The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-10-11
SISTERS RECALL PAST
AFTER HALF CENTURY
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
When Miss Francis Hitz left New
Ulm shortly after the Indian mass
acre fifty years ago, when she went
to Chicago with her parents and two
years later entered the Notre Dame
Motherhouse at Milwaukee, she lit.
tie dreamed that she would not see
any of her relatives for as long a
was the case, and the story of her
meeting with her sister, Mrs. Bar
bara Baer, of this city, reads some
what like a chapter from the crea-
ton of clever modern fiction writer.
Practically the only difference is
that her story is true and verifies the
old adage that truth is stranger
than fiction"
Native of Switzerland.
Sister Demetria, who before her
entrance into the Motherhouse was
Miss Frances Hitz, was born in
Switzerland sixty-three years ago, says
The New Ulm Journal. In 1853 she
came to America with her parents
and a brother and three sisters.
The brother died a number of years
ago, but all of the sisters are still
living, the other two, besides Mrs.
Baer and Sister Demetria, being Mrs.
Pauline Spoerhase. and Mrs. Jose
phine Rolling, who also reside in
this city. The family first located at
Freeport, H., and lived there for
three years, coming to New Ulm in
1856, so that they were among the
early pioneer settlers of this COM
munity.
Became Sister.
Shortly after the Indian massacre
in 1862, Sister Demetria, who was
then only thirteen years old, return
ed to Chicago with her parents, and
two years later, at the age of fif-
teen, entered the Notre Dame Moth
erhouse at Milwaukee In 1866 she
received the veil and became a full
fiedged sister. She was subsequent
ly stationed in Canada and at Hunt
ington, Ind, where she was mother
superior of the Notre Dame convent
for number of years.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Ath. Henle
made a trip to the east recently,
they met Sister Demetria, who is
Mrs. Henle's aunt, at Chicago, and
at that time she told them that she
would soon be transferred to the
new Notre Dame Motherhouse of
Our Lady of Good Counsel at Man.
katO.
When the Sisters Met.
This transfer was made Septem-
Der 20, and on Monday of the past
week Mrs. Baer, accompanied by her
daughters, Mrs. Ath. Henle and Mrs.
Charles Leonhardt, went to Mankato
for the purpose of meeting her sis
ter, whom she had not seen since
1852, over half a century ago.
The sisters did not recognize each
other until Sister Demetria noticed
that Mrs Baer was accompanied by
her daughter, Mrs. Henle, who had
met her aunt in Chicago recently.
With tears of Joy coursing down
their wrinkled. cheeks the aged sis
arms and it was several minutes
before either could speak, SO great
was their delight over the reunion
after fifty long years of separation.
Recalled the Past. I
Several hours were spent by the
sisters in exchanging experiences of
the past half century and Sister
Demetria stated that she could dis
tinctly remember most of the events
that transpired in New Ulm during
the terrible Indian uprising, especial
ly was the scene of burning build
ings and the utter confusion and eX-
element of the valiant defenders of
the city against the attack of the
redmen impressed upon her memory.
The reunion was one of the happiest
events in their lives. Next week
Mrs. Josephine Rolling and Mrs.
Pauline Spoerhase, accompanied by
the formers daughter. Mrs. Otto r.
Kohn, will go to Mankato for brief
visit with Sister Demetria, and no
doubt their meeting will be one of
as much joy as was the reunion of
Sister Demetria and Mrs. Baer.