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Twenty-seven grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren will follow the body of Mrs. Johanna Marie Bick of Civil War memory, who died at the age of 92, to its last resting place in St. Matthews Cemetery at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. With her death at 6 o'clock Monday afternoon one of the best known and most universally liked characters on the South Side was removed from this world. The old soldiers of Missouri who fought and bled for the union in the days of __ have especial cause to remember her. Their thoughts go back to the days when she was still hearty and well, when the dreaded stiffness had not crept over her limbs, and she came like a minisering angel to the old Arsenal building to cheer them on in their fight. Those were the days when she had a bakery shop __ fourteenth street and Clark avenue and her regular appearance among the hungry soldiers, who had neither clothes __ money was always a sign of rejoicing. She brought them encouragement and baskets of fresh buns, rolls and cakes. For these services to her country's boys and her motherly ways she became known as "Mother Bick" among the troops of the Federal Army. Up to the day of her death she remained cheerful which made her friends wherever she went during her whole lifetime. The little residence of her youngest daughter Mrs. Emma Wagner at No. 1317 Park avenue, where "Mother Bick" spent the last five months of her life was crowded by the hosts of friends among all classes of the German inhabitants of the South Side. Mrs. Bick came to America in 1858 from the province of Rhine, in Germany, where she was born September 14, 1812. Her four children were born near Sollg, but when the revolution of 1848 broke out her husband took active part in the insurrection. When it was crushed he, with Emil Preetortius, Hecker, and other German patriots fled to St. Louis. His wife then followed him across the water with her three remaining children. Her husband died a few years afterwards. |