Charles F. Traudt as a young man, ca. 1880s.  Photo from collection of Brian Kunde.	Charles F. Traudt, 1920 portrait.  Photo from collection of Brian Kunde

Charles Traudt was attending school and living in his parents' home at 425 Springfield Avenue, Newark, in 1880; he continued to reside there through 1889. From 1890 to at least 1891 he lived at 456 Springfield. By 1893 and to at least 1895 he lived at 31 13th Avenue. He worked as a clerk from 1885-1895. He is said at one time to have worked for a brokerage firm in New York City.

Charles married (first), about 1895, Hattie — Lucas. She was born August –, 1868 (or possibly October 31, 1868) in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York, the daughter of Charles F— Lucas and Louisa — (Quinstedt) Lucas. Her parents were both born in Germany.

Children:

1. — Traudt (son), born and died November –, 1898 in —. Interred November 22, 1898 in Woodland Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey.
2. Hattie Juliette Traudt, born May 12, 1902 in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1900 Charles and Hattie resided in a rented house at 19 North Seventh Street, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Living with them were Charles' sister Tillie and brother Oscar. The family of a certain Henry E. Bevensee, a native of Germany, lived in the same home, probably in a partitioned off section. Charles' occupation was given as salesman, electrical goods, Tillie's as salesman, gloves, and Oscar's as bookkeeper, chemicals.

Charles’ wife Hattie died May 14, 1902, aged 33 years, six months and 14 days in Boston, Massachusetts, the second day after the birth of their daughter. The primary cause was listed at albuminuria, from which she had suffered for 2 months, and the immediate cause as 18 hours of purpural eclampsia. Her place of residence and death was given as 25 Romsey Street, Troy, New York, likely in error for her birthplace.

By 1905 Charles had moved to East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. He lived in a house at 87 North 15th in that year, and his occupation was given as salesman. He later returned to Newark.

Charles married (second), in 1909 or 1910, Lillian M— —. She was born — –, 1870 in —, Vermont, the daughter of — —, a native of Delaware, and — (—) —, also from Vermont.

In 1910 Charles, Lillian and Hattie were living in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.

In 1914 Charles lived in a house at 434 Belmont Avenue, Newark, and his occupation was given as secretary for the Backus Water Motor Co., 174 Pennsylvania Avenue.

By 1916 he had removed again to East Orange, but was still employed by the Backus Company in Newark.

In 1920 he was living in a house at 2 Hawthorne Place in East Orange, where he continued to reside until at least 1932. His occupation was given as clerk in 1920. In 1922 and 1924 it was given as secretary in Newark, in the latter year for the Backus Water Motor Co. His daughter Hattie was living with him in 1924. She worked as a stenographer at the time.

From at least 1930 through 1932 Charles' widowed stepmother Lena Traudt was living with him and his wife. In 1930 Charles' occupation was given as salesman in a machine shop, and in 1932 as given as accountant, Newark.

In 1940 Charles resided at 18 Harvard Avenue, in Maplewood, Essex County, New Jersey. He continued to live there through at least 1947, when his brother Oscar died.

Lillian Traudt’s will was dated May 8, 1934. She died before 1948. She seems to have been buried in Woodland Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey, where she and her husband had two plots, though not the Traudt family section, which was full or close to it.

In 1948 Charles and his sister Anna were the last of their siblings still living. According to Anna, writing on June 29 of that year, Charles was then ill and not expected to survive long. "[H]e fell in East Orange they took him in hospital several days. Now home but only in his room or in bed. I had a letter from Sadie she and Lon went to see him is pitifull so thin and sad. Can't swallow even water his heart his good but he will either suffacate or starve."

Charles died on the morning of Friday, July 9, 1948 in a nursing home in —, New Jersey, on his eighty-third birthday. He was probably buried alongside his second wife, as was their intention.