Sunday's Obituary - Does Alfred Kuehl Belong in my Tree?

The Luxembourg News,
Thurs 13OCT1949, pg1

You look for an obituary to try to see if someone fits into your family tree. You're looking for parental acknowledgement to help determine a connection and then you see that none was given in the obituary.

It's terribly frustrating to see "He was born in...on..." and then nothing significant following. One assumption is that the names of the parents wasn't known, but I'm doubtful that was the case here. Alfred married in his twenties so unless his parents died and he never mentioned them to his surviving wife, they should be known.

Another possibility is that there was a rift in the family and they were intentionally omitted. I hope no one finding this post thinks I'm making that assertion. I'm just throwing out possibilities. Maybe they just didn't think that listing parents long gone was significant. Not everyone writes an obituary to please a genealogist. If only...

Doing a quick search in the Wisconsin Birth Index I easily found him. Alfred W. Kuehl; Birth Date - Dec 1887; Birth place - Kewaunee, Wisconsin, USA; Reel 0098; Record 001987. I'm fairly certain that I pulled this record during one of my trips to see about a connection, but being enrolled in school full time and having a pile of documents to sort through for genealogy isn't helpful.

Another hit I got with the information provided in the obituary was from the Wisconsin, Births and Christenings database. You don't get to see an actual document. It's just an index, but it's still useful information.

Name: Alfred W H Kuehl
Birth Date: 1 Dec 1887
Birth Place: Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Race: White
Father's name: Fred Kuehl
Father' Birth Place: Kammrin, Mecklemburg (sic), Germany
Mother's name: Friederike Strahl
Mother's Birth Place: Tessin, Mecklemburg (sic), Germany
FHL Film Number: 1302886

Apparently the transcriber never heard of Mecklenburg, but those m's and n's can blur together when transcribing, so I'm not going to be too picky. I do have a Frederich Kuehl in my tree and he was from Mecklenburg, Germany. His wife's name in the census records was Wilhelmina not Friederike.

I have census records for my Frederich and Wilhelmina Kuehl and they were born around 1842. I easily found this Alfred in the 1900 census and his parents were born around 1857. That's a fairly big discrepancy. So as of right now I can't put Alfred into my family tree. I can't rule him out completely either. My Fred and Mina Kuehl may have been his uncle and aunt. I don't know. They are the beginning of that branch of my tree. To find out I'll have to work past them. I'll put Alfred away for now and see if he comes in to play in the future. At least in my research I was able to rule him out (for now), and I was able to add his obituary to his FindAGrave memorial for others to benefit from. Sharing is caring and I hope that this post at least helps another Kuehl to place Alfred.

"Illness Fatal To Alfred Kuehl, 61

Kewaunee - Alfred Kuehl, 61, died at his home here Saturday after a several months illness.

The funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon in the Duescher Funeral home with the Rev. Leonard A. Spooner officiating. Burial was in Riverview cemetery. Pallbearers were Tom Rank, Jule Neumann, William Trakel, Othmar H. Lietz, John Vanderbloemen and Edw. J. Stika.

He was born in Kewaunee Dec. 1, 1887 and lived in Kewaunee all his life. He was a plumber by trade and for a number of years was associated with Wencel Selner as Kuehl & Selner. Later he entered business alone, and after working at the shipyard during the war entered the employ of Jerry Libal, Luxemburg plumber.

He was a former chief of the Kewaunee fire department, and served with the department for many years.

Surviving are his wife, the former Emma F. Landt whom he married in Kewaunee Feb. 20, 1912; three daughters, Mrs. Alfred (Alyce) Kasal, Kewaunee; Miss Hazel, Manitowoc; Mrs Robert (Marion) Goen, Long Beach, Calif.; two sons, Earl and Eben. Kewaunee; and three grandchildren. Other survivors include two brothers, William of Marshfield, Otto of Aledo, Ill., and one sister, Mrs. Hattie Zimmer of Manitowoc."

Amanuensis Monday - Philippe Cayenbergh's Land Patent

OK, I know that my husband's ancestor having a land grant is nothing extraordinary, but the thought that an ancestor was the first person to purchase the land from the U.S. government is pretty neat.

Our surname Cayemberg has gone through multiple changes over the years, Cayenbergh, being one, but not the oldest.

"Homestead Certificate No 137
Application 275

The United States of America, To all to whom these presents shall com, Greeting:

Whereas, there has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Menasha, Wisconsin, whereby it appears that pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May, 1862, 'To secure Homesteads to actual Settlers on the public domain,' and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Philippe Cayenbergh has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law for the North West quarter of the North West quarter of Section three in Township twenty five, of Range twenty four in the District of Lands subject to sale at Menasha, Wisconsin, containing forty acres and eighty six hundredths of an acre, according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General.

Now know ye, That there is therefore granted by the United States unto the said Philippe Cayenbergh the tract of Land above described: To Have and to Hold the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Philippe Cayenbergh and to his heirs and assigns forever.

In testimony whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, have caused these latters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to the hereunto affixed.

Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the first day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy one, and of the independence of the United States the ninety fifth

By the President:  U.S. Grant
By J. Parrish, Sec'y
J.(W). Wanger, Recorder of the General Land Office"

The J.W. Wanger was taken from a transcription of another Land Patent on WorldCat.  I still see J. N. not J.W. but it could be.  (Thanks, Sean Kelley for the help!)

Wednesday's Child - Goldrine DeGrave

It's always sad when a young person dies.  I don't know the relationship between Goldrine and the driver of the car, Orville Hermans, but I suspect that it was a close one.  He spent Christmas at her house and they were on the way to his house to spend the day after Christmas when the accident happened.  To lose a loved one and during the holidays.

I don't believe there are any DeGraves in my family tree's direct line, but we've got plenty of Hermans to go around.  Perhaps the article was clipped because it had to do with Orville and a dear friend (or girlfriend).

There was no date on the article apart from a handwritten "1949" at the bottom. Christmas in 1949 was on Sunday and the accident occurred on a Sunday.  Perhaps "Christmas night" actually meant Christmas Eve.

Either way, today we remember Goldrine DeGrave.  A beautiful young woman that was taken away from her loved ones at far too young and age.

"Goldrine DeGrave, above, 16-year-old Fairland girl, was killed in an automobile accident near Luxemburg Sunday morning.  She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William DeGrave.

Tire Blowout Fatal

A tire blowout at 6 o'clock Sunday morning apparently caused the death of Goldrine DeGrave, 16-year-old Fairland girl.  The driver of the car, Orville Hermans, 17, of Tonet, is in a serious condition in St. Vincent hospital in Green Bay.

Skid marks showed how the car left the road and crashed into a machine shed on County Trunk A about 2 1/2 miles north of Luxemburg in Kewaunee county.  Fred Cravillion is owner of the shed.

There were no witnesses to the accident.  The Cravillions were just getting out of bed and heard the crash, as did Mr. and Mrs. Henry Frisque across the road.  Mrs. Cravillion said that the girl was still conscious when she got there a few minutes later, but died by the time a doctor arrived.

The Hermans youth had spent Christmas night at the DeGrave home.  He and the girl left early so that he could take the girl to his own home in Tonet, where she planned to spend Sunday, before reporting for work at the Badger creamery in Luxemburg.

The body was taken to the McMahon Funeral home in Luxemburg, and was removed to the DeGrave residence today.  The rosary will be recited at 8 o'clock tonight and Tuesday night.  Funeral services will be held at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning in St. Louis Catholic church, Dyckesville, with the Rev. Ludolph Jacobs officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Goldrine DeGrave was born in the town of Red River, Kewaunee county, June 13, 1932.  Besides her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William DeGrave, she is survived by four brothers, Myron, Marvin, Melvin, and Milton, all at home; her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank DeGrave, town of Red River, and maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli DuBoise, Fairland."

Sunday's Obituary - J. B. Hermans

A few weeks ago I posted about a diamond anniversary for Mr and Mrs George Hermans, and that I would soon be working him into my family tree.  While visiting Wisconsin, I stopped by the Wisconsin Historical Society and pulled the obituary for George's father Jean Baptiste (yeah, that whole "Joseph" isn't quite right in the obit).  Trying to add to my research and maybe even discover some new information.

The New Era, 09NOV1892, pg 1 (Kewaunee County, WI)

Unfortunately as J.B. Hermans died in 1892 and newspapers were particularly lacking in many aspects to genealogist as far as obituaries went (unless your ancestor was famous...or infamous).  I'm glad to have them though, even with information being scant.  I now know the cemetery that he was buried in and as long as the rain keeps away, I plan to visit it on Monday.  Hopefully, I'll find him while I'm there!

The second obituary does make me laugh a bit.  Stating that J.B. was "about 45 years old" and leaves "about eight children".  I was beginning to wonder how they came by there information and what exactly they were sure of!

"Mr. Joseph B. Hermans, one of the most prominent farmers in Red River died last Sunday from a stroke of apoplexy.  He was well up to a few moments of his death, and died almost without warning.  He was 47 years old, and a highly respected man.  He was buried on Tuesday from the Catholic church at Walhain, Rev. Fr. Van Huyster officiating.  He was a native of Belgium, and leaves a wife and a large family of children."

Kewaunee Enterprise, 04NOV1892, pg 8

"-Died, of apoplexy, on Oct. 30, 1892, Mr. J. B. Hermans, of Tonet, town of Luxemburg:  His remains were interred in the Catholic church cemetery at Martinsville on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd, Re. Father Van Huyter officiating.  Deceased was about 45 years old and leaves a wife and about eight children, besides his aged mother, a brother and two sisters, to mourn his loss."

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."

Wedding Wednesday - A Diamond Anniversary

I decided to look for a clipping for a wedding in one of the scrapbooks I have and came across this clipping for a 60th anniversary. It's not often that you see a Diamond Wedding Anniversary!

The surname Hermans is in my husband's family tree (on his father's side), but I don't have George Hermans in my tree.  It doesn't really mean that he's unknown to our family, I just don't put anything in my tree unless I can get sources first.  It's evident (at least to me) that this must be a relative of some sort since the majority of the clipping in these scrapbooks are family, so let's see what I can find.

The clipping says that they were married in Dykesville which is an "unincorporated" place in Brown and Kewaunee counties, in other words, it's on the border.  The newspaper was from 1966 so 60 years earlier would be 1906 and the Wisconsin Historical Society (gosh, I love that place!) has a searchable index of pre-1907 births, marriages, and deaths.  Perfect!

There were actually TWO George Hermans that were married in 1966.  One in June in Manitowoc county (nope) and one on October 17th in Kewaunee county (bingo!). So I click on the "details" link to see the record for the George in Kewaunee county and get the information I need to track down this record on my summer visit to the WHS (and duly noted the information in my research calendar so I don't forget!).

Now there's this cool feature when you're on the information page for a marriage record on the WHS' website.  You can click on a link that says, "Search for possible spouse matches."  It's not always correct (even if you only find one match...heck sometimes there is no match which I find funny, but is undoubtedly some kind of flaw in the grand-design.  A fly in the ointment), but it can give you a good lead.  There was only one match for George and that was an Adele Welis.  So was Adele my George's wife?

Well, looking in the 1910 US Federal Census, I see that there are 3 George Hermans that come up on an "exact match" search on Ancestry.com.  Only one of them is in Wisconsin and he lives in.....Kewaunee county with his wife, Ida.  Same woman?  Probably.  The name is similar, but I want to check some other censuses and records to be sure.  Plus the record on the WHS website could be wrong.

An extra jewel in the 1910 census tells me that George's 64 year old mother is a widow living with them.  Her name is Antonetin (-ish).  That should make is easier to find George before he got married too.  It does appear the this Adele belongs to this George since I found them both in the 1930 census. Yay!

Now I didn't find George with any Antonetin/Antoinette/Anton-anything born around 1885 (a guess-timate from the 1910 and 1930 censuses), but I did find a George Hermans in the 1905 Wisconsin state census with his mother, Antoniette [sic]!  She was still widowed so no dad for this census and no luck in the 1900 US census looking for George.

So since there is no 1890 census for Kewaunee, Wisconsin and George was born after the 1880 census, let's take a look at who I have for Antoinette's (born abt 1849) children in the 1905 census with estimated birth years:  Jule (1877), Anton (1879), and George (1886).  Let's see what I can see in the 1880 census.

In the 1880 US Federal Census there is a J. Baptiste and Antoinette "Ermans" living in the Charles "Ermans" household with their children, two of which are Julius and Anton!  Now I don't speak Belgian, but I do know that many of the documents from Belgium were in French, Charles and his wife Josephine, were born in Belgium and if one of them gave the information to the census takers....well, let's just say that I can do a pretty good absurd Monty-Python-outrageous-taunting-of-the-French accent, and can see Hermans being "Ermans" when pronounced (plus someone else corrected the surname in the Ancestry database, but that doesn't always mean they are correct).

Now, Charles and Josephine Hermans nee Landeck are in my family tree.  They are my hubby's 3rd great grandparents.  So, for now, my deduction after this short-lived-online research and half a glass of wine is that the happy couple celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary is Charles and Josephine Hermans' grandson.  Not proven yet, but just you wait until I get to WHS in June and see if I can find some newspaper articles, birth, marriage, and death records on them!  I've already found possible death record matches in the WHS database for Charles, Josephine and J. Baptiste in Kewaunee.  We'll see if I turn up real gold or fool's gold!

"Wed 60 Years - Mr. and Mrs. George Hermans, Luxemburg, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary recently.  They were married in Dyckesville and have three children, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren."

[From the Green Bay Press-Gazette, hand-dated Oct 16, 1966]


UPDATE:  ...Yep...already.  As it turns out, I don't need to pull these documents at WHS because I already did.  They were in my file for research that still needed to find a home.  My deductions were right and George, John Baptiste, and Antoinette will be finding their way into my family tree soon.  As for Adele's maiden name.  It was wrong in the spouse search on WHS.  It's Nelis, not Welis.  Close, but no cigar for the transcriber!

Wedding Wednesday - Victor and Mary Laurent

Like I said on Sunday, I knew I had a picture/clipping of their anniversary somewhere!

"Married 50 Years - Mr. and Mrs. Victor Laurent [sic] of Tonet, Kewaunee County, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary today.  They were married in St. Martin's Catholic Church at Tonet, and have spent their entire married life in the community on the Laurent [sic] homestead farm.  They have three children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. (Photo by Edward Christensen)"

Unfortunately the clipping doesn't have a date on it, but I know that Victor and Mary Laurent nee Dart were married in 1906.  So it should be from 1956 and look so happy after 50 years together!

Victor and Mary's Wedding

Victor and Mary's 50th anniversary

Funeral Card Friday - A Touching Story of Love and Dedication

Patrick and Laura Cayemberg Sr. nee Laurent were my husband's paternal grandparents.  I'm posting them together because they died within days of each other.  I always found the story so touching and incredible.  One of those stories that I just had to verify the information again with my husband before posting this. 

The last part of Laura's life was spent in a nursing home due to Alzheimer's disease. Patrick had always said that it was his goal to live only one day longer than Laura so he could take care of her.  She died on January 18, 1997.

When Patrick Sr. went up to view Laura for the last time he said, "OK.  I'm done."  Did he mean that he was done with the viewing, or that his job was done?  We don't know for sure, but those were some of the last words he spoke.  Shortly after that, he collapsed.  He was brought to a chair to rest and soon after, to the hospital where he died.  Patrick fulfilled his promise.  All the preparations for Laura were complete and he could be with his wife again.  Patrick died on January 21, 1997.

A touching story to be sure, but it must have been incredibly hard on the family to lose them both so close together.

Laura Mary Laurent

Born - 4 August 1907 in Luxemburg, Kewaunee, WI

Died - 19 January 1997 in Green Bay, Brown, WI

Married
15 November 1928
Luxemburg, Kewaunee, WI

Patrick Henry Cayemberg Sr.

Born 15 September 1909 in Brussels Township, Door, WI

Died - 21 January 1997 in Green Bay, Brown, WI

Buried at Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum, Green Bay, Brown, WI