The Weis Family - Part 5

CAPESIUS, DONDLINGER, ETRINGER, GOSCHE, JACOBS, MATHIEU, REISTROFFER, RITTER, SCHILTZ, SCHIRMER, SCHWAGER, THOMA, WAGNER, WALTER, WEIMERSKIRCH, WEINSCHENK, WEIS

Posted By: Lorraine Weis Houghton (email)
Date: 4/14/2010 at 19:14:10

The Weis Family of Jackson County, Iowa

Part 5

Compiled by Lorraine Weis Houghton

Weis, Francois – Oberweis, Gertrude children, born in Berbourg, Luxembourg *
Weis, Magdalena – Mehn, Mathias *
Weis, John – Margaretha Gosche * - The Mathieu Family Moves to South Dakota *
Weis, Peter *
Weis, John – Zimmer, Marie *
Weis, Barbara *
Weis, Gertrude *
Weis, Peter – Gosche, Mary * - The John L Weis Family Moves to Armstrong, Iowa * - Michael Peter and Frank Weis Move to Kansas *

Gosche and Weis Connection *

Weis, Francois – Oberweis, Gertrude children, born in Berbourg, Luxembourg

Weis, Magdalena – Mehn, Mathias

Magdalena (Helene) Weis was born December 10, 1822 in Berbourg and married Mathias Mehn on February 13, 1858 in Berbourg, Manternach, Luxembourg. He was born in Berbourg, Manternach, Luxembourg. They had a son, John Mehn (Magdalena Schram). John has descendants still living in Berbourg. They are Albert, Marie Louise, and Lucien Mehn.

We have corresponded with them and a cousin, Kenny Kilburg, who still speaks Luxembourgish, has visited with them by phone many times. Kenny Kilburg, in 2007 and Kevin Weimerskirch, in 2008 both visited with Albert Mehn and had pictures taken in front of the Weis ancestral home at 23 Duerfstrooss – L-6830 in Berbourg, Luxembourg. This home was known as "Schneidesch" when it was the home of Francois Weis and family. In English, this means "tailor’s house". Kenny also visited with Albert’s brother and sister, Lucien and Marie Louise Mehn in their home in Berbourg.

Weis, John – Margaretha Gosche

John Weis was born July 29, 1824 in Berbourg, Luxembourg and married Margaretha Gosche on May 18, 1864 at St. Donatus, Jackson County, Iowa. They are both buried in the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Springbrook, Jackson County, Iowa. Their children were: Margaret, 1865 (Peter Mathieu); Peter, 1869 (Josie Schwager); Magdalena, 1870 (Sister M. Vitus); John J. "Fiddler", 1871 (Margaret "Maggie" Etringer); Charles, 1876 (Margaret Etringer) (Lorraine Weis Houghton, author of this paper, is from this line. Lorraine may be contacted by email at lahoughton@aol.com); Mary, 1880 (John Etringer); and William, 1882.

John Weis brought his stone masonry trade with him from Luxembourg. There is much evidence of this Luxembourg heritage in Jackson County. John helped build some of the stone buildings in Bellevue, among them the stone warehouses along the river bank, one of which housed the Potter's Mill warehouse, one which we remember as being the home of Roeder Brothers farm equipment. In recent years these buildings have been used as a laundromat, clothing store, hair salon and insurance office.

He erected the Courthouse in Andrew, IA. around 1860-1861. (See more on the courthouse under the Bernard Weis family). In 1864 he was awarded the contract to build the 40 by 70 feet rock church in Springbrook, Iowa, for the Saints Peter and Paul catholic parish.

While building the church, John Weis and his wife and Margaret and their oldest daughter, Margaret, lived in a "shack" on the southwest corner of the church grounds. We believe this is the same area where he and his wife are now buried, on the extreme southwest side of the cemetery.

John Weis and his brother Peter were the stone masons who built the limestone building known as the Kegler/Gonner Store in Springbrook, Iowa in 1868. He is also credited with being the stone mason who built the insane asylum near Andrew, Iowa which was built around 1870, which is now in the process of being restored.

The 1893 plat map of Jackson Township shows John Weis living in section 21, just south of the road going west out of Springbrook. John purchased this property from Thomas Garside on March 18, 1881. Garside had homesteaded the property. John built a barn, which is still standing, on this farm, as well as a limestone addition to the log cabin that was originally built on this property, as well as several outbuildings.

All of the first generation of the children of John Weis and Margaretha Gosche remained in Jackson County, near Springbrook, Iowa, with the exception of their daughter, Margaret, who moved to South Dakota. See below for more details on The Mathieu Family.

The Mathieu Family Moves to South Dakota

By Frances (Red) and Kenneth Mathieu

A daughter of John Weis and Margaretha Gosche, Margaret Weis married Peter Mathieu, a farmer, on June 3, 1885 in St. Donatus, Jackson County, Iowa. Peter’s father, Martin Mathieu owned a little over 100 acres in Tete Des Mortes township, Jackson County, Iowa. Peter and Margaret (Weis) Mathieu lived in Jackson County, Iowa until 1893. During the time they lived in Iowa, Margaret gave birth to 5 children; Johannes Peter (1886), Martin Ubaldus (1888), Susie (1890), Francis (1892) and Joseph (1893).

In 1893 Peter and Margaret and their family moved to Minnehaha County, South Dakota and homesteaded 320 acres (160 acres by homestead and 160 acres by "Tree Claim" which is the promise to plant trees). The half section was located 5 miles south of Humboldt, South Dakota. Unfortunately, the oldest son Johannes died in 1894 of influenza. The first of 4 children to be born in South Dakota was Benedict (1895), followed by Anna (1899), John (1901) and finally Lawrence (1905). Benedict died of influenza in 1911. Peter died in 1921in Humboldt, South Dakota and is buried there. Margaret died in 1945 in Humboldt, South Dakota and is buried there. Francis (Red) and Kenneth Mathieu are in this line of the family. Francis may be contacted by email at fmathieu@satx.rr.com

Of the nine siblings born to Peter and Margaret only 5 married:

Martin Ubaldus Mathieu eventually moved to Chugwater, Wyoming where he was a sheep rancher and married late in life. He had no children, and died in 1951.

Susie (Mathieu) Kasper married Frank Kasper in 1917 in Cheyenne Wyoming. They had 3 children. Frank died in Pawnee County, Nebraska in 1958, and Suzie died in Johnson County, Nebraska in 1973.

Joseph Mathieu married Nellie Mae (Branson) Mathieu in South Dakota, about 1923. They had 2 children. Nellie died in 1935 and is buried in Humboldt, South Dakota. Joseph remarried Elizabeth Agnes (MaWhinney) Mathieu during 1936. They had 5 children. Elizabeth died in 1958 and is buried in Humboldt, South Dakota. Joseph died in 1983 in Dell Rapids, South Dakota and is buried in Humboldt, South Dakota.

Anna (Mathieu) Branson married Hartley Lilbern Branson in January 1923. They had 4 children. Hartley died in 1972 and is buried in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Anna died in 1978 and is buried in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

John Mathieu married Rita (Branson) Mathieu in December 1925 in Humboldt South Dakota. They had 3 children. Rita died in August 1980 and is buried in Humboldt, South Dakota. John died in December 1992 and is buried in Humboldt, South Dakota.

Francis (Frank) Mathieu and Lawrence Mathieu never married, but over the years they maintained close contact with John and Rita Mathieu. After Peter died, family members supported Margaret by working the "homestead" farm. At some point after 1925, John and Rita maintained the farm with the help of Frank and Lawrence until 1945 when Margaret died.

The farm was then sold and John and Rita moved to a farm in McCook County, South Dakota only a few miles west of the original homestead. Frank and Lawrence maintained close contact with Jackson County, Iowa relatives by working as farm hands in Iowa during the summer and returning to South Dakota in the winter to help John and Rita on the "home place". Lawrence died in 1948 and was buried in Humboldt, South Dakota.

Frank continued to travel back to Jackson County, Iowa during the 1950’s. Frank was a big man, and in his younger days relatives in Iowa often commented about how large his hands were and how strong he was. However, after John and Rita retired from farming Frank moved with them to Humboldt, South Dakota in 1962. Frank died in August 1980 and was buried in Humboldt, South Dakota.

Iowa family members recall many visits from the Mathieu family (John and Rita), especially in the 1960’s and 70’s. John and Rita and their family, along with Frank, would visit for weddings, graduations and other family events. The Jackson County Weis family members will remember John and Rita Mathieu making a surprise visit to Iowa for a wedding. John was wearing a false nose and glasses, so that he would not be recognized until after the ceremony. John always liked to have fun.

He was the first relative to have a "movie " camera. He used it often during his visits to Iowa. One of the movies that everyone remembers with John running it both forward and back, involved a sheep buck chasing after the children at the home of Nick and Marie Weis. Nick was a son of Charles Weis.

Another favorite video that the Iowa relatives enjoyed many times was when John had encouraged his cousin, Herbie, who was already sporting a full beard for the Sts. Peter and Paul Church Centennial, to dress like a "bum". With a hat pulled down over part of his face, he approached another cousin’s home in Clinton, Iowa and begged for a piece of bread. John was hiding behind a tree, taping this event, with the cousin not recognizing her own cousin. Eventually, the "bum" took his hat off, and the cousins had a happy reunion.

Many members of the Weis family also visited the Mathieu family in South Dakota. The Mathieu household in Humboldt was a favorite stop over on the way to the Black Hills during honeymoon trips and vacations.

The remainder of the early generation of the Mathieu family remained in South Dakota. Later generations settled in many different areas of the United States. Members of the later generations served in the military during World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Weis, Peter

Peter Weis was born February 1, 1828 in Berbourg, Luxembourg. According to Jane Miller research, it is assumed that Peter died young. He is not shown on the 1843 population list for Berbourg, and is not listed in the estate papers for Gertrude and Francois Weis in 1869.

Weis, John – Zimmer, Marie

John Weis was born May 27, 1830, in Berbourg, Luxembourg and married Marie Zimmer in Berbourg on February 20, 1860. John and his wife Marie stayed in Berbourg. Their children were Gertrude, 1861; Katherine,1863; Magdalena, 1864 (Theodore Wagner); John E. W., 1861(Anna Dondlinger) and Barbara, 1866.

Two of their children, John E. W. and Magdalena immigrated to Jackson County, Iowa. John E. W. and his wife Anna are buried in the Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springbrook, Iowa. Magdalena Weis Wagner is buried with her husband Theodore in the St. Joseph’s cemetery in Bellevue, Iowa. John E. W’s granddaughter, Wilma Weis Poll, remembers that her grandfather also worked as a stonemason and helped with one of the later additions of the Kegler-Gonner store.

Weis, Barbara

Barbara Weis was born April 12, 1833, in Berbourg, Luxembourg. She remained in Luxembourg and worked as a cook and was listed as single in 1870.

Weis, Gertrude

Gertrude Weis was born September 2, 1835, in Berbourg, Luxembourg. She remained in Luxembourg, and worked as a seamstress and was listed as single in 1870.

Weis, Peter – Gosche, Mary

Peter Weis was born September 12, 1837, in Berbourg, Luxembourg and married Mary Gosche on June 16, 1868 in Springbrook, Jackson County, Iowa. Peter and Mary are buried in the Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springbrook, Iowa. There children were: Anna, 1869 (Sister Mary Blasia); John Peter "Jim", 1870 (Rosina Jacobs/Katherine Weimerskirch) (Ray Banowetz, noted in acknowledgements, was married to Alma Kloft, who is a descendent of John Peter and Rosina Jacobs line as well as Jane Miller, also in acknowledgements, who is also a descendent of John Peter and Rosina Jacobs.); Frank Peter , 1872 (Katherine W. Weinschenk); Katherine. 1874 (Sister Mary Flowberta); Rosina, 1877 (Mathias Jacobs); Infant, 1879 (died at birth); John L, 1879 (Catherine Jacobs); Michael Peter, 1881(Theresa Ritter); Margaret "Maggie", 1883 (Sister Mary Vita) and Gertrude,1885 (Peter Reistroffer).

Peter Weis, in 1874, was the first teacher to instruct classes in the Saints Peter and Paul parochial school in Springbrook, Iowa. This was a white frame structure, 20 by 35 feet, with only one door as an entrance and exit. After their marriage in 1868, Peter and Mary lived in Andrew, Iowa, where their first two children, Anna and John Peter were born. Peter was working as a stone mason for his brother John, when he lived in Andrew. According to the 1893 Jackson Township census, Peter Weis owned a farm on the east side of section 23 and 27, just east of the road heading south out of Springbrook, and just behind the church property. Later, this property was owned by his son, John Peter (Jim Weis). Then was owned by his son, Leo Weis and later, his son Richard Weis.

The John L Weis Family Moves to Armstrong, Iowa

A son of Peter Weis, John L. Weis and his wife Catherine Jacobs, owned the hotel in Springbrook, Jackson County, Iowa. It was called the "Spring Brook Hotel". It advertised Reasonable Rates and a Feed Barn in Connection. It was located on the southwest corner of the main intersection in Springbrook. There is now a bar in that location. They moved their family from Springbrook to Armstrong, Emmet County, Iowa, which is in the northwest part of Iowa, shortly after 1908.

Two other Jackson county families also moved to Armstrong at the same time. They were the John and Lena Sturm and the Ted Roling family. John and Catherine moved there to farm, where they farmed near Halfa, which is close to Armstrong, Iowa. Upon retiring from the farm, John and Catherine moved to Armstrong, Iowa.

Michael Peter Weis and Frank Weis Move to Kansas

Two of the children of Peter Weis and Mary Gosche moved from Jackson County, Iowa to settle in Decatur/Norton/Sheridan counties in northwest Kansas. They were Michael Peter Weis who married Theresa Ritter in Leoville, Kansas, and Frank Peter Weis. One of Michael Peter Weis’ sons, Joe, came back to Jackson County, Iowa as an adult. He was always referred to as "Kansas Joe".

According to Michael Weis, a descendant of Frank Weis, after the early death of Frank Weis’ wife Katherine Weinschenk, (age 30), Frank left Springbrook and moved to Kansas and stayed with various relatives including his brother, Michael Peter Weis and Michael’s son, Leo. Apparently, Frank went back and forth between Iowa to Kansas. In checking the census from Iowa, we see that in 1920, Frank is shown as living with his mother Mary, and his two children, Mally and Dolores in Springbrook. Also, in the January 1925 census, Frank Weis is shown as living with his mother in Springbrook, Jackson Township. In 1930 he was shown as living in Dresden, Kansas. Frank died in 1947 in Leoville, Kansas.

Frank and Katherine’s sons, Malchoir (Mally) and his brother Romie remained in Jackson County, Iowa after the death of their mother and lived with their grandparents Peter and Mary Weis and Malchoir and Louisa Weinschenk. Romie later lived with his aunt and uncle, Henry and Cora Weinschenk Stevens. At the age of 16, Romie moved to Dubuque, Iowa to learn the baker’s trade.

Two daughters, Adele and Dolores lived with their grandparents, Malchoir and Louisa Weinschenk, with a few exceptions. In the 1920 census, Dolores and Mally are both shown as living in Springbrook with their grandmother, Mary Weis, age 69 and their father, Frank Weis, age 47. In this same census of 1920, Mally is shown as a hired hand on the farm of John Scheckel.

He is still, at age 22, in the January 1925 Iowa census shown as living in Jackson County, Iowa with his first cousin, Florence Weis Kilburg and her husband, Dominic Kilburg, and working as a hired man. We assume Mally moved to Kansas in 1925, as he married Mary Goscha on August 25, 1925. The 1930 census for Selden, Kansas shows Malchoir and Mary with two children, Alfred and Wilbur.

This was the start of the Weis family in Kansas, as far as we know. Michael Weis, who is from the Peter/Frank/Malchoir/Wilbur Dean/ Michael Weis, did a lot of research on the Weis family, understanding at the beginning that the entire Weis family had moved to Kansas. What a surprise for him to find out how many of the Weis family members had remained in Jackson County. Michael Weis may be contacted by email at weishomer@yahoo.com

Gosche and Weis Connection

By Sheryl Hays and Michael Weis

Three of the children of Theodore Gosche and Maria Schmit Gosche were related to the Weis family through marriage. Peter Weis married their daughter, Mary Gosche in Springbrook, Iowa on June 16, 1868. Peter’s brother, John Weis married another daughter, Margaretha Gosche in St. Donatus, Iowa on Mary 18, 1864. A son, John Peter Gosche married Magdalena Wolf on February 1, 1872 at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Springbrook, Iowa. (Malchoir Weis married Mary Helen Goscha, a granddaughter of John and Magdalena.)

The Gosche name was spelled many ways, including Gosche, Gauche, Gausche, and Goscha. According to Sheryl Hays, Theodor & Maria Gausche arrived in NewYork City, on the British steamship “Medway”on May 2, 1867, with their daughters, Maria and Catharina; Catharina's son Franz, and her husband, Peter Roeder; their son Peter and his wife Margaretha Friedrich, and their children: Maria, Nicolas and Margarete Gausche. From the information I received from Sheryl Hays, two of the Gosche children, Margaretha and Johann, arrived in America before their parents.

Theodor Gausche was born July 9, 1802 at Gasperich, Luxembourg, and was the son of Nicolas Gausche and Marguerite Adam. He married Maria Schmit on February 16, 1832 at Hesperange. She was born on May 19, 1806, at Hesperange Luxembourg, and was the daughter of Joannes Schmit and Elisabeth Schoumacher.

Theodor & Maria had seven children, all born at Hesperange:

Marguerite, born May 25, 1833

Pierre (Peter), born March 5, 1835 – married Margaretha Friedrich at Hesperange on December 19, 1859.

Jean (Johann), born December 17, 1836 – married Margaretha Heintz on February 19, 1863 at Hesperange. Arrived in United States on May 1, 1864.

Jean Pierre, born November 29, 1838 – married Magdalena Wolf on February 1, 1872 at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Springbrook, Iowa.

Catharina, born December 4, 1841 – married Peter Roeder at Hesperange on December 6, 1864

Margaretha, born August 28, 1844 – married John Weis on May 18, 1864 at St. Donatus, Iowa. Arrived in the United States on April 7, 1864.

Maria, born January 27, 1849 – married Peter Weis on June 16, 1868 at Springbrook, Iowa.

Most of the Gausche/Gosche family settled in Jackson County Iowa. Nothing more is known about Peter and Margaretha Gosche, and Johann and Margaretha. They have not been found after the 1870 Jackson County census.

Sheryl Hays is a descendant of the Gosche family and may be contacted by email at shays22@cox.net.

John Gosche and his wife, Magdalena Wolf moved to Selden, Sheridan County, Kansas. Sheridan County is just south of Decatur County in Kansas, which is where some of the Weis family members settled. At some time, that line of the Gosche family changed the spelling of their name to Goscha. Malchoir Weis, son of Frank Weis married Mary Helen Goscha, who was the granddaughter of John Peter Gosche and Magdalena Wolf. Michael Weis is a descendant of this line. He may be contacted by email at weishomer@yahoo.com.