USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Pilot > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 3
USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Irwin > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 3
USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Goodrich > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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PAUL MEYER-Born at Rheinau, Alsace, 1817. Came to America in 1855 and located for some time in Joliet, Ill., where he was pilot on a canal boat between Joliet and Chicago. In the 1860's, or thereabouts, he settled in Norton township, where he bought 80 acres for $1000 from Alois Babst in 1860. In 1869 he bought 40 acres from the Illinois Central railroad at $9 per acre and sold out in 1880. He was married to Marianne Henry. Children: Cecilia, Elizabeth, Odilia and Albert. Died June 11, 1889, in Marcus, Iowa.
GEORGE PETER-Born in Wasselnheim, Alsace, in 1822. Came to this country in 1848 and settled first in Ohio, then in Blue Island and Kankakee and in 1859 came to Pilot township. After his first wife died he married Mary Nau of Bavaria, a convert to his faith. Children : Rose, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Caroline, Charles, Louis, Louisa and John. The records show the purchase of 40 acres for $175 from Fred Reinhard in 1868. With his wife and eight children he lived for a time in a house of two small rooms. Moved to Kankakee in 1891 where he died in 1901, and was buried in St. Mary's cemetery, Kankakee.
ED. FINGER-Born in Grottkau, Silesia (Germany) and married to Rosa Scheiding of Altenburg, Saxony. Baptismal records show the birth of a child-Emma-in October 1867. The land records show the purchase of 40 acres from school trustees in the 1860's in section 16, Pilot, for which he paid $44 per acre.
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JOHN PRATT-Born in Westphalia, Germany, in 1820, and came to America in 1845, settling near Chicago and in 1865 in Essex township. Married to Libby Albert. One son-John. Bought 40 acres for $400 from the Illinois Central Railroad in 1866. He moved afterwards to California where he died in 1900 and was buried in Los Angeles.
GEORGE SCHOSSER-Born in Steinhilten, Wuer- temberg (Southern Germany), May 14, 1821. Stone cut- ter by trade. Came to America in 1853, and settled first in Essex township, section 6, 1853-1865. The records show the purchase of 80 acres in section 28 for $800 from Isaac A. Saxton in 1866. He afterwards sold the land and moved to Joliet, Ill., where he worked at his trade for two years, and then returned to Essex township, sec- tion 28, where he bought 160 acres. Married to Apolonia Kramer in 1847. Children: Carolina, Lazarus, Herman and Karl. He crossed the ocean in 60 days, then went by rail to Wilmington and from there with an ox team to Essex township where he built a loghouse on section 6. Died December 10, 1895, and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul's cemetery.
PHILIP SAFFER-Born in Bavaria (Husheid) in 1824, and landed at New Orleans in 1852, after crossing the ocean in 56 days from Bremen, Germany. Settled in Niles Center in 1852. Married to Margaret Guenther. Children, Cunigunda, Magdalena, John, Sebastian, Michael, Kilian and Philip. Paid $12 per acre for 80 acres. Died August 15, 1900, and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul's cemetery.
ANTON SCHNEIDER-Born in Gansheim, Alsace, in 1837. Crossed the ocean in 1859 in an old sailing vessel; over two months on the water. Moved from Wilmington to Norton township about 1868. In 1869 he bought 160 acres of land for $500 from Allen Bacon. Married to Ame Nolan. Died at Wilmington in 1898 where he is buried.
NICOLAUS WEILER-Born in Trimbs (Germany) in 1824. Came to the United States in 1855 and settled
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near Chicago, then in Pilot township in 1868. Married to Catharina Spies. Children: Michael, Joseph, Maria, Anna, Peter, John, Frank, Catharina, and Nicolaus. Bought 100 acres at $25 per acre in 1868. Died in Chicago Sept. 4, 1899, where he is buried.
KNITTEL FAMILY-In 1846 Peter Paul and Catherine (nee Buerhla) Knittel from Bennweier (Alsace), France, crossed the Atlantic in about 44 days for America with their five children: Peter, Catherine, Chrysostom, John and Ignace. They settled at first in Chicago, then in Northfield near Wheeling, Ill. (Des Plaines in those days being the nearest railroad station). Afterwards they locat- ed in Joliet, where the father died in 1846; then again lived near Wheeling. The mother of the family, born in 1799, died in the hotel kept by her son John at Wheeling at the age of 86. We are told that during the French revolution in 1799 she was secretly baptized "behind the stove" for fear of the so called patriots.
Chrysostom (Chryst) Knittle was born in Bennweier (Alsace) in 1833. Came to Pilot township in 1864, where he bought eighty acres at $5 per acre in Pilot, section 3, through Jacob Hertz, land agent for the owner residing in Pennsylvania. Records also show forty acres purchas- ed for $480 from J. B. Landbery and C. Sundguist in 1867. Married to Mary Elizabeth Heimburger. One daughter- Anna Mary-born June 3, 1872. After the death of his wife he contracted marriage with Rosa Peter. Children: Michael, George, Mary Magdalen, Anthony, Paul, Joseph, Rosa, Clara and three deceased. In his declining years Mr. Knittel retired to his farm in Pilot township, section 10, where he was living with his children until his death in 1921.
John Knittle was born in Bennweier (Alsace) on June 10, 1837. After his arrival in this country he learned the carpenter trade and afterwards engaged in farming. Located in Pilot township in 1870 where he bought eighty acres at $7 per acre in 1877 and later forty acres at $35 per acre. In 1884 he rented land in Wheeling, Cook
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rcounty, and again; returned to Pilot in 1886] Married, to .Stephanine Bock on November 20, 1866, at Niles, Ill.,1 a . daughter jof Carl and Magdalena (nee Hultz)| Bock., Mrs. I Knittel was born in Leitz (Hechingen-Sigmaringen) Wuer- temberg, Southern Germany on August 3, 1943, and came to America in 1866. . Children; Mathilde, Elizabeth, Mag- dalen,' John, Catherine, Peter, Anna, Laura. 8 In his de- clining years John Knittel retired to Chebanse. Died Hled 1924. = -992 nXAVER SCHNEIDER++BornBin Gahsheim (Alsace) > in 1832 >Emigrated itos the state's inn1867 and located in .sNorton townshipiabout 1870. Bought eighty acres there in .Ssection 14) for $2560 from Mariah " S) ,Morgan inn 1876. .Marriedo to> Elizabeths Faber( Children: Anna,i Joseph, - John land! Frank. Crossed the nodean in three weeks. .(Dieduin 1912 and is buried lin SS; Petervand Paul's ceme-
IF KILIAN LOCHNER>Born an Raedinger, Bavaria, :(Germany ) [on June b28; ) 1840. 1 Came with his parents, ( Michael land| Susanne Lochner, to America in 1844. The . family llocated at Morton Grove, Ill. He contracted mar- riage with Mary KarcherbnsChildren: Emma, William, John, Louis, George, Frank, Susan, Mary and Elizabeth. Located in 1870 in Pilot township where he bought 80 acres at $35 per acre. Trip on ocean occupied about nine days. Died August 26th, 1915, and is buried in SS. Peter and
.9090G .2010. 17 .. : [19 :D :11') Paul's, cemetery. .99ff bus Zasrl stobal drawl - -
MARSHALL RAPPEL-Born in Killstett, near Strasbourg(! ( Alsace) in 1816, came to America in 1850, and located first between Lockport and Lemont, Illgi where he - engaged in farming. ((Came to Salina township, section 19, -in 1870. 'Her sold a fall of 80 acresito MI S. Bigelow'in | 1871 for $1600bli Married to Julia Rappel. Children» Mich- .bael; Dorothea / (Sistern Helen ), Helen,! John and Louisa. Died August 28th, 1881, and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul cemetery, Pilot. 11:00 -- 17.7 ; ao ' WILLIAM MEYER-Born in Oldenburg (Germany) . in; 1848, and emigrated to America in 1869, locating near Chicagonfor two years then in Pilot township. in, 1871,1/on
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section 4. In 1878 he bought 80 acres at $40 per acre from Fred Andre. Married on April 25, 1876 to Louisa Studer. Children: Henry, Frank, John, Catherine, Sebastian, Mary, Philip, Julius and Magdalene. Died in 1918 and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul's cemetery.
JOHN GRASSER-Born in Hirshaid, near Bamberg, (Bavaria) in 1831. Came to America in 1850. Located at Morton Grove (Dutchman's Point). In 1872 he came to Pilot and in about 1873 bought 80 acres for $2600 in sec- tion 22 from Hiram Aldrich. Married in Wilmette (Gross Point) to Margaret Gabel. Children: Dorothea, Barbara, Marie Francisca, George, Magdelena, Margaretha, Barbara, and Philip. About 1890 Mr. Grasser moved to Rinville, Minn., where he died in 1909 and is buried in the Holy Re- deemer cemetery there as is Mrs. Grasser, who died in 1896.
JOSEPH GERSMANN-Born in Enninger (West- phalia) on July 11, 1838 and came to America in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian war. Located in Lockport for about three years, and in 1874 in Essex township. Bought 80 acres for $2650 from Adam Stewart in 1887. Died in 1903, and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul's cemetery.
JOHN L. HEINES-Born in Weiler, near Altkirch, Upper Alsace, in 1851, the son of Lawrence and Margaret (Hell) Heines. He was the fifth oldest of a family of nine children: Mary, Ambrose, Catherine, Monica, John L. (our subject), Joseph, Isidore, Frank and Lawrence. Ambrose and Joseph came first to this country and located in Ply- mouth county, Iowa. John crossed the ocean in 1873 and settled in Norton township, Kankakee county, section 28, where he boughht 80 acres for $2600. He married in 1884 Mary Clodi, the widow of John Heimburger and a daugh- ter of Matthias and Cecilia Clodi. Children: Clara and Joseph. In 1912 he moved to Kankakee, where he retired.
JOHN KRAL-Born in Huemitz (Austria) in 1820, and emigrated to America in 1851, located first in Kankakee and in 1877 in Pilot township. Bought 80 acres for about $4 per acre from the Illinois Central Railroad company. Married to Catherine Kohl. Children: John, Anna, Joseph,
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George. Died in 1877, and is buried in SS. Peter and Paul's cemetery.
MICHAEL CLODI-Born August 18, 1841, in Ses- senheim (Alsace). Came to America in 1870, locating in Hennepin, near Peoria, Ill. Came to Salina in 1878, then to Milk's Grove, Pilot, section 3, where he bought 80 acres at $30 per acre. In 1890 he located in Indiana, and in 1914 in Bradley, Ill. Married to Salome Baumgardner. Chil- dren : Joseph, Louis, Albert, Michael, Frank, Mary, George, Eddy, Emma, Robert and Cecilia. He served for seven years in the French army. Died in Bradley in 1917 ,and is buried in Mount Calvary cemetery, Kankakee.
PETER SPIES-Born in the district of Mainz, Ger- many ,in 1833. Came to America in 1866 with his wife and family of six children, two of whom died on the trip and were buried at sea. It took three months from time of sailing to the landing in New York. He settled in Chi- cago, working in the lumber yards. About 1878 he bought a farm of 80 acres for about $30 per acre from James Burk, in Pilot township, section 32,where he lived until about 1895, when he moved to Kankakee. After his wife's death in 1901 he returned to Chicago, where he lived for four years and again returned to Kankakee, where he died at the age of 73. In 1856 he married Christina Fuhr. To this union were born eleven children:Peter, Joseph, John, Eliza- beth, Mary, Henry, Christina, Lillie and Katie. Peter Spies is buried in St. Rose cemetery, Kankakee.
LEONARD HERBST-Born in the duchy of Baden, near Lahr, (Germany) August 7, 1844. Came to America in 1869, locating at Joliet, Ill., on August 7, 1871, where he was connected with the boot and shoe business. He was married to Emma Deiser in St. John's church by Father Nolte in 1873. Children: Mary, Otto, Louisa, Helena and Susie. In 1876 he located in Kankakee where he was oc- cupied in the shoe business. In 1879 moved to Herscher, where at first he opened a small shoe shop and later the Herscher hotel. There he purchased two building sites; on one he erected a business building, on the other a resi- dence. In 1898 he moved to Kankakee where he was em-
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- ployed in the state hospitall ai Mrs Herbsti wholwasknown as a gifted musician, died Jan. 4, 1900, and is buried in Mt. Calvary cemetery, Kankakee®
ni griff STAnot OMIS pealA) misdr. 158 GNACE FELLER- Born in Wittolsheim, near Col- mar, Alsace, Feb. 16, 1851. Crossed the ocean in 1852 with
his parents, Blasius. and Elisabeth (Seiler) The father soon after 'Feller, who located near Naperville, Du Page county, 9 ., with their children, Henry, Ignace and Joseph. dIA died and in about 1855 the mother married Bernhard Will- [19) 92 TOT 09/192 9H1 .meng, who was born in Grusenheim, Alsace. Children: S MINOTE CHI DO, THQ Joseph, Elisabeth, Seraphine, Helena, Francis, Andrew and R one deceased. In 1861 the family moved to Lemont, 1Il.,
where the mother died in 18670 Ignace | Fellerl came to b Kankakeel county in 1872,and worked on farms by the bmonth ( Grand Prairie,// 1872-1875) . OfidMay. 2, 1876,she , 1 married in Cook county,| Mary | Peter, sdaughter off George "and Mary (Nat) Peter( For some five years hegfarmed near | Lemont, Ill.y /and in s1880 | moved to Pilot township, where in: (1891 her bought 84 aches from F! Reinhart rat #$39:30 perboadren Children: Joseph, q Elisabeth, li'Anna, ( Charles, George, Frank and Oliviat b.In 1913, after having "sold his farm, Mr. Fellerolocated in Benton Harbor, Michi- vigan, where he retiredas usd et borristor mises bas ztsov efter ado settend' ) befrism od 0881 ml .EX to ges
-s.EUGENE SCHMIDT++Born in, Brunstadtuoinear Muehlhausen,' {Alsace) in 1858, and emigrated in 1887, locating in Essex stownship and Pilottownship where he bought 133 acres in 1894 for $4700 from the T. Hornberger heirs, in Section 2. Married to Catherine Frueh in Colmar.
J
6 Children;, Eugene, John, Joseph, Leo, Alice and Mary.
Crossed the ocean in 18 days. Served in the German army for three years, In his later years. he settled, in Bonfield. o mend code. bas food off fire batopanon amn ad
PIONEER AND SUBSEQUENT SETTLERS SS. PETER AND PAUL'S PARISH
JOHN HEIMBURGER
MRS. JOHN HEIMBURGER
PHILIP KARCHER
MRS. PHILIP KARCHER
CARL RUDER
MATTHIAS CLODI
MRS. MATTHIAS COLDI nee Borschneck
FRANCIS STUDER
MRS. FRANCIS STUDER
FRANK EMLING
MRS. FRANK EMLING
GEORGE PETER
NICOLAUS WEILER
XAVER SCHNEIDER
MRS. XAVER SCHNEIDER
MR. AND MRS. FRIDOLIN RUDER
MRS. GEO. PETER
MR. AND MRS. ADAM FRITZ
MRS. NICOLAUS WEILER
MR. AND MRS. JOHN KNITTEL
KILIAN LOCHNER
MARCHAL RAPPEL
MRS. MARCHAL RAPPEL
WILLIAM
MEYER
MRS. WILLIAM MEYER
JOHN GRASSER
MRS JOHN GRAS- SER
LEONARD HERBST
MRS LEONARD HERBST
IGNACE FELLER
MRS. IGNACE FELLER
EUGENE SCHMIDT
MRS EUGENE SCHMIDT
MR. AND MRS. PETER SPIES
IRISH COLONY (WEST)
€
THOMAS KING
MRS. THOMAS KING
MICHAEL McGINNIS
MRS. MICHAEL MCGINNIS
MICHAEL RIORDAN
JOHN KING
MRS. JOHN KING
PATRICK LONER- GAN
MRS. PATRICK LONERGAN
FIVE GENERATIONS
- FRANCIS STUDER MRS. SERAPHINA RUDER
ANDREW RUDER, SR.
ANDREW RUDER JR.
ISIDORE RUDER
MICHAEL CLODI FAMILY
IE
ED IN N 9.
MARK, CELE-
Benniet
EDUARD
EUSEBE
NAOMA
MARY
MARY CATHERINE
FRONICA M. ALA
FRANCIS
REGINA
Louis
STRANKM IDA
ANNA N DAN AELINER
ELIZABETH
ZAMBR
TOOMEY
HENRY
WILLIAN FORAR5
KATIE M-HENRY DION
PIERRE
KATIE GEIGER
FRICHARD
LUCY
PHILIP
JULIUS M IDA ODETTE
MAGDALENC
ANTONY
STEPHEN
ARCHCHBALD
JAREO
WILLIAM
WALTER
PHYUS
VERA
KEITS
LAUELLA
SISTER ANTONIA.
AGNES +
JULIUS+
FRANK=M .- BARBARA
EDITH
OSCAR
JOHNY
MARIE
ESTHER ZOPF
CLARAN
VALENTINE HART
HORBERT
SMARY. M. JOHN PETERE
SERAPHINA
M
FRIDOLIN RUDER
JOSEPH
DOROTHY
AGNES
AHOJ
for
GERTRUDE
JOHN
NOWA
MATTHEW
STUDER
-. MARRIED
-
Ap2, 8, 1847 (Omtzerland)
MARIA JOSEPHA STUDER
KUNIGUNDA
+
VINCENT
FRANCIS
SAN JOHNLOCH
ANNA MEUINSKE
REGINA
MARCELLA
BARBARAX
EMORITZ - M. CORA SAFFER
VERNON
LEO
REYNOLD
LORINA
PANCIA
MARY
PHYLIS
LAUR
WALTER
FRANCIS
MARCELLA
GENEVIEVE . PHILIP
BERTHA
:WARMAN -
LAWDE
ZANDREW
GEORGE
CHARLES N ENMA LOCHNER
CARL
SISTER BERNADINE POOR CLARES ORDER
PRECIOUS BLOODORDER PRECIOUS BLOCO ORDER
SISTER PANCHATTA,
THERESA, SISTER BARBARA BARBARA
-LOUISA M WILLIAM
PETER
CLEOML M PAUL.HE
JOHN, M. ANASTACIA SOWEY.
I. JOSEPH SOWEY
II. JOHN ANKLE
LUCILLA
MEYER-
JOSEPHINE, M.
BARBARA=M HENRY GIESKE
MAGDALENCO
CATHARINE +
DOROTHY
VINA*
VINCENT
VERA
HOOH
ACHES
JOSEPH
EMARY-M. COWARD DEVORAR
VICTORIA
ANITA DOS12
+INFANT
JOHN
CHENRY. MI
CHYMO3
ESTE
MARY+
JOHN & ANNA RO
BARBARAOFF
JULIUS
RICHARD
ANNA
ANTONIA
PRECIOUS BLOOD ORDET
HAUTJEC
RIG
GLCHARD
FRANK
FLORENCE.N ARTHUR HOUDT AU
BARBARA
B. 1824, Decl. Dec.8, 1918 FRANZ
SEBASTIAN MI. MARY CLOONED
BERNARD
HOMESTEADS AND DWELLING PLACES OF THE PIONEER AND SUBSEQUENT SETTLERS. SS. PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH
TO THIS DWELLING PLACE A SHANTY WAS ATTACHED AND OCCUPIED IN EARLY DAYS BY JOHN HEIMBURGER. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 9.
DWELLING PLACE OF PHILIP KARCHER (1863) ROOF SHAPED MARK, SHOWS WHERE AN ADDITION WAS BUILT IN WHICH MASS WAS CELE- BRATED ABOUT 1868. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 16
HOMESTEAD OF MATTHIAS CLODI. SALINA TOWNSHIP SECTION 16.
HOMESTEAD OF CARL RUDER. SUBSEQUENTLY OWNED BY FRI- DOLIN RUDER. HOUSE BUILT IN 1868. MASS WAS CELEBRATED THEREIN ON THE OCCASION OF THE BLESSING OF THE HOUSE BY REV. CARL ROSENBAUER. ESSEX TOWNSHIP SECTION 36.
HOMESTEAD OF PETER GEIGER. PILOT TOWNSHIP
SECTION 4. ON NOVEMBER 24, 1867 THE FIRST MEETING WAS HELD IN THE SMALL FRONT PART BY THE THEN FEW GERMAN CATHOLIC TO ORGANIZE A CHURCH BUILDING SOCIETY (KIRCHENBAU-VEREIN.
HOMESTEAD OF FRANCIS STUDER (1865) .. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 16.
HOMESTEAD OF FRANK EMILING. ESSEX TOWNSHIP SECTION 25.
HOMESTEAD OF ADAM FRITZ (THIRD BUILDING). PILOT TOWN- SHIP SECTION 17.
HOMESTEAD OF NICOLAUS WEILER. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 3.
HOMESTEAD OF CHRYSOSTOM (CHRYST)
KNITTEL WITH THE
OWNERS PHOTOGRAPH.
PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 10.
HOMESTEAD OF PHILIP SAFFER BUILT IN 1872. PILOT TOWNSHIP SEC- TION 10.
RESIDENCE OF JOHN HEIMBURGER BUILT ABOUT 1870. . PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 9.
HOMESTEAD OF JOHN KNITTEL SR. PILOT TOWNSHIP
SECTION 10. THE KITCHEN (RIGHT 12'x16' ABOUT 7' HIGH) WAS ORIGINALLY A SCHOOL HOUSE BUILT IN THE 1860'S, MOVED FROM SECTION 16 ONE- HALF MILE NORTH OF FRANZ STUDER'S PLACE. THIS SCHOOLHOUSE WAS THE FIRST DWELLING PLACE OF JOHN KNITTEL. MASS WAS CELE- BRATED IN SAME. MIDDLE PART (16'x18' ABOUT 8' HIGH) BUILT BY JOHN KNITTEL IN THE 1870'S. MAIN BUILDING (LEFT, 16'x22' ABOUT 12' HIGH) BUILT BY JOHN ARMSTRONG IN THE 1870'S, MOVED FROM HIS PLACE ONE-FOURTH MILE NORTH AND ONE-FOURTH MILE EAST TO THE PRESENT SITE BY JOHN KNITTEL.
,
HOMESTEAD OF XAVEH SCHNEIDER.
PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 14.
HOMESTEAD OF KILIAN LOCHNER. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 7.
HOMESTEAD OF JOHN GRASSER. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 22.
DWELLING PLACE OF MICHAEL CLODI.
OCCUPIED FROM 1889-1898. PILOT TOWNSHIP SECTION 3.
DWELLING PLACE OF PETER SPIES. PILOT TOWNSHIP SEC- TION 32.
DWELLING PLACE IN 1920 OCCUPIED BY JAMES GEELAN IN WHICH (MAIN BUILDING) MASS WAS SAID BY REV. FATHER ZARA. SALINA TOWNSHIP SECTION 7.
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MEMBERS OF SS. PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH FOR A TIME. IRISH COLONY (WEST)
THOMAS KING-Born in Chatel Clough, Queens county, Ireland, in 1833;son of James and Sarah (Bren- nan) King. Came to America in 1852 with his wife and three children and his brother William. Settled in Wil- mington, then in Essex township, section 34, in 1855. Bought 80 acres at $11 per acre from Edwin Richert in 1868. Married to Mary Jane McGinnis. Children: Maria, Katie, Thomas, William, Rose, Margaret, Michael, Theresa, Alice, Ella, James and Lawrence. Died February 18, 1917. Buried in St. Rose cemetery ,Wilmington.
WILLIAM KING-Born in Chatel Clough, Queens county, Ireland, in 1825. Came to the states in 1852, the trip lasted twelve weeks. Settled in Wilmington, Ill., and afterwards in Essex township in 1855. Records show 84 acres fought from Alice A. Woodward in 1866 for $775. Married to Catherine Phalen. Children: Maggie, Joseph, Richard, Edward, Sarah, Maurice, James, Lewis. Lived on his farm up to his death February 18, 1909. Buried in St. Mary's cemetery, Braidwood, Ill.
MICHAEL RIORDAN-Born in Kenmare, Kerry county, Ireland, Aug. 15,1822. Emigrated to America in 1840. Settled in Portland (Maine) 2 years, Elgin 10 years, Wilmington 11 years. In 1865 he established himself in Essex township. Married to Mary Welch. Children: Cornelius, James, Mary, John and Katie. Bought 80 acres at $6 per acre and $7.50 for another 80. Trip on ocean 8 weeks. Died Sept. 8, 1905, buried in Braidwood, Ill.
MICHAEL McGINNIS-Born in Meath county, Ire- land in 1822. Came to America in 1850, settled in New York City. In 1865 he moved to Will county, and in 1866 to Norton township. Bought 80 acres at $2 per acre. Married to Catherine Smith. Children: Mary, Jane, Hugh, Thomas, William, Michael, Frank, Terrence, George, Cath-
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erine and Rose. In 1900 he divided his estate among his children and retired to Reddick, Ill., where he owned 840 acres. In early days mass was often celebrated in his home. Died May 21, 1907, buried in Campus, Ill.
JOHN KING-A brother to Thomas and William King was born in Queens county in 1842. Came to this country in May, 1866 and settled at once in Essex township, Kankakee county. Married to Ellen Quigley. Children: James, Andrew, Sarah, Michael. In 1869 he bought 80 acres of land in section 34 for $22 per acre and also 80 acres in 1902 from William McGovern for $8000. His journey on the ocean to this side of the Atlantic took seven days.
PATRICK LONERGAN-Born in Ballyclerahan, Tipperary county, Ireland, in 1849. Came to the United States in 1870 and settled in Wilton Center and Twelve Mile Grove, Ill. Bought 160 acres in 1876 for $400 from Anthony Schneider, Norton township, section 3. Eighteen days on the ocean. Married to Anna Nolan. Children: James, Andrew, Mary, Annie and Joseph (twins), Loretta, and Robert. Retired to Woodland Park, Bourbonnais, Ill.
BURKE FAMILY-Francis Burke the father was born in Limerick county, Ireland in 1811. He left his native country for America in 1849, crossed the ocean in six weeks in a sailing vessel. Settled at first in Chicago and subsequently in Elgin, Ill. where he died. He was married to Joanna Casey, born in 1807 in Limerick county, Ireland. Children: Patrick C., William, James, John, Maurice Francis, Bishop of St. Joseph, Mo. According to the land record 520 acres were purchased from I. C. R. R. Co. in 1866 for $3676, Pilot township, section 28 ,and occupied by James John and William Burke; they were raising mostly stock, secured from Texas. In all there were eight children in the family; two died when small in Ireland, and the only girl died in Chicago and was buried in the old Catholic ceme- tery .. The father died in 1867 and the mother in 1896. Both are buried in Calvary cemetery in the family lot, Chicago.
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GENEALOGICAL TABLE KNITTEL FAMILY
Martin W.
Hattie (Mother of the Rev. Father Weidner)
Caroline
Peter m-Margaret Beyer
Emma Edith
Theodore
Mary
Josephine
Anna
Rosa
Catherine m-Anton Morse
Caroline
KNITTEL Peter Paul-m Catherine (nee Buehrla) Knittel
Chrysostom
Michael George Mary
II marriage: Rosa Peter
Magdalen
Anthony Paul
Joseph
Rosa
Clara
John m-Stephanie Bock
Mathilda Elizabeth Magdalen John Catherine Peter
Anna
Laura
I marriage: Margaret Zuker
Elizabeth Emma Frank J Helena
Ignace
II marriage: Barbara Weidner
Anna Anthony Petronilla Charles Edith Mary Margaret
Clara Edward
L
marriage: Mary Elizabeth Heimburger
Anna Mary
Home Country of Some of the Early Settlers.
Not a few of the earlier settlers of SS Peter and Pauls came from Alsace, a principality of France. The name Alsace (Elsass) is derived from the ancient Alsatia, com- posed of "Ill," a river, and the German word "sitzen," set- tle, that is the settlers on the river Ill or according to oth- ers, from Elisazun, i. e. those who settled in a foreign coun- try. Alsace is bounded in the east by the river Rhine on the west by the Vosges mountains on the south by Switzer- land and on the north by the Rhine Palatinate (Rhenish Bavaria). Between the Vosges and the Rhine extends a beautiful rich plain. There are many small rivers, tribu- taries of the majestic Rhine, which like the St. Lawrence in Canada played such a great role in the formation of the history of Alsace. Some of the highest elevations of the Vosges mountains are the Donon, Climont, Ungerberg, the Honneck and the Ballon of Guebweiler (nearly 4700 feet high). We find also a few small lakes but strangely, all on the summit of the Vosges mountains; they furnish water for irrigation and water-power projects. The climate of Alsace is mild and healthy and the different seasons come in gradually, there are no sudden weather changes. Aver- age summer temperature 61 degrees F., winter 39 degrees F. Animals and plants are of a great variety. Iron is mined principally in Lorraine, the sister country of Alsace, but coal is found in the Vosges and also salt, to a small extent.
History-Alsace was originally a part of Roman Gaul and inhabited by Celtic tribes, who had immigrated from the east, then overrun by German nations during the fourth and fifth centuries and ultimately brought under the dominion of the Franks. In the tenth century the original Celtic element was supplanted by the German invaders.
ALSACE-LORRAINE
LORRAINE
ALSCACE
CATHEDRAL OF STRASBOURG ALSACE
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By the treaty of peace of Muenster 1648 the greater part of Alsace belonged to France. King Lewis XIV of France induced families from neighboring countries to set- tle in Alsace, which had been devasted by wars and pesti- lence. For six years no taxes were to be levied and the timber, lumber for the rebuilding of homes was furnished free of charge by the government. Hence many strangers immigrated to Alsace from France, Lorraine, Germany, Switzerland and Italy and this accounts for the fact that we find so many names of different nationalities among the Alsations and some entire French-patois speaking villages.
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