Kemmerich-Urbain Correspondence: Who's Who

[Compiled by Barbara Halliday, 3/31/2010]

Maria Anna Butzen Hommerding
Barbara Hommerding Kemmerich's Children
Anna Hommerding Urbain's Children
Walter Butzen and his family

Maria Anna Butzen Hommerding Born in Reil, Germany April 18, 1833

Married Jacob Hommerding in Chicago, IL in 1856

Jacob and his first wife came to USA on same boat as Maria Anna and her family. His first wife had a son, Anthony, she died soon after his birth (date unknown)

Lived in Chicago and later New Buffalo, MI. Moved back to Chicago after the death of her husband, Jacob, in New Buffalo in 1878

Stepson Anthony and daughter Frances remained in New Buffalo, MI area.

In 1880 census Maria Anna & her children were living in "Old Town" right around the corner from her father, Walter Butzen, and her brother, Joseph and his family.

Came out to Birdsview, WA with daughter, Barbara, in early 1903
"Grandmother" to the Kemmerich children after they lost their mother on Aug. 1, 1903.
Never returned to Chicago.
Maria Anna died in Mt. Angel, OR Mar. 25, 1912, almost 79 years old.

Maria Anna's gravestone made by a grandson or a nephew, living in Illinois.
The relative worked in a tombstone plant and the gravestone is made of concrete. Some of the English letters after Maria Anna's death refer to who will provide the gravestone.

Maria Anna had eleven children, but only six survived to adulthood:

  • Frances b. July 27, 1856 in LaPorte, IN m. Peter Johns in New Buffalo, 1879
  • Barbara b. Chicago, IL April 15, 1859 m. August Kemmerich, April 1, 1885 Lived in Birdsview, WA after her marriage until her death. Buried in Hamilton, WA, remains transferred to Mt. Angel cemetery after death of August on Jan. 28, 1926.
  • Mary b.Oct. 1860 in IL, probably Chicago. m. Nicholas Oeffling, about 1885
  • Mathias b. Mar. 1867 in IL, probably Chicago
  • Nicholas b. about 1868 in Michigan, probably New Buffalo
    [Probably the "Nick" Barbara Kemmerich mentions in her letter of May, 1903.]
  • Anna b. Nov. 10, 1872 in New Buffalo, MI m. Julius Urbain about 1893 in Chicago, IL


Barbara Hommerding Kemmerich's Children

Barbara and August had nine children, all born at their homestead in Birdsview, WA:

  1. Mary b. Feb. 14, 1885 m. Basil Stupfel 1914 They farmed in St. Paul, OR
  2. Joseph b. Oc.t 14, 1886 m. Eula Haynes 1923. Had a long career with the US Fish & Wildlife Svc. in Alaska, Washington
  3. Anna b. Sept. 2, 1888 m. Wm. Ackerman 1925. Lived in Birdsview and Salem, OR
  4. John b. Sept. 15, 1891 m. Harriet Hopley 1942 Lived in Sedro-Woolley, Seattle, and Burlington WA. Worked at Skagit Steel, Sedro-Wooley.
  5. Kathryn b. Oct. 26, 1893 m. Camille Stupfel, Basil's brother 1916. They farmed in Wisconsin briefly, then in Salem, OR
  6. Julius b. Jan. 16, 1896 m. Mary Young 1929. Had long career with Fed'l. Penitentiary System
  7. Clara b. Jan. 20, 1898 m. Joseph Bartosz 1917. They farmed in Salem, OR
  8. Mark b. Mar. 4, 1900 m. Mary Field 1930. Farmed at Birdsview. Died 1932 of TB.
  9. Alphonse b. Aug. 1, 1903 m. Pauline v. Pressentin 1928. Had a long career with the US Fish & Wildlife Svc. in Alaska, WA and OR

 

Anna Hommerding Urbain's Children:
Anna and Julius Urbain had five children; four lived to adulthood.
  • Jules b. Jan. 24, 1894 m. Lottie (Last name unknown)
    He was an architect in Chicago, and designed several major buildings, including the Tremont Hotel

  • Frank b. 1895, died two years later.

  • Clara b. 1897, a twin.
    She never married. She worked as a legal secretary. She and her twin brother George never married. They shared what was probably the Julius Urbain family home in Chicago. Clara made at least one visit to her Oregon Kemmerich cousins in the 1950's.

  • George b. 1897, a twin.
    George never married. He was an accountant. After Clara's death in 1973 George stayed in the family home, but spent his last years in a nursing home near his younger brother, Walter, in Arizona.

  • Walter b. 1910.
    Walter was a chemist and one of the original pioneers on food irradiation research and development. He lived in the Chicago area and after retirement in Sun City, near Phoenix, Ariz. At the time of his death he was living in Dallas, TX.

 

 

Walter Butzen and his family
Walter Butzen was born in Reil, Germany in 1802. He married Anna Barbara Streusser in Reil, and they had six children. In 1853 the entire family emigrated to the USA on a sailing ship. Walter and Anna were "old" at the time they left Germany-51 and 49 yrs. Anna died soon after their arrival, in 1858. Walter apparently lived with his son Joseph at some point after his wife's death. In the 1880 census they were in "Old Town" Chicago, near St. Michael's Catholic Church. Walter died in 1881 at age 79.
Jacob Hommerding and his first wife were on the same sailing ship with the Butzens.

Walter and Anna Barbara's six children:

  1. Maria Anna b. April 18, 1833
  2. Frances b. Mar. 27, 1835
  3. Clara b. Sep. 30, 1838 m. Jaacob Verhaag m. before 1859 Lived in Chicago
  4. Joseph b. Sep. 29, 1840 [the "Uncle Joseph" mentioned in Anna Maria's letters]
  5. Margaretha b. Mar. 10, 1842
    She became a Catholic nun, known as Sister Gabriel. She died fighting the yellow fever epidemic of 1873-1878 in Memphis, TN d. Aug. 27, 1873.
  6. Julius b. Jul. 2, 1851 [the "Uncle Julius" mentioned in Anna Maria's letters]




PEOPLE WHO FIGURE
IN THE KEMMERICH-URBAIN CORRESPONDENCE

Maria Anna Butzen Hommerding Born in Riel, Germany April 18, 1833
Married Jacob Hommerding in Chicago, IL in 1856
Jacob and his first wife came to USA on same boat as Maria Anna and her family. His first wife had a son, Anthony, she died soon after his birth (date unknown)
Lived in Chicago and later New Buffalo, MI. Moved back to Chicago after the death of her husband, Jacob, in New Buffalo in 1878
Stepson Anthony and daughter Frances remained in New Buffalo, MI area.
In 1880 census Maria Anna & her children were living in "Old Town" right around the corner from her father, Walter Butzen, and her brother, Joseph and his family.
Came out to Birdsview, WA with daughter, Barbara, in early 1903
"Grandmother" to the Kemmerich children after they lost their mother on Aug. 1, 1903.
Never returned to Chicago.
Maria Anna died in Mt. Angel, OR Mar. 25, 1912, almost 79 years old.
Maria Anna's gravestone made by a grandson or a nephew, living in Illinois.
The relative worked in a tombstone plant and the gravestone is made of concrete. Some of the English letters after Maria Anna's death refer to who will provide the gravestone.

Maria Anna had eleven children, but only six survived to adulthood:
- Frances b. July 27, 1856 in LaPorte, IN m. Peter Johns in New Buffalo, 1879
- Barbara b. Chicago, IL April 15, 1859 m. August Kemmerich, April 1, 1885 Lived in Birdsview, WA after her marriage until her death. Buried in Hamilton, WA, remains transferred to Mt. Angel cemetery after death of August on Jan. 28, 1926.
- Mary b.Oct. 1860 in IL, probably Chicago. m. Nicholas Oeffling, about 1885
- Mathias b. Mar. 1867 in IL, probably Chicago
- Nicholas b. about 1868 in Michigan, probably New Buffalo
[Probably the "Nick" Barbara Kemmerich mentions in her letter of May, 1903.]
- Anna b. Nov. 10, 1872 in New Buffalo, MI m. Julius Urbain about 1893 in Chicago, IL


Barbara Hommerding Kemmerich's Children
Barbara and August had nine children, all born at their homestead in Birdsview, WA:

Mary b. Feb. 14, 1885 m. Basil Stupfel 1914. They farmed in Wisconsin briefly, then in St. Paul, OR

Joseph b. Oc.t 14, 1886 m. Eula Haynes 1923. Had a long career with the US Fish & Wildlife Svc. in Alaska, Washington

Anna b. Sept. 2, 1888 m. Wm. Ackerman 1925. Lived in Birdsview and Salem, OR

John b. Sept. 15, 1891 m. Harriet Hopley 1942 Lived in Sedro-Woolley, Seattle, and Burlington WA. Worked at Skagit Steel, Sedro-Wooley.

Kathryn b. Oct. 26, 1893 m. Camille Stupfel, Basil's brother 1916. They farmed in Wisconsin briefly, then in Salem, OR

Julius b. Jan. 16, 1896 m. Mary Young 1929. Had long career with Fed'l. Penitentiary System

Clara b. Jan. 20, 1898 m. Joseph Bartosz 1917. They farmed in Salem, OR

Mark b. Mar. 4, 1900 m. Mary Field 1930. Farmed at Birdsview. Died 1932 of TB.

Alphonse b. Aug. 1, 1903 m. Pauline v. Pressentin 1928. Had a long career with the US Fish & Wildlife Svc. in Alaska, WA and OR


Anna Hommerding Urbain's Children:

Anna and Julius Urbain had five children; four lived to adulthood.

Jules b. Jan. 24, 1894 m. Lottie (Last name unknown) He was an architect in Chicago, and designed several major buildings, including the Tremont Hotel.
Frank b. 1895, died two years later.

Clara b. 1897, a twin. She never married. She worked as a legal secretary. She and her twin brother George never married. They shared what was probably the Julius Urbain family home in Chicago. Clara made at least one visit to her Oregon Kemmerich cousins in the 1950's.

George b. 1897, a twin. George never married. He was an accountant. After Clara's death in 1973 George stayed in the family home, but spent his last years in a nursing home near his younger brother, Walter, in Arizona.

Walter b. 1910. Walter was a chemist and one of the original pioneers on food irradiation research and development. He lived in the Chicago area and after retirement in Sun City, near Phoenix, Ariz. At the time of his death he was living in Dallas, TX.

Walter Butzen and his family
Walter Butzen was born in Reil, Germany in 1802. He married Anna Barbara Streusser in Reil, and they had six children. In 1853 the entire family emigrated to the USA on a sailing ship. Walter and Anna were "old" at the time they left Germany-51 and 49 yrs. Anna died soon after their arrival, in 1858. Walter apparently lived with his son Joseph at some point after his wife's death. In the 1880 census they were in "Old Town" Chicago, near St. Michael's Catholic Church. Walter died in 1881 at age 79.

Jacob Hommerding and his first wife were on the same sailing ship with the Butzens.

Walter and Anna Barbara's six children:

- Maria Anna b. April 18, 1833
- Frances b. Mar. 27, 1835
- Clara b. Sep. 30, 1838 m. Jaacob Verhaag m. before 1859 Lived in Chicago
- Joseph b. Sep. 29, 1840 [the "Uncle Joseph" mentioned in Anna Maria's letters]
- Margaretha b. Mar. 10, 1842
She became a Catholic nun, known as Sister Gabriel. She died fighting the yellow fever epidemic of 1873-1878 in Memphis, TN d. Aug. 27, 1873.
- Julius b. Jul. 2, 1851 [the "Uncle Julius" mentioned in Anna Maria's letters]

---Compiled by Barbara Halliday, March 31, 2010