Stair Family History © 2013 | All Rights Reserved

Letha Michaelis

Charles and Letha had six children: Marian Doris, Helen Irene, Ruth Florence, Harry John, Harvey Charles, and David. Two Michaelis sisters married two Stair brothers:  Ruth Michaelis married Homer Stair and Ruth's sister Helen married Homer's brother Lester Stair. 

The Michaelis family that are part of our relations entered America from Germany on April 22, 1886. On board the SS Weser were Carl Michaelis, his wife Tena (ne'e Hackbarth), and three children ages 5 years, 2 years and 6 months. 

According to known records, Carl and Tena had a total of seven children:

      1. Alvina- born in Germany in 1881 would be the five year old the passenger list referred to.

      2. Annie- born April 5, 1886 would make her only a few weeks old at the time of the trip to America.

      3. Emma Amelia- born May 12, 1887 a year after the Michaelis's arrived in America.

      4. Bertha- born in 1889

      5. Charles J. born in 1892- this will be the Michaelis whose family line we will focus on.

      6. August Ludwig William born November 21, 1894

      7. Edward (Ted) born October 21, 1896

So based on these seven children of Carl and Tina, it is obvious that Alvina was the five year old listed on the ship passenger list, and Annie was the baby listed. In between those, listed as "2 years old" was a "Guste". My only guess is that she died young , as we don't have record of a child that age, or named Guste.

Above: Letha (ne'e Billings) and Charles Michaelis

Michaelis Family

Stair

 a Family History

Above (l to r): Minnie Billings and Letha Adell (ne'e Billings) Michaelis

Minnie Billings was Letha's mother. Minnie lived with the Michaelis's, and continued to live with the Michaelis family even after Letha died.

Charles Michaelis

Charles was a farmer on the North West corner of the intersection of Hwys "I" and 83. His farm was just across hwy 83 from the George Stair Farm. After he sold his farm he ran the tavern at the Union House in Genesee Depot. After Letha died, Charles remarried a woman who already owned a bar on the west end of Main Street in Waukesha, so then he ran that tavern. I remember he used to tell me ( and all young children) that he had Santa tied up in the shed out back (behind the tavern) and he wasn't going to let him out for Christmas. 

Charles and Letha Michaelis

Carl's son Charles who was born in 1892, married Letha Adell (ne'e Billings)

Two years later, on October 30, 1888, Carl Michaelis applied for United States Citizenship in Waukesha County. Below is a copy of his actual citizenship application.

Above: A close-up of the deck of the SS Weser which brought the Michaelis family to America from Bremen Germany, arriving in Baltimore April 22, 1886. You can actually see the words 'Weser Bremen' on the back of the lifeboat hanging in the right side of the picture.

Above: On the left is the SS Weser that brought the Michaelis family from a port in Bremen Germany. Carl Michaelis, his wife Tina, and three daughters arrived in Baltimore on April 22, 1886 aboard this ship.