This marriage was arranged by Bertha’s parents.  The Elwers family had ties to both the Rosnows and the Ruths.  Charles Rosnow married Emma Elwers, and Johanna Elwers married Gustav Ruth.  When Johanna died birthing her last child in Clintonville, Gustav was left with a large, young family.  He quickly went through several incompetent housekeepers, and the Rosnows felt sorry for him.  They knew that their widowed daughter, Bertha, would make a wonderful mother for his children and Gustav would be an excellent husband and provider for her, so they arranged for the marriage.  Bertha complied.  Although arranged marriages seem strange to us today, it was not that unusual in their European culture.  One child, Esther, was born to this marriage, and that is our direct line.  Bertha did make a fantastic mother for all of the children, welding the two families together into one united whole.  Although the marriage was born of convenience, it was love that bound the family tightly together.

Bertha Rosnow Ziebell Marries F. Gustav Ruth August 6, 1893