Felice Pearl Engle

Story cross posted from ancestry.com user - janinemarlo

Felice was born to Julia Dettwilier in Brutus Michigan, July of 1891. Julia (also known as Charila) was the oldest of many children, and Felice was not that much younger than the little ones. Julia's parents immediately adopted Felice, who was probably spoiled more than the others. When her natural mother married, Felice went along for a time, and thus earned the last name "Steubing"...but she often ran away and spent most of her time with her adopted sister, natural aunt, Leah Dettweiler Barnes. She became a rather wild child and loved working on Mackinac Island. She didn't do well raising children which resulted in a very solitary life for her, and an upbringing almost devoid of parents for her own children later on. Family tradition also states that she was VERY fond of her natural cousin (adopted nephew) Millard Rotter (son of Susannah Dettweiler Rotter). Millard and his lovely wife Flossie never had children. They managed the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in the summers, and the Hamilton Hotel in Winterpark Florida in the winters. But Millard and his dad George both looked after Felice's twins with thoughtfulness and kindness. People always said the twins had "the Rotter nose" - which was very true. . .