Elisabetha (Kessler) Weber

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Descendants

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Biography

Elisabetha was born in 1894 in Lampertsweiler, Saulgau, Wurttemberg, Germany. She was the youngest of nine children. Of the nine children born, she was one of only four that survived to adulthood.

Josef was reportedly a carpenter by trade. He lived in Rieden, Gemeinde, Lampertsweiler, Germany. Her other two surviving siblings, Franciska "Fanny" and Hans, married and raised families. Fanny married an Italian count and settled in Reggio Amelia, Italy. Hans married and stayed in the local area of Saulgau.

Liesl, as she was called, grew up in extremely poor circumstances. Her parents were basically subsistence farmers and life was very difficult. Liesl talked about her mother being a very harsh woman but she was the apple of her father's eye.

When the time came for her to leave Germany for the United States in 1921, she said her father cried and said he would never see her again. In fact, that was true as he died in 1925, not many years after. It wasn't until 1954 that she had enough money to travel on the Andrea Doria across the Atlantic to see her family again.

She met Hans "John" Josef Weber in about 1915 while working for a dentist and his family in Switzerland. They fell in love and John, planning to emigrate to America, told Liesl he would send her a ticket to join him and be married when he had the funds.

It wasn't until 1921 that Liesl was able to board the Susquehanna and travel to America. She landed in Boston, MA and traveled by train to Madison, WI where John met her.

They married at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Madison, WI April 25, 1921.

Before long, with John's training as a Master Baker, they purchased a bakery in Lodi, Wisconsin which stayed as a Main Street staple for 93 years.

Liesl's life was a testimony to the strength, courage and determination of the millions of immigrants who came to America, learned a new language and helped to build this country.

I am beyond proud to have been her granddaughter.

She passed away in 1979.

Sources

• Personal information from grand-daughter Patty Miller Almond (Miller_Rinehimer-1)

• 1930 U.S. Census

• 1940 U.S. Census

• Ancestry Family Trees

• Massachusetts Passenger and Arrival Lists 1820-1963

• U.S. Find-a Grave

• U.S. Social Security Index 1935-2014

• Wisconsin Death Index - 1959-1997