of his parents John and Elisabeth. Thus far, this is the only reference to a previous child for this couple. His younger brothers were identified as the second and third children of this Westphale union, suggesting that the entry on John Herman Westphale's return is incorrect. John H. was born in his parents' home number 55 Mulberry Street.  J. H. Scarff, MD of 4 Cathedral Street was the physician who delivered him.66,67  The baptismal register from Saint Alphonsus has this to say about the child's christening: "Reverend John B. Leibfritz presiding. 28 May 1882: Joannes Hermann Westphale born 25 May 1882. Father Joannes Westphale from Herstelle, Borussia. Mother Elisabeth Stinner of Baltimore. Sponsor: Hermann Vorsteg of Baltimore."68

    As a very young child, John Herman Westphale was admitted to Saint Vincent's Orphan Asylum in Baltimore City, on 2 May 1887 by John P. Hebb, Justice of the Peace because "father's dead and mother's unable to provide." He was discharged to the care of his mother on 1 May 1888. During this time, his infant brother Frank Westphale had died in Saint Vincent's on 20 August 1887. 70 John H. Westphale was confirmed on 1 June 1899 at Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church where he was given the name "Johannes (Herman, nomen impositum)" at which time Herman Vorsteg served as a confirmation witness.71  In 1920, John H. Westphale appeared on the federal census at 1632 Holbrook Street in Baltimore where the enumerator described the household as, "John H. Westphale, 38-year old white male; Estella, 36-year old white female from Maryland, wife; Carolina Weber, mother-in-law, 64-years old from Maryland."

    There were no known children of John H. Westphale.

    The funeral notice that was published on 16 December 1951 in the Baltimore Sunday Sun included the following information: On December 14, 1951 John H. Westphale beloved husband of the late Estella Weber Westphale. Funeral from the residence of his brother-in-law Mr. J. Arthur Weber, 2054 Kenneday Avenue on Monday at 2 PM. Interment in Lorraine Cemetery. King David's Lodge No. 68 A.F. & A.M will hold a special communication at 1 PM on Monday December 17 for the purpose of attending the funeral of our late brother John H. Westphale. Henry Ehatt, Worshipful Master."72
     

  • + 13. ii. Louis John, born 21 January 1884 Baltimore City, Maryland; married Mary Elizabeth Groppe; married Lena Schmidt. He died 21 January 1954.

Death in Orphanage for Francis Westphale

  • 14. iii. Franciscus was born on 18 November 1886 at 708 Druid Hill Avenue in Baltimore City.  The Baltimore City birth return includes this information, "Third child, male, white born Noveember 18, 1886 at 708 Druid Hill Avenue. Mother: Elisabeth Westphale nee Stringer [sic] from Baltimore, father John Westphale, shoemaker from Germany. J H Sanpp MD, Charles & Center Streets."73 The church baptismal record from Saint Alphonsus provides a birth date in variance with the civil birth registration. The church record sates that Franciscus was born on 24 November 1886 .74 Whichever is the correct birthdate, he was christened as an infant on 28 November 1886 by the Reverend B. Beck at which time the child's paternal uncle, Franz Jendrek served as his godfather.The additional Latin notation, 'Pater mortues est' confirms the difficult times facing Elisabeth Westphale's small family.75  Francis Westphale is probably the same individual who is found in the Health Department's Vital Statistics as Frank Westpathe who is recorded as having died on 16 August 1887 in Saint Vincent's Infant Asylum. The information on the death record includes, "Died on 16 August 1887 in 12th Ward at Saint Vincents Infant Asylum on Druid Hill Avenue, Frank Westpathe [sic], white male aged 8 months. Born in Baltimore, died from marasmus of one month's duration treated by Dr. Charles E. Sadtler of 2100 Druid Hill Avenue. Buried in Saint Alphonsus Cemetery on 17 August 1887 by A. Rosenberger of 321 Preston Street."76

  • In retrospect it has been learned that Francis and his elder brother John were admitted to Saint Vincent's on 2 May 1887 because his widowed mother was not able to care for these children. The middle child, however, John Louis Westphale was never recorded among the inmates in Saint Vincent's. Unfortunately, the infant Francis died in the Orphanage according to the institution's records on 20 August of the same year from "marasmus." It is most likely that the official civil record provides the correct date of death, in this case16 August.77

    Frank Westphale is not found in the 1900 census, at least he is not enumerated with his mother and her second husband nor with his godfather Frank Jendrek. This information would further confirm that he died as an infant in Saint Vincent's Orphan Asylum as Frank Westpathe.78

6.Paulina Theresia2 Westphalen (Johannes1)was born on 2 March 1857 in Herstelle, kreis Höxter, duchy of Westphalia (now Nordrhein-Westphalen) daughter of Johannes Albert Robrecht Westphalen [also known as John Westphale, Sr] and Maria Florentine Becker.79 She was christened on the 4 March 1857 in the village Catholic Church Paulina T. Westphaleknown as Saint Bartholomäus. The following entry was made by the priest in the church baptismal record:
Paulina Theresia Westphalen [Paulina is underlined indicated this is the preferred given name] am zweiten Marz, 1 Uhr Nachts, ehelich Tochter des Johannes Westphalen, Tabakarbeiter und Florentine Becker aus Herstelle. Tag der Taufe am 4 Marz. Offerget Pfarrer. Nahmen der Taufzeugen: Ehefrau Charlotte Kayser und Wittwe Theresia Franke beide in Herstelle."80
Paulina immigrated to Maryland with her parents and siblings about 1868. Roughly ten years later she married Frank Jendrek, son of Johannes Jendrek and Johanna Kutschka, on 19 February 1878 in Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church in Baltimore City. The priest, Reverend Liebritz made this notation in the church marriage register:
Franciscum Jendereck from Jetchiz Bromscai Poloniae son of Joanis et Joanne Jendereck with Paulinum Westphale from Herstelle, Westphalia daughter of Joannis et Dinae Westphale. Witnesses: Joanni Westphale and Elisabetha Stinner.81
Pauline Westphalen Jendrek died on 20 July 1935 in Baltimore at age 78. Information from her death record includes, "Pauline Jendrek of 2667 Edmondson Avenue, resident of Baltimroe City for 65 years, a white widowed female born on 2 March 1858 in Germany. She was 77 years 4 months and 18 days of age. Father was John Westphale of Germany and Florentine Becker of Germany. Informant was Frank Jendrek of same address. Burial in Holy Redeemer Cemetery on 23 July 1935 by Geo. W. Little of 2700 Edmondson Avenue. Cause of death was senile myocarditis since 1934, chronic nephritis since 1933 and anemia since 1933.82  Her tombstone in Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery  tombstone reads only "Pauline Jendrek 1857-1935."
Generation Three
 
13Louis John3 Westphale (Ludwig2Westphalen, Johannes1) was born on Monday the 21st of JanuaryLouis J. Westphale about 1905 1884 in Baltimore City, Maryland. There is no civil registration of a return of birth for Westphale (or variants) on 21 January of that year.99 He was christened on the second day of his life inSaint Alphonsus German Catholic Church where the priest at the Saratoga Street parish, the Reverend Philipp Rossbach entered  the following notation in the baptismal register:
Ludovicius Westphale born 21 Jan 1884. Father Joannes Westphale from Westphalen, Borussia; mother Elisabeth Stinner from Baltimore, Maryland. Sponsors: Ludovicius Becker and Paulina Jendrick [sic] of Baltimore.
Becker was likely a maternal relative while Paulina Jendrek was Louis Westphale's paternal aunt.100

Louis Westphale married for the first time with Mary Elizabeth Groppe, daughter ofFrank Groppe and Mary Bauerschmidt, on 15 June 1905 in Saint James' Catholic Church in Baltimore City. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend John A. Dlag.101 Louis and Elizabeth had one child, Mary Naomi born in 1906. After the death of Elizabeth Groppe Westphale, Louis married second in 1918 to Lena Schmidt, daughter of August and Pauline Caroline Walters Schmidt. Louis and his second wife had three children, of whom two survived, Viola L. and Louis F. Westphale.


         Louis John Westphale's Occupations


For most of his life Louis J. Westphale earned his living as a grocery store owner and butcher. After marriage to Lena Schmidt, he worked with her brothers Frank and Will Schmidt in their shops in west Baltimore, learning the trade. Before his second Louis Westphale Grocery on McHenry Streetmarriage, however, he had worked as toolman or machinist for the B & O Railroad in West Baltimore on Pratt Street.103

In 1917, Louis John Westphale was admitted to City Hospital, now known as Mercy Medical Center because of an eye injury. Information in the medical record includes: Louis Westphale was admitted 30 November 1917 at 8 PM to City Hospital on the service of Drs. Requardt and Fleckenstein for an eye injury. A summary of his card index includes the following information: Address: 1104 Hoffman Street. Religion: Catholic. Birth: 21 Jan 1885 [sic]. Occupation: tool seller. Correspond with Mrs. L. Pentland [his mother] of 265 West 31st Street. Father: John Westphale of unknown birthplace; mother: L. Hener [sic] of unknown birthplace. Discharged 6 Dec 1917. Microfilm of the actual hospital record includes only the demographic front sheet and vital signs. There are no medical notes, history or laboratory data.105

In 1920 the young Westphale family appears in the federal census at 2013 McHenry Street in the western section of Baltimore City. The census data include the following information: "Louis J. Westphale, a 36-year old married male from Maryland. He rents his home and can read and write English. He is employed as a butcher/grocer. Lena H. Westphale, his 20-year old wife from Maryland, born of German parents. Naomi M., his 13-year old daughter from Maryland."106

Louis and his family moved from west Baltimore to 5644 Belair Road where he kept a grocery on the first level. HeLouis Westphale Grocery on Belair Road moved his family to that address in about 1930, shortly after the death of his mother-in-law, Caroline Walters Schmidt who had previously lived with Louis Westphale and his family.

Following the death of his first wife Elizabeth and a second marriage to Lena, Louis Westphale was estranged from his birth family and even from his first daughter Naomi. After his second marriage, Naomi lived with Louis and Lena Westphale only briefly. Thereafter she was raised by her paternal grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Stinner Westphale Pentland. There was little if any contact between Louis Westphale's children from his second marriage with his birth family or Naomi. Family members have attributed this to differences in religion, especially because Louis married Lena Schmidt in the Lutheran church. Since, Louis's mother married for the second time to a staunch Scots-Irish Presbyterian and held the wedding in a Methodist church, this argument does not seem to hold.
 


        Westphale's trophy winning fish in 1945


Louis John Westphale enjoyed his sparetime sport fishing. An article in the Baltimore Sunday Sun from 22 July 1945 recounts one of his adventures and includes a photograph of Louis Westphale with an 85-pound black drum. The article reads:
 

The annual migration of black drum, the largest species of sea fishes that come regularly into the upper Chesapeake, is well on the way, catches of the big gamesters in the past few days indicate.

One of the largest black drum caught in the Chesapeake in years was the 85-pounder landed by L. J. Westphale, 5644 Belair road, last Monday, off Tilghmans island after a battle of an hour and a quarter.

It was a real feat to land the big fellow. Held up by heavy rain, Westphale and his fishing buddy Watson Russell, fished but an hour and three quarters with Captain Dobson Harrison, of Tilghmans, but the short trip was filled with thrills and they got plenty of fish.

Thinking of cathching only a few spots and hardheads, Westphale put on a small "perch" hook when they reached the fishing grounds. The party had only three peelers between them and Captain Harrison was unusually "skimpy" with the bait, to make it last. Pieces of peeler the size of a thumb-nail were used, but the fish were hungry and soon they were bringing in spots, hardheads and a few trout.

Suddenly Westphale got a tremondous tug and the fish, which he sensed at once as a big one, almost tripped his reel before it stopped runing. For more than an hour the battle was on and Westphale was "about all in" when he brought the drum, exhausted, alongside.

Watson landed two of the big fellows, the largest about 75 pounds, and the pair got in addition about 60 spots, hardheads and trout before the three peelers were consumed.

Westphale plans to have his big fish mounted.108


The capture of this fish led to Westphale winning an annual fishing competition. A surviving photo shows a very pleased Louis Westphale with his large loving cup whose handles were formed by two big fish. Another newspaper article tells more about this story.
 

Westphale with Trophy in 1945Fisherman's Luck by Peter C. Chambliss. Louis J. Westphale, 5644 Belair Road, rates the title of "Champion Fisherman for 1945" by virtue of having won the Fisherman's Luck Championship Trophy for this season.

By being declared winner of the huge silver cup, put in competition in 1924, Mr Westphale earns the right to possess the unique token of championship, which is engraved with the names of other winners, along with their entries, capturing the honor.

The trophy is awarded annually to the fisherman entering the largest game and edible fish caught on hook and line in Maryland waters. It becomes the absolute property of the angler who first wins it three times. So far only one - J. Thomas Lenoard of Cambridge, MD., has won it more than once. Leonard won it first in 1938 and again in 1943.

Black Drum Scores Again. A black drum, one of the largest of this species caught in the Chesapeake in years, captured the trophy for Mr. Westphale. This species of fish, which comes into the bay in the early summer, has taken the trophy 14 times.

On their migrations into the Chesapeake, the black drum are caught most frequently in Tangier Sound, around Solomon's Island and off Sharps Island. It was at the latter place last July that Mr. Westphale got "the thrill of a lifetime" when he landed the big fish.

Mr. Westphale and his fishing buddy, Watson Russell were out with Capt. Dobson Harrison off Sharps Island. Held up by a heavy rainstorm, the pair had fished only an hour and a half, but it was enough. Using only "perch" hooks they had caught quite a lot of hardheads and spots when the drum looked at Mr Westphale's hook and thought it was good. The big drum took hold with a terrific tug and away he went while the line came off the reel. Sensing that he had something big, Mr Westphale handled the fish carefully. It required more than an hour to bring it to boat and every minute was a real battle.

Mr. Westphale was about all in when the fish was hauled over the side. The drum was 51 inches long, 43 inches in girth and weight 85 pounds. Watson landed two of the big drum but the largest of his weighed only 75 pounds. Mr. Westphale has had the fish mounted and he plans to display it and the trophy at his store on Belair Road. He's living in hopes of being that lucky three time winner.109


Louis John Westphale died on his 70th birthday at 8:10 AM in Church Home Hospital due to complications from aortic stenosis and heart failure. He was interred three days later on 24 January 1954 in Moreland Memorial Cemetery in Towson, Maryland where his second wife, sister-in-law Mary Schmidt Brown and niece Margaret Brown Swift are also buried.102

Mary Elizabeth Groppe John L. Westphale's first wife, was born on 8 November 1885 in Baltimore City, daughter of Frank Groppe and Mary Bauerschmidt.110Mary Elizabeth Groppe died on Thursday 17 February 1916 at 1216 North Eden Street at age 30 from valvular heart disease. 111 She was buried on 21 February 1916 in Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery in section O lot 53. There is no tombstone for Elizabeth Westphale.112 Her funeral notice on 21 February 1916 in the The Baltimore Sun reads as follows: "On February 17, 1916, Mary Elizabeth Westphale (nee Groppe) aged 30 years, beloved wife of Louis J. Westphale. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend her funeral at her late residence no. 1216 North Eden Street this Monday February 21 at 8 AM and thence to St. James Church where a requiem mass will be offered for the repose of her soul. Interment in Holy Redeemer Cemetery."113

The only known child of Louis John3 Westphale and Mary Elizabeth Groppe was:

    22. i. Mary Naomi4 was born on 3 July 1906 in Baltimore City, Maryland.114,115 She was christened on 15 July 1906 in Saint James Catholic Church where her sponsor was Mary Groppe.116 She married Harry Joseph Hilgeman on 23 July 1929 in Baltimore.117 She died on 26 March 1971 inLutherville, Baltimore County, Maryland, at age 64.118 Her death was caused by breast cancer. She was buried on 29 March 1971 in Dulaney Memorial Cemetery in Timonium, Maryland.

Please send e-mail to: [email protected] Created with The Master Genealogist for Windows on 28 Aug 2001 and edited in Netscape Composer. Updated 21 June 2003