Valentine Edelman entered the world in November 1830. His older brother Charles was born in 1827.The two Edelman brothers, Valentine and Charles, immigrated from Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. They came to Baltimore, MD. Valentine became a naturalized citizen in 1856. He took Louisa George, from Hanover Germany to be his wife and they started their family in the growing city. They had two sons, John Henry Edelmann, b. February 03, 1857 and another son whom he named after his brother, Charles Edelmann b. 1861.

Pratt Street Wharves of Baltimore 1850- 1854

The elder Charles married Christina from Hanover and had Caroline (b.1864) and Anna (b.1869). They lived on Columbia Street, Baltimore, MD until they moved in with Valentine in South Baltimore on 86 Johnson Street (c. 1880).

Both men became Box Makers. Valentine started a Box Factory on the southeast corner of Water and Grant Streets (list in the 1873 Wood's City Directory). A year later the business is called Edelman and Bro. and located at 3 Mercer Street. The 1874 City directory lists Valentine and Charles Edelman as the owners of the business.

The turn of the century was a time of progress and good fortune for the Edelman's until disaster struck the city in 1904. On February 7, a wholesale dry goods house in the heart of Baltimore's business district caught fire, igniting the Great Baltimore Fire. One hundred fifty acres, including all of the original town laid out in 1730, were destroyed along with 2,500 business establishments. It burned for almost two days. Miraculously, no lives were lost, but total damages reached $150 million. The Great Baltimore Fire affected 455 Baltimore Equitable  insurance policyholders.

John Henry Edelmann followed his father and uncle into the Box Making trade. He married Maggie Miller (b.1859). They moved down the street from her parents, Ludwig and Catherina on Riverside Avenue. They had William Henry,  Annie, Charles, Anne Catherine, Anne Julia, Emma,Carrie, Louisa, and Evelyn.

John made the wooden box that Houdini used in his under-water packing crate escapes. He said that Houdini must be Satan to get out of his box.

• Charles H. Edelmann, John's brother, was born August 1861. He  married Maggie Hagert, born  November 1870. He was a boxmaker too.

Their children were:

Howard C. Edelmann Son   March 1887

           Annie Edelmann Dau November 1891

            Myrtle Edelmann Dau  May 1895

• Charles' son Howard married Lucille Schlesinger, born 1887. Their children were:

Ada E. Edelmann Dau B 1909

Carl Edelmann Son B 1911

Rose Edelmann Dau B 1915

Howard C. Edelmann Jr.  Son B June 1918

Edelman  |  Miller  |   Thomas  |   Thompson