Graff, Theodore 1839-1907 & Mary Treinen Family

GRAFF, TREINEN, MUELLER, MILLER, PELTGEN

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg -volunteer (email)
Date: 1/2/2026 at 13:20:41

Graff, Theodore 1839-1907 and Mary Treinen family

This biography of the Theodore and Mary Treinen Graff family was taken from a family story in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church book of Granville Iowa page 105. This narrative was further researched and composed by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

The full narrative including additions to the church book story were made from various sources including records from the web site www.iagenweb.org/sioux; family reports and vitals collected from ancestry.com records and ancestry’s public member trees, Find A Grave index, internet searches and various local archives.

Disclaimer: Names, dates and places may vary from one source to another, but have been stated in this biography as presented in the source. Family data taken from ancestry.com public member trees is subject to the submitter of data to ancestry.com and was not fully verified by this submitter. Information was cross checked from other sources when possible.

From a family history in the St. Joseph’s church book comes this account.

Theordore Graff (1829-1907) married Mary Treinen (1828-1887) in Mazeppa, MN. They moved to Marcus Iowa in 1877 and then moved to Granville in 1878. They had a family of six children.
Katherine married Will Graff, Nicolas married Mary Kass, Mary married Nicholas Kass, Margaret married John Kass, John married Kathryn Bunkers, Henry married Mary Wiltgen. His second wife was Isabel Auer.
Mary Treinen Graff was the daughter of Nicholas Treinen and Susan Miller. Nicholas and Susan were born in Arsdorf Luxembourg Germany in 1802. They came to the USA in 1860 and settled near Bellechester, MN. They made the trip on a sailing ship that took nine weeks.)

(End of the story in the St. Joseph’s church book)

Note – There are separate stories in the church book for John Graff born 1876 and their son Milo H. Graff 1907; and for Nicholas Graff 1869, There are also pictures with their stories. Their information will be incorporated in the narrative here in, for the Theodore and Mary Treinen family.

IMMIGRATION – Possible ? according to Find A Grave Theodore Graff, German, age 30/36, born about 1836 departed from Liverppol, England (first leg of trip) and arrived 28 May 1866 New York on the Ship Brazilian. Listed were (spellings questionable) Theodore Graff, ____ Themen, Suxanne Themen 55, Marie Themen 32, Jean Pierren?22, Nicolas Pierren?? 17, and Catharine Graff 2.

RESEARCH Notes:

Theodore Graff was born 31 Dec 1835 Perle,Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg died 4 Jun 1907 Granville, Iowa. His parents were John Peter Graff born 1797 Perle, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg died 17 Dec 1863 Perle, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg; and Cecilia Peltgen born 3 Jan 1800 Heinstaert, Luxembourgh, Belgium died 30 Sep 1862 Perle, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg. Theodore married 11 Jan 1859 at Perle, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg to Mary A. Treinen.

Mary A. Treinen was born 4 Dec 1833 Bigonville, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg died 27 Aug 1887 Granville, Sioux, Iowa. Her parents were Nicholas Treinen born 15 Nov 1802 Arsdorf, Redange, diekirch, Luxembourg died 1 Nov 1866 Bellechaester, Goodhue, MN and Susan Meuller born 15 Mar 1805 Obercolpach, Luxembourg died 1866 Goodhue, Goodhue, MN. Theodore Graff and Mary Treinen were the parents of children as follows:
CHILDREN:

Suzanna Graff born 12 Mar 1860 Luxembourg died as a child on 6 Jan 1866 Arsdorf, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg.

Katherine Graff born 1862 married William Greff born 1857 died 1901 Woodbury, IA , 3 Jan 1882 Cherokee IA died before 1907, no further information found.

John Peter Graff born 4 Mar 1864 Luxembourg died 23 Oct 1876 at Bellechester, Goodhue, MN.
Margaret Graff born 22 Aug 1866 Red Wing, Goodhue, MN died 22 Nov 1947 LeMars, IA. On 12 May 1885 at Marcus IA, she married John Kass 1860-1905. Their children – Frank Theodore Kass 1889-1974, Theodore Frank Kass 1891-1950, Mae Elizabeth Kass 1894-1986, Julius Nicholas Kass 1896-1977, Henry Nicholas Kass 1898-1955, Michael Herman Kass 1900-1970, Anne M. Kass 1903-1983.

Nicholas Henry Graff born 13 Apr 1869 Red Wing, Goodhue, MN died 1 Aug 1930 Granville IA. His family story is in the St. Joseph’s church book pages 104-105. In 1891 he married Mary Kass 1872 -1923 at Remsen IA. Their children – Baby Charles Graff died in infancy 1892, Ida Marie Graff 18923-1084 she married Michael Hughes; William Frank Graff 1897-1981 he married Frances Hault; Anna Graff 1899-1981 she married Franklin Gilbert; Clarence Nicholas Graff 1900-1971 he married Emma Dorothy Ney; Edgar Graff 1903-1980 remained single; Mary Delores Graff 1904-1995 married Jacob Stackarel Connsell ; Rosalia C. Graff 1906-1996 she married Bruce Vosburg; Blanche C. Graff 1906-1996 she married Maurice Woodford; Omer Frank Graff 1911-1984 he married Myrtle Janice. Mildred Justine Graff 1913-1987 she married Clarence Rawson; Colleen Graff 1915-1985 she married Donald Bartz; Kenneth Gustave Graff 1916-2003 remained single.

Mary Martha Graff born 18 Apr 1872 Bellechester, Goodhue, MN died 1963 Spokane WA. She married Nicholas Joseph Kass 1866-1940. Their child – Mary Martha Ross Kass 1896-1995,

Henry C. Graff born 5 Nov 1873 Red Wing Goodhue MN died 7 Apr 1939 Spencer, Clay, IA He married Mary Catherine Wiltgen 1879-1911. A daughter – Coletta Graff 1908-2003. Henry’s second wife Isabell M. Auer 1891-1969.

John William Graff born 27 Jun 1876 MN died 5 Apr 1925 Granille, Sioux, IA. He married Catherine Anna Bunkers 1879-1941. Their children – Josepf H. Graff 1900-1981, Barbara K Graff 1903-1984, Florence K. Graff 1905-1996, Milo Henry Graff 1907-1972, Gertrude M. Fraff 1909-1989, Magnus Theodore Graff 1911-1949, Marla B. Graff 1913-2000, Otto Ambrose Graff 1917-1993, Charlotte M. Graff 1919-1980, Geraldine Elenora Graff 1922-1923.

OBITUARY of Theodore Graff 1829-1907
Alton Democrat of June 8, 1907 Granville news.
On Tuesday at this home in Granville occurred the death of Theodore Graff a wealthy pioneer of Sioux County. For several weeks he has been ill and his death was due to a complication of diseases together with old age.
Theodore Graff was born in Germany in 1829 and came to Sioux County in 1881 and has been a respected resident of Granville for a good many years. The funeral was conducted by Rev. Father Meyer at nine o’clock on Thursday morning.
He leaves six children – Mrs. John Kass of LeMars, Mrs. N. Kass of Huron SD and Mrs. C. Graff, N. H. Graff, H. C. Graff and J. W. Graff of Granville. Respected and admired by all he has left many friends who will miss him.

OBITUARY of Mary Treinen Mrs. Theodore Graff 1833-1887
Graff, Mary born 15 Dec 1833 died 27 Aug 1887 wife of Theo buried in St. Joseph’s cemetery at Granville, IA as listed in the Sioux County IA cemetery index. No obit was readily found in the Sioux County newspapers. The Aug 1887 newspaper was not available and digitized.

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