The ERLEBACH family

Adolphus II and his family

Family Tree

Adolphus's Early Years

Adolphus was born in Silver Street, Stepney on 19th June 1812. At the age of about 16 he was chased by a friend who knocked him over and caused a fracture of his right thigh. It was set by Dr. Collyer, the family physician, but when the bandages were removed this leg was much shorter than the other. Mr. Kingdom, the principal surgeon of the City of London Dispensary, was called in and adopted a different course of treatment. The leg took about a year to heal but was still shorter than the other. This injury had prevented him earning a living and although nothing more is known of his early years, at some time he joined the timber trade. An entry in a directory of 1879 gives Erlebach Adolphus timber merchant 2 & 4 Drysdale Street, Kingsdale Road, N in Shoreditch.

Marriage and Family

At some time in 1830 or 1831 he married Eliza Smith and they had ten children, three of whom died in infancy. Of the others most got married and in a letter dated 21st November 1872 to Mary Ann (Adolphus's sister), Richard Philip (Adolphus's brother) said that he was glad to hear that Adolphus's children are marrying - and hope they are doing well for both worlds. The two brothers and sister were obviously very friendly towards each other.

A letter dated 11th May 1867 from Adolphus to Mary Ann starts:

My dear Sister. Your kind letter came safe to hand. We were quite glad to hear from it that you had got quite rid of your cold and cough. I am deeply happy to inform you that we are all pretty well.

In conclusion he writes:

I have sent you a Bill of our Anniversary on Wednesday next. You will see among the Great Guns that are to go off on the Evg. there is one from Somerset you know very well. How I should like you to be there with us. I have sent you by this post a copy of the Temperance Record with an account of the Leagues Anniversary in it which I thought would interest you and I dare say Mr. Thomas would like to see it, there are some capital speeches in it. Our folks think of coming to you about Monday the 3rd of June. They have not quite decided on that yet. When they have you will have due notice. Remember me kindly to Mr. Thomas and all their kind friends. Eliza and the children send their kind love, yours &c A. Erlebach

It seems probable that Adolphus's son Charles William joined him in the business for his marriage certificate gives his profession as timber merchant.

Later Years

Six years later Eliza died and a letter of 24th April 1873 from Richard Philip to Mary Ann says

We are truly grieved to receive the tidings you sent respecting Adolphus - It must have been a terrible shock. I sent him some words of condolence by next post. I hope he has some children with him to take off his attention, and administer to his relief. It was singular that you should have been there so recently. It must seem like a dream to you. Truly, in the midst of life we are in death. Do you know anything of her religious state? They have never taken any decided position in that respect, tho' when I was preaching at Hoxton he thought they should make that their home - you will know if they had taken any such step.

Eliza was buried in Abney Park cemetery, initially in a pauper's grave, but within days re-interred in the family plot. However hard this loss may have hit him, within six months Adolphus married Annie Agnes Devereux, daughter of a coach maker. She was 42 years his junior and younger that all but one of his children. There is no hint of any previous relationship.

Adolphus died on 19th September 1879 and like Eliza he was buried initially in a pauper's grave. Within a few days he was re-interred in the family grave with Eliza his wife of over 42 years and with Dear Little Willie, his grandson William Erlebach Johnson who had lived only 18 months. His estate of under £1000 was left to Annie who died in June 1902.