Ksanders in Chicago 1870-2002

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States KSANDERS IN CHICAGO 1870-2002 by Kathryn V. Ksander

An immigrant genealogy that stretches back six generations in America is hardly remarkable. Our penchant for moving about the country, however, suggests that we do not remain in any one location for very long. So it is somewhat unusual to see an immigrant family with an uninterrupted, six-generation connection to the metropolitan Chicago area, stretching from before the Great Fire to the present day.

BEGIN WITH ZEUS

The fifth generation of Ksanders in the Chicago area was raised with the notion that somehow Anton Ksandr, the supposed immigrant ancestor of his family, came forth full-blown from the head of Zeus; there were no Ksandrs before Anton, and Anton was a singular being, without family ties of any sort. Yes, there was some vague talk of an Uncle Louis, faintly remembered from someone's childhood, but the connection was long forgotten. All Ksandrs in the Chicago metropolitan telephone directories could be accounted for as direct descendents of Anton. Except.....there is this one unknown Ksander, a lawyer who appeared in the Tribune one day, connected with some arcane political trial. And, oh my goodness, the name is in the current telephone book! Yet the myth held good until the day in 1988 that research began in Chicago city directories of the nineteenth century. While Anton did not appear until 1891, other Ksand(e)rs were listed as early as 1886, and their addresses were either identical to Anton's or within a city block, suggesting some sort of family connection. With that clue the myth was broken and intense research could begin.

ZEUS

At his death, surviving relatives reported that Matej Ksandr, father of Anton, was born in Lazovicích, Horovice, Bohemia on October 18, 1827. Sometime around 1849, he married Marie Veselá. She was born in Bohemia in December 1826. Matej and Marie had eleven children, of whom seven were living on June 6, 1900, being Vaclav, Barbora, Frank L., Alois, Marie, Albert, and Antonin. Matej Ksander was a carpenter, both in Bohemia and in the United States.

THEY'RE COMING TO AMERICA

According to the Hamburg Passenger Lists Index, sailing #101 of the 110 total for 1882 included "Matej Ksandr et. al.", who embarked from Hamburg, Germany on the S.S. Herder on September 15, 1882, late in the year for an Atlantic crossing.

On September 26, 1882 -- four years before the Statue of Liberty would be present to welcome them -- the following ships arrived at the Port of New York: S.S. Bavarian from Liverpool, with four cabin passengers and four stowaways; S.S. Clandon from Rio de Janeiro, with one cabin passenger; S.S. Canima from St. John's and Halifax, with 17 cabin and 11 steerage passengers; S.S. Abyssinia from Liverpool and Queenstown, with 100 cabin, 79 second-class and 403 steerage passengers; S.S. Dupuy de Lorne from Havre, with 43 steerage passengers; S.S. Herder from Hamburg and Havre, with 181 cabin and 901 steerage passengers; and S.S. Pollux from Amsterdam, with 5 first-class, 19 second-class, and 198 steerage passengers.

G. Fischbein, captain of the S.S. Herder, noted at the end of the ship's passenger list the birth of steerage passenger #901, "Aug. Fr. Herder Schuba...born on sea Septh. 19th 3h 10' P.M. (mother #66)." He listed passengers #819 through #825 as:

Matej	Ksandr	55	m	carpenter	Austria..	United	States..	Betweendeck
Marie	"	56	f	wife	"	"	"	"
Alois	"	22	m		"	"	"	"
Anna	"	20	f		"	"	"	"
Marie	"	20	f		"	"	"	"
Woicek	"	18	m		"	"	"	"
Antonin	"	15	m		"	"	"	"

And so Matej, Marie, their four youngest children, and Alois' wife, Anna, arrived in the new world. (Woicek is a Polish form of Albert's name.)

LOCATION IS EVERYTHING

Presumably, the Ksander family headed straight for Chicago, where Matej purchased the property at 47 Emma Street (now, 1457 W. Cortez*) on August 29, 1883 for $1,200. The children also settled in the area. Oldest son, Vaclav, who had arrived in Chicago before the 1871 fire, had purchased the property at 1461 Cortez in 1881, next door to Matej. Frank, who arrived by 1878, purchased 1433 Cortez in 1881. In 1887, Alois bought the property on the other side of Matej at 1455 Cortez. In 1888, Vaclav moved to 1458 Augusta Boulevard, across the alley from Matej.

After their marriage in 1891, Anton and Marie Ksandr lived at 799 N. Ashland (now, 1047 N.), which is located one block west of Matej. In 1899, they moved out of the old neighborhood, purchasing the property at 2645 W. Cortez in the new Humboldt Park neighborhood.

The 1900 census shows Matej and Marie living on the top floor of the three-flat at 47 Emma, with daughter Marie Kríst'an and her family on the second floor, and renting on the first floor, the Husar family with their two servants and three boarders.

Currently, 1457 W. Cortez is a vacant lot in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. The great age of the neighborhood is evident by the fact that the existing houses sit ten feet below the grade of the street. Nineteenth century West Town was not an ethnic enclave like the Pilsen neighborhood, but rather a place where the Ksanders had to get along as a minority among their German, Slavic, Polish, and Scandinavian neighbors. Still, ethnic identity could be preserved through the church. In 1889, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Roman Catholic) Church was organized "to serve the 75 Bohemian Catholic families who had settled near the intersection of Milwaukee ave., Ashland ave., and Division st.," including the Ksanders.

---

*At some point, Emma Street was renamed Cortez. Until September 1, 1909, Chicago streets were numbered haphazardly, starting over whenever a physical boundary was encountered, such as a branch of the Chicago River. On that date, the rational system that we know -- eight blocks to the mile, beginning only at State and Madison -- was put into effect throughout the city. Consequently, many house numbers were changed on that day, including the Ksanders.

THE END OF ZEUS

On March 13, 1890 Matej Ksandr was naturalized a citizen of the United States of America by the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. He registered to vote on October 25, 1892. Consequently, he was able to cast a ballot in the 1892 presidential elections between Grover Cleveland (D) and Benjamin Harrison (R). The record shows that he did in fact vote that year.

Marie (Veselá) Ksandr died in her home on June 5, 1901 at the age of 74 years. Cause of death was listed as "malignant growth in left lobe of liver - lupus malig. on ___ side of nose". She was buried at Bohemian National Cemetery in Chicago on June 8, 1901.

Following her death, Matej apparently continued to live in their home until January 16, 1907, when he sold it to Ignacy and Anastazya Nowicki for $4,300. At that time, he probably moved in with his daughter, Marie Kríst'an, who was living with her family at 1540 W. North Avenue, Chicago. For this is the address where he died on July 2, 1908 at the age of 81 years. Cause of death was listed as "Cirrhosis Liver (Alcoholic?)" with a 33 year duration. Contributing cause was "Oedema of Lungs", 2 months duration. The funeral for Matej Ksander was held at noon on July 4, followed by burial at Bohemian National Cemetery, next to his wife. He was survived by 5 children, 23 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

HOW SHALL WE SPELL IT THIS YEAR?

My husband and his siblings were taught that "Ksander" was the preferred spelling in their immediate family only because the Social Security Administration had misspelled it on their father's application papers; all other known Ksandrs were "Ksandr". However, in truth, the battle of the "e" goes back to the Ksand(e)r arrival in Chicago. In the careful records of real estate transactions, the father Matej and four of the five sons used no "e". Still one son, Frank, used the "e" consistently. Even Frank however, has no "e" on his tombstone. Yet his son, Frank A., is "Ksander" on his tombstone right next door. On less official documents, the spelling changed constantly and capriciously, with some tendency toward use of the "e". Thus, census records, city directories, and indices for birth and death records show the same person spelled variously in succeeding years. Variations include Ksanda, Ksandt, Kauder, and the much dreaded Krander. Somehow, though, through it all, no "a" has ever been allowed to slip between the "k" and the "s".

So far, only one Ksander has been found who permanently gave up the everlasting battle to have his name spelled accurately. Vaclav Ksandr, Anton's oldest brother, immigrated to the United States about 1870. The Chicago Census Report of 1871 listed him as "Alexander, William electrotyper, r(esidence) 53 Augusta, w(ard) 15, b. Austria". Later city directories listed him regularly as William J. Alexander. He probably got tired rapidly, tired of the struggle and tired of the joke: what's good for the goose is good for Ksandr. When he died, his children and heirs had to name all of his "aliases" in order to prove his identity. And so they listed Vaclav Ksandr and also William Ksandr and also William J. Alexander. Nevertheless, his tombstone reads "Vaclav Ksandr". His son, Vaclav Ksandr, was regularly referred to as William J. Alexander, Jr.

Even those segments of the family who cling grimly to their birth/marriage right, occasionally feel the need for a vacation from the daily, nay hourly, responsibility of re-spelling and re-pronouncing the name for every human being encountered. So when George Ksander made reservations at a restaurant, he would state that his name was Sanders -- it was never misspelled, never mispronounced. Like Winnie the Pooh, he lived, if only for a little while, under the name of Sanders.

ALBERT AND HIS BABIES

Founded in 1871, the year of the great fire, Bohemian National Cemetery is very old in Chicago terms. These days it's surrounded by city, and has that European, City-of-the-Dead look, with its row after row of ornately carved, neatly kept tombstones. Most of the grave lots are clearly definable by a large, central tombstone, with satellite stones around it. There is a gap, however, in Block 2 of section W. Here, the grass is flat and shrunken, tired. No stone was ever raised to Albert and his babies.

Albert Ksandr married Rose (née Ruzena Kríst'an) around 1887, probably in Chicago. As tradition dictated, Albert worked as an electrotype moulder, and Rose had babies. Baby Albert was born April 15, 1888. Baby Marie Anna was born October 14, 1889 and lived 17 months, to April 5, 1891. Baby Martha Marie was born December 17, 1892 and lived 3 years, 2 months, to February 10, 1896. Baby Albert died October 15, 1896, aged 7 years. Baby William (a.k.a. Vaclav V.) was born November 13, 1898. Baby Jindrich was born about October 20, 1900 and lived 3 months, buried on January 18, 1901. Baby William lived 2 years 7 months, buried on June 21, 1901. All of these children were buried in Lot 20 of Block 2 of Section W of Bohemian National Cemetery. Even in a time of high infant mortality, these many deaths must have been devastating. Finally, on December 19, 1903, Albert Ksandr joined his children, at the early age of 39 years. Albert and Rose had one child, Emma (a.k.a. Emilie R.), who out-lived him. She was born on January 3, 1897 and was still living at the time of the 1910 census. After Albert's death, Rose married Charles Lorenz. Until 1933, they lived in the house at 1743 N. Kimball which Albert had purchased in 1898.

THE MANY MARY KSANDERS

Honor to the mother of God is carried through the name, given at every opportunity. The following relations of Anton Ksandr are named Mary:

• Anton's mother: Marie (Veselá) Ksandr
• Anton's sister: Marie (Ksandr) Kríst'an
• Anton's sister-in-law: Mary (Vinsova) Ksandr/Alexander
• Anton's wife: Marie (Harvanek) Ksandr
• Anton's daughter: Marie A. (Ksandr) Youhn
• Anton's nieces: Martha Marie of the unfortunate Albert & Rose Ksandr, Marie Anna of Albert & Rose Ksandr,
  Mary Antonie of Frank & Antonie Ksandr, Mary of Alois & Anna Ksandr
• Anton's great-granddaughters: Mary Katherine, Margaret Mary, Mary Ann

Curiously, none of his six granddaughters ever received the name. And to date, none of his five great great grandchildren are named Mary.

Children of Matej and Marie (Veselá) Ksander:

1. Vaclav Ksander (a.k.a. William J. Alexander), b. Jan 1850, Bohemia; m. 1870, Marie Vinsova, Chicago, Illinois; d. 14 Oct 1903, Chicago; bur. 17 Oct 1903, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

2. Barbora Ksander, b. Nov 1851, Bohemia; m. 1875, Alois Kacírek, Bohemia; d. 19 Aug 1935, Chicago, Illinois; bur. 22 Aug 1935, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

3. Frank L. Ksander, b. Nov 1858, Bohemia; m. 1879, Antonie Duha, Chicago, Illinois; d. 20 Apr 1942, Chicago; bur. 22 Apr 1942, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

4. Alois Ksander, b. May 1860, Bohemia; m. 1882, Anna Havlicek, Bohemia; d. 4 Sep 1908, Chicago, Illinois; bur. 6 Sep 1908, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

5. Marie Ksander, b. Apr 1863, Lazovicích, Pr...............Bohemia; m. Nov 1885, Joseph Kríst'an, Chicago, Illinois; d. 6 Apr 1924, Chicago. bur. 9 Apr 1924, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

6. Albert Ksander, b. Jan 1865, Bohemia; m. 1887, Ruzena Kríst'an; d. 16 Dec 1903, Chicago; bur. 19 Dec 1903, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.

7. Antonin Ksandr, b. 13 Nov 1867, Bohemia; m. Jul 1891, Marie Harvanek, Chicago, Illinois; d. 5 Oct 1929, Chicago; bur. 9 Oct 1929, Saint Adalbert Cemetery, Niles.

Sources Sources Sources Sources Sources Sources Sources

• Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois
• Chicago city directories
• Cook County, Illinois

  Birth indices and records

  Death indices and records

  Marriage indices

  Naturalization indices

  Real Estate records

  Voter Registration records

• Family memory
• A History of the Parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago, 1980
• Mass cards
• Obituaries in:

  Chicago Daily News

  Chicago Tribune

  Denní Hlasatel (Czech language newspaper)

• Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Chicago, Illinois

  Baptisms

  Marriages

  Funerals

• St. Adalbert's Cemetery, Niles, Illinois
• U.S. Census on Cook County, Illinois: 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Chicago Genealogist v. 35 no. 2 (Winter 2002-2003), pp. 49-52: https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/collection/nby_cgs/id/5571/rec/1: sheets 17-22. Reprinted by permission.