Theodore & Elise Borberg

    My name was Margretha Elise Grosskurth when I was born around 1811 in Bavaria. In 1835 I married Theodore Borberg, who had obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree 4 years earlier. He was born in 1810 in Nidda, Hesse-Darmstadt, the son of the local pharmacist, Christian Eberhard Borberg and his wife, Sophia Elisabetha Philippine nee Welter or Welcker. Theodore had several brothers and sisters, including Marianne, who was the first wife of Friedrich Muench. She had already died when Herr Muench and Paul Follenius founded the Giessen Society in 1834 and led a group of 500 immigrants to America.

    In 1836 Theodore built a new pharmacy on Schillerstrasse. He was a well-respected member of the community and served as Mayor from 1839-1842. But then hard times came because so many people were leaving to go to America. Theodore sold his pharmacy in 1841 and began manufacturing liquor. During the years of hunger, he was a director of the "poor tasting soup institute." We had to sell our home and live in the Pfannmueller house. Then he received a concession to transport emigrants, accompanying them to Bremen. By 1856 he was involved with selling real estate, and became an alderman of the city, and also served as district counselor. But the following year we decided to join the immigrants and go to America.

    We left Bremerhaven on the 3-masted ship, Ocean, and sailed 65 days to New Orleans. We arrived in May, 1857, and stayed there 3 days before traveling on to St. Louis. Theodore was able to find work as a doctor and obstetrician among the German speaking residents of this area. He wrote many letters back to our hometown newspaper about our experiences in America.

    We had 4 children who came to America with us:

Thekla [1837-1873] lived in St. Louis but died at the age of 36

Theodore [1838/39-1908] Before leaving Germany, he served an apprenticeship under a merchant at Giessen for 3 years. When he arrived here, he clerked in a store in Warren County for 4 years. Near the beginning of the Civil War, he enlisted in Company B of the Third Missouri infantry and served for 3 years, taking part in the battles of Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, Jackson, MS, and many others. After the war he resumed clerking until 1867, when he began growing grapes and making wine as well as other farming. He also held the offices of constable and justice of the peace in New Melle. He married Emma Kruse here at Cappeln in 1868. They lost several children in childhood and had 5 children who lived to adulthood: Alma Karrenbrock, Eugene, Arthur, Richard and Walter. He was in his 70th year when he died in 1908. He is buried in the Methodist cemetery in New Melle.

Sophie [1843- ] married Richard Reichenbach

Augusta [1848-1931] married Henry Boese. She was living in Wellington when she died at the age of 83. They had 6 children: Thekla Wille, Adolph, Lydia Koch, Adele Schaberg, Edwin, Alma Brinkman who are all buried at St. Luke's UCC in Wellington.

    I died February 14, 1871. Theodore lived another 6 years and died February 1, 1877.

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