Rt. 176 & Rt. 14, Crystal Lake

This was Fred and Bertha Dietrich’s farm. They were my grandparents. Many happy memories at the farm. It’s long gone now. Because of the water table, it is considered unbuildable.

Hi Betty! It's fascinating to hear about your grandparents' farm. We'd love to learn more about that time period. What kind of farming activities did your grandparents engage in on their land? It must have been quite an experience growing up there. If you have any other memories or stories about the farm, we'd love to hear them! Feel free to share with us.

So, I grew up on CL Ave (at Oak), but visited the farm often. They raised four kids there, my dad being the only boy. Grandpa grew corn, alfalfa, hay, oats; also raised cattle. He could tell you the weight/value of a steer just by looking! He had the biggest team of work horses I’ve ever seen…before or since; Belgian, I think. He was not a very large man, maybe 5’9” at 160 lbs. He’d wrap the reins around his waist to free up his hands to plant (by hand!) the fields. This team could have run off with him at any time…killed him! But they had a connection (I always tell people he was like the original Dr. Doolittle!),and he’d talk to them at the end of the day in the fields and give them extra oats as he rubbed the down. Have I gotten verbose?

Hi Betty,
Trying to learn more about my heritage. I am a Victorine and we are related to the Dietrichs. My grandma, Alice Kollenkark Victorine, was the daughter of Augusta Dietrich. (And Augusta was the daughter of Joseph Dietrich and Minnie Pinnow). How does that possibly relate to you and Fred and Bertha?

Hi Betty,
Trying to learn more about my heritage. I am a Victorine and we are related to the Dietrichs. My grandma, Alice Kollenkark Victorine, was the daughter of Augusta Dietrich. (And Augusta was the daughter of Joseph Dietrich and Minnie Pinnow). How does that possibly relate to you and Fred and Bertha?

As I said in my first comments, they were my Grandparents... Paul Dietrich was my Dad.

Minnie Pinnow was sister to my Grandmother (Bertha). Her other sibs were Elsie, William, Otto, Eric, Elfrieda and Walter. BTW: Augusta Stange was born 1859 and died in 1915. She was from the northern-most province of Germany, called Scheswig Holstein (capitol: Kiel) Hope that helps!

That is great info! Thank you!!

So, did both Bertha and her sister, Minnie, marry Dietrichs? Bertha married Fred Dietrich. Minnie married Jospeh Dietrich. Were Joseph and Fred brothers?

I remember meeting an Edna Parrish when I was growing up. She wasn't your dad's sister, was she?

No, I think Fred’s brother was named George.
Would you have met Frieda Parrish?? Tall lady? She was my aunt.

Aha! New news: turns out my Grandpa Dietrich had a sister named Minnie! You must come from that line of the family. Fred, George and Minnie Dietrich. I remember knowing a Ron Victorine in school. He told me we were somehow related…second one third cousins.

Oops: Minnie was his Mother! My son is going to post their photo onto this site so you can see. Joseph and Minnie had two sons: George and Fred (my Grandfather). Are you now totally confused?!

No, I think this is all starting to make sense. I believe George and Fred had a sister named Augusta (my grandma's mother). I am thinking she must have been a bit younger than her brothers. I saw a picture online of the Dietrich/Hayes house on McHenry Ave. and she wasn't pictured. But, from the ancestry research I was reviewing (left to us by my dad, Ron Victorine, who passed 1.5 years ago), I am pretty sure Augusta was a sister of George and Fred.

So…they seemed to be estranged…we never met Grandpa’s brother or sister and I believe they stayed in same area. There must have been some sort of conflict or falling out. Do you know?? BTW, my email is betfarley@bellsouth.net if you want to skip this aerial site.

I emailed you. I don't know about any estrangement, but I have to think Augusta was a lot younger than her brothers so maybe they weren't close??