Hi,
I have a bit of a mystery in my family tree and I am hoping someone here can help me to solve it. I believe my great-grandmother Mary Kolb married or was involved with a man named Bauer in the Philadelphia area, probably between 1912 and 1922.

My Mary Kolb was born Feb 15, 1873 in Germany. Her maiden name was Schweinshaupt. Her first marriage in 1893 was to Benedict Kolb. They had 4 boys and 1 girl (Benedict, William, Herman, Madeline, and Leo) then her husband Benedict died in 1912.

There are two reasons I believe she remarried a man named Bauer, or was "involved" with a Bauer:
1) I have a photograph of her four boys (from her marriage to Benedict Kolb) and on the back it is written: "Half-brother Joe Bauer is not pictured."
2) In Mary's obituary, from the Philadelphia newspaper, her name is listed as "Kolb-Bauer, Mary" but the obit says nothing of a husband named Bauer! It only says "wife of the late Benedict Kolb."

One other tidbit, Mary Kolb-Bauer died Dec 25, 1943 and was buried at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Philadelphia - with her dead husband Benedict Kolb! It doesn't make sense to me, but those are the facts.

If anyone can shed some light on this mystery, please let me know. Thanks in advance for your help!

Sue Kolb