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May, 2014 Ancestral Newsletter # 30 This newsletter is a continuation of Anna Brechtl Rieder's brothers and sisters and their spouses: Margaret Brechtl and George M. Haas Clara Brechtl and Henry Hillenbrand John Baptist Brechtl Jr. and Margaret Gruber Baptiste and Anna Hutter Brechtl had ten children. Unfortunately I don't have any photographs or even much information on their fourth child Margaret. However, I did discover an interesting connection to the Joseph Haas family which I will talk more about in a later edition. If anyone knows anymore about Margaret and George Haas, or any of the Brechtls, please let me know. The next child, Clara, married veterinarian Doc Henry Hillenbrand. I am reminded of the TV series All Creatures Great and Small from some years back and I imagine his life was similar. Often, women took part in the family business and Clara probably helped out in the office or clinic. Since there were 4 ½ years between the day they married and the day she gave birth to their first child, she may have even been helping him out in the field. Baptiste and Anna's sixth child, John Baptist Brechtl Jr. was also their first son. After the tornado destroyed the church, it was Baptiste's wish that the new church be built on the family property. John took over the family farm and either sold part of his property to St. Luke's Congregation or drew up a 99 year lease; there is conflicting information (see page 6). That 99 year lease would be up in 2017, and I, as a Brechtl descendant, think it might be fun to own some church property. That church still stands today. John married Margaret Gruber. John died age 54 and his son Willard ran the farm after that. Gordon Rieder remembered spending time at his Great Aunt Margaret's home: “Margaret Brechtl was her married name. She lived next to Grandpa Ferry and Anna. There was, and is to this day, a path at the top of the garden from Grandpas house to Aunt Margarets. Any doings at the Rieders and I would stay at Margarets in the front bedroom and listen to the semis going by on the highway. They farmed the land across the highway which is now a subdivision. Willard had a two cylinder tractor, John Deere, and you always knew when he was in the field.” Hope you enjoy this edition. Debby Klug 25332 S. Wind Lake Rd. Wind Lake WI 53185 262-895-2103 E-mail: [email protected]

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Page 1: All Creatures Great and Small - Weitzer Ancestryweitzerancestry.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/1/2/... · All Creatures Great and Small from some years back and I imagine his life was similar

May, 2014

Ancestral Newsletter # 30 This newsletter is a continuation of Anna Brechtl Rieder's brothers and sisters and their spouses: Margaret Brechtl and George M. Haas Clara Brechtl and Henry Hillenbrand John Baptist Brechtl Jr. and Margaret Gruber

Baptiste and Anna Hutter Brechtl had ten children. Unfortunately I don't have any photographs or even much information on their fourth child Margaret. However, I did discover an interesting connection to the Joseph Haas family which I will talk more about in a later edition. If anyone knows anymore about Margaret and George Haas, or any of the Brechtls, please let me know.

The next child, Clara, married veterinarian Doc Henry Hillenbrand. I am reminded of the TV seriesAll Creatures Great and Small from some years back and I imagine his life was similar. Often, women took part in the family business and Clara probably helped out in the office or clinic. Since there were 4 ½ years between the day they married and the day she gave birth to their first child, she may have even been helping him out in the field.

Baptiste and Anna's sixth child, John Baptist Brechtl Jr. was also their first son. After the tornado destroyed the church, it was Baptiste's wish that the new church be built on the family property. John took over the family farm and either sold part of his property to St. Luke's Congregation or drew up a 99 year lease; there is conflicting information (see page 6). That 99 year lease would be up in 2017, and I, as a Brechtl descendant, think it might be fun to own some church property. That church still stands today. John married Margaret Gruber. John died age 54 and his son Willard ran the farm after that. Gordon Rieder remembered spending time at his Great Aunt Margaret's home:

“Margaret Brechtl was her married name. She lived next to Grandpa Ferry and Anna. There was, and is to this day, a path at the top of the garden from Grandpas house to Aunt Margarets. Any doings atthe Rieders and I would stay at Margarets in the front bedroom and listen to the semis going by on the highway. They farmed the land across the highway which is now a subdivision. Willard had a two cylinder tractor, John Deere, and you always knew when he was in the field.”

Hope you enjoy this edition.

Debby Klug 25332 S. Wind Lake Rd. Wind Lake WI 53185262-895-2103E-mail: [email protected]

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Margaret Brechtl and George M. Haas Margaret Brechtl was the 4th child of Baptiste and Anna Brechtl. She was born on January 8, 1880 in Plain WI. George M. Haas was the son of Kunigunda Brendel, (from Edersberg, Bavaria) and John B. Haas (from Neunburg Vorm Wald, Bavaria). They were married in 1877 and George was born the following year (Nov. 25, 1878). In 1882, George immigrated to America with his parents and two younger siblings; the youngest was just 6 weeks old. On May 11, 1909, 31 year old George married 29 year old Margaret Brechtl in Plain, WI. They had three children: spouses Natalie (b. March 9, 1910- d. March 13, 1910) Roman (b. Oct. 8, 1912-- d. ) Alma Keating Herman (b. Dec. 4, 1913- d. Aug. 27, 1958) Kathleen Weiske

Natalie died in infancy. Roman was Fr. Joe Haas' Godfather. Herman was a lieutenant in WWII.

Two notes about the family. The first was written by June Klug. The Aunt Barb she mentions is Barbara Weitzer (newsletter #21). There is no name on the second note.

Margaret Brechtl Haas died at the age of 45 on February 5, 1925. Six years later, George married Anne Frank. Anne was born on July 11, 1885. George died on Nov. 29, 1961. Anne Frank Haas died on February 19, 1978.

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Clara Brechtl and Henry Hillenbrand Clara was the 5th child of Anna Hutter and Baptiste Brechtl. She was born May 22, 1886 in Plain.

The Brechtl Family Clara Brechtl

Clara married Henry Hillenbrand on November 26, 1912. They had two children: Spouse Mark Anthony (b. March 30, 1917- d. ) Eileen Lyons Joan Mary (b. July 16, 1922-- d. ) Donald J. Hoppe

Clara Brechtl Hillenbrand Henry and Marcellus “Mark” Hillenbrand

Henry was a veterinarian. He set up his office in George Weitzer's Hotel and Saloon in 1910. From A History of Plain, Wisconsin:

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After Henry left for Prairie du Sac, the village of Plain did not have another resident veterinarian until 1953.

The Weitzer Hotel The Horse Doctor Poultry Medicine

Initially, the veterinary profession was centered on the horse. The man who shod the horse was usually the one who provided any medical care. Unfortunately, the care was sometimes detrimental to the animal, as the 1851 publication , The American Cattle Doctor attests to: The farmers must have begun to see the absurdity of bleeding an animal to death with a view to saving its life; or pouring down their throats destructive agents with a view of making one disease cureanother. Dr. Hillenbrand began his practice in the early 1900's. The world had only recently discovered microscopic organisms, and the research to understand the connection between the disease process and the organisms was in its infancy. Farming was still the most common occupation and Plain, WI was an agricultural community. After World War I, farming became more automated and there was less of a need for the horse. Veterinarians lost business and began to turn to the care of dogs and cats. Over time the profession flourished and became highly respected in the medical community. Clara died in August of 1969. Henry died in 1970. Herman Rieder, Al Brechtl, Doc Hillenbrand, Clara Brechtl Hillenbrand Fr. Joe Brechtl, John Rieder, Alois Weitzer

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John Baptist Brechtl and Margaret Gruber John B, Brechtl Jr. was born on Nov. 17,1888; the 6th born child of Baptiste and Anna Brechtl.

John Brechtl Jr. The Brechtl Family John & daughter, Germaine

Margaret Gruber was the daughter of Frances Ruhland from Untergrafenried (1849-1925) and Michael Gruber from Prosdorf, Bavaria (1849-1949). Margaret was born on March 19, 1891 in Plain, WI. She was the 10th child out of 11. The family came to America in 1868; lived in New York until 1874, then moved to Wisconsin and settled on the farm later owned by William Alt.

Margaret Gruber The Gruber Family Margaret Gruber Brechtl John Brechtl married Margaret Gruber on April 25, 1911. Margaret and John had five children: Germaine ( 12-23-1912 to 10-20-1948) became Sr. Michaeline, O.P. Racine Dominicans. Died young.Willard J. (5-6-1915 to 1-7-2002) took over the family farmJoseph A. (3-19-1918 to 8-4-2008) Fr. Joe Brechtl was ordained Sept. 23, 1944. Wrote Genealogy books for Brechtl and Gruber families.Mary Anne (8-12-1921 to ) first marriage to Anthony Hutter Jr. in 1946. Died 1967. second marriage to Raymond Liegel in 1969Louise (12-14-1923 to ) Louise married Norman Kraemer in 1946

John bought the farm from his parents, possibly before the tornado of 1918. The land originally belonged to Jost Voelkel who donated a portion of it to the Church in the early 1860's. The second and third St. Luke's churches were built on that same spot. It was the third church that was destroyed by thetornado. John's father, Baptiste, became distraught and his health began to fail after that. The parcel of church land was like an island surrounded by the Brechtl family farm and it was Baptiste's wish that

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the new church also be built on the family's property. The congregations beloved priest, Fr. Pesch, had been injured during the storm and six months later, he died. Below are excerpts from St. Anne's Hill The Plain Shrine:

The congregation took a vote and the tally showed 131 in favor of a new site, 30 against. Even Baptiste and his son John voted in favor of a new site.

The new St. Luke's Chapel and School was built on a different section of the Brechtl property. Baptiste had lived long enough to see its dedication on October 12, 1920. In time, a new Church and Rectory would stand side by side with the chapel/school.

Willard B., Margaret Gruber B., Fr. Joe B., Sr. Michaeline (Germaine) John B. Brechtl Jr.Louise B., Anna Rieder, Mary Anne B., Ferry R., Celia & John Weitzer

John B. Brechtl Jr. died on April 18, 1943. Margaret Gruber Brechtl died March 8, 1972. Margaret Gruber Brechtl ->

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A Voice from the Past - Louise Brechtl Kraemer & Willard Brechtl