Heinrich / Henry Biele of St. Louis, Missouri and Stillwater, Minnesota

Following up on my earlier post, “Sorting Out the Heinrich and Henry Bieles of Missouri,” I am now taking a closer look at each man individually, beginning with: 

Heinrich (“Henry”) Biele (1818/19-1875/76), born in Prussia, married Mary Gross in St. Louis, Missouri, and later lived in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Marriage Records

Heinrich, or Henry, Biele first appears in the record in 1848, when he married Mary Catherine Gross in St. Louis, Missouri.

In the civil marriage record, his name is given as Henry and she as Mary Catherine. 

Marriage record from the Saint Louis County archives

In the record from St. Peter's Church in St. Louis, his name appears as Heinrich Biele, with a birth year of 1818. Her name is given as Maria Katharine Gross, with a birth year of 1825.

Marriage record in German from St. Peter's Evangelical Church in St. Louis, MO

Translation by Google Gemini:

February 29, 1848. - In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, on the twenty-ninth of February, the following were joined in marriage: Mr. Heinrich Biele, born Anno Domini 1818, and Miss Maria Katharina Gross, born Anno Domini 1825, both from Brockhagen, District of Halle, Kingdom of Prussia. Witnesses: Caspar Heinrich Riecke and Catharina Louisa Gross. Officiant: J. J. Riess.

The record from the church states they are both from Brockhagen, Halle, Prussia. (later baptism records of their children also state they were both from Brockhagen)

Immigration

Two naturalization records appear likely to belong to this Henry: a declaration of intent in Gasconade County in 1845 and a final naturalization in St. Louis in 1848. Both identify the man as Henry Biele and a native of Prussia, and the timeline fits a man who married in St. Louis in 1848. Both state he was from Prussia. The naturalization record states that he had to have been in the United States for at least five years, which would mean he arrived by 1843 or earlier.

Henry Biele, native of Prussia, declaration of intent in Gasconade County - April 1845

Henry Biele (and others), native of Prussia, granted citizenship in St. Louis, MO - April 1848

There is an immigration record for Catherine and her family arriving in New Orleans in 1843. The ship is from Bremen, Germany and lists Johann Friedrich (presumably the father) and three girls, Catherina (Maria Catherina), Wilhelmina, and Louisa (Catherine Louisa who witnesses the wedding). They are listed as coming from Brockhagen and headed to St. Louis. I did not find Henry in that ship’s manifest.

Immigration record of the Gross family's arrival into New Orleans in 1843

Church Records of the Children

These records all come from St. Peter's Evangelical Church in St. Louis, MO. 

The first record of a child is unfortunately the death of (presumably) their first child after a year and a half.  (I was not able to find the baptism record.)

Translation by Google Gemini:

Maria Catharina Wilhelmina Biele, born on February 6th, 1849, the little daughter of Heinrich Biele and Maria Katharina née Gross, both from Brockhagen, District of Halle, Prussia, died on July 8th, 1850, and was buried on the following day. J. J. Riess.

There may have been some solace in that another child was born just over a week later:

Translation by Google Gemini:

Maria Catharina Biele, Born: July 19, 1850, Baptized: July 22, 1850, Parents: Father: Heinrich Biele; Mother: Maria Catharina née Gross. Both from Brockhagen, District of Halle, Kingdom of Prussia., Godparent: Catharina Wilhelmina Riecke., Minister: Baptized by J.J. Riess.

This was followed the next year by another daughter:

Translation by Google Gemini:

Margaretha Wilhelmina Henriette Biele, Born: December 9, 1851, Baptized: December 28, 1851, Parents: Father: Heinrich Biele; Mother: Maria Catharina née Gross. Both from Brockhagen, District of Halle, Prussia., Godparents: Wilhelmina Henriette Gross and Margaretha im Garten. ,Minister: Baptized by J.J. Riess.

There may be more church records to find.

Census Records in Stillwater

By the mid-1850s the family had moved to Minnesota, where more children were born. The US Federal Census and Minnesota State Census provide additional facts, though at times a bit confusing.

The 1860 US Census

By 1860, the family was in Stillwater, Minnesota, though the surname was incorrectly recorded as Bailey. Henry, age 40, appears with his wife Catherine, age 35. Two daughters born in Missouri are listed: Henna, age 8, and Anna, age 6. Henna is presumably the daughter later called Henriette. Anna appears to be another daughter not yet identified in the church records. Maria Catharina, born in 1850, is absent and may already have died. Two younger children born in Minnesota, Eliza (4) and Henry (2). This would place the family’s move to Minnesota around 1855, before Minnesota became a state in 1858. Henry’s occupation is listed as laborer.

 

1860 US Census for Henry Biele family in Stillwater, MN (family listed as Bailey)

The 1865 MN Census

The family is still in Stillwater and this time it is Henry, Cartharine and five children - Henriette (F), Hannah (F), Lizzie (F), Lena (F), and Louis (M). Henna is now Henriette, Anna is now Hannah, and Eliza is now Lizzie. Lena and Louis are new and will show up on future records. There are no ages given in this census. Maria Catharina is still absent from the household and may have died young. Henry is also missing.

1865 MN Census for Henry Biele family in Stillwater, MN

1870 US Census

The family is still in Stillwater and listed as "Biela". Henry (52) and Catherine (44) and the same five children (though some with name variations) - Hennriette (18), Johanna (16), Lizzie (14), Helena (7) and Louis (6). The son Henry, who appeared in the 1860 census, is no longer present and may have died young. Henry is listed as a "Boarding House Keeper" while Catherine, Henriette, Johanna, and Lizzie are all "Keeping House" which likely means they are working the boarding house. Helena and Louis are listed as “attending school.” The census listed over 50 men, many immigrants, working at a local saw mill.

1870 US Census for Henry Biele family in Stillwater, MN

1875 MN Census

The family is still in Stillwater and the last name is correct, though with some variation in the first names. Henry (56), Catherine (50), Louise (19), Lena (14) and Louis (11). Given the name similarity and age, Eliza/Lizzie is now Louise and Helena is now Lena. Henriette and Johanna are now missing. Other records show Johanna marrying Emil Krueger in 1871, so by 1875 she was presumably living elsewhere with him. Henriette may have married, moved away, or died, but I have not yet found records to support any of those possibilities.

1875 MN Census for Henry Biele family in Stillwater, MN

1880 US Census

By 1880, the household had changed significantly. Catherine and Louis are living with Eliza and her husband, Nathan Lammers. Lena is in a different record working as a servant at another address. By 1880, Henry himself no longer appears in the household, which is consistent with the evidence that he had died in the mid-1870s. (see below) and Henriette has not been found. 

1880 US Census for Catherine Biele and two children

Summary of the Children

I may do a more detailed post on the children as I find more records, but here is a summary:

Children of Henry and Catherine Biele

Deaths of Heinrich / Henry and Maria Catherine

Based on the census records and his gravestone, Henry appears to have been born in 1818 or 1819. His gravestone gives his dates as 1819-1876. The marriage record gives a birth year of 1818 and his ages in the censuses gives more variation. "Find a Grave" gives his death date as May 15, 1875, in Stillwater, but does not cite a source, so I treat that date as tentative.

Catherine's birth year is consistently given as 1825. "Find a Grave" gives Catherine’s death date as May 5, 1894, in Stillwater, again without citing a source. There is a probate record for Catherine that does cite this date. It was petitioned by her son-in-law Nathan Lammers. 

Next Steps:

• Trace Heinrich/Henry and Maria Catherine back to Brockhagen and their arrival into the US to determine if there are any links to other Biele families.
• Track down more details on the children, especially those that "disappeared" from the records.
• Follow the branches of the family.

Biele Land Records in Missouri

Following up on my earlier post about the Heinrich and Henry Bieles of Missouri, I found three land records that appear to relate to one or more of these men.

The first record, from 1848, is for Henrich Adolph Biele of Franklin County, Missouri. There is little doubt that this refers to Heinrich Adolphus Biele, who married in Franklin County in 1846 and had children there in 1846 and 1848.

1848 Land Purchase by Heinrich Adolphus (Adolph) Biele of Franklin County, Missouri

The second record, from 1851, is also in the name of Henrich Adolf of Franklin County and clearly refers to Heinrich Adolphus Biele.

1851 Land Purchase by Heinrich Adolphus (Adolph) Biele of Franklin County, Missouri

Notably, both purchases were for 40 acres, and the parcels were adjacent to one another.

Adolph Biele’s will, filed in Franklin County in 1855 and finalized in 1856, lists those two parcels along with a third parcel, also 40 acres and adjacent to the others. This suggests that he owned 120 acres in total at the time of his death. I have not yet found a separate filing for the third parcel.

Summary of land holdings of Adolph Biele at time of death in 1855

The third record, from 1859, is in the name of Heinrich Biele of St. Louis County, Missouri. The land was located in Carter County, Missouri, and totaled 320 acres. Carter County lies south of St. Louis in the Ozarks, near the Arkansas border.

Because of the date, this record cannot refer to Heinrich Adolphus Biele, who had already died by then. That leaves two possible candidates: Heinrich Biele, later of Stillwater, Minnesota, and Hermann Heinrich Biele, later of Gasconade County, Missouri. Both appear to have been in the St. Louis area around this time, before moving to their later homes. At present, I cannot determine which of the two this record belongs to.

Land purchase in Carter County Missouri by Heinrich Biele of St. Louis in 1859

Sorting out the Heinrich and Henry Bieles of Missouri

Several Biele men in mid-19th-century Missouri shared the name Heinrich or Henry, either as a first or middle name. Because German immigrants often used their middle names in daily life and switched between German and Anglicized spellings, the records can be difficult to sort out. As with much genealogical research, the surviving records are incomplete, inconsistent, and sometimes plainly wrong.

In this case, the men I am trying to distinguish are:

Heinrich Adolphus Biele (c. 1820-1855/56), born in Germany, who lived in Franklin County, Missouri, and usually went by Adolphus.

Henry F. Biele (1846-1941), son of Heinrich Adolphus Biele, born and married in Franklin County, Missouri, and later a resident of Kansas.

Heinrich ("Henry") Biele (1818/19-1875/76), born in Prussia, who married in St. Louis, Missouri, and later lived in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Hermann Heinrich Biele (1821-1907), born in Prussia, who married in St. Louis and later moved to Gasconade County, Missouri. He also had a son named Henry, born in 1869, who is not included here.

At present, it is not clear when the three older Heinrich/Henry Bieles came to the United States or exactly where they were born in what is now Germany. The one exception is Henry F. Biele, who was born in Missouri in 1846.

To begin untangling this group, here is what the records seem to show about each man.

Heinrich Adolphus Biele

Heinrich Adolphus Biele first appears in an 1846 marriage record to Marie Brune in Franklin County, Missouri. In that record, he is listed as Adolphus. The couple had two known children: Henry F., born in 1846, and August, born in 1848.

Two Missouri land records also appear to be connected to him: one from 1848 for Henrich A. Biele in Franklin County, and another from 1851 for Henrich A. Biele, also in Franklin County. Both involve the same general area where Adolphus lived and where his descendants later remained.

His estate was filed in December 1855, though he may have died as early as 1854. Beyond these records, I have not yet identified him with confidence elsewhere.

Several secondary sources add possible clues, though not firm answers. Census records of descendants state that he was born in Germany. A published biography of his son, Henry F. Biele, says that Henry's father, Adolph, was from Bielefeld, Germany, but I have seen similar claims attached to other Biele men who appear to have come from different places. That same biography gives his wife's maiden name as Wortman, which is incorrect, so it must be used with caution. It also states that Adolph had a brother named Henry who also came to the United States, though it says it is not known where he settled. Family lore among present-day descendants holds that Adolphus and his brother died of cholera and were buried on the family farm.

In short, the firm facts are these: Adolphus was married in 1846, had children in 1846 and 1848, acquired land in 1848 and 1851, and died before December 1855. His exact place and date of birth remain unknown, though he was likely born in one of the German states in the early 1800s. No record yet identifies his parents or any confirmed siblings.

Henry F. Biele

Henry F. Biele was the eldest son of Adolphus Biele and was born in 1846 in Franklin County, Missouri. In the 1860 census, he appears living with his mother, his brother August, and relatives in Franklin County.

In 1864, he joined the Union Army and served in the Civil War. He married Amelie Sellman in Franklin County in 1869, and they had one son, Otto, in 1872. After Amelie's death, he married again in 1876, this time to Lean Bucher. The family later moved to Chanute, Kansas, where seven more children were born. He died there in 1941.

Compared with the older men in this study, Henry F. Biele is relatively easy to trace. The documentary record is fairly clear regarding his birth, marriages, residences, and later life. The main unresolved point is his middle initial. His gravestone reads Henry F. Biele, and he is identified that way in his obituary, but I have not yet found another record that spells out what the "F." stood for.

Heinrich ("Henry") Biele of St. Louis and Minnesota

The third man in this group is Heinrich, or Henry, Biele, who first appears in the record with an 1848 marriage to Mary Gross in St. Louis, Missouri. In the civil marriage record, his name is given as Henry. In the record from St. Peter's Church in St. Louis, his name appears as Heinrich Biele, with a birth year of 1818.

The marriage record includes the place name Brockhagen, Halle under Mary's name. It is not yet clear whether that refers only to Mary or to both bride and groom.

Two children were born to the couple in St. Louis, in 1852 and 1853. By the mid-1850s the family had moved to Minnesota, where three more children were born: one in 1856, and twins in 1861. The family appears in the 1865 Minnesota census, the 1870 U.S. census, and the 1875 Minnesota census, all in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Based on the census records and his gravestone, he appears to have been born in 1818 or 1819, probably in Prussia. His gravestone gives his dates as 1819-1876, though some records suggest he may have died in 1875.

There is also a declaration of intent from 1845 and a grant of citizenship from 1848 for a Henry Biele, but it is not yet certain whether these records belong to this man or to another man of the same name.

In summary, Heinrich/Henry Biele can be followed from St. Louis to Stillwater, Minnesota, but his origins before marriage remain uncertain. He was likely born in 1818 or 1819 in what was then Prussia, and he must have immigrated before 1848, when he married in St. Louis. No record has yet confirmed his parents, siblings, or exact place of origin.

Hermann Heinrich Biele

Hermann Heinrich Biele first appears in the official records with an 1856 marriage to Wilhelmine Meske in St. Louis. The city marriage record gives his full name as Hermann Heinrich Biele and states that both bride and groom were from Prussia. I have not yet found a corresponding church record that might provide more detail.

He next appears clearly in the 1870 U.S. census, where he is listed as Henry Biele. He appears with his wife and six children, all born in Missouri, with ages ranging from 12 years to 5 months. He and his wife are both listed as born in Prussia. By this point, the family was living in Third Creek Township, Gasconade County, Missouri.

This remained the family's home in the 1876 Missouri census, the 1880 U.S. census, and the 1900 U.S. census. Across these records he is listed variously as Henry and Heinrich. In the 1900 census, he is living with his son Henry, born in 1869, and both he and his wife are said to have immigrated in 1854. The same census states that he was naturalized.

I have not found a definitive immigration record, though there is a potentially relevant entry in a New Orleans ship log from 1853 for "Herm. Biele," whose destination was St. Louis. This may refer to Hermann Heinrich Biele, though it is not yet certain.

Although there are some conflicting dates in the census records, most sources suggest that he was born in 1821. He died in 1907 in the same general area of Gasconade County. His death was noted in both the local English-language and German-language newspapers.

In summary, Hermann Heinrich Biele is better documented after his marriage than before it. He was likely born in 1821 in what was then Prussia, and he immigrated to the United States sometime before 1856, possibly in 1854. As with the others, no record has yet identified his parents or any confirmed siblings.

Records that may belong to one of these men, but remain unproven

Several records look as though they may connect to one of these men, but in my view they do not yet meet a "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard.

1. The 1845 declaration of intent in Gasconade County

In 1845, a Henry Biele, native of Prussia, declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen in Gasconade County, Missouri.

At first I attributed this record to Hermann Heinrich Biele, since he later lived in Gasconade County for many years. However, the evidence does not fit especially well. Hermann is not a confirmed resident of Gasconade County until the 1870 census, and the 1900 census states that he immigrated in 1854, which would make an 1845 declaration impossible.

At present, I think this record more likely belongs to Heinrich Biele, the man who married in St. Louis in 1848 and later moved to Minnesota, since he is known to have been in Missouri in this period.

2. The 1848 citizenship record in St. Louis County

In 1848, a Henry Biele, native of Prussia, was granted citizenship in St. Louis County. The record states that he had been in the United States for at least five years and in Missouri for at least one year.

Like the 1845 declaration, this record seems to match Heinrich Biele of St. Louis and later Minnesota better than Hermann Heinrich Biele. It also does not fit especially well with Heinrich Adolphus Biele, who was already established in Franklin County by 1846.

My current working theory is that Heinrich Biele may have immigrated in the early 1840s, spent some time in the Gasconade County area, declared his intention to become a citizen there in 1845, then moved to St. Louis, where he married, completed his naturalization, started a family, and later moved to Minnesota. That remains only a hypothesis, however. Finding him in the 1850 would help test it.

3. The 1853 New Orleans passenger record for "Herm. Biele"

A November 1853 passenger record from a ship arriving in New Orleans lists "Herm. Biele," described as a 28-year-old farmer who boarded in Bremen and was bound for St. Louis.

This is an intriguing possibility for Hermann Heinrich Biele. If he arrived in late 1853 and then made his way upriver to St. Louis, his actual arrival there may well have been in 1854, which would fit the immigration year given in the 1900 census.

The difficulty is the age. If this passenger was truly 28 in 1853, he would have been born about 1825, plus or minus, whereas most later records for Hermann Heinrich Biele suggest a birth year of 1821. Since ages in passenger records and censuses are often imprecise, the discrepancy does not rule him out, but it does prevent a confident identification.

Current conclusions

At this point, the evidence suggests that these records belong to at least three distinct immigrant men:

• Heinrich Adolphus Biele of Franklin County, Missouri
• Heinrich ("Henry") Biele of St. Louis and later Stillwater, Minnesota
• Hermann Heinrich Biele of St. Louis and later Gasconade County, Missouri

Henry F. Biele, born in Missouri in 1846, clearly belongs to the next generation and is the son of Adolphus.

What remains unresolved is whether any of the older men were related before coming to the United States. The recurring given names, overlapping dates, and common regional origins make a family connection plausible, but no record I have found yet proves it. For now, the safest conclusion is that they should be treated as separate individuals unless and until stronger evidence links them.

Charles Edward Biele Jr.

 

Born: April 23, 1936 - Johnstown, PA

Died: March 9, 2021 – Springfield, VA

 

Charles Edward Biele Jr. was born in Johnstown, PA on April 23, 1936 to Charles Edward Biele and Marjorie Allen Biele. 

Charles E. Biele Jr. - 1936

Charles E. Biele Jr, 1941

He attended Fishburne Military School and graduated valedictorian in 1953 and winning an Honor Military School competitive appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.  He graduated from the Academy in 1957 and began a 30-year naval career.  

USNA Midshipman Charles E. Biele Jr. 1956 

He served on several destroyers and received a BS in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. He then entered the nuclear submarine program serving on both nuclear attack submarines and ballistic missile submarines, including four years as Commanding Officer of the ballistic missile submarine USS VON STEUBEN. He achieved the rank of Captain in 1978, the same rank achieved by his father.   Staff assignments in Norfolk and Washington DC followed his years at sea, including three years as Deputy Director and Director of Navy Laboratories.  He retired in June 1987. 

Lt. Charles E. Biele Jr - 1962

  

Commander Charles E. Biele Jr. - 1971

Captain Charles E Biele Jr, - 1987

After retiring from the Navy, he joined TASC, a small technology firm that was later acquired by Northrop Grumman and spent the next 17 years as a Program Manager for multiple major programs for a U.S. Government customer.

Since retiring in 2004, he enjoyed volunteer work and world travel.  His volunteer work included leading the vestry and finance committees at his church and serving as a trustee of Fishburne Military School.

Charles E. Biele Jr - 2010

He is survived by his wife of 62 years Nancy Heim Biele, three children and four grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his sister Marjorie Biele Hanson.  He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in June.

Happy Memorial Day - Biele Family Members in the Military

Many Bieles served in the US military over the years, from the Civil War to today.

The first record is for George Biele, who served in the Ohio militia during the Civil War.  The National Park Service has a database of Civil searchable records.  I have found other records that list Henry Biele of Missouri as a Civil War veteran as well (see pension list below)..

Along with the various pay genealogy databases, the free Family Search website has many collections that include military records including:

United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

New York, Records of the State National Guard, 1906-1954

United States Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904

United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865

United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949

United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914

United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933

United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934

United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917

United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937

Another website is the US Navy Memorial that that maintains the Lone Sailor database.  Listed there are:

Captain Charles Edward Biele

Captain Charles Edward Biele Jr.

Captain Edward Casper Biele

Charles F Biele and Sons

Soon after arriving in America, Caspar Biele started a business manufacturing cases.  His son Charles F Biele joined Caspar's showcase business and took over after Caspar's death in 1875.  Working with his brothers and later his sons, Charles F grew the business into a premier showcase, metal working, and mouldings company.  The business later known as Charles F. Biele and Sons manufactured custom showcases for the top museums and private collections of the day.  A New York Sun article from 1938 provides a great description of the business.  Examples of the company's correspondence including letterhead from museum archives and an engraved envelope bought at auction, provide additional insight into the business.

The first business address for the family is in 1871 at 59 Canal with a single listing for Caspar Biele with occupation as "cases".  This was near Caspar's residence on Rivington Street in the lower East Side on Manhattan in New York City.  From 1872 until 1876 (just after Caspar's death), the business address was 219 Centre.

In 1880, Charles F is listed with an occupation of "cases" at 112 West Broadway, in 1885 and 1890 at 42 West Broadway and in 1895 at 143 West Broadway.  His brother Emil is also listed as being in the cases business in 1885 and 1890 at the 42 W. Broadway address.  In 1890 there is also a listing for a "C. F. & E" company at 45 West Broadway.  The engraved envelope from 1893 lists the address as 45 & 47 West Broadway and the business "C. F. & E. Biele". 

(see the New York City Directory for these and other Biele business and residential listings)

In 1898, the business moved to 379-381 West 12th Street and 120 Jane in the Greenwich Village area of New York City and remained there for the next 28 years.  During this period, Charles F was joined in the business by his sons Carl and Eduard.  In 1910, the company was incorporated in the state of New York as "Charles F. Biele & Sons Co."  Charles F. was the President and Treasurer of the company, Carl the Vice President, and Eduard the Secretary.  Ewald (Charles F's youngest brother) is listed as a foreman or superintendent for the business from 1895 to 1910. 

In the 1926, after a fire, the business moved to its final location at 33-39 Bethune Avenue just a block over from the prior location.  33-37 Bethune, a large commercial building,  housed the operations and 39 Bethune, an adjoining townhouse, housed the offices.  (Both structures survive to this day.  33-37 Bethune later housed a business known as Pickwick Papers and was finally converted into residential lofts called Pickwick House.  39 Bethune is now a residential townhouse.  39 Bethune was also the fictional residence of the villainess in the best selling fictional novel "The Angel of Darkness" by Caleb Carr. 

Charles F. led the business until his death in 1930.  Carl then became President and Eduard the Vice President.  Other family members also worked in the business at various times including Carl's' son Charles and Eduard's son Edward. 

Eduard left the business in 1938 and after enduring the hardships of the Great Depression, the business went under in the early 1940's.  Carl is listed as President on the 1943 papers of dissolution.

Notable customers included (hyperlinks to pages with more details):

Albright Galley, Buffalo, New York - Charles F. Biele and Sons did at least one custom display case for the gallery in 1934

American Museum of Natural History, New York City

American Numismatic Society - A 2003 article in the ANS magazine references correspondence I had with them.   I bought an envelope at auction that was sent by CFB and Sons to ANS.

Cunard Lines - Charles F. Biele and Sons built a case to house a model of the RMS Majestic for the Cunard building in New York

Katherine Dreier - Charles F. Biele made at least two cases in 1936 to Ms. Dreier, an artist and art collector.

Charles Lang Freer -

Metropolitan Museum, New York City

The Rockefeller family - Charles F. Biele and Sons did work for the Rockefeller Family, most extensively at John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s apartment at 740 Park Avenue from 1937 to 1939.

Jacques Seligmann and Company - Charles F Biele and Sons did business with the New York City office of this famed art dealer.

Smithsonian, Washington DC

St. Regis Hotel, New York City - Charles F. Biele and Sons executed an Anna Tiffany design for a new bar in the King Cole Room

Arthur Wendell - Charles F. Biele and Sons made at least two display cases for Arthur R. Wendell.  The first in 1911 and the second in 1915.

Torre di San Biele (Tower of Saint Biele)

Recently there was a postcard for sale on Ebay with the description "Viterbo -Torre di San Biele-1916". The seller was from Italy, but there was not any other information about the origin of the postcard or what it showed.

Picture of the Postcard from Ebay

There were Biele families from Italy though it is not clear that the tower was really named after a Biele 

A quick web search yielded the following description:

Built by Raniero Gatti in 1270, is one of the most beautiful towers in the territory of the city of Viterbo.

http://viterbo.artecitta.it/scheda.php?idOpera=82&Audio=


A more detailed description of the tower is as follows:

TOWER OF SAN BIELE

Traduzione di Marissa Navarro, studentessa dell’Università di Boise State, Idaho.Studentessa del Programma USAC presso l’Università degli Studi della Tuscia.

HISTORY and DESCRIPTION

The tower of San Biele, built in 1270 by Raniero Gatti, is one of the most beautiful towers in Viterbo. Over the outer arch, surrounded by two coat of arms of the Gatti family, there is an inscription explaining that it was built without imposing new taxes on the city.  “In nomine D(omi)ni n(ost)ri Iesu Christi anno/ eiusd(em) MCCLXX ap(osto)lica sed(e) va/ cante XIII ind(ictione): ad honorem et reve/ re(n)tiam S(ancte) Rom(ane) Ecc(lesi)a ma(t)ris n(ost)re d(omi)n (u)s /Rain(erius) Gatt(us) novell(us) capit(aneus)P(o)p(u)li et Co(mun)is /Vit(er)bii pacis amator et ius(ti) tie cultor/ ann(o) s(ecund)o sui regim(in)is ha(n)c turrim he/ dificari et co(m)mpleri fecit absq(ue) gra/ vamine et collecta civitatis p(re)dicte”.

It was originally called Tower of San Miele.  However, the church to the left of the tower was named for the holy warrior San Michele or “Saint Michael”, like many churches in Tuscia.  To avoid confusion, the tower’s name was eventually changed to San Biele. The tower, also sometimes referred to as Pietraia, is considered a masterpiece of the art of war.  It is topped by Guelph battlements, with a coat of arms on the front design.  On the bottom left corner, you can still see the coat of arms as you look at the tower from the city.  The tower is divided into two parts, intricately designed to protect the city from the inside out.  Two sunken, round-headed, arches and a façade with a pointed arch surround the tower.  The tower sits in the lower section of the arches.  The door inside the arches leads for a length, and then ends at the pointed arch. The other opening aimed to leave the tower defenseless if under siege.  It allowed citizens to attack from within the city, and also allowed for immediate armament by the City by means of pulleys, without having to use the interior stairs. In a peace agreement made in 1291, the Romans wished to demolish the tower and its fortress. Although the fortress was eventually destroyed, the tower still stands. Today, in place of the fortress, stands the little house of Ferruzi.   In 1493, Brother Giovanni of the Towers also founded an oratory near the tower.  Perhaps this tower was part of a new section of the city walls to be erected on that side, where it was most often attacked.  Under the arch you can see a slot for the gate and there until 1973, it was possible to see the remains of a fresco of the Madonna Enthroned with Saints.  On the right is a portrayal of a woman praying, possibly Alessandra Alessandri, wife of Raniero.  She offers the protection for the Virgin and her child.  On the other side of the Madonna is Saint Antonio and the Baptist with the date 1611.  What remains of the fresco is in the Civic Museum.

http://viterbo.artecitta.it/descrizione.php?PPHSESSID=gct5h74rr3clcv2mv37i89nlm5&idOpera=82#inglese

Viterbo is located in central Italy, 50 miles north of Rome

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