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'Nauni', the 1st child of Johann Bruegger and Katharina Trefzger, was born Maria Anna Bruegger on 4/3/1827 in Wehr, Baden. She died in 1910.
Nauni's father died in 1834. Her mother married Meinradus Berger in 1837. In 1853 Meinradus and Katharina immigrated to Cincinnati. They brought Nauni, her 2 younger sisters and their 2 sons John and Leander. The family lived on Richmond Street west of downtown Cincinnati.
We believe that Nauni lived with Meinrad until he died. Then Nauni moved to Berger Hill to live with John and Mary.
"Oh, then there was Nauni, Papa’s half sister, another one to be housed and fed. She was a character. She had had scarlet fever when only three years old from which she had lost all her hearing completely . There was no St Rita’s at that time, so she grew up as a deaf mute and yet she was not mute in as she could make vocal noises. She loved dogs and cats and had several around her at all times. She loved us youngsters too, and on occasion, we were entrusted to her care. Mama taught her to knit at which she became proficient and knitted most of the socks that the men wore. The winter before I was married, mom and I went to California which left Nauni alone with Anna: one day she wandered over the hill to Eckerle’s after a heavy snow, she missed the edge of the wall and had a bad tumble. So, the next year, when the doctor again advised a more equitable climate for moms bad bronchial condition and Anna had to accompany her, it was decided to take Nauni to a home for the aged. It took some conjoling and maneuvering to get her there. She had lived through a famine and became penurious. Papa had given her money at various times which she sewed into a bag. Upon entering the home, this was taken away from her, and she cried noisily for days. (There were also some old coins which she had brought from Germany.) After that however, she became tractable and friendly and the pet of the place. She lived to be eighty three years old. Her name was Maria Anna Brugger, born in 1827, she was 10 years older than Papa. He never lost patience with her."*
* Quote by Teresa Sheblessy
Note:
Some in the family spell her name 'Nonnie'.
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