Bamberg, Brothers Peter 1855-1939 & Matthew 1851-1930

BAMBERG, WICTOR, GROFF, KASS, WEBER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 12/5/2023 at 09:00:20

Bamberg, Brothers Peter 1855-1938 and Matthew Bamberg 1851-1930 families

This story of the two Bamberg brothers was taken from the St. Mary’s Catholic Church book of Alton IA 1883-1983. This story was transcribed for this BIOS by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes have been added.

PETER BAMBERG First two paragraphs are from the St. Mary's church book.
Peter Bamberg was born on Dec 12, 1855 at Trier, Prussia. In his early twenties he came to the United States to join his brother Matthew, at Caledonia, Iowa. In 1880 or 1881 the two brothers came to Alton, where they established a meat market. In the fall of 1923 Mr. Bamberg established the Alton Rendering Works, which was later sold to Oscar Henrich. He was active in city government, serving for many years on the town council. He also was active in church affairs, and served on the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Church. He was a faithful member of St. May’s Choir, and in 1933 celebrated 50 years with the choir.

He was married in 1888 to Philomena Wictor, and Alton milliner, who died April 27, 1930. The couple has one daughter, Celia, Mrs. Vincent Lieb of Oak Grove, Oregon. During Mr. Bamberg’s last illness he was cared for by this nephew, Lorenz N. Bamberg, son of Matthew Bamberg. Peter died February 22, 1938

Research Note: From a family report on ancestry.com submitted by other than this submitter.
Peter Bamberg was born 12 Dec 1855 Igel, Trier-Saarburg, Rheinland-Platz Germany and died 22 Feb 1938 Alton IA, son of Johan Bamberg 1826 and Maria Anna Welsch 1828-1857. He married Philonina Wictor 8 Nov 1888 Alton IA. Philomina Wictor was born 10 Jan 1861 Port Washington WI, died 27 Apr 1930 Alton, Madison, IL. Philomina’s parents were Theodore Wictor 1814-1881 and Margaret Catherine Groff 1824-1897.

Peter and Philomine’s daughter was Cecilia K. Bamberg born 25 Jan 1898 WI, died 21 Nov 1987 Vancouver, WA. She was Mrs. Vincent Hubert Lieb 1896-1973. Their children were Robert Frederic Lieb 1920-2001, Rosemary Lieb 1925-2004 and Jane N. Lieb 1935-2019.

Obituary of Peter Bamberg Source Alton Democrat of Feb 25, 1938
Peter Bamberg was born in Prussia in year 1855. Choir Master at Alton Over 50 Years.
Peter Bamberg, pioneer Alton resident passed on at this home here on Feb 22nd at the age of 82 years and 70 days. Active in the affairs of the town and church for a span of over fifty years, his remarkable energy continued until fall of 1936 when on Oct 26th he was taken ill with a paralytic stroke from which he never recovered. On Dec 10th 1937 he had a second stroke which completely incapacitated him. He has had the devoted attention during his illness of his nephew Lorenz N. Bamberg, who made his home with his uncle.
Peter Bamberg was born on Dec 12, 1855 at Trier Prussia, where he grew to manhood. In his early twenties he came to the United States to join his brother, the late Matthew Bamberg at Caledonia, MN. In 1880 or 1881 he came to Alton, where the two brothers established a meat market on the corner now occupied by the Bekman tailor shop. In 1882 they built a new shop on the present main street where they continued in business for some years.
In the fall of 1923 Mr. Bamberg established the Alton Rendering Works. He was a member for many years of the town counsel where his good sense and keen judgment were greatly valued by his colleagues. For over fifty years he was a faithful member of St. Mary’s choir, where his strong and pleasing baritone voice led the responses Sunday after Sunday. In September 1933, fellow choir members honored him at a jubilee celebration of his 50th year with the choir.
He was married in 1888 to an Alton milliner, Miss Philomena Wictor, who preceded him in death by several years. Surviving are one daughter Mrs. Vincent Lieb of Oak Grove, Oregon, three grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was the last surviving member of five brothers, of whom two remained in Germany. Several nieces and nephews, children of his brother Lorenz, may drive here from Kingfish OK, for the funeral services Friday at St. Mary’s church. Mr. and Mrs. Julius Bamberg and their son Edward Bamberg and wife, are expected today from Chicago. No definite word has been received from Mrs. Lieb and relatives believe she may be on her way to Iowa.
One of the stalwart builders of the town and community, his integrity and faithful service to his town and church caused him to be highly regarded by all, while his cheerful kindliness endeared him to a host of friends and acquaintances. Funeral services will be held at nine o’clock Friday morning in charge of the Very Rev. M. A. Schemel.

OBITUARY of Philomine Wictor (Mrs. Peter Bamberg) Source Alton Democrat of May 2, 1930.
Mrs. Peter Bamberg died at Alton IL. Was Alton Iowa Resident for Past 44 Years, Funeral Thursday
Mrs. Peter Bamberg, an Alton resident for the last 44 years, passed on late Sunday afternoon in the hospital at Alton IL., where she had gone for treatment five weeks ago, accompanied by her niece, Mrs. Wm. Johnson of Sioux City. She had not been in good health for a long time but had hoped to receive relief at the hospital where her daughter, Mrs. Vincent Lieb, a resident of the Illinois city, visited her each day. Mr. and Mrs. Lieb and two children arrived Tuesday noon with the remains, and funeral services were held this Thursday at St. Mary’s church, conducted by Very Rev. A Schemel.
Mrs. Bamberg, then Miss Philomine Wictor was born January 10, 1861 at Port Washington WI. In 1871 or 72 the family moved to Ossian, Iowa where Miss Wictor lived until about 1886. Then she came to Alton and opened a millinery shop in the building now occupied by the Van Surksum barber shop and which is still in her name. She conducted the shop until her marriage in 1888 to Mr. Peter Bamberg. She is survived by her husband and adopted daughter Mrs. Lieb, and by two brothers, Joe F. Wictor of Remsen and Frank Wictor of Seattle WA, and a half sister, Mrs. C. Wiltgen of Granville, who are all that remain of a family of 12 brothers and sisters.
Mrs. Bamberg was a quiet and gentle lady, devoted to her home and a faithful member of her church. Alton friends feel the greatest sympathy for the bereaved husband, whose only brother also passed on during the last month, and for the daughter whom she reared as her own. She also assisted in the care and support of an orphan at Ossian and in a quiet unobtrusive way did much good in her lifetime.

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MATTHEW BAMBERG First paragraph taken from the Alton St. Mary’s church book.
Matthew Bamberg was married to Katherine Kass. Their children were Lorenz, Anna and Julius all deceased in 1983. Daughter - (Anna’s family) Anna born February 15, 1889, married Clement Bowers in 1909 in Montana. Their children were all born in Montana, namely: Katharine Smith born April 22, 1912, died 1952. Robert Bowers, born April 18 1914, lives in Helena Montana. Mary Wathier, born March 5, 1916, lives in Sioux Falls, S. D. Elizabeth Harris, born March 21, 1918, lives in Grand Junction, CO. Charles Bowers, born Jul 21, 1920, lives in Hall, Montana. Francis Bowers, born November 26, 1923 lives in Denver CO.

Research Note: From a family report on Ancestry.com submitted by other than this submitter.
Mathias Bamberg was born 24 Feb 1851 Igel, Trier Saarburg, Rheinland – Pfalz Germany and died 1 Apr 1910 Sioux City IA. Mathias was the son of Johan Bamberg 1826 and Maria Anna Welch 1828-1857. He married Katherine Kass on 16 Nov 1881 Caledonia MN. Katherine Kass was born 27 Jul 1859 St. Donatus, Jackson, IA and died 9 Aug 1904 Alton IA. Katherine’s parents were Johann Jacob Kass 1832-1902 and Anna Maria Weber 1833-1922.
The children of Mathias Bamberg and Katherine Kass were
1. Anna M. Bamberg born 15 Feb 1883 Alton IA (Mrs. Clement E. Bowers) she died 1 Jan 1960 Helena MT, their children were Katherine Bowers 1912-1953, Robert Bowers 1914-2009 and Francis Bowers 1923-1991.
2. Lorenz Nicholas Bamberg born 22 Sep 1885 Alton IA, died 14 Aug 1961 Columbus NE his wife was Mary Beatrice Kain 1885-1968 They had five children Arlene Bamberg 1916-1998, Francis Bamberg 1918-1980, Anthony Bamberg 1920-1945 and Mary Agnes Bamberg 1929-2012
3. Julius Peter Bamberg born 5 Nov 1889 Alton IA, died 3 Jun 1950 Chicago IL, his wife was Byrdenia L. Stiverts 1885-1956, no children listed on report.

Obituary of Matthew Bamberg Source Alton Democrat of Apr 4, 1930
Pioneer of Alton Passes To Beyond – Matthew Bamberg Identified Early With Life of This community.
Matthew Bamberg, for many years one of Alton’s best known citizens, passed away Sunday at St. Vincent’s hospital, Sioux City, where he had been under medical care since last December 5. He was 79 years of age. For the past 13 years he had been making his home at the Howard hotel, Sioux City, but last August became ill and in December was taken by his son ’Lorrie’ of Alton to the hospital for the best trained care. But he continued to fail and a week prior to his passing began to lose strength rapidly, his death being caused by infirmities of advanced age.
Mr. Bamberg was born at Igel Germany, February 24, 1851, and came to this country alone when but a boy of 15 years, locating first at Caledonia, MN. In 1879 he moved to Alton, but returned the following year to Caledonia, where he married on November 16, 1880 to Miss Catherine Kass. They came then to Alton where Mr. Bamberg opened the first meat market in a small building where the J. K. Bekman tailor shop now stands. In the fall of 1882 he built the present Bamberg’s market.
His wife died August 9, 1904, and Mr. Bamberg retired from active business May 31, 1909, his son L. M. continuing the business. He was the eldest of a family of five, the only one surviving being the youngest of the family, his brother Peter, of Alton. Mr. Bamberg is survived by three children, as follows: Mrs. Anna B. Bowers of Helena Montana; Lorenz N., of Alton; and Julius P., of Chicago. All of the children were present for the funeral services which were held at St. Mary’s church at Alton Wednesday morning, April 2, at 9 o’clock, conducted by Very Rev. M. A. Schemel.
Among the out of town friends and relatives who came for the funeral were the following: Mrs. Ralph Weyer, Minneapolis; John Kass of Tracy MN; Mrs. Hubert Brimeyer of Slayton Mn; Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Henrich of Lennox, S.D,; Nick Delperdang and sons, Anton Delperdang and William Janning all of Remsen; Tony and John Weidenfeller of Merrill; J. E. Kain, the Peter Treinen family, Miss Bridget Madden all of LeMars; John Delperdang of Oyens; Mr. and Mrs. P. O. Mc Williams of Cherokee; Mrs. Maggie Levins, daughter Lillian and son Clifton of Sioux City.
Mr. Bamberg was one who took a keen interest in the constructive things of life. He enjoys life in a city where he could watch developments and progress and took considerable pleasure in the social atmosphere of the hotel where he so long made his home in later life. After retiring from active business he visited many cities in the west and lived for a short time in Portland OR, and in California. Ever since he started a meat market here it has always enjoyed the reputation of being one of the cleanest and best in this section of Iowa. He was a major asset to the town, and although for a number of years he had not resided here the community extends heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved children.

Obituary of Katherine Kass Mrs. Matthew Bamberg 1859-1904 Source: Alton Democrat, Aug. 13, 1904.
THE DEATH ANGEL Few sadder deaths have occurred in Alton than that of Mrs. Matt Bamberg who died Tuesday morning August ninth at two o'clock. Few women were better known in Alton than Mrs. Bamberg and few indeed had a larger circle of friends. She was a woman whom to know was to respect and love. Last winter when she first began to complain--and she was one who did not complain easily--there was deep regret among those who knew her and a general hope that she would recover. Her ailment is hard to define--being apparently a complication of ailments super induced by change of life and resulting in serious nervous disorder and derangement of the stomach. A severe attack of spinal meningitis twelve years ago and a hereditary predisposition to cancer of the stomach--with which her father died--made her unable to meet the demands put upon her constitution by nature at this particular period. For the first few months there was hope and then four months ago she took to her bed. Again in the past few weeks she sat up and it was thought she might rally. Monday evening she began to sink and passed away in the night.
Deceased was born at St. Donatus Jackson county Iowa June twenty-seven 1859 and was therefore a little more than forty five years old. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kass and with them moved to Caledonia Minnesota where she was united in marriage to Matt Bamberg November sixteenth 1881. In the spring of the following year the young couple came to Alton where he entered the butchering business. They have since worked together to amass a competency which they were just ready to retire and enjoy. Mrs. Bamberg was an expert seamstress and her services were much in demand. She was a model wife and mother--a woman of the home--and had the honor of seeing at her bedside in the last hours three children of whom any woman might well be proud. They are Miss Anna--than whom no young lady in Alton is more esteemed and who was her mother's devoted companion through the months of illness--Lawrence on the verge of manhood and Julius aged fourteen. They with the bereaved father did all in their power to alleviate the suffering and prolong the days of their loved one and can find solace in the knowledge that it was God's will that she should come to him.
Besides her immediate family there mourn for her an aged mother--Mrs. Anna Kass of Alton, two brothers and six sisters. They are Peter Kass of Alton and John Kass of Currie Minnesota and the Mesdames Nic Delperdang, Al Schaul, Gertrude Henrich of Alton, Mrs. Hubert Bremeier of Caledonia Minnesota, Mrs. Frank Young of Slayton Minnesota and Mrs. John Henrich of Lennox South Dakota. All but Mrs. Bremeier who was sick were present at the last--as were also her uncle Nic Weber of Slayton and her cousins Mike Kass, Mrs. John Kass and Mrs. Tony Helger of LeMars and Nic Graff and wife of Granville. Friends from abroad were Mesdames Tony and John Weidenfeller, Peter Arendt and Nic Schaul of LeMars and the families of John List and Thomas Berry of Granville. The funeral was held from St. Mary's church Thursday at nine and was largely attended. Very Rev. Brune conducted the services after which the remains were laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery near the church. God grant that we may all live as worthily and do our life work as well as she.

This picture is from the Alton Centennial book 1883-1983 page 39. Bamberg Meat Market ‘Shorty’ Jansen on right and Peter Bamberg on left.

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