Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) circa 1915-1918 in Rye, New York
Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) replacement tombstone erected in 2008
Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) was a private in US Army who was killed-in-action during World War I in the Battle of Montfaucon during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. This was 26 days before the Armistice with Germany and he was 24 years old. (b. Saturday, August 4, 1894; 220 Madison Street, Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA - d. Wednesday, October 16, 1918; Battle of Montfaucon, Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Argonne, France, during World War I) Military Service Number 1749623.
Parents[]
Birth[]
He was born on Saturday, August 4, 1894, and was the ninth child born and the sixth to live. He was born at 220 Madison Street, Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA.
Siblings[]
- Max S. Freudenberg II (1881) who died as an infant
- Ada Augusta Freudenberg (1885-1957) who married Ralph Kohlman (1885-1957) the printer
- Charles Fredrick Freudenberg (1887-1942) who married Julia Mary Buttomer (1883-1973) and is the one sibling with only a single photograph
- Jenny Gertrude Freudenberg (1888) who died as an infant
- Clara Freudenberg (1889-1959) who never married
- Arthur Oscar Freudenberg I (1891-1968) who worked as a real estate broker and married Maria Elisabeth Winblad II (1895-1987)
- Max Freudenberg III (1893-aft1900) who lived till at least 7 years old and appears on the 1900 census and may be buried in Hoboken Cemetery
- Harry Freudenberg (1895-1896) who died as an infant
- Richard F. Freudenberg (1896-1988) worked as a chemical salesman and married Charlotte C. Kahrar (1897-1963)
- Eloise Freudenberg (1898) who died as an infant
- Eugene Freudenberg I (1900-1956) who worked as a freight handler and married Florence Catherine Skinner (1901-1986)
- Ralph Freudenberg (1903-1980) who worked as a typesetter for the New York Times and he married Nora Belle Conklin (1902-1963) and later married Lottie Dombrowska (1916-1995)
- Grace May Freudenberg (1904-1981) who married George Dewey Sanford I (1898-1965) and he worked in Ralph Kohlman's print shop
Street and Smith Publishers (S&S)[]
In 1916 Louis was working for Street and Smith Publishers (S&S), in Manhattan, in the mail room, where his brother Arthur had previously worked. He left the company around October of 1916. Louis' best friend, Victor Julius Faller (1888-1973), worked at S&S with him, but Victor left for another job at Huntington Station on Long Island, New York.
- "October 30, 1916. Dear Friend Lou. Glad to hear you at last packed up your belongings and left S&S. Its about time that you got wise to yourself. Hope that you will have more chance for advancement there than you had at S&S. ... Victor Julius Faller."
Butler Brothers[]
Louis was working as a clerk for Butler Brothers on Warren Street in Jersey City when he filled out his draft registration card on June 2, 1917. He was classified as "A1" on January 20, 1918. On February 12, 1918 he was ordered to appear before the draft board for a physical examination that was scheduled for February 20, 1918.
Killed in Action in World War I[]
Louis was inducted into the US Army on April 04, 1918 and he trained at Camp Dix in New Jersey and went overseas on May 19, 1918. Louis was killed in action on October 16, 1918. When he enlisted he was 5 feet, 4 inches and weighed 117 pounds. This gave him a body mass index of 20.1. He was shot in the leg during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, and while crawling to a first aid station a sniper shot him in the head. At the time of his death he was five feet and nine inches, and weighed 155 pounds. He was one of the 167 708 American soldiers that died during World War I.
Death notice[]
Hudson Observer, Friday, November 22, 1918: "Heights Boy Died On French Battlefield. Private Louis J. Freudenberg reported killed in action October 16, was a member of company M, 309th U.S. Infantry. He entered the service April 4, last and went overseas May 19. He was twenty-four years old and was born in Hoboken but his family moved to 63 Concord Street, Jersey City twenty years ago. Private Freudenberg graduated from Public School Number 6, Jersey City and at the time he joined the colors he held a responsible position with Butler Brothers, Jersey City. The young hero is survived by his parents Max and Eloise Freudenberg; three sisters, Ada, Clara and Grace, and by four brothers, Arthur, Eugene, Ralph and Richard, the last name being in the service at Camp Meade, Maryland."
Burial and Reburial[]
He was buried on November 5, 1918 in Argonne, France. The body was disinterred on June 7, 1921 and re-interred at Flower Hill Cemetery, North Bergen, New Jersey on July 24, 1921. The notice for his re-interment says he was a corporal but all indications are that he was a private. He was originally buried with a tombstone inscribed with a Star of David but when his mother visited the grave she asked that a new one be made with a Christian cross. The story of his re-internment reads as follows: "Hero Freudenberg's Body Arrives. The Body of Louis Julius Freudenberg, who was killed in the Argonne offensive October 6, 1918, has arrived at his late home, 22 Hopkins Avenue. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon, Rev. Thomas Clark of the Summit Avenue M.E. Church officiating. Internment will be at Flower Hill Cemetery. The Veterans of Foreign Wars will take part in the service, and the re-internment will be accompanied by full military honors. At the time of his death Freudenberg was a runner for Company M, 309th Infantry, 78th Division. He was making his way to the rear in the battle after being wounded in the right leg when he was shot through the head and killed. He was born in Hoboken and as a lad attended P.S. No. 3 in Hoboken and later P.S. No. 8 in the Hudson City section. At the time he entered service, April 4, 1918 he was employed by Butler Brothers. He had trained at Camp Dix and in May 1918, sailed on the U.S.S. President Lincoln. He is survived by his mother, Eloise, five bothers, Arthur, Ralph, Charles, Eugene and Richard, who served with the 32nd Field Artillery, Seventh Division, and three sisters, Ada, Clara, and Grace."
"Another of World War Martyrs, Corporal [sic] Louis Julius Freudenberg will be buried Sunday afternoon in Flower Hill Cemetery. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. at his late home, 22 Hopkins Avenue, Jersey City. Dr. Clark, of the Summit Avenue, M.E. Church and a delegation of Fisk Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will officiate. Corporal Freudenberg was 24 years old at the time of his death. He was a runner in Company M, of the 309th Infantry, 78th Division. He was wounded in the right leg at the battle of Montfaucon, October 16, 1918 and while making his way back to the first aid station was shot through the head by a German sniper. Young Freudenberg was born in Hoboken and attended No. 3 School of that city and No. 8 School of Jersey City. He was inducted April 4, 1918 and trained at Camp Dix, leaving for France in May with his unit. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Eloise Freudenberg, five brothers, Charles, Arthur, Richard, formerly of the 32nd Field Artillery, 11th Division; Ralph and Eugene and three sisters, Ada, Clara and Grace."
He is buried with:
- Maximilian S. Freudenberg I (1858-1921)
- Eloise Lindauer II (1860-1935)
- Charles Fredrick Freudenberg (1887-1942)
- Eugene Freudenberg I (1900-1956)
- Clara Freudenberg (1889-1959)
- Arthur Oscar Freudenberg I (1891-1968)
Insurance[]
His war risk insurance was for $10,000 and was paid out at $57.50 per month as of April 10, 1918.
Archive[]
Louis was listed in "Soldiers of the Great War, Volume 2" and he has a file at the New Jersey State Archive in Trenton which contains a copy of the photograph that was submitted for the publication of his death announcement. That file has now been supplemented with additional photographs and copies of his death announcement. Copies of his Army Death File and related family papers were sent to the Army History Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for archiving. In 2002 a new tombstone was ordered from the Veterans Administration to replace his fallen and unreadable one.
Tombstone[]
As of September 2004 it is stored at Flower Hill Cemetery waiting for the $300 needed to install it. By 2008 the cemetery had installed the tombstone, and someone added a photograph of it to Findagrave.
See also[]
- Eugene Freudenberg II (1924-1945), his nephew killed in action in WWII
External links[]
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Geni
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Familysearch (requires free registration to view)
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Findagrave
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Flickr
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Google +
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Facebook
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at Google Sites
- Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) at the New Jersey State Archive
Images[]
_letter_from_physician_1916.png "Louis Julius Freudenberg I (1894-1918) letter from physician 1916.png (1.16 MB)")
