In 1874, Heinrich and Wilhelmine Rambow and their children Fred and Bertha (Rambow) Burgard arrived in the U.S. With them were Wilhelmine's younger sisters,  Fredericka (Milhan) Brooker and brothers, Wilhelm and Christoph Milan. Her brother Carl "Fred" Milhan (left) came to Monroe County in 1873.

In the 1880 census, the Rambows were listed as living in Dundee Township with their sons, Frederick and Henry and daughters, Bertha, Mary and Fredareka.

Unfortunately, the 1890 U.S. census was basically destroyed in a fire in Washington D.C. during the 1920s so we are missing that link. Our best guess is that sometime shortly after 1880, they purchased this farm on South Custer Road. Fredareka was born in December of 1880, William in 1882 and Minnie in 1886 so we are not sure where the family was living when each of these children was born.

According to Heinrich and Wilhelmine's granddaughter, Bertha (Heiden) Drake (right), her uncle, August Heiden who was a brick mason, built the house shown above for the Rambows. August and the Rambows were from the same small German town of Gross Wokern.

After their parents died and the other siblings got married and moved away, the two youngest children, William and Minnie continued to live here until their deaths in 1965 and 1962 respectively. We have some family remembrances about them and the house.