Sunday's Obituary - Apparently I Need to Work on my Hermans...

In my last post I tried to track down the parents and grandparents for a George Hermans.  Someone obviously a relative since the clipping for his Diamond Anniversary was in a family scrapbook, but I didn't have him in my tree.  Today I look for an obituary and come across one for "Desire Hermans".  I decided to go with it since I'd just done a post on another Hermans and then realized that I don't have Desire in my tree either.

Green Bay Press Gazette

Now, I've mentioned before that I've been editing my tree.  If I don't personally have information on someone in my tree, then I don't put them in.  Of course, not finding George and now, Desire, in my tree isn't a problem.  It just means that since I'm posting about them, then it's the perfect time to do some research and see where/if they belong.  Even though I'm fairly certain that I found out where George belongs, I've still go to do more than a little late-night census work on Ancestry.com.  I've got George and  his parents (and grandparents) on my research calendar and I'll be heading out to do more research very soon at the Wisconsin Historical Society.  Now I'll be adding Desire to my research calendar and see what I can do to fill out this branch of the family tree.  While Desire and George aren't direct line ancestors, it's still important to me to place them if they belong in my tree.

While I dislike the fact that the obituary doesn't mention his daughters first names (yes, I know it was 1956 and all, but I don't have to like it!), it is very convenient that I have an obit for a man that died in 1956.  His marriage record should be waiting for me at the WHS, and he'll be in the US censuses.  I can get some information there and see if he fits anywhere.

The obituary is mighty helpful just by mentioning his brother, George.  Is it the same George that I posted about previously?  Well, after a quick search of the census records, it looks like it might be.  Only time (about a month) will tell.

Something else interesting about the obituary is that his wife's name was Mary Laurent.  Another family surname and I have a Mary Laurent in our tree that was born around 1877.  This happens to be the same age as his Mary Laurent would have been according to census records.  While I didn't have a marriage record in my Hermans file, I did have one in my Laurent file waiting to be entered into my database.  Desire Hermans, son of John B. Hermans and Antoinette Dart, married Mary Laurent, daughter of Phillip and Mary Therese (funny how the record didn't put their surnames, but that's OK because I already had Phillip and Mary Therese Laurent nee Francart in my tree!) on September 13, 1897.  So that part of the family tree crossed branches.

"Hermans Rites Set for Monday
[Hand-dated, Nov 23, 1956]


Special to Press-Gazette

LUXEMBURG, Wis. - Desire Hermans, 85, of Luxemburg, died at 11 a.m. Friday in a Green Bay hospital after in illness of six months.  He had lived in Luxemburg for 20 years.  His wife, the former Mary Laurent, died 33 years ago.

Survivors include four sons, Frank, Henry and Joseph, all of Luxemburg, Rt. 4, and William, Luxemburg; three daughters, Mrs. William Vandervest, Green Bay; Mrs. Harvey Luedtke, Luxemburg, Rt. 2; and Mrs. Arthur Adams, Luxemburg; a brother George Hermans, Luxemburg; 25 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

The body is at the McMahon Funeral Home, Luxemburg, where friends may call after 7 o'clock tonight.  The Rosary will be recited at 8 o'clock tonight and Sunday.  Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday in St. Martin Church, Tonet, with burial in the church cemetery."

"Funeral Held Today For Desire Hermans

LUXEMBURG, Wis. - Funeral services were held this morning at St. Martin Church, Tonet, for Desire Hermans, 85, Luxemburg, who died Friday morning at a Green Bay hospital.  Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mr. Hermans, a Luxemburg resident for the past 20 years, was survived by four sons, three daughters, a brother, 25 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.  His wife, the former, Mary Laurent, preceded him in death 33 years ago.

The McMahon Funeral Home, Luxemburg, was in charge of funeral arrangements."