Person:Johann Bartolf (3)

One of the richest men in the town. He had only six years of schooling but started a lumber business. When he was partially retired, the bank in Semlac hired him as their accountant. He served in the army with Uncle Henry Keller's father, Janos (John). Uncle Henry doesn't know why John lived in their (Reformed) section -- but he did. His sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law, Adam Wagner, trusted him explicitly. They would send money home to Semlak for him to make improvements to their home -- which he did. He put on a new roof, installed a wooden floor, put in enlarged windows. They had implicit trust in him and Grandma always said he was her favorite brother.

In 1945 when the Communists took over land and property, Johann wrote to his sister to allow him use of their lands and home since his fields were expropriated as was his home. Johann Kaiser, his grandson, said they would never have been able to go on if it hadn't been for the papers sent by grandma and grandpa telling the government that Johann Bartolf and his family were to be given use of both property and land.

Grandma was very proud of her brother both for his position in the community and for his business acumen. She also proudly told of her brother's military service and would show a photograph she had. I did not know who the two fellows in military uniform were until I sent a copy to Johann Kaiser and he identified one of them as his grandfather and the other as the grandfather's (and my grandmother's) brother, Martin.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Georg Schmidt. Evangelische Familienbuch.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Family Records.
3. ↑ Edith Schütt.

   Edith Schütt in her Semlak List of Soldiers in the 33rd Infantry Regiment.

4. ↑ Semlak Lutheran Confirmation Records.
5. ↑ Georg Schmidt. Semlak Lutheran (Evangelische) Church Marriage Records.