Peter Josef Schulteis, son of Paul Josef Schultes and Maria Josefa Müller, was * born on Wednesday, 21 February 1787 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.¹ [also identified as 20 February 1787] He was ~ baptized on Thursday, 22 February 1787 in Rheinbach.^1,2,3 On Wednesday, 19 May 1813, Peter Josef, age 26, oo married Anna Maria Wichterich, age 21, at St. Margaretha Catholic Church, Rheinbach.^4,2,3 Peter + died, at the age of 39 years, on Saturday, 10 June 1826 in Rheinbach.² [Professor Schulteis identified death on 09 June 1826]

     Peter Joseph Schulteis, son of Peter Josef Schulteis and Anna Maria Wichterich, was * born on Wednesday, 06 June 1821 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia.^1,2 He was ~ baptized on Thursday, 07 June 1821 in Rheinbach.^1,3 On Tuesday, 05 August 1845, Peter Joseph, age 24, oo married Anna Maria Elisabeth Merkel, age 25, at St. Peter German Catholic Congregation Church, later known as the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory.^4,5 Peter + died, at the age of 60 years, on Friday, 04 November 1881 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.⁶ He was buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield. The burial location is Area South, Row 2, Grave 21 next to his wife Anna Maria.
     Peter emigrated at age 22 from Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia, departing on Wednesday, 13 September 1843. The National Archive Trust Fund records in Washington D.C. show that Peter Joseph Schulteis left Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia for Antwerp, Belgium in 1843.

Overland travel in the German rugged landscape, mud, and unpredictable weather made it difficult traveling in the 1800's. It was very hard to assure arrival to get to the port on time for passage aboard a vessel. Many families found it faster and more comfortable taking one of the hundreds of the Rhine river boats to near the mouth of the Rhine and then a short trip to Antwerp. A Rhine river boat was usually meant for transportation of commercial materials but for a small fee would accommodate private passengers. Antwerp was also a much less "formal" port than the German ones and it was easier to book passage and leave.

In July/August Peter boarded the Emma, of the boat class "bark" or "Barque" and generally referred to as the "Bark Emma". It was a 342 ton Belgian boat under the command of Captain Charles Sheridan. This wind powered three masts vessel had the front two masts (fore and main) square rigged and the back mast (mizzenmist) rigged fore-and-aft. The vessel arrived 30-40 days later at New York Harbor. There were 131 passengers on board and Peter Joseph was listed as the 28th person on the ship's record. It further showed that Peter was 22 years of age and that his occupation was that of a smit.

At this time in history, immigrants to Wisconsin generally took a boat from New York City up the Hudson River to Albany. There they boarded a train to Buffalo and sailed on a Great Lakes steam boat to Milwaukee. In Milwaukee there was no wharf so passengers unload their baggage into small boats which took them to shore. The last 20 or so miles of the journey was spent walking from Milwaukee through the forested land to their final destination. In Peter Joseph's case, his final destination was Richfield.

Family hearsay has a third brother, although not identified, also coming to the United States and residing out west, possibly in Nebraska. There is no documentation confirming this speculation.

The following memoir was originally published by the Concordia Historical Society and republished in 1985 by the Fayette County, Illinois Genealogical Society. It may provide some insight into what Peter Joseph might have encountered in his journey to Wisconsin.

Written by J. Fred Fellwock, b 1831, Nahausen, Brandenburg, d 1919, Evansville, Indiana.

LEAVING THE HOMELAND

On June 11, 1846, we bade our old and remaining friends farewell, my father, mother, my five sisters, and myself. There were nearly a score of families, including our own, all from our neighborhood of Dorf Nahausen. They hired an Oder River boat, which took us to Hamburg. The railroad from Berlin to Hamburg was then under construction. Only a half mile from Nahausen was an arm of the Oder River, and here our hired boat was anchored, awaiting us.

All baggage and belongings that were to go with us had previously been put aboard the craft. About 12 o'clock noon the craft pulled out, the passengers and cargo bound to an unknown world. As anchor and ropes were drawn in, we sang several verses of spiritual songs. We kept this up for some time; also waving of hands and handkerchiefs from land and boat kept up until we, forever passed on and out of sight. Where there was joy from one end of the boat to the other, yet there rolled many a tear over the cheeks of every passenger, especially mothers and the mature. In a few hours we arrived at the junction of the main Oder River. This we followed to the Finn Canal, through the canal into the Hazel River, and finally in to the Elbe River. After three weeks we arrived in Hamburg.

Perhaps the captain was responsible for our slow headway; he was a slow individual. And in Hamburg there were more passengers than the ships could carry. Owing to this shortage in ships, the better, abler, and more well-to-do were required to accept a delay of three weeks. This included our company, all of whom were anxious to get to America.

At last we bade farewell to the Fatherland. Our voyage consumed fifty-five days, until we arrived in New York on September 19, 1846. Think of it, eight weeks, a little short of two months from Hamburg to New York. Compare this with modern traveling of our day as well as with the improvements in every other line of endeavor.

Such a long voyage on a sailship is, indeed, replete with hardships. This was our experience, and while our ship was not so crowded as some others, it was nevertheless an ordeal. The food was such as would nauseate us. Luckily my parents had taken along a goodly supply of toasted bread, bacon, ham, and other victuals, which we now for some time were enjoying as "delicatessen" as compared with the ship's fare. In the meantime leaving our ship's portions to others.

My mother and my oldest sister, Wilhelmina, never did see the ocean. From the very start both got seasick and remained so to the last day. I had a touch of it, but quickly overcame it, and thereafter felt entirely well on the remainder of the trip.

WISCONSIN BOUND

As you know, we were Wisconsin-bound. After one day's stay in New York--then already a big city--we, very slowly, by steamer, went up the Hudson River to Albany, New York and from there by railroad to Buffalo. On this trip we were several times in danger of being cremated alive. The coach -- a miserable affair--had no seats. It was a sort of "box-stall"--if you know what I mean--probably a cattle or freight car. Four families (twenty-nine persons) with all their baggage and belongings were crowded into this car. Where one stood, there he would squat; there he would remain. No elbow room, no chance for exercise. Neither was this all our plight. As stated before, we were faced with the predicament of being destroyed body and baggage, from fiery cinders of the locomotive ahead of our car. There was no glass in the door of our car; it was broken as nearly as I remember; smoke would pour in at times to suffocation; sparks at other times would make their appearance in such profusion that ignition of our belongings, such as wrapped bed clothes and other wrapped valuables, including the entire cargo, was practically unavoidable. No conductor showed up; we were isolated in Uncle Sam's great domain, wiping cinders out of our swollen and reddened eyes, while the smaller children pitifully kept up the orgy of crying.

But we soon found a weapon that would guard against these cinders; a wet cloth was hung across this door opening. But, oh! such a job! While it seemed comparatively easy to stand there doing nothing but keeping the cloth moist, my turn of sixty-minute shifts was as painful to me as was the incident of yesteryear, when I was compelled to stand up driving, taking dinner to the workmen in the hayfield. [He is referring to a spanking that he had received as a younger child.] Never in my life did I find the time to pass so slowly, doing nothing most of the time. Nevertheless it required two of us boys to guard the situation when the winds blew against us. One to hold the cloth in place while the other kept up moistening the cloth, or extinguishing the fire whenever the cloth caught fire. The job was a grimy one to us boys as well as it was funny; we were glad when it ended with our arrival in Buffalo.

Various incidents retarded our journey going west. Frequently we were side-tracked for hours and hours. At one time we broke down in a cornfield, where we were delayed for over twenty-four hours before all was well and ready to continue. Finally Buffalo was reached, and the railroad between Buffalo and Chicago not having been completed, we had to make, again, a voyage on the Lakes, directly to Milwaukee.

The trip over the Lakes was stormy, with no pleasure in it, but we finally arrived at Milwaukee in fairly good spirits, as nearly as I can remember. Now another fifty or sixty miles, and we would be at our journey's end.

End of the traveling saga, back to Peter Joseph.

Peter Joseph applied for citizenship on 18 October 1843. This was the same year the Catholic Diocese of Milwaukee was established on paper. On Wednesday, 01 March 1848 Peter Joseph and Anna Maria purchased 177 Acres of timberland for $221.95 from the Milwaukee Land Office of the United States Government ($1.25 per acre) in Township 9N, Range 19E, Section 3. At that time the land was considered part of the Wisconsin Territory. James K. Polk was president. Sixty one days later, Wisconsin became the 30th state. The land patent is filed with the Bureau Of Land Management, Eastern Region, volume WI282, page 478, certificate number 18,074.

The book Richfield Remembers The Past identified Peter purchased 160 acres on 28 July 1845 identified as NW 1/4 of Section 3.

On 1 August 1849, Peter's brother Herman Joseph purchased 40 acres of land (9N,19E,3) which Peter cosigned. On 1 January 1850 Peter purchased an additional 80 acres (9N,19E,7). On 2 August 1852, Peter Joseph purchased 40 acres (9N,19E,3) which was the same land as purchased by Herman Joseph in 1849. It would seem that Herman Joseph had second thoughts about living in Richfield and decided to settle in Port Washington where the 1860 census has him living.

It is said that Indians camped by the spring at the center of the property and also in the northwest portion of the property where St. Mary's Church is located. In total Peter Joseph purchased 297 acres of land. The plot map in 1873 show a house and barn to be located about center with the barn positioned to the north and west of the house. The 1892 plot map has the entrance to the property on the north from what is now called Pioneer Road.

As other settlers moved into the area and decided where they wanted to settle, they would give Peter the money and he would go to Milwaukee to buy the land for them, because he was familiar as to where to go and how to do it.⁷

On 2 June 1852 Peter and Anna and his brother Herman and Margaretha donated three acres of Peter Joseph's land to Bishop John Henni of the Milwaukee Catholic Diocese on which the Church of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary chapel was constructed and opened in 1854. The price paid for the property by the diocese was one dollar of "good and lawful money of the United States of America". Father I. Nicholas Pfeiffer operating from St. Boniface in Goldenthal was its first pastor. The chapel was located two miles west of the village of Richfield and four miles north of the hamlet of Hubertus. In the early years, the chapel was also referred to in some records as the "Schultheis Kirche." In 1894, what is now known as St. Mary Church was built at a cost of $2,500 and replaced the chapel.

     Theodor Schulteis was * born say 1663 in Germanic Lands. Theodor oo married Katharina Kryfelt. Theodor + died on Monday, 01 January 1759.¹

     William Schulteis, son of Herman Joseph Schulteis and Gertrude Margaret Doll, was born on Thursday, 18 April 1878 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2 On Tuesday, 20 October 1903 William, age 25, oo married Agnes Maria Wolf, age 24, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Goldenthal, Washington County.^3,4 William + died, at the age of 80 years, on Tuesday, 06 May 1958 at St. Joseph Hospital, Hartford.^5,2 The burial location is Area 3, Row 3, Plot 14-C1 next to his wife Agnes.⁶

     Margaretha Schumacher was * born say 1768. Say 1793, Margaretha oo married Urban Thomas.

     Mary Schumacher was * born on Saturday, 03 April 1897.^1,2 On Wednesday, 17 January 1917, Mary, age 19, oo married Johann J. Henseler, age 26, at Corpus Christi Church, Bakerville.^1,3 Mary + died, at the age of 91 years, on Friday, 27 May 1988 in Lindsey, Wisconsin.^1,4

     John Wolfgang Seidl was * born on Friday, 31 October 1902.¹ On Monday, 25 November 1940, John Wolfgang, age 38, oo married Ruth Margaret Witt, age 28, in Marshfield, Wood County, Wisconsin.² John + died, at the age of 58 years, on Thursday, 08 June 1961.^3,1

     Johann Georg Semmelbauer, son of Michael Semmelbauer and Anna Koller, was * born say 1713 in Vollmau (Folmava), Eisenstein, Bohemia, Austria.¹ On Thursday, 26 June 1738, Johann Georg oo married Anna Barbara Kollweckh in Vollmau (Folmava).¹ Say 1758, Johann Georg oo married Margretha Millbauer in Vollmau (Folmava). Johann + died say 1762 in Vollmau (Folmava).¹

     Johann Wolfgang Semmelbauer, son of Johann Georg Semmelbauer and Anna Barbara Kollweckh, was * born on Friday, 11 April 1749 in Obervollmau, District of Taus, Bohemia, Austria.^1,2 On Thursday, 12 July 1770, Johann Wolfgang, age 21, oo married Barbara Vogel at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava), District of Taus, Bohemia.^3,1,2 On Saturday, 01 October 1791, Johann Wolfgang, age 42, oo married Walburga Purer at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava), District of Taus, Bohemia.¹ On Tuesday, 22 November 1803, Johann Wolfgang, age 54, oo married Anna Maria Macht at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava).^1,2 Johann + died, at the age of 68 years, on Tuesday, 24 February 1818 in Vollmau (Folmava), Bohemia.^1,2

     Juliana Semmelbauer, daughter of Johann Wolfgang Semmelbauer and Barbara Vogel, was * born on Monday, 08 November 1779 at Hausnummer 14, Obervollmau, District of Taus, Bohemia, Austria.^1,2 On Wednesday, 13 January 1802, Juliana, age 22, oo married Joachim Bernhard Sigel, age 21, in St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava).^3,4 Juliana + died, at the age of 44 years, on Monday, 05 January 1824 at Hüllbauerin Hausnummer 7 (59), Obervollmau, Bohemia.^5,6,2
     

     Michael Semmelbauer was * born in 1660 in Furth im Wald, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germanic Lands.² Say 1690, Michael oo married Anna Koller at Maria Himmelfahrt Catholic Church, Furth im Wald, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germanic Lands.^1,2 Michael + died on Sunday, 12 May 1743 in Falbenau (Vollmau), Bohemia, Austria.²

     Alois Siegl, son of Joachim Bernhard Sigel and Juliana Semmelbauer, was * born on Monday, 17 December 1821 at Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7 (59), Obervollmau, Eisenstrin, Boehmen Koenigreich, Austria.^1,2,3 On Wednesday, 23 November 1842, Alois, age 20, oo married Margaret Rieß, age 24, in Wassersuppen, Ronsperg, Boehmen Koenigreich.² Alois + died, at the age of 79 years, on Sunday, 19 May 1901 in Obervollmau, District of Taus, Bohemia, Austria.^4,5

     Anna (Ann) Margaret Siegl, daughter of Joseph John Siegl and Anna Ott, was * born on Wednesday, 31 July 1912 in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.^1,2,3,4 She was ~ baptized on Thursday, 29 August 1912 at St. Liborious Catholic Church, Saint Louis.⁵ On Wednesday, 11 August 1937 Anna (Ann) Margaret, age 25, oo married Oliver Peter Schulteis, age 25, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Goldendale, Wisconsin.^6,7 Anna + died, at the age of 79 years, on Tuesday, 14 July 1992 at Mequon Care Center, Mequon, Wisconsin.^8,3,9,4 She is ± buried in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Germantown.^4,10 The burial location is Section 3, Row 6, Plot 29-B2 east of her mother Anna (Ott) Siegl and between her husband Oliver and daughter Monica. Mass of Christian Burial was conducted by Father Bernard Sippel. Pallbearers were her granddaughters Chris, Carrie, Becky, Angie, Mandy and Jodie and her grandsons Dan, Mike and Greg helped out when needed.

There was only one thing really important to Ann and that was her family, they always came first. Her priorities from which she never wavered were her children, her husband, and her friends. She gave up much for them and only she, and possibly her husband knew just how much. She was not one to publicize. Ann did things in the community that only they, she and Oliver knew about (preparing food at Christmas was one such task). She is very much missed.

     Anton Siegl, son of Alois Siegl and Margaret Rieß, was * born on Tuesday, 07 November 1843 at Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7 (59), Obervollmau, Eisenstein, Boehmen Koenigreich, Austria.^1,2,3,4 On Wednesday, 09 February 1870, Anton, age 26, oo married Margarethe Mühlbauer, age 22, at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava).^1,2,3 Anton + died, at the age of 62 years, on Wednesday, 25 July 1906 in Vollmau (Folmava, Eisenstein, Boehmen Koenigreich, Austria.^1,3

     Georg Adam Sigl, son of Johann Adam Sigl and Katharina (maiden name unknown), was born say 1743 at possibly in Vollmau, Bohemia, Austria. On Tuesday, 15 October 1765, Georg Adam oo married Barbara Müllbauer, age 20, at Maria Himmelfahrt Catholic Church, Furth im Wald.^1,2
     
Research note: Reviewing the information surrounding Vollmau, we know per tax records that the Siegl/Sigl family name was not located in Vollmau in 1727. We also know that Georg Adam was not born in Furth Im Wald. A conclusion might be that Johann Adam moved the family two km east to Vollmau probably around 1730 to 1735. In 1873 the family lived at Hausnummer 14, Vollmau (Folmava).

In an Austrian land transfer document issued on 9 January 1873 in Prague, an Adam Sigl was identified as Richter (Bürgermeister) in Vollmau.

     Joachim Bernhard Sigel, son of Georg Adam Sigl and Barbara Müllbauer, was ~ baptized on Sunday, 20 August 1780 at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava), District of Taus, Bohemia, Austria.^1,2,3 On Wednesday, 13 January 1802, Joachim Bernhard, age 21, oo married Juliana Semmelbauer, age 22, in St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava).^4,5 On Monday, 18 October 1824, Joachim Bernhard, age 44, oo married Katharina Mühlbauer, age 32, at St. Antonius Catholic Church, Vollmau (Folmava).^1,6 Joachim + died, at the age of 75 years, on Wednesday, 06 August 1856 at Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7 (59), Obervollmau.⁶
      First we find Joachim at Hausnummer 14, Vollmau. Later he was found living at Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7 in Obervollmau. It looks as though in 1805 Joachim purchased the farm which was to become the Siegl family homestead.

After WWI, when Joachim's great-grandson Johann built a new house and barn, the new house became hausnummer 7 and the original house/barn became hausnummer 59. To account for this, and to keep this information tuned to the old vital records which refer to the original house/barn as #7, these records will identify 7 (59) which refers to the original house/barn and 7 which refers to the new house and barn built after WW I.

     Johann Sigl, son of Wolfgang Sigl and Catharina (maiden name unknown), was ~ baptized on Tuesday, 26 November 1669 at Maria Himmelfahrt Catholic Church, Furth im Wald, Oberpfalz, Bavaria.¹ Say 1693, Johann oo married Margarethe Barbara (maiden name unknown).
      Jakub Smid in November of 2006 reported the microfilms 1 - 18 containing birth records for the parish of Furth im Wald were missing. He found what exists now are index books with all names listed for these years. In that index, he found the information about the birth of Johann Siegl (born 1669, card 6, record ? 68). Unfortunately, the exact dates were missing.

     Johann Adam Sigl, son of Johann Sigl and Margarethe Barbara (maiden name unknown), was ~ baptized on Thursday, 24 September 1699 at Maria Himmelfahrt Catholic Church, Furth im Wald, Oberpfalz, Bavaria.¹ Say 1721, Johann Adam oo married Katharina (maiden name unknown).

     Joseph Anton Siegl, son of Joseph John Siegl and Anna Ott, was * born on Wednesday, 22 January 1908 at 2003 Pestalozzi Street, Saint Louis, Saint Louis City, Missouri, USA.^1,2,3 On Wednesday, 19 August 1931, Joseph Anton, age 23, oo married Theresa Elizabeth Martin, age 23, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Menomonee Falls.⁴ Joseph + died, at the age of 95 years, on Monday, 12 January 2004 at Shorehaven Health Care Center, Oconomowoc.^2,5,6 He is ± buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Waukesha. Joseph lies at rest in the mausoleum Crypt 109, Tier C, Inside C-h, next to his wife Theresa.

     Joseph John Siegl, son of Anton Siegl and Margarethe Mühlbauer, was * born on Saturday, 23 April 1887 at Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7 (59), Obervollmau, District of Taus, Bohemia, Austria.^1,2,3,4,5 In 1907, Joseph John oo married Anna Ott at St. Agatha Catholic Church, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.^6,7 Joseph + died, at the age of 58 years, on Thursday, 04 April 1946 at St. Joseph Hospital, Milwaukee.⁵ He is buried in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Goldendale, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^5,4 He chose a burial location next to his wife Anna in Section C, Row 5, Plot 29-A1.
     Joseph, at the age of 15, emigrated from Vollmau (Folmava), Bohemia, departing Bremen on 20 September 1902 arriving New York on 1 October in that same year and on to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where his brother Anthony was living. The ship on which he traveled was the Friederick der Grosse. It is said that he and his brother Anthony were each given $200 in which to make their trip. Anthony preceded Joseph by say 15 years. The Ellis Island Internet database identified Joseph as Josef Sigl, 15 years from Tollman arriving New York on 1 October 1902. The ship's manifest identifies Josef as the fifth passenger, in possession of more than $30.00, and with a ticket to Milwaukee. He paid for his own passage. It looks as though he may have traveled alone.^8,9 In 1914, Joseph and his brother Anthony visited the family in Vollmau this based on a picture taken there at the time. Missing on the picture was his brother Karl, who had died at age 19 in Vienna in 1897, and his sister Maria, who had died at the age of 34 in 1909.

Joe was a brewer and proud of his work. Along came prohibition and he was required to make beer but without the alcohol. This was not to his liking. Joe left his job in St. Louis and moved the family to Milwaukee at 3234 North 36th Street. This was the home of Anna's parents George and Mary Ott.

Family hearsay has Joe wanting to be a chicken farmer. One of their neighbor's friend was a realtor who heard of a farm available in the South Germantown area. One day the family and the realtor took a car ride and went to look at the farm. Details of the farm are not remembered but what is remembered is that Anna became very sick. The sickness was blamed on the chickens and that was the last time anyone mentioned a chicken farm. Some time went by and Joe and Anna attended a dance at the Beuscher's Inn. They liked the place, bought it from Phillip Beuscher for one dollar and other valuable considerations, and the family moved to South Germantown.

On 4 November 1921, Joseph and Anna and their son Joseph and daughter Anna arrived at the now Siegl Hotel, Beverage Parlor, Dance Hall, and Park on Main Street. They were owner and proprietor. Specialities were chicken and squab dinners at all hours and dressed squab to take home. Art Roskopf was one of several in the area who raised squabs, he in the barn at the Roskopf homestead near Dheinsville.

On 11 March 1927, South Germantown became the Village of Germantown. Eleven citizens of South Germantown had petitioned the Washington County Circuit Court for incorporation of a one square mile area. The petitioners were: Father Banholzer, Adam Diefenthaler, Benn C. Duerrwaechter, Alvin Gronemeyer, Edward Rintelman, Joe Rosecky, Arthur Schmidt, Charles A. Schuster, John A. Schwalbach, Joseph J. Siegl, and Aaron Walterlin. Population of South Germantown, now Germantown, was 243.

It was reported in the Wisconsin News, Wall Street Closing Addition of Saturday, 23 March 1935: Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Siegl had been beaten and robbed of $500 in their Germantown hotel tavern the previous night, by four unmasked men identified as Elroy Schickert age 27 former resident of Germantown, Dominic Guarniere age 24, Mike Farina age 21, and Thomas Konczal age 23 all of Milwaukee. At the point of a gun, Mr. and Mrs. Siegl were bound and gagged. Cash was taken and the foursome sped to Milwaukee on highway 55 later in the century to be called 145. The bandits were captured within 12 hours due to the vigilance of Harold Kannenberg, a Germantown auto mechanic, who obtained the license number. He had noticed the car loitering around town the previous several days and became suspicious. Published in the West Bend News weeks later, four men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison.

In another newspaper article written about 1942: The Siegl Hotel is one place in Germantown where one may go and enjoy an excellent meal among attractive and comfortable surroundings. There, good food and all legal beverages are offered at modest prices. The hotel makes a speciality of chicken and squab dinners as well as moderately priced plate lunches. The Siegl Hotel which was originally built some 65 years ago [1875] has been recently remodeled in attractive knotty pine by the present owner. It has a sound proof ceiling, new bar and back bar, moderately illuminated, and by means of transparent tubes, people may actually see beer flowing from the cellar to the tap. The owner and manager, Mr. Joseph Siegl, has directed this establishment for 21 years.

     Wolfgang Sigl was * born say 1625. Before 1664, Wolfgang oo married Catharina (maiden name unknown).
      Note: The earliest generations of the Sigl family (Wolfgang married Katharina before 1664, Johann married Margarethe Barbara say 1693, and Johann Adam married Katharina say 1721) had their origins in Furth im Wald, Bavaria, Germanic Lands. Suspect Johann Adam moved the family two km east from Furth im Wald to Vollmau, Bohemia, Austria between 1730 and 1735. The grandson of Johann Adam, Joachim Bernhard, came into possession of Hüllbauer Hausnummer 7, now known to the family as the "Siegl homestead," in say 1805.

The “Siegl homestead" ceased to exist after the Sudetenland expulsion in 1945. First the barn and connecting building were removed. By the 1980s, the house building had deteriorated to a great degree and in the 1990s it was removed. In 2006, no vestiges of the buildings nor their foundations, and the surrounding trees could not be found. In that year a bulldozer had cleared the area.

Research Note: If the early families are to be filled out, research concentration will need to be made in Furth im Wald, the Catholic church records of Maria Himmelfahrt, and more importantly, the civil vital records.

Maria Himmelfahrt Catholic Church of Furth im Wald, Bavaria was established in 1664. Any records identifying family members before 1664 will need to be obtained from civil records.

What we can say is the Sigl family arrived in the Furth im Wald, Bavaria probably before 1664 and in Vollmau, Bohemia around 1730. In 1945, family members were expelled from the Sudetenland and by 1990 the homestead buildings in Vollmau (Folmava, Czech Republic) no longer existed.

     Emil Srnka, son of Lester Edward Srnka and Margaret Anna Ott, was * born on Wednesday, 29 January 1947 at 09:50 in the morning at Milwaukee Hospital, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA.¹ Emil + died due to a patachuting accident in 1967 at Luke Air Force Base, Glendale, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA.

     Lester Edward Srnka was * born on Thursday, 24 August 1905 in Cooperstown, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.^1,2 He was ~ baptized on Sunday, 03 September 1905 at St. James Catholic Church, Cooperstown. On Wednesday, 24 August 1938, Lester Edward, age 33, oo married Margaret Anna Ott, age 29, at St. Anne Catholic Church, Milwaukee.^3,4 Lester + died, at the age of 80 years, on Sunday, 17 November 1985 at 07:00 in the evening at home in Spalding.² He was buried in Spalding Township Cemetery, Spalding, Menominee County, Michigan, USA.

      Say 1917, (unknown) oo married Isabelle Bast.¹

     Paula Stock was * born say 1870. Say 1894, Paula oo married Julius Neuman.¹

     Agnes Clara Stuesse was * born on Wednesday, 23 February 1898 in Town of Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3,4 On Sunday, 02 December 1923, Agnes Clara, age 25, oo married George Ott, age 32, in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.³ Agnes + died, at the age of 92 years, on Saturday, 08 September 1990.^4,5 She is ± buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA.⁵ The burial location is Block 4, Section B, Lot 154, Grave 11.

     Anna Gertrude Stuesser, daughter of Franz Joseph Stuesser and Elisabeth Thomas, was * born on Tuesday, 31 January 1832.¹ On Sunday, 02 June 1850, Anna Gertrude, age 18, oo married Joseph Peter Doll Sr., age 25.² [identified as 10 October 1848 by Betty Wulff] Gertrude + died, at the age of 70 years, on Monday, 24 November 1902 at home, St. Lawrence, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.³ She was buried in St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery, St. Lawrence, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.⁴

     Antonii Stuesser was * born say 1730. Say 1755, Antonii oo married Anna Catharina Merzenichs.

     Franz Joseph Stuesser, son of Johann Stuesser, was ~ baptized on Saturday, 10 July 1790 at Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.^1,2 On Wednesday, 28 October 1818, Franz Joseph, age 28, oo married Elizabeth Roberz in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia.^3,1 On Thursday, 19 October 1826, Franz Joseph, age 36, oo married Elisabeth Thomas in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia.³ Franz + died, at the age of 77 years, on Sunday, 22 December 1867.¹

     Johann Stuesser, son of Antonii Stuesser and Anna Catharina Merzenichs, was ~ baptized on Saturday, 20 February 1751 at Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands, also identified his mother was.¹