Maximilian Flues from Fort Washington, Penn.

Look at that sweet face! And look at that incredible cursive hand-writing. Someone wanted to make sure we never forget little Maximilian!

Such valuable information, too! We have his birth date and place. And we also know that the photo was taken in Philadelphia. Little Max was not difficult to find in the records. I just wish I didn’t find what I found next...

Little Maximilian died on November 29, 1884, at the age of 7...

He was the youngest child of Eberhard Flues. Max’ living siblings Natalia, Eberhard Jr. and Laura were all at least 10 years older than Max, all born by Eberhard’s first wife Nathalie née Ellinger. After her death in 1869, Eberhard remarried Ottilie Heidemann. Before little Max was born, the couple had buried their first baby in 1875. It must have been such a shock for the family, especially for mum Ottilie, to lose the youngest of the family in 1884.

Eberhard Flues had immigrated to the United States in 1853 with Max’ uncle Bernhard Flues from Hagen in Westphalia, Germany. In 1865 I find Eberhard in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, dealing with silk goods. In 1863, I find him on the draft list of the Union Army in Brooklyn, New York. He was 39 at the time. He was already a father of two.

By 1870, Eberhard was dealing with woolen goods and lived in Whitemarsh with his children and second wife Ottilie. By 1880, father Eberhard had retired. From the looks of the photo of little Max, the family was doing pretty well.

Father Eberhard passed away in 1897 and was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, next to little Max. I found this obituary attached to Eberhard Flues' FindaGrave page:

Perhaps Max’ siblings’ descendants are out there and might love to cherish this photo of him. I will add his photo to FindaGrave and FamilySearch.