Wilhelm Straub and Margaret Gehr-Straub: Owners of the Adin Hotel

by David Q Santos and N.J. Santos

Wilhelm and Margaret are the grandparents of my Dad’s dad Cecil Oral Santos.

Wilhelm Straub (1840-1870) was born October 21, 1840, in the Black Forest of Germany. He was born to Konrad Straub and Maria Rosa Marx. He was baptized Oct 22, 1840 in Saint Silvester Church.

Margaret Gehr (1849-1925) was born May 24, 1849 in Baden, Baden Germany to Katharina and Melchior Milton Gehr. Katharina died in Napa California 1889. We currently do not know when she came to the United States.

The 1880 census records that Wilhelm was a Shasta County farmer. Wilhelm and Margaret had six children. The census indicates the six children were Albert, Margaret, William H., Charlie L., Katharina, and George A. The 1900 census shows those six children plus Joseph B. and an occupation change. That census shows Wilhelm and Margaret being owners of a hotel in Adin. Daughters Gussy and Gertrude were both added to this census. Wilhelm died of a heart attack at the hotel in 1903 at the age of 62. After Wilhelm’s death Margaret sold the Adin hotel and moved to Fall River Mills CA apparently to live with her children. She died May 18, 1925 at the age of 75.

(Margaret Straub, date unknown)

(This is 1948 Adin CA in Lassen County. The Hotel on the right was owned by Wilhelm Straub (1840-1903) and Margaret Gerh 1849-1925), my great, great grandparents and parents to Gussie Straub, wife of Frank Francis Santos)

(headstone of Wilhelm Straub in the Adin cemetery)

(headstone of Margaret Straus in Fall River Cemetery)

(Margaret in Adin hotel, year unknown)

(Margaret holding Gertrude, August 1890)

Obituary: Fall River Tidings. “Straub, Beloved Resident.” Fall River: 1925.

(1970 US Census)

(1880 US Census)

(1890 Census Record)

(1900 US Census)