Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers Correspondence
Papers of Belle Bittick Clark (Mrs. R.M. [Reuben Marshall]
Clark
)
These letters are part of the correspondence between Belle Bittick Clark
and Henry R. Ferris & Company regarding the search for collateral heirs of
Martha Eva (or Eva Martha) Bittick Ehlers. By 1970, the four children of
Martha and her husband, Axel Moses Ehlers, were deceased and none had
children. This company was trying to establish Martha's parentage and
determine whether she had siblings, whose descendants would be entitled to
inherit part of personal property valued at approximately $200,000.
Unfortunately, the company was unable to determine Martha's parents. More
information on Eva Martha Bittick and Axel Moses Ehlers may be found in the Francis-Missouri
Bitticks database. [Correspondence courtesy of Mary Bittick Gallano]
Henry R. Ferris and Company
Universal Genealogical Research
229 North La Salle St
.
Chicago
,
Ill
60601
Area Code: 312
Franklin
2-3209
June 11, 1970
Mrs. Dorothy Bittick
1705
Pearl
Joplin
,
Missouri
64801
Dear Mrs. Bittick:
We are a world-wide organization with general offices in
Chicago
incorporated under the laws of the State of
Illinois
engaged in the business of locating the rightful owners of unclaimed property.
Our services have been retained to establish the collateral heirs at law of one,
Martha Eva Bittick, who was born in the State of
Missouri
in about 1860. In about 1880 she was united in marriage to Axel Ehlers.
Four children were born of that marriage and all of those children as well as
the said Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers and her husband, Axel Ehlers, are deceased
and none have any issue in existence.
We are trying to establish the parentage of the said Martha Eva Bittick
Ehlers and ascertain if she had any brothers or sisters of the full blood of
half blood who have issue in existence. Such issue is entitled to inherit a
substantial portion of personal property valued in the approximate sum of
$200,000.00.
If you are related to the said Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers or can give us any
information pertaining to her family background; that is, her parents and her
brothers and sisters, if any, we certainly invite your correspondence.
Yours very truly,
Henry F. Ferris and Co.
John C. Vanek
June 22, 1970
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 N. Crockett
San Benito
,
Texas
78586
Dear Mrs. Clark:
You very interesting and helpful letter bearing date of June 11, 1970
addressed to our associate, Mr. V. Piton, 1012 Augusta Blvd., Oak Park, Illinois
60302 was forwarded to my attention by Mr. Piton for reply.
We are in the business of finding the rightful owners of unclaimed property.
We are pursing research to establish and locate the collateral heirs of Martha
Eva Bittick, born in or around
St. Louis
,
Missouri
during the years of 1860 to 1865. Unfortunately we do not have the names of her
parents. We do know, however, that shortly after 1880 she was united in marriage
to Axel Moses Ehlers, a native of Franklin County, Missouri. Several
children were born to that marriage but all of them died without children,
natural or adopted.
Our primary objective, of course, is to ascertain and collect documentary
proof which will show if the above named Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers had siblings
of the full blood or half blood. I feel reasonably certain that if she had such
siblings they are all deceased. In turn, we would want to pursue research to
ascertain if any of those siblings have issue, natural or adopted, in existence.
In our opinion such issue could make a claim to the unclaimed property, or at
least to a portion of it.
I would be grateful if you would make a thorough study of your records to see
if you have any recordings applicable to the aforesaid Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers
and if so I would appreciate your sending me copies of what you have.
From the information set out in your letter to Mr. Piton on June 11, 1970 I
come to the conclusion that the above named Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers was not a
sister to your father, Oliver Delore Bittick. I also feel she could not have
been a child of any of your father’s brothers unless she were a child of
William Perry Bittick, born about 1843. Do you have any information in your
files relating to the children of the said William Perry Bittick?
Page 2
What can you tell me about your uncle, Hiram Julius Bittick, born about 1845?
Do you have any information pertaining to his marital status and to his possible
issue?
Also, what can you tell me about your uncle Solomon, born 1855? Was he
married? If so what was the name of his wife and what do you know about his
issue?
You make mention in your letter of a James Bittick, born 1811. I entertain
hope that possibly Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers was his daughter. Please tell me
what you know about his marital status and his issue.
You also mention other persons bearing the family name of Bittick, as
follows:
Perry Bittick, born 1823
Willis Marion Bittick, born 1836
John Bittick, born 1836
If you have information in your files pertaining to the marital status of
those persons above named please sent it to me together with such information as
you have pertaining to their issue.
Knowing that you have spent a great deal of time and will spend additional
time in processing the subject matter of this letter, I include:
Check of Henry R. Ferris & Co., special account, payable to your
order in the sum of $20.00,
to compensate you for your cash outlays and for your services.
Very truly yours,
Henry R. Ferris & Co.
By John C. Vanek
P.S. During the course of our research we found that one of the parents of
Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers was married more than once. Unfortunately we cannot
tell you whether is was her mother or father who contracted such a marriage.
August 26, 1970
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 N. Crockett
San Benito
,
Texas
78586
Dear Mrs. Clark:
We are now satisfied from our research that Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers, who
was born about 1864, probably prior thereto rather than thereafter, and who
married Axel Ehlers, also known as Moses Ehlers, was not a daughter of your
grandfather, Willis Bittick. I lean very strongly to the line of thinking that
it is quite possible she was a daughter born to one of the brothers of the said
Willis Bittick and we are pursuing research to prove or disprove that thought.
I would be very grateful if, when opportunity permits, you would make a
thoughtful study of your genealogical material to see if you can find any
recordings which you think might be applicable to Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers.
Very truly yours,
Henry R. Ferris & Co.
By John C. Vanek
October 15, 1970
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 North Crockett Street
San Benito
,
Texas
78586
Dear Mrs. Clark:
Belatedly but thankfully I acknowledge receipt of your letter addressed to my
attention bearing date of September 28, 1970.
I am now able to tell you that the father of Martha Eva Bittick died in the
St. Louis
area when Martha Eva Bittick was a young child - I place his year of death in
about 1870, up or down a year or two, for we definitely know that Martha Eva
Bittick was born in about 1863 or 1864. Unfortunately as yet we have been unable
to establish the given name of the father of Martha Eva Bittick.
We learned from sources which we deem most reliable that the mother of Martha
Eva Bittick married again after the death of her first husband. This marriage
took place during the decade of 1870 to 1880 - probably closer to 1870 than 1880
- but unfortunately we do not know the given name of the mother of Martha Eva
Bittick or the family name of her second husband. We have reason to believe that
shortly after the second marriage of Martha Eva Bittick’s mother, the family
moved to the State of
Kansas
, either in the vicinity of
Wichita
or Winfield. We know that Martha Eva Bittick was married at
Winfield
,
Kansas
on November 25, 1880 to Axel Ehlers. Shortly thereafter within a year or two or
possibly three, Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers and Axel Ehlers moved to Carthage,
Missouri where they lived for a great number of years - they had four children
but all of them died without issue.
Yours very truly,
Henry R. Ferris and Co.
John C. Vanek
October 15, 1970
(Letter No. 2)
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 North Crockett Street
San Benito
,
Texas
78586
Dear Mrs. Clark:
I fell confident that by reason of our intensive research to establish the
collateral heirs of Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers, I uncovered genealogical
information which I am sure relates to your family.
I am of the opinion that you had a uncle named Hiram Julius Bittick who moved
to western Missouri and who, according to your letter of July 16, 1970 addressed
to my attention, was married to a woman named Susan and they had seventeen
children. One of these children is still living, namely:
Cecil Bittick
Route 3
Russellville
,
Missouri
65074
I have exchanged considerable correspondence with his wife, Mrs. Cecil
Bittick. He was one of the younger children of your Uncle Hiram Julius Bittick -
Cecil Bittick was born in 1900. I am sure that if you will write to Mrs. Cecil
Bittick, she will exchange correspondence.
We have also exchanged correspondence with Miss Letha Q. Bittick of 9945 East
61st,
Raytown
,
Missouri
64133
. Miss Bittick informs us that she is the only child of Otto Bittick, deceased,
and that her father, the said Otto Bittick, was born of the first marriage of
Hiram Julius Bittick who was your uncle. She states that Otto Bittick was born
in 1882. She further informs us that after the death of her paternal
grandmother, her paternal grandfather remarried a much younger woman and from
such marriage additional children were born. She stated that her paternal
grandfather was the father of seventeen children born to the two marriages. Miss
Bittick further stated that her father, Otto Bittick, did not get along with his
stepmother - he left home as a young man and severed family ties.
Page 2
Miss Bittick further informed me that the following named persons are her
father’s half brothers and half-sister:
Cecil Bittick
Route 3
Russellville
,
Missouri
65074
Mrs. Eula Bittick Reno
207 West Cedar
Jefferson City
,
Missouri
Raymond Bittick
Jefferson City
,
Missouri
(Exact street address unknown.)
I believe that our genealogical research is in harmony when I state that your
uncle, Hiram Julius Bittick was born in the
St. Louis
area in about 1845, the son of Willis Bittick, who was born in or around
St. Louis
in 1813. The said Hiram Julius Bittick was the third of eight children born to
the said Willis Bittick.
Yours very truly,
Henry R. Ferris and Co.
John C. Vanek
October 19, 1970
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 North Crockett Street
San Benito
,
Texas
78586
Dear Mrs. Clark:
Today I learned from a most reliable source that the mother of Martha Eva
Bittick Ehlers was married twice. Her first husband was the father of Martha Eva
Bittick and from all indications he died about 1870, up or down a year or two in
or around
St. Louis
,
Missouri
. Some time thereafter the mother of Martha Eva Bittick married again, probably
in or around
St. Louis
but possibly in the State of
Kansas
.
Our informant, who I again state is very reliable, believes that the family
name of the second husband was Prather. I would be grateful indeed if you would
check your Bittick genealogical family history to ascertain if the family name
of Prather appears therein.
Yours very truly,
Henry R. Ferris and Co.
John C. Vanek
This was the last correspondence from Henry R. Ferris and Co. to Belle Bittick
Clark. In 1972 she writes:
San Benito
,
Texas
May 17, 1972
Henry R. Ferris and Company
228 North LaSalle Street
Chicago
,
Ill.
60601
Attention: John C. Vanek
Dear Sir,
During the year 1970 there was considerable correspondence between your
company and myself, in reference to the estate of Martha Eva Bittick Ehlers.
During that time I contacted a number of families who are now asking what
disposition was made of the some $200,000.00 that was in court, while heirs were
being sought.
So, I would appreciate it if you could advise me what disposition was made of
this estate.
Early in January 1971 I was in
Carthage
Missouri
, at the graves of the Ehlers, also talked to a woman who was a special friend
of Mrs. Ehlers, belonged to the same church, and other organizations, but this
woman, and she was sure her mother was unaware that Mrs. Ehlers had a step
father, or any other relatives. I learned on that visit to
Missouri
that your organization had had people there trying to find out something so I
didn’t write you about this.
Carthage
is only about twenty miles from our home in
Joplin
. My father was a minister, well known in the vicinity, and not doubt he
preached at times in
Carthage
, and that would have been in the newspaper. So, Mrs. Ehlers could have known
and gotten in touch with my father, during those years. There must have been
something that she didn’t want people to know about her past, surely.
Yours very truly,
Mrs. R. M. Clark
1260 North Crockett
San Benito
,
Texas
