Rosalie Tilles

Rosalie Tilles (Peck) Birth: June 15, 1837 Prussia, IA, USA Death: August 10, 1872 (35) Fort Smith, AR, USA Immediate Family: Wife of Melech(Louis) Tilles Mother of George Tilles; Emanuel A. Tilles; Andrew Tilles; Hannah Apple and Carrie Lick

Added by: Elyse Vahjen (Deutscher) on March 23, 2011 Geni.com Birth: Jun. 15, 1837, Germany Death: Aug. 10, 1872 Sebastian County Arkansas, USA

During the Federal occupation of Fort Smith during the Civil War, one of the soldiers stationed there was Louis Tilles of St. Louis. Fort Smith seemed a better place for raising a family so he brought them here at the end of the war. Louis and Rosalie had five children, George, Emanuel, Andrew called Cap, Hannah and Carrie. Louis became very interested in the education of the city and served as a school board member.

In 1872, at the death of Rosalie Tilles, it was recognized by the Jewish Community the need for a cemetery. Rosalie, called "Rosa" was the first registered death of the Jewish Community of Fort Smith. She was buried in the current location though it was not the Jewish Cemetery. The lots belonged to the Catholic Church and were provided to the family. This occured again in 1898, after a tornado hit Fort Smith. The Catholic Diacese donated a plot for the burial of Silas Mincer who died during the tornado when the roof of his fathers house collapsed.

The Jewish Cemetery obtained a row of burial plots which is now represented by an iron fence between Calvary Cemetery and the Jewis Cemetery.

Two years after Rosa's death Louis remarried. Upon his death in 1875, his new wife put the children in a Catholic orphanage in Fort Smith and returned to her family home in Chicago. Local Jewish families took the children in and raised them. With the love and devotion that Cap had for his mother, he donated money for an orphanage in her name.

In 1980 a reunion was organized for children who had lived at the orphanage. Of the 540 children, 350 attended. Many wonderful stories were shared and two men, who attended, were found to be brothers. The two had known each other for years in the community and friendship but never knew they were brothers. Searches continue.

The Rosalie Tilles Non-Sectarian Charity Fund - now known as The Tilles Fund - came as a Christmas gift to the poor of St. Louis from "Cap" Tilles as a tribute to his mother, Rosalie Peck Tilles, in 1926. Tilles' particular sympathy for the lot of the orphan was, no doubt, a reflection of his own youth as an orphan and his struggle to make his own way. The purpose of the Foundation was summed up by Tilles, who said, "Use it to give those kids who need it a helping hand." Modest and self-effacing, "Cap" Tilles rarely discussed his giving. When the fund was created, he left St. Louis in order to avoid being interviewed by newspapers. Tilles had an aversion for newspaper publicity – he refused to be interviewed. The Fund was established to help deserving children in the City and County of St. Louis who are in need of physical or educational help, without discrimination as to religious creed or race. The Fund also assists such charitable organizations that may be engaged in similar charitable undertakings.

Family links:

Spouse:

 Louis Tilles (1830 - 1875)*

Children:

 George Tilles (1859 - 1929)*

 Emanuel A. Tilles (1862 - 1881)*

 Andrew Tilles (1865 - 1951)*

 Hannah Tilles Apple (1868 - 1957)*

Burial: Jewish Cemetery Fort Smith Sebastian County Arkansas, USA Plot: Sec. B lot 41

Created by: Stone Shooter Record added: Mar 28, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 50362993

Added by: Stone Shooter

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=50362993 

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