Charles Peter “Carl” <strong>Meier</strong>1872-1938Charles Peter <strong>Meier</strong> with his mother shortly before his emigrationfrom Switzerland in 1890. She remains unknown.Photo courtesy of Patricia O’Donnell Somdalen 2008
Charles Peter <strong>Meier</strong> was bornJanuary 4, 1872 in Zurich, Switzerland.At the age of 20, Carl boarded the steamship,S.S. Belgenland from Antwerp, Germanyand arrived in New York August 1,1892. The ship’s manifest lists him as acarpenter from Baden, Germany. He wasnaturalized in 1900. It is said that he hadcousins living in Hillsboro, Oregon.Carl married Barbara Pauline Lorsung onFebruary 19, 1906 at St. Ann’s CatholicChurch, in Spokane, Washington. Barbarawas the daughter of Joseph StephenLorsung and Pauline Amelia Mielke. Shewas born in Millerville in Douglas county,Minnesota on January 12, 1889. TheLorsungs had moved to Spokane about1891. Although Pauline was born inMinnesota, she only spoke German.Carl and Barbara’s first child, Anna, diedbefore her first birthday in 1907. Theirsecond daughter, Katherine, died Decemberof 1908.Moving to Hillsboro, Oregon gave thefamily a new start. Carl farmed his ownland and in October 7, 1909 Barbaragave birth to their 3 rd daughter, MarieMargaret. Two years later Theresa Paulinewas born, followed by Jacob Carl,Albert John, Anthony Joseph, Alice Ruth,John Patrick and finally Leo Henry, bornNovember 1929 in Battleground, Washingtonwhere the family had moved in1918. Theresa Pauline remembered thather family loaded everything they ownedin their Model T and drove to Battleground.Their farm was about two miles westof Battleground on what is now 199 thst. It was a farm house on 60 acres with10 acres already cleared. With in 4 yearsof moving to Battleground, their houseburned. Carl built a new house whichhas remained mostly unchanged and stillin use to this day (2008). 4In 1936 Carl retired due to heart problems.At the time of his retirement, ofthe original 60 acres, there was only 10acres not under cultivation. The familyhad stayed busy clearing 50 acres datingback to 1919. It was cleared with a teamof horses and a stump puller, along withthe help of all the children old enough toassist. At the same time there were cropsto plant and harvest, horses to care forand about 20 head of cattle. 10 to 15 ofthe cows were milked twice a day whichwas hauled to the cheese factory in Battlegroundfor added income. Growing upin this manner it is no wonder that noneof Carl’s sons became farmers. 4Carl died at the age of 66, October 20,1938. His Fwife, Barbara, would live 38years as a widow. She died in Battleground,June 19, 1976. She was 87. Bothare buried in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemeteryin Battleground, Washington.Sources: (1) United States Federal Census, Reedville 1900; Hillsboro 1910; Battleground, 1930; (2) Ship’s manifest has not beenconfirmed that this is the correct Carl <strong>Meier</strong> (3) Sacred Heart Cemetery Tombstone photo; (4) 2008 Notes and photos courtesyof Patricia O’Donnell Somalden, grand-daughter of Carl <strong>Meier</strong>.
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