Carl Pflugradt
Born: June 28, 1828
Stutten, Prussia, Germany
Died: November 25, 1898
Chicago, Illinois, USA (70 years)
Sophia Pflugradt
Wife
Born: November 12, 1833
Died: April 19, 1919 (85 years)
Carrie (Pflugradt) Brown
Daughter.
Born: 1859
Germany
Died (Unknown)
Anna (Pflugradt) Briggs
Daughter.
Born: November 17, 1867
Chicago, Illinois
Died: Aug 3, 1944
Chicago, Illinois (76 years)
Immigrated To US: Ellis Island, New York City
September 11, 1865
Chicago, IL, 1865-1879
Leadville 1879-86
Chicago 1886-1898
Carl Pflugradt immigrated to the United States on September 11, 1865 with his wife, Sophia, and six year-old daughter, Carrie. [1] From there they settled in Chicago where he achieved US Citizenship in 1873, [2] and added another daughter to the family, Anna, born November 17, 1867. [3]
The Pflugradts traveled to Leadville in 1879, [4] where Carl opened a laundry at 17th & Harrison Avenue (possibly 1818 Harrison Avenue). With the mines creating water supply issues, Carl was forced to dig a well at the cost of $250 which exhausted his resources and he was then forced to relocate the family and the laundry to 134 E. 3rd Street in 1881. [5]
Leadville’s social scene, heavily influenced by Victorian culture, was host to many social functions and dances in the 1880s, and the Pflugradt daughters were frequent participants. It appears Anna had some musical talent; she performed the song “The Day Is Done” at Leadville High School’s birthday commemoration of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on February 27, 1884. [6]
On many occasions, Carrie is mentioned in the social columns of the local papers which suggests that she was quite popular amongst the Leadville social set. She was observed by The Leadville Daily Herald, March 3, 1881, [7] having attended the Turn-Verein Ball:
“Miss Carrie Pflugradt, as the ‘Tambour Girl,’ whose costume was decidedly pretty and attracted considerable attention, although not at all gaudy”.
Carrie was noted as one of the honored ladies in attendance at the inaugural ball for the Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 232 of B’nai B'rith on November 12, 1880, [8] and again on February 24, 1884 for her attendance at the Purim Bal Masque where she was one of the ladies participating in “games and candy pulling”. [9]
On Sunday, February 15, 1881, there occurred an event that appears to have impacted the Pflugradt family for years to come. That morning, Carl’s employee, Hart Reeves, came to the laundry to collect his $7 weekly wage. Carl explained to Reeves that he was short of cash that day, paid him what he had on hand, and asked Reeves to return on Monday for the remaining $3. Reeves, [10] described in the Leadville Democrat as; “…being of bad character and bearing the reputation of once having killed a man in one of the southern states (Texas)- an imputation he does not deny, but takes great pride in repeating.”, [11] Hart became agitated, drew a revolver and shot Carl twice, one ball entering the arm, and the second, in his back narrowly missing his spinal-cord. Almost immediately a crowd rushed in and disarmed Reeves, who still managed to escape but was later apprehended by Leadville’s finest and jailed on the charge of attempted murder, where he remained for some time, unable to raise his $1200 bail. [12]
The physician who attended Carl’s wounds was uncertain if he would ever recover the use of his arm and, at minimum, Carl had a lengthy recovery. The family moved back to the 1818 Harrison Avenue address shortly thereafter and Carl ceded operations of the laundry to Louis Butler [13] for a brief period until the laundry ceased to operate altogether in 1885. [14] Carl returned to work as a laborer sometime in 1882, and then became a cigar manufacturer, a vocation he continued until his death in Chicago in 1898, [15] but he did not own another business in Leadville. In 1884, Carrie married J.B.W. Brown and the couple left Leadville for Chicago in 1885. [16] Eventually, Carl, Sophia and Anna followed them in 1887. [17]
Article reporting about Carl Pflugradt being “shot and dangerously wounded”.
Attempted Murder. Leadville Democrat. Tuesday, February 15, 1881. Page 8.
1 "United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897”.
2 "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950”.
3 "Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947".
4 "United States Census, 1880," Also See: “24414 Joe Barton V. Carl Pflugradt”.Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.” And “Corbett, TB, Hoye, WC and Ballaneger, JH. “Corbet, Hoye and Co’s First Annual City Directory: In The City Of Leadville For 1880”.
5 “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: In The City Of Leadville For 1881.”
6 “Longfellow”. Leadville Daily Herald. February 28, 1884.
7 “The Turn-Verein Ball”. Leadville Daily Herald. March 3, 1881.
8 “Social: The B’nai Brith”. Leadville Daily Herald. November 14, 1880.
9 “Social Zephyrs”. Leadville Daily Herald. February 24, 1884.
10 There are no surviving records that reveal the fate of Reeves. It was later revealed that Hart Reeves was a deserter from the US Navy, was in Leadville under an alias, and refused to give his real name. For more information see: “A Deserter In Hock”. Leadville Democrat. April 3, 1881.
11 “Attempted Murder”. Leadville Democrat. February 15, 1881.
12 "A SHOOTING AFFRAY". Leadville Daily Herald, February 15, 1881.
13 See “Palace Of Fashion Fire Trial”. http://www.jewishleadville.org/palaceoffashiontrial.html .
14 Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Seventh Annual City Directory: The City Of Leadville For 1886”. & "Colorado State Census, 1885".
15 "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994".
16 TB and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Sixth Annual City Directory: In The City Of Leadville For 1885”.
17 Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Ninth Annual City Directory: The City Of Leadville For 1888”.
Bibliography
“24414 Joe Barton V. Carl Pflugradt”. Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Wednesday, April 25, 1877.
“A Deserter In Hock”. Leadville Democrat. Leadville, CO; USA. April 3, 1881. P1.
"A Shooting Affray". Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. February 15, 1881.
“Attempted Murder”. Leadville Democrat. February 15, 1881. P8.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Ninth Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1888”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. 1888.
"Colorado State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8WN-534 : 1 April 2016), Carl Pfl*Gradt, 1885; citing NARA microfilm publication M158 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 498,507.
Corbett, TB, Hoye, WC and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, Hoye and Co’s First Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1880”. Democrat Printing Company; Leadville, CO: USA. 1880.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1881”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1881.
Corbett, TB and Ballanger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Sixth Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1885”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1885.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Seventh Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1886”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. 1886.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Ninth Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms Etc. In The City Of Leadville For 1888”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. 1888.
"Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MQ-9P26 : 17 May 2016), Carl Pflugrath, 25 Nov 1898; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference 15405, record number , Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,033,057.
"Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3CB-31X : 27 December 2014), Carl Pflugradt in entry for Anna P. Briggs, 03 Aug 1944; Public Board of Health, Archives, Springfield; FHL microfilm 1,983,250.
"Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XKGG-WVN : 12 December 2014), Carl Pflugradt, 1873; citing Illinois, NARA microfilm publication M1285 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 139; FHL microfilm 1,432,139.
“Longfellow”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. February 28, 1884. P4.
“Social: The B’nai Brith”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. November 14, 1880. P4.
“Social Zephyrs”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. February 24, 1884. P4.
“The Turn-Verein Ball”. Leadville Daily Herald. Leadville, CO; USA. March 3, 1881. P1.
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFDJ-CFZ : 13 August 2016), Carl Pflugradt, Leadville, Lake, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district ED 79, sheet 402D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0091; FHL microfilm 1,254,091.
"United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD7X-MMM : 27 December 2014), Sophie Pflugradt, 11 Sep 1865; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship Teutonia, departed from Hamburg, arrived in New York, New York, New York, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
To cite any of the information in this biography, please use the following reference.
AUTHOR: Jeffrey P. Grant
EDITOR: William Korn
SOURCE: Jewish Surnames/Pflugradt
PUBLISHED BY: Temple Israel Foundation. Leadville, CO; USA. 2017.
STABLE URL: http://www.jewishledville.org/pflugradt.html
