Double Cousins
"The John Bergers and the Simon Trefzgers
had been friends in their home state of Baden. It is the southern
most state of Germany, right across
from Basel, Switzerland and right across the Rhine River from the
Province of Haute Rhine, France. The Bergers stayed in Cincinnati
and became the largest tobacco dealers in southern Ohio,
while the Trefzgers moved on westward to Peoria and founded the famous Trefzger Bakery which is still there.
It was a fortunate friendship as two members of each family
were married and double cousins resulted.
The story goes that
George Berger took one look at Nellie Trefzger and it was love at
first sight. Wedding bells rang on October 12, 1897 and they felt
fortunate to have seven children as a result of their union;
John N. 1898, Marcia 1901, George Jr. 1903, Alfred 1904, Adela 1911, Carl 1912, & Richard 1914.
When Fred Trefzger took one look at Tillie Berger, the same thing happened and their wedding took place on October 18, 1899, two years
later. Three children were born as a result;
Francis 1900, Herbert 1902, & Elsa 1910.
And so the double
cousins, a somewhat rare phenomenon today."*
* by Walter Sheblessy
Return to: 1st_Page