Marianne Keller-Kolliker 1933-2018

Our friend and fellow genealogist, Marianne Keller-Kolliker passed away in September last year. She was related to the Leuthold family through her husband and always felt a connection to the Waupaca County area. We will miss her.

Staub Reunion in 2005

Discussing Ancestors

Visiting Marianne in Basel

When we traveled with the Jacksons in 2014, we spent a few days in Basel before the Rhine cruise. Marianne was a wonderful host, showing us many of her favorite spots in Basel. She also invited us to a special dinner at her home.


*52 Ancestors: "So Far Away"

1918 Newspaper Article

I noticed this article when we were searching for obituaries at the Wisconsin Historical Society last month. How many of our maternal German ancestors were frightened by a similar notice? I found it interesting that only women were required to register, although men may have had to do the same at a previous time.

The article explains the notice I found many years ago placed by Katherine Schmidt/Smith Nickel, Great-great-grandfather John Henry Smith's sister, explaining that she would now be writing her name "Nicol, as that was the original spelling and would seem more American." Interestingly, her announcement appeared in the same issue of the paper as this article. Had she heard about this new requirement prior to placing her notice?

The Schmidt family did come from Germany; the spelling of their name was changed by the time they purchased land in Waupaca County.

Not only was that NOT the original spelling, her husband Daniel Nickel was from Ireland, even though the surname could be seen as "German." Why was she concerned? When I rechecked the 1910 census, it states that her husband was not a citizen; therefore, neither was she. He had passed away in 1912 without becoming naturalized; she would have automatically become a citizen if he had completed that process.


*52 Ancestors: "In the Paper"

Peter DeCramer 1833-1911

Peter DeCramer was an ancestor from Belgium on Dick's maternal side. Early in our family research Dick happened to Google his name and learned there was information about Peter at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

We had to satisfy our curiosity and went to Milwaukee to visit the Golda Meir Library. What a discovery! 

First, some background. Peter DeCramer immigrated from Belgium in 1855 and settled in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Peter enlisted as a private in Company D, 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry on 17 Sep 1861 and was discharged on 14 Oct 1864. He re-enlisted as a private in Company C, 46th Regiment on 10 Feb 1865 and was discharged 27 Sep 1865. There was a notation in the record that he was entitled to $100 bounty. The record also stated that he had grey eyes, brown hair, light complexion and was 5 ' 3½" tall. He was a carpenter from the 5th Ward of Oshkosh. 

Peter DeCramer

Peter DeCramer kept a diary during the entire time of his Civil War service. Another of Peter's descendants donated the diary to the university. It was written in French; we would never have been able to read it except that a university student had translated the diary as part of a project for his French class. We were able to obtain a copy of the English translation. Dick also photocopied the original first page in order to have a representation of his handwriting.

We found a Civil War history that we used to follow Peter's account of his Civil War service. Many parts of his story told about mundane daily events such as marching in the rain, but these details were also part of the history. It was most interesting to read his report of Lincoln's assassination. 

Google your ancestors' names!


*52 Ancestors: "Dear Diary"

Shiloh National Military Park

Pension records for John Henry Smith indicated that he participated in the Battle of Shiloh (also known as Pittsburg Landing) during his Civil War service.  

From the History of Waupaca County: "After the breaking out of the Civil War, Mr. Smith, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, enlisted December 1, 1861 in Company F, Eighteenth Wis., V.I., commanded by Capt. Roberts.  At Milwaukee he joined his regiment which soon afterward went to the front and took part in its first battle at Pittsburg Landing.  He also participated in the battle of Corinth and several skirmishes, after which he was taken ill with fever, and being unfitted for further service was honorably discharged in December, 1862." 

Marker for the 18th Wisconsin Infantry

Wisconsin State Monument at Shiloh

In 2008 we were able to visit Shiloh and Corinth in Tennessee. Shiloh is located just north of the Tennessee/Mississippi border. We used information at the visitor center to find where the Wisconsin 18th took part in the battle.


*52 Ancestors: "Military"

Ancestors' Churches

We were fortunate to be able to travel to the villages in Germany and Switzerland where our ancestors were born. We visited churches in Langenaubach, Breitscheid, Thalwil and Horgen. 

The church in Langenaubach is now the town museum; our friend Rita arranged for a tour when we were there in 2008. We met the curator and talked about the archives. In Breitscheid the church had been restored, and the pastor related how they discovered the paintings in the chapel.

Langenaubach, Germany

Breitscheid, Germany

Chapel in Breitscheid church

We had arranged a family reunion in Switzerland in 2008 during the same trip to Europe. Our group visited the churches in Thalwil and Oberrieden/Horgen, villages where the Staub and Leuthold families lived. We could imagine baptisms and marriages taking place in these churches even if they had been restored since the mid 1800s.  

Church in Horgen, Switzerland

Inside the chapel in Horgen

*52 Ancestors: "At Worship"

Apple Trees

A couple of years ago I learned from Peg that a young man in Waupaca County had begun a mission to save old varieties of apple trees. He has done an amazing amount of research to learn what varieties might have been in existence during the late 1800s and has been contacting residents to find out whether any old trees are still growing on farms in the county. He then visits to cut scions from the old varieties to replant.

The oldest orchard on our farm (located west of the buildings) was supposedly planted by A.D. "Appletree" Barnes, so we did some research into that name. 

First orchard on the farm

From his obituary we learned that "in 1887 Mr Barnes disposed of his interests in Fond du Lac County and came to Waupaca County, where he purchased a farm adjoining the city limits of Waupaca City and established the Arctic nursery. For a number of years he lectured at various places in Wisconsin for the farmers’ institutes and was a member of the State Horticultural Society."

From another source we learned the origin of his nickname.

Why are you called A.D. Appletree, Mr. Barnes was asked.

"Why, some years ago I was appointed one of the first institute lecturers for the horticultural society; later my brother was appointed and he lectured on small fruits and I talked on apple trees, till finally to designate one from the other I was called 'Appletree' Barnes and my brother 'Strawberry' Barnes.

I found the name 'Appletree' rather caught the public and I have used it ever since as a trade mark. It has been a winner. Not long ago a letter was addressed to Appletree Barnes, Appleton, and the postmaster knowing that it was for me sent it right along. The name has been a winner for me."


Most interesting for our family history is an item that appeared in one of his catalogues that is in an archive at the University of Stevens Point. "Mrs. J. Henry Smith planted the seed in a flower pot and when it germinated she planted it in the front yard of the house. It is now a lively tree. Keeps until June without rotting; it is a beautiful reddish brown mottled fair sized apple. 1 mile away from the Granite Quarry."


*52 Ancestors: "Nature"

Serendipity in Stavanger

Our cruise ship was about to visit Stavenger, Norway, back in July 2011. The onboard library had a tourist guide for the city that showed the local Norwegian state archives was located just a few steps from where our ship would dock. Since both Larry and I had ancestors from Norway, we decided to visit the archives before we walked around the city proper.

The research room was on the second floor of the building, and almost the first thing I saw on one of the tables in the room was a pamphlet called "Norwegian Pastor to Portage and Waupaca." Olaus Fredrik Duus was the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Scandinavia, Wisconsin from 1854-1857. He wrote letters "home" to Norway during that time that were saved until being published in 2007.

The pamphlet has two parts. The first is called "Historical Background and Ethnic Information" and is a brief history of Wisconsin's settlement followed by a section telling about the first Norwegian settlers in the area. The second part of the pamphlet contains the letters written by Pastor Duus during the years 1855-1858. 

Who would have imagined finding a booklet containing letters written from a pastor in Scandinavia during the time our Rowe family may have been attending the church in a Stavenger research library?


*52 Ancestors: "Out Of Place"