The Kiefer Children Died Too Young

My 3rd great-aunt, Philippina Klein, married Peter Kiefer in Pittsburgh on January 30, 1889. By 1910, they had 8 children but only 4 were living. Even the four children who would become adults died before the age of 50. Sadly, the parents had to see six of their children buried before they died themselves in 1927 and 1936.

St. Peter's Cemetery, Mt. Oliver area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(Reprinted with permission from Roseanne Kocinski-Fowler)

Here are the Kiefer children:

1. Clement James Kiefer (1890-1938) - Clement left behind wife Ethel and daughters Dorothy and Ruth when he died at the age of 47 of coronary disease and chronic nephritis;
2. Marcella Kiefer (1891-1896) - Marcella was only 5 years old when she died of burns; she was an unknown cousin until I found the newspaper article below;
3. Alfred William Kiefer (1893-1920) - Alfred was 27 when he died at his parents' home of pulmonary edema;
4. Loretta B. Kiefer (1895-1922) - Loretta was only married to Louis Schanck for a year or two when she died at the age of 26 of cardiac exhaustion and edema of the lungs;
5. Paul Peter Kiefer (1903-1945) - Paul was the last surviving sibling and died in Pittsburgh at the age of 41 of malignant hypertension; he left behind his wife Cecilia and children, Paul and Loretta;
6. Unknown Kiefer - died by 1900 census;
7. Unknown Kiefer - died by 1900 census;
8. Unknown Kiefer - died by 1910 census

The Pittsburgh Post, November 24, 1896

I've submitted a research request to the Diocese of Pittsburgh to find information about the three unknown young children who passed away. I hate having nameless entries in my family tree since I feel they deserve to be acknowledged and remembered. 

The Kiefer family lived on Arlington Avenue in the Lower St. Clair area of Pittsburgh, and Peter's obituary says that his funeral mass was held at St. Henry's Church. The wonderful volunteer researchers should be able to take that information to find the family starting with the 1889 marriage and trace them forward, even if they switched parishes at any point. I included information about each of the 8 children with the hope they can identify the names I'm missing.

I'll post an update when I receive the report.

Related Posts:

• Include All Information in Research Requests
• Family Immigration: Peter Klein in 1854