This blog just might be headed for something a little more organized. Aside from my ancestral ramblings and the stuff of legends and family lore, it is time to give these ramblings some direction. The plan is to share my own personal research acquired through nearly 2 decades of searching for records online, reading hard copy books, reading digital books and trying to decipher hand written Bible records and family trees typed on old typewriters.
Monday, April 10, 2023
Monday, March 27, 2023
Christiana Anna Neuschwanger 1857-1932
Christiana Anna Neuschwanger was born in 28 May 1857 to Heinrich Neuschwanger and Froenika Neuschwanger. She lived in Zurich, Ontario, Canada, where her parents immigrated to from Germany in 1846. By 1875, the family had immigrated to Osborne County, Kansas. This is where she met and married Samuel Jefferson Shellenberger. They were married in Osborne County, Kansas, 31 October 1878. Samuel and Christiana would remain in Kansas until 1900 when they relocated to Noble Township, Cass County, Iowa. After the death of two children in Iowa, Samuel and Christiana returned to Kansas and resided in Grant, Jackson County, Kansas. By 1930 Samuel and Christiana were living in Bear Creek, Emmet County, Michigan where Christiana died 20 March 1932. She and Samuel are both buried together at Brutus Mennonite Cemetery, Brutus, Emmet County, Michigan.
Samuel Jefferson Shellenberger 1855-1937
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| Samuel and Christiana (Neuschwanger) Shellenberger with five of their children. |
Sarah Jane (Palmer) Hall 1839-1883
Sarah Jane Palmer was born 1849 in Rock Island, Illinois to Benjamin Palmer and Albina White. Sarah moved with her parents to Pottawattamie, Iowa at a young age. She met and married Jonathan Jackson Hall Jr. here and they went on to farm in Little Sioux, Woodbury County, Iowa. Sarah and John J had 8 children before she died 20 May 1883. Her youngest child was under 1 year old when Sarah died. She is believed to be buried in the Oto Cemetery, Oto, Iowa.
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Jonathan (John) Jackson Hall 1845-1920
Jonathan Jackson Hall was born to Jonathan Jackson Hall and Rachel Vansant on 21 Mar 1845 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. He is referred to as Jr. in some records or sometimes just John J Hall. He was one of 4 children born to Jonathan Jackson Sr and Rachel Vansant.
John J. relocated with his parents to Indiana for a time and
shortly after, moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa. He would meet and marry
Sarah Jane Palmer on 17 March 1865 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Their union
was blessed with eight children before Sarah died in 1884. These children
were Benjamin, Nellie, Daniel, Milo, Erma, Jerry
Richard, Otto, Sarah.
John J eventually remarried Rachel Anne Brown Parkhill 12
February 1891. Their union was blessed with five more children. These children
were Ella, Myrtle, Aaron, Harry and Katherine.
John J. was counted on the 1920 United States Federal Census
which was taken in January 1920 while he was a residence in the detention
hospital in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa, before moving to Cherokee. Iowa
where he would die. It is interesting to note here that Alex Parkhill, first
husband of John J.'s his second wife, Rachel is also listed as an inmate at the
same detention hospital. While they are both listed as inmates, it was most
likely a place for the elderly who suffered from dementia which in those days
was considered mental illness and whispered about in families.
John J died 26 November 1920 in Cherokee, Cherokee County,
Iowa as a resident of the State Hospital in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa.
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Bertha Anna Maria Kuester 1883-1970
Bertha Kuester was born on 22 Nov 1883. She was the daughter
of August and Wilhelmina (Keske) Kuester. Bertha immigrated to New Ulm,
Minnesota with her family in 1894 according to census records. Immigration records
indicate she arrived in 1893 at Baltimore, Maryland aboard the SS Schifflebein
which departed from Dresden, Germany. From there Bertha and her family
continued on to New Ulm, Brown County, Minnesota.
On 17 May 1905 Bertha
married Fred Rauschke in New Ulm. Their union was blessed with 4 children, two
boys, Armin and Martin; and two girls, Edna and Gertrude. They made their home
in New Ulm, Minnesota and Bertha was very active in St. Paul's Church, New Ulm,
Minnesota. She died on 12 Jan 1970 in New Ulm, Brown, Minnesota and was buried
at Saint Paul's Lutheran Cemetery New Ulm, Brown, Minnesota.
Fritz "Fred" Rauschke 1877-1948
Fritz Rauschke was born on 7 Dec1877 in Germany, Johann
Rauschke and Wilhelmina Berg. Fritz immigrated from Germany to America with his
parents and one brother, Charles Rauschke. They settled in Brown County,
Minnesota in the town of New Ulm where Fritz would live until his death.
Fritz met and married Bertha Kuester on 17 May 1905 in New
Ulm, Minnesota and they went on to have four children; two boys, Armin and
Martin; and two girls, Edna and Gertrude.
Fritz was a cooper (barrel maker) at the Eagle Roller Mill in New Ulm, Minnesota. Fritz died at work on 16 Jun 1948 in New Ulm, Minnesota. He was buried at Saint Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm, Brown, Minnesota.
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