Ada ALBERT
1875-1902
Born: Germany
Died: Bexar County, Texas
<p><font size="3" color="#000000">When Dad [Otto Meinhart] was about three years old, his mother [Ada Albert] died. A few years later [no later than 1907], Granddad [George Meinhart,Sr.] married "Laura" (last name unknown). The union apparently was difficult. In about 1907-1909, one day George,Sr. came home from work and found the house empty, "Laura" and the kids gone and the bank account emptied. George,Sr. searched and shortly found the kids in an orphanage where "Laura" had dumped them. "Laura" never was heard of again.</font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000"> A few years later [about 1909] when Dad was about nine years old he ran away from home and rode his bicycle from San Antonio to an area in east Houston. There he lived in a shack with a Mr.Moss. After about a year, Dad was walking through a field nearby owned by a Mr. Storey when Mr. Storey rode up on horseback. They talked and Mr. Storey offered him a job and a place to live. Otto accepted. Mr. Storey pulled him up behind him on the horse and took him home. There he was treated like a fourth son to Mr. Storey's three boys. Otto became closest to Cecil and they always considered each other brothers. </font></p><p><font size="3" color="#000000">As told by Robert A. Meinhart to his son-in-law, Jim Voelkle (11 July 2010).</font></p><p> </p><p><font size="3">Followup: Recently found that after Otto's mother died, in 1904 his father (George) married 'Emma Jungmann'. Emma had a daughter (Laura) and son (John) from an earlier marriage living with her. Found 1911-1912 Houston City Directory with Otto's father (George) and mother (Emma), listed. Need to clear up why the different names (Laura vs Emma); why George and Emma listed together in the Houston Directory in 1911. (-JPV/April 2012)</font></p>