Information gathered at the Blue Earth Public Library, Blue Earth, Minnesota on July 30, 2001 by me, Steven L
Information gathered at the Blue Earth Public Library,Blue Earth, Minnesota on July 30, 2001 by me, Steven L. Goettel. Typed here from notes.
The Blue Earth Weekly Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota,Saturday, August 18, 1900
DEATH CALLS A BELOVED MOTHER HOME
Last Sunday morning at 9:00 the bell of Salem's churchtolled off the tale of years that measured the life of Mrs. RosinaGartzke. Mrs. Gartzke had been ill onlya week with bowel trouble. In spite ofgood care and medical attention, she passed away as stated above.
Mr. and Mrs. August Gartzke came to Blue Earth fromPrussia in 1869 and made their home about four miles east of the city wherethey were faithful attendants and members of the Evangelical church. A few years ago they left the old farm wherethey were so well known and respected and came here to make their home withtheir daughter Mrs. Albert Hacklander.
The funeral service was held at the church Tuesdayafternoon, Revs. Gongoll, Kienholz and Bauman taking part. The service was most impressive and waslistened to by a large congregation of sorrowing friends and oldneighbors. The funeral cortege was oneof the largest that has followed the remains of an old settler to the BlueEarth cemetery.
Two sons, Gustav and Rudolph, and four daughters, Mrs.Amelia Hacklander, Mrs. Alvina Willmert, Mrs. Martha Schaffer [sic], of St.Charles, Minn. and Mrs. August Werner, join their bereaved father in mourning agreat loss.
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, WednesdayOctober 22, 1902
Ludwig Willmert, one of the old and highly repectedpioneers, passed away at this residence in this city on Monday forenoon after along yet painless illness, caused by his advanced age.
The deceased was born at Zachesberg, Kreitez, Kolmark Bezirk,Province of Posen, Germany [sic] February 18, 1817 and was aged 85 years, 8months and 2 days. He married in April1842 and came to America in May 1869, settling on a farm in the northwestcorner of the town of Rome. Nineteenyears ago he moved to this city and thirty three years ago, he and his wifeunited with the German Evangelical Church and have lived a Christian life. He leaves a wife now 81. He was a father of ten children; two died as infants, and son August died in1898. Surviving are Ernest, William,Leo, Gustav and Ottilie, wife of John Domes, of Blue Earth and vicinity; Emil, of Wells and Mrs. William Missall ofElmore.
The Funeral will be Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at his home at408 South Moore St., and at 1:30 p.m. at Salem Evangelical church with Rev.Gongall officiating and Rev. J. H. Utsinger [sic] of Emmanuel will assist inEnglish. Burial will be at the BlueEarth cemetery.
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, Tuesday March28, 1911
page 5
MR. AUGUST GARTZKE DEAD
August Gartzke was born August 15, 1825, at Burawo [sic],Germany. In 1869 he came to thiscountry and was one of the first settlers in the German Settlement east oftown. Mr. Gartzke and his noble familyare among those to which the county is indebted for being what it istoday. Fourteen years ago Mr. and Mrs.Gartzke came to Blue Earth to spend their remaining days, free from the caresof this world. Ten years ago his wifedied and since then he made his home with different members of the family. At the time of death he was staying withdaughter Mrs. Walter Willmert. MrGartzke died Saturday night, March 25, 1911 at the age of 85 years, 8 months,10 days. He leaves one son,Gustav; four daughters; Mrs. AlbertHacklander, Mrs. Walter Willmert, Mrs. G. H. Schaefer and Mrs. August Werner,also a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren besides a large circleof friends to mourn his demise.
[The dates given are also on his headstone which wouldhave made his age 85 years, 7 months, 10 days.]
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, Wednesday,June 25, 1902
"Commissioner Leopold Oelke started for RochesterFriday where he will visit his brother who is an old settler there. We suspect Mr. Oelke will look up Simon, themurderer, while there to discover whether he is still insane or playingpossum."
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, September 9,1913
"Mrs. L. N. Nichols left today for a short visit withSt. Paul acquaintances and from there she will go to Anoka for a visit with herbrother R. E. Scott. "Rusty"as he is known by many people in Faribault County, is arranging to spend thewinter in California and may later decide to make a permanent home there."
Elmer Franklin [commented to the Post that he] ....."lost $1900 of hogs to cholera this season, but am not discouraged. In looking over my cornfields I am convincedit means $40 per acre and that ought to make a dyspeptic or hay fever victimtake a better view of life."
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An obituary in The Blue Earth Post for former residentAmelia Werner Beckstein appeared in the October 21, 1913 edition. It stated she died on October 17, 1913 andthat she was the wife of Carl Beckstein of Hebron Township, Kossuth County,Iowa. It listed her survivors assisters Anna, of St. Paul; Mrs. Jakoblitz of Buffalo Lake; Mrs. Ed. Heller of Barber; and brothers August Werner ofBarber, Gust Werner of Buffalo Lake, Charley Werner of St. Paul and JuliusWerner of St. Cloud.
[August is the husband of Mary Gartzke. A brother Samuel must have died prior to1913. Two sisters names were Alvina andAugusta, but which married Jakoblitz and Heller is unknown as of this notation,July 2001.]
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, Tuesday, June21, 1910
OBITUARY
Rudolph August Gartzke died at home east of Blue EarthSunday, June 19, 1910. Mr. Gartzke wasa patient sufferer from a complication of diseases and partial paralysis forthe past 14 years. Born in Zackersborg[sic], Germany in 1858, he came to America eleven years later with hisparents. In 1885 he married Miss SarahFenske who survives to mourn his loss along with three children, two sons andone daughter. The funeral was held atthe Evangelical church Tuesday afternoon with Revs. C. F. Kachel and Wm. Juedesofficiating. Burial followed atRiverside cemetery.
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The following obituary was found at the Blue Earth PublicLibrary, Blue Earth, Minnesota on August 1, 2001 by me, Steven L. Goettel andtyped here from my handwritten notes. This edition is not on microfilm so it could not be scanned.
The Blue Earth Post, April 29, 1952
MRS. GUST J. GARTZKE [with picture]
Services were held Saturday for Mrs. Gustav J. Gartzke,88, of Blue Earth who died at her home here Wednesday.
Rev. E. M. Schendal officiated at the services from theForsman Funeral Chapel and the E.U.B. church. Burial was made at Riverside cemetery.
Mrs. Gartzke was born Amelia Fisher June 15, 1864 [sic] inGreen Lake County, Wisconsin. She marriedGustav J. Gartzke in Blue Earth March 31, 1882.
Shortly after their marriage they moved to a farm north ofBlue Earth and resided there for three years. In 1885 they moved to a farm northwest of Blue Earth which theypurchased and was their home for 29 years. They retired from the farm in 1914 and located to Blue Earth. Mr. Gartzke passed away July 19, 1947.
She is survived by 5 children, all of Blue Earth: Ervin; Meta, Mrs. Fred Jagodzinske; Milo; Edwin; and Lila, Mrs. Waldo Hacklander. One son, Silas, preceded her in death.
In March 1947, Mr. and Mrs. Gartzke celebrated their 65thwedding anniversary.
[Most information, including her tombstone, suggests thatAmelia was born in 1862, so this date of birth could be an error.]
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The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota June 29, 1909
"Daisy Nichols, a student at the University ofChicago where she is taking a two year course in domestic science, returned tovisit Mr. and Mrs. L. N. Nichols."
[Daisy is a niece of Lillian Nichols Franklin.]
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From a photocopy made at the Blue Earth Public Library,Blue Earth, Minnesota July 31, 2001.
The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth Minnesota, Thursday, April6, 1939
OBITUARY
WILLIAM F. MISSALL
Funeral services for William F. Missall, former Mayor ofBlue Earth, were conducted at the Salem Evangelical church on Wednesdayafternoon, April 5, at two o'clock, one-thirty at the home, with Rev. H. E.Hiller officiating. Burial was made inRiverside cemetery. During the servicesthe business places in Blue Earth were closed in respect for Mr. Missall.
William Frederick Missall, son of Ludwig and AugusteMissall, was born October 8, 1863, at Neshcora [sic], Marquette County,Wisconsin. He died Saturday, April 1,1939, at his home in Blue Earth at the age of 75 years, five months,twenty-three days. At the age of three,he came with his parents to Barber Township, Faribault County, Minnesota. He grew to young manhood on his father'shomestead in Barber Township. About1890, he came to Blue Earth City where he worked for the George D. McArthurImplement Company. On June 21, 1892, hemarried Alvina Willmert. They continuedto live in Blue Earth until 1898 when they moved to a farm near Lakota,Iowa. In 1910, they returned to thecity of Blue Earth and have resided here since that date. Since 1910 he was engaged in the buildingtrade.
Early in life he joined the Salem Evangelical Church ofBlue Earth. At one time he served as aSteward and also in the capacity of a teacher in the Men's German BibleClass. As a young man, he attendedschool at Northwestern College, now North Central College, at Naperville, Ill.
He served as a member of the School Board and a member ofthe City Council, as Alderman from 1926 to 1930 and from 1932 to 1935. He occupied the position as Mayor of BlueEarth from January, 1935 to April, 1937.
He leaves his wife, one son, Maynard of St. Paul, and onedaughter, Hilda, who resides with her mother, and four grandchildren. There are also three brothers: August ofMoorhead; Gustav of North Sacramento,Calif; Fred of Portland, Oregon; and five sisters still living: Louise Willett, Epworth, North Dakota; Ella Tonn, Milwaukee, Wis.; Helena Krinke, Epworth, N. D. ; Lydia Welke, Van Hook, N. D. ; LauraMadison, Van Hook, N. D.
Out of town people attending the funeral included MrsLouis Willett, Mrs Joseph Krinke, Mrs Herman Wells, and Mrs Ellen Madison, allsisters of Mr Missall; Ella Kitzman ofWillow City, North Dakota, a niece; George Krinke and Alfred Krinke of Mazeppa, both nephews; and many other relatives and friends.
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CARD OF THANKS
We desire to express our heartfelt appreciation and thanksto the many friends who gave unstintingly their aid and condolence during our bereavementover the loss of our husband and father, William F. Missall.
We also wish to express gratitude to the business men ofthe city in closing their places of business during the hour of the funeral.
Mr. W. F. Missall and children.
[Alvina is a daughter of Gustine Meinke and LudwigWillmert. I don't know whether Wells orWelke is the correct surname of his sister Lydia. There also appears to be a question of Laura/Mrs. EllenMadison. The town of William's birth isNeshkoro.]
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From a photocopy made at the Blue Earth Public Library,Blue Earth, Minnesota August 1, 2001.
The Blue Earth Weekly Post, Blue Earth Minnesota,Saturday, April 6, 1901
page 1
J. F. WILLMERT IS NO MORE
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He Retires As Usual Friday Evening, and He Awakes in theLand Beyond the River
Mr. John F. Willmert, one of the early settlers of ourcounty, died on the night of March 29, at his home in Blue Earth. He had been ill in February with La Grippe,but had recovered and was apparently in his usual health, and made no complaintin the evening when he retired. In themorning of the 30th, on being called, he made no answer, and was found dead inhis bed, by his wife, who usually arose before him. His physician, on being immediately called, expressed the opinionthat Mr. Willmert had died, perhaps two or three hours before the fact of hisdeath being discovered. He was foundlying in a natural and easy position in his bed, as though still quietly sleeping, and must have died without and movement, or any suffering whatever. He simply went to sleep, but it was for himthe sleep that knows no awakening on earth. He awoke in the morning light, of a more blessed day on the othershore. Mr. Willmert was born inCahaberg [sp?] Province of Colmar [sic], Prussia, May 16, 1831.
He left the fatherland young and very poor and came toAmerica, the better land in 1850, and settled near Markesan, Wisconsin. Here he went resolutely to work and hisearnings for the first year and a half went to pay the expenses of his passageto his new home. Being industrious andsaving he prospered here and in March 1855, he was married to an estimableyoung lady, Miss Amelia Kopplin, a sister of Mr. August Kopplin of Blue Earth andof Mrs. Duffy, of Hurley, Wisconsin.
In July 1857, the tide of emigration flowing to Minnesota,the land of great promise, Mr. Willmert with his small family and accompaniedby his brother August and family, and August Kobs, Wm. Fondray and August Welkand their belongings, came to Minnesota and proceeded to Martin county. But owing to the Indian excitement whichprevailed on the border at the time, they came to this county ( Faribault ) butsoon after returned to Martin county and finding it still dangerous there,finally came back to this county. Mr.Willmert and his brother settled on lands east of Blue Earth, while Messrs.Kobs, Fondray and Welk went to Wilton in Waseca county, near which theyremained several years and then came to this county and located in the sameneighborhood with the Willmerts. Herethey all passed through the hardships of pioneer life, lived and prospered andhelped others to live and prosper, opened fine farms, built good homes andaided in the establishment of schools and building of churches.
In 1861 Mr. Willmert and his family became, with someothers in the vicinity, members of the German Evangelical association, a classbeing formed about that time by a missionary of the church, the Rev. JohnSchmidt, and they have been active and faithful members of the church,illustrating in their lives from that day to this, the teachings of the blessedgospel of Jesus Christ.
Mr. Willmert left surviving him to mourn his loss hisbeloved and now aged wife, his daughters Mrs. George Kirschner, wife of ourcounty treasurer, Mrs. C. J. Quantz, wife of a merchant of Wells, and MissMinnie who resides at home, his aged brother Ludwig, who resides in Blue Earthand an adopted son, Walter, who resides on the farm, and many other nearrelatives.
Mr. Willmert was a good citizen, always respected by allwho knew him, a kind husband, a considerate father, one who always providedwell for his family and has left them in comfortable circumstances.
His was an example of a christian life, which others mayrespect and follow.
"He is gone, but his memory liveth,
He is dead, his example is here,
The sweetness and fragrance it giveth
Will linger for many a year."
Mr. Willmert's funeral, very largely attended, took placeat two o'clock p. m. on April second, the religious services being held at theGerman church, in Blue Earth.
(The above well written biography of the late John F.Willmert, was the work of Judge Jacob A. Kiester, who was acquainted with thesubject of our sketch since the pioneer days of the fifties. We wish to return thanks to the venerableJudge for the use of the same for publication in the POST. --- ED.)
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[The date of death in cemetery records is listed to beMarch 30, 1901. This obit seems to verify the suspicion that John and AugustWillmert were brothers of Ludwig Willmert, husband of Gustine Meinke. There location in southeast Blue EarthTownship also also looks to be the magnet that brought the Oelke, Gartzke andLudwig Willmert families to that area 15 -18 years later. I cannot find a town lookinglike Cahaberg or Cababerg on a few online maps of the Kolmar area ofPosen. Ludwig and most of the otherfamilies from there use Zachesburg {now Zacharzyn} as their birth place. It may be that John was born therealso. I had the incorrect year notedfor brother August's death so I did not locate his obit to see what it said in1885. John and Amelia have 5 young sonsand an infant buried in Immanuel cemetery, and their oldest daughter Mary wasfirst married to Frederick G. Levenick who died sometime between daughterLorena Levenick Quaday's birth in Sept. 1882 and Frederick's remarriage toLydia Augusta Fenske in August, 1888.-- SLG]
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Retrieved from the Blue Earth Public Library, Blue Earth,Minnesota August 1, 2001 by me, Steven L. Goettel and retyped from photocopy.
The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, Wednesday,January 13, 1904.
DEATH OF MRS. AUGUST W. WILLMERT.
After a long and well spent life, Henrietta, relic of thelate August W. Willmert, peacefully breathed her last at her home, 206 EastSixth street in this city, Monday evening, January 11, 1904, aged 89 years, 3months and 7 days.
The deceased was born in Germany, October 4, 1814, and atthe age of twenty was married to Frederick Manthey, to whom she bore fivechildren, the only one now living being Rev. Julius Manthey of this city. Ernest Manthey, another son who formerlylived here having died in California in 1886. Her husband having died at an early age, she married August W. Willmertand came to America in 1851, settling in Wisconsin. In 1857 they came to Minnesota and settled on a farm in theeastern part of Blue Earth City township where she lived until 1880 when theyretired from the farm and took up their residence in this city. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs.Willmert, three of whom are living, as follows: Mrs. Amelia, widow of the late Rev. E. H. Bauman; John L. andFred Willmert, all of this city. Mrs.Willmert was not only a pioneer in the settlement of the section, but a pioneerin church matters in this township; a member of the German Evangelical churchfor the past forty years, and her home, her heart and her larder were ever opento those early day christians in their successful efforts to thoroughtlyestablish the Christian religion among the sturdy German settlers. She was a great worker. Her gentle hand and loving kindness was inconstant demand at the bed of sickness throughout that section of thecountry. Her husband died in 1885.
The funeral will be held at her late residence at 12:30and at the German Evangelical church at 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. She will be buried in the cemetery fourmiles east of this city, by the side of her late husband and her oldest son,Ferdinand Manthey, who died in the army in 1862. She was a noble wife and mother and her sorrowing children willlong cherish her memory.
[Henrietta’s death record listed her father’s name asHalbers or Halbern. No first name ormother’s name.]
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The following facts/information was retrieved from theBlue Earth Public Library, Blue Earth, Minnesota, very late on August 1, 2001by me Steven L. Goettel.
I did not have time to photocopy nor record by hand theentire obituary, but gathered in as many of the relevant facts as I could.
The Blue Earth Post, Blue Earth, Minnesota, December 1,1908
GUSTINE W. WILLMERT
Mrs. Willmert was born December 25, 1821 in Zachersberg,Germany [sic]. She was married toLudwig W. Willmert in 1841 and immigrated to America in 1869. She converted soonafter to the Evangelical church. Theyfarmed in Rome [twp] and moved to Blue Earth in 1888.
Mrs Willmert was burned a few weeks before and could notrecover because of old age.
400 people attended her funeral at the Evangelical churchfollowed by burial by her husband at Riverside cemetery.
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