Sunday's Obituary - Joseph Melzer

The Fond du Lac Daily Reporter, 15APR1926, pg11

"Death Summons Aged Resident of St. Kilian

Joseph Melzie (sic), 84, Washington County Pioneer, Dies This Morning.

Was Native of Austria

Joseph Melzie (sic), 84, died at his home a mile east of St. Kilian at 6 a.m. today of the infirmities of old age. He had been confined to his bed for a week.

The deceased was born July, 30, 1841, in Austria. In 1867 he came to America with his parents and settled on a farm in the Town of Wayne, Washington county, where he has since resided. On Nov. 22, 1867 he married to Miss Katherine Wondra who survives him.

Besides his widow, Mr. Melzei (sic) leaves four daughters, Mrs. Margaret Wahlen and Mrs. Barbara Kohler of St. Kilian, and Mrs. Katherine BeBoe (sic) and Mrs. Julia Schmidt of Milwaukee, on son, Frank Melzel (sic) at home, and 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. from the St. Kilian Catholic church with burial in the adjoining cemetery. The Rev. J.B. Reichel wil (sic)conduct the services."

The Fond du Lac Daily Reporter, 17APR1926, pg12

"MELZIE (sic) - Funeral services for Joseph Melzie (sic), aged resident of St. Kilian, were conducted at 10 a.m. today from the St. Kilian Catholic church. The Rev. J.B. Reichel officiated and burial took place in the adjoining cemetery."

So Joseph's surname is spelled wrong...throughout the entire obituary. At least they were consistent! They even continued to get it wrong in the burial notice. If I hadn't known his location and date of death and had been trolling the newspaper I wouldn't have realized that this was someone to look more closely at.

Something I noticed when I compared Joseph's obituary to his wife, Katherine's,...in her obituary it states that Joseph and Katherine were married in Austria before coming to the U.S., but in his it implies that the marriage took place in America. It's only an inference, but as you can see in the obituary above that it mentions marrying her in 1867 and then talks about coming to the U.S. in late November of that year. It could be that they arrived after a marriage in late November, but it gives me enough reason to see if the church has a record of them marrying here. Finding a passenger list would be helpful too, but so far no luck.

Another nice thing about Joseph's obituary that was not so nice about Katherine's....her maiden name is actually listed her, but was omitted from hers. Now I know her maiden name was Wondra and that's a name that I've heard mentioned once or twice by my mother-in-law. I don't know if it will be a lead that will help me figure out where/if these Melzers link into my tree, but it's something else to go on!

Funeral Card Friday - Elizabeth Melzer

Ah, Melzer!  A German family name on my mother-in-law's side.  Katherine Melzer is the Melzer I am familiar with.  She married William Boegel Sr on 13OCT1874, but this isn't Katherine so who is she? Katherine is the only Melzer in my tree.  She is the root Melzer, or as many would say, the brick wall.  I have no one farther back in her line.  Her funeral card was in a large box filled with family funeral cards, so she's someone.  Let's get to work.

Elizabeth Melzer, born 17APR1903...died 06FEB1962.  Not old at all by today's standards.  Beyond that, the funeral card tells me little apart from that and the fact that she was Catholic (note the "indulgences" at the bottom of the card.  Does any other faith do that?).

I did a search on Ancestry.com for "Elizabeth Melzer" born in 1903 +/- 2 years and got a hit in the 1930 census.  If this is my Elizabeth (and I believe it is) she was married to Joseph Melzer.  At the time of the census they had only been married for 2 years and had no children, but had Frank's parents, Frank and Mary, living with them.  This still doesn't tell me everything I need to know about Elizabeth, but it's a start.  We know that she was married and that Melzer was not her birth name.  Another hint in this census that leads me to believe that this is the right Elizabeth?....they live right next door to John and Dora Kuehl...my mother-in-law's grandfather.

1930 US Federal Census

That's certainly not proof, but we do know that our ancestors tended to live near one another.  They frequently stayed in family and ethnic groups.  Of course, my parents generation through to the current one pretty much threw that out the window.  Good for them...harder for future genealogists!

Looking through the rest of the search results there was one other Elizabeth Melzer that could have fit into this puzzle, but she was in Cook county, IL.  It's possible, but not as likely so I ruled that one out.  As I continued scanning through the results I came across another funeral card...the same funeral card I have.  The Elizabeth in this family tree was also listed as married to Joseph Melzer.  So while online family trees can be filled with holes big enough to drive a bus through, they can at least help to point us in the right direction and according to this, Elizabeth's maiden name was Batzler.  Another surname familiar to me, but not directly in our line.  There could be something to this!

I will be pulling Elizabeth's obituary when I go home to Wisconsin, but until then I continued...the 1940 census had Elizabeth and Joseph with a son, Robert, and Joseph's mom still living with them as a widow (rest in peace Frank Melzer).  The Kuehls are still living nearby too.  Good news.  Then I look one page ahead for "Batzler"...nothing.  Then one page behind...bingo!  Page 18 of the census for Wayne, Washington, Wisconsin was Joseph and Marcella Batzler.  Her parents?  Nope.  This Joseph is only 35.  Her brother?  Don't know.  According to the family tree I found, it's possible that this could be her brother.  Her father's name was allegedly Joseph so this could be his namesake...or not.  Again, I'll be looking for that obit when I get home.

So who is Elizabeth Melzer?  Not a Melzer by birth, so if I want to see if there is a connection to the Melzers in my husband's tree I need to know exactly who is Joseph Melzer?

Searching for "Joseph Melzer" born around 1903 +/- 2 years (taken from his age in the census) with a father named "Frank" gave me three hits.  The 1930 census that I had already found, a 1920 census for a Joseph Melger/Melzer born in 1910 (nope...probably not), and a hit for the Wisconsin state census for 1905.  Bingo!

Frank and Mary Melzer and their son, Joseph, were in Wayne, Washington, Wisconsin for the 1905 census, and living with Frank is none other than his parents, Joseph and Mary Melzer!  Again, looking good for the home team, but still lots to do, because I don't have a Joseph and Mary Melzer in my tree! Just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

So I didn't get hits for Frank Melzer in the 1910 and 1920 census so I took out his first name and just searched based on his last name and estimated date of birth...and I got the 1910 census.  Yay!  Frank (here listed as Franz) and Mary now have Joseph and Sophia as children.  Frank's parents are still living with him as Joseph and KATHERINE!?!?!  Don't you love it when that happens!  She went from Mary in the Wisconsin 1905 census to Katherine in the 1910 US census.  Not to fear, because it really depends on who is giving the information and it is more than possible that her name was Mary Katherine (a fine Catholic name).  It's not proof, but I've seen names change soooooo many times that I'm not concerned....yet.

Then we get to the 1920 census and Joseph Melzer has turned into Herman J. Melzer.  My Joseph? Probably.  Age is spot on and everyone else in the household checks out from his parents, to his sister to Joseph and Katherine.  Not deterred, but BOY does it explain why people are hard to find in the census records!  Sheesh!

So it looks like Joseph's (aka Herman J., aka the future husband of Elizabeth where this all started) father Franz/Frank was born sometime around 1871.  Since Joey wasn't born in 1900 and that's our next census, we'll have to search for someone else...Franz!  Of course knowing the variations of his name I did a search for Melzer born in 1871 +/- 2 years and found my man (still in Wayne, Washington, Wisconsin)!  Joseph and Katherine (yes she's still Katherine here) have 3 children living with them.  Their children are Franz, Katie, and Julia.  Still no gold as my Katie/Katherine married William Boegel in 1874 and this Katherine was born around 1877.  Still, I'm encouraged that my mother-in-law's great grandparents, George and Margaret Rosbeck, are on this page.  Keep those relatives close!

Now Joseph Melzer (husband to Katie) was born around 1841 in Austria, Bohemia according to the census and came to America in 1867.  Can this bit of information help me?  Perhaps, but nothing firm jumped out at me.  A lot of possibilities but nothing that screams, "This is him!"

Back to the 1880 census..they're in there, and with additional children (Margaretha, Barbara, Franz and Katharina), but nothing helpful.  There was a hit for Joseph Melzer, b. 1841 on FindAGrave and he was married to a Katherine (nee Wondra) but that doesn't help too terribly much to go back.  He died on 15APR1926.  I suppose I'll be pulling that obit too.  Maybe a nugget of gold mentioning his parents or siblings.  Maybe.

So it's time to put this Melzer journey to rest.  Sadly, without a connection made, but some backward progress. I need to review my unfiled research on the Melzer family, because something tells me I have something that I'm missing here.  Some have made connections that Joseph (the one born in 1841) and my Katherine (born 1846) had the same parents...one Wenzel and Ursula Melzer nee Christoph...but I haven't found those connections yet and with Wenzel Melzer passing in 1884 there is little chance to find a good obituary (genealogically-speaking, that is).

So it's time to take a breather and then return later with a clear head.

Amanuensis Monday - George Rosbeck Obituary

George Rosbeck

George Rosbeck is my husband's Great-Great Grandfather.  This obituary was sent to me by a distant cousin of my husband's, Dennis Wondra.  It's great when you find family members that want to collaborate, and sharing copies of the originals is extra awesome!

Thanks, Dennis!

Kewaskum Statesman, 17SEP1927

"GEORGE ROSBECK

After an illness of five weeks with dropsy, George Rosbeck, an esteemed and well known citizen of St. Kilian, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Boegel at St. Kilian on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 1927.  Deceased had attained the age of 75 years, 5 months and 9 days.  He was born in Germany on April 3, 1852.  When still a young man he came to America with his parents and settled in the town of Wayne.  he was married to Margaret Thelen 50 years ago at St. Martin's church in Ashford.  He is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Wenzel Janous, Mrs. Joseph Wondra, and Mrs. John Petersick, Besides he leaves, his wife and the following children:  Frances (Mrs. Peter Steichen) of Milwaukee; Bertha (Mrs. John Boegel) of St. Kilian; Anna (Mrs. Wm. Pesch) of New Fane; John of Minnesota; Herman of Knowles; Martin, Adolf and Alfred of Milwaukee.  The funeral was held Friday at 10:00 a.m. with services in the St. Kilian Catholic church.  Rev. John B. Reichel officiated.  Burial was made in the adjoining cemetery."

George Rosbeck, St. Kilian Cemetery, WI

Sunday's Obituary - Mrs. Nick Uelman

Unknown Wisconsin newspaper clipping

"Mrs. Nick Uelman [hand-dated Nov. 30, 1961]

Funeral services for Mrs. Nick Uelman, 76, West Bend, who died today at St. Joseph's hospital there, will be Monday at 9 a.m. at Millers Funeral home, Kewaskum, and at 9:30 a.m. at St. Michael's church at St. Michael.  The Rev. Matthew Urban will officiate.

Mrs. Uelman had been in ill health for six months.  She was born April 20, 1885, near St. Killian and lived there until 1921.  Between 1921 and 1958 she resided in the St. Michael area.  She moved to West Bend three and one-half years ago.

In 1908 she married Andrew Delling, who preceded her in death in 1915.  She married Nick Uelmen April 5, 1921, at St. Killian.

Surviving are her widower; one daughter, Mrs. Roman Boegel, Theresa; three step-children, Mrs. Herbert Donath, West Bend, Frank Uelman, West Bend, and Elroy Uelman, West Bend; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Mrs. Al Herriges, Wayne Center, and Mrs. Ben Wondra, Theresa.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Sunday until the time of services."

Very odd that they don't mention her maiden name or parents in the obituary, but I suppose they may not have known (or felt it important).

NOTE:  Surname is spelled Uelman and Uelmen in this article.  I have seen several variations in different articles and memorial cards.