Hello Egon,
I am hoping you can speak English. One of my cousins married into the
Wunderlich family from Joliet, Illinois, USA. I could get you into
contact with them if you want... recently someone located letters
written in German from this Wunderlich family and a Wunderlich family
back in Germany. Here's some information I located on them.
"Ernst Wunderlich and his seven sons. Mr. Wunderlich's grandfather, a
sculptor, had a family of six sons, all of whom learned the business.
His father also had six sons, all of whom served regular
apprenticeships in the same line and devoted their lives to either
ornamental sculptor work proper, or stone contracting. He has seven
sons. Of these, William, the oldest, was actively engaged with his
father for a number of years and then went into the undertaking
business on his own account. Ernst, Jr., Arthur, Edward and Walter,
have served a full apprenticeship and are now employed with their
father, taking upon themselves the active management of the business.
Alfred and Milton, the two younger boys, are still in school.
Ernst Wunderlich, head of the Ernst Wunderlich Granite Co., was born
in Filissen, Germany. At the age of fourteen he entered on a three
years' apprenticeship to his father, learning the art of sculpturing
in granite and marble, and then served three years as an apprentice
in the city of Leipaic[?]. In 1869, at the age of twenty years, Mr.
Wunderlich came to Joliet, and for two years worked for his brother,
the late Charles Wunderlich, a building contractor, carving capitals
for columns, etc. He then went to Chicago where he spent a year,
afterwards returning to Joliet and opened a little shop for himself
on the same lot where his now large establishment is located, at 806
North Hickory street. The development of the business was slow, but
constant, and today it represents an investment of many thousands of
dollars. In the past few years Mr. Wunderlich has bought up six
competing plants, and now has three branch shops; one in Naperville,
one at Bethania and one at Resurrection cemetery, in Chicago. Just at
this time of year, the month preceding Memorial day, the Wunderlich
Granite Co., is a particularly busy concern and the efforts of all
its members and employes are devoted to giving careful and prompt
attention to all orders.
Mr. Wunderlich was married in Joliet, in 1869, to Miss Margaret
Giepel, who is still living, and with four daughters completes a most
interesting family group. One son died several years ago.
Dec. 20, 1906 Wunderlich ad, pneumatic aid."
--Andrew