The warmer weather certainly slows down research, but we have added a couple new groups to the Port Byron Family Tree project. As we were preparing the spring issue of the Lock 52 Chronicle newsletter, we had a question about the Tatgenhorst Block and where it was located. As it turns out, we recently purchased a large photo that shows the Tatgenhorst Block as it served as the offices for the young Port Byron Telephone Company. A search of the old Port Byron Chronicle found this article about the family.

The Port Byron Chronicle, Page1, 1915-02-06.tatgenhorst

William Tatgenhorst was born in Grand Duchey of Oldenburg, Germany and moved to Port Byron in 1855. He worked for a number of local shop owners before setting off of his own to start a grocery business. His wife was Matilda Romer, who was born in Holland, or maybe Germany. The censuses seem to say both. She came to Port Byron when she was 8. She married William on January 25, 1857 when she was 15. They had five children; Christina, Charles, Edward, Carrie, and Willie. Christina married Jacob Fickeisen, and they had George Welton Fickeisen. Gerorge married Bertha King, who was the daughter of Count De Alanson Wells King and Sarah Cortright. Bertha was the niece of Lasuvios King, the publisher of the Port Byron Chronicle. After Mr. King died in 1923, his family kept running the paper, and George Welton purchased it in the 1930s. Of course anyone who marries into the King family will become part of the PBFT project.

We have featured the Tatgenhorst Block fire on the Facebook page. It burned on December 4, 1913.