Min slægtsbog

Josef was born in Dec of 1865 in Bohemia, Austria.

He left Europe in 1883 (per 1900 and 1920 census) and married Mary Schneider or Snyder* in 1888 or 1889. Mary may have died in about 1896 and Joseph may have remarried Maria Frank/Franz before 1899. Or the children born before and after this date may have had different opinions about their mother's maiden name and the two Mary's may have been the same woman.*

Children of Joseph that were living in 1953 (listed in Mary Franz Loeffler Gesslechen's obit) included: Mary, Frank, Albert, Carl, John, Mrs Art Rudd, Mrs Millard Smith, and Mrs Earl Gross.

Joe was among the founding members of the Catholic church in Whittlesey: Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Pioneer Days, p 25). He operated the Owl House Tavern from 1914-1916 (p. 18) and farmed on Hillcrest Road.

After Joseph's death, his wife Mary remarried a Gesslechen and moved to Idaho. She died March 1953 in Lewistown, Idaho.

*Mary Schneider and Mary Franz may or may not have been the same woman. The earlier born children list Maria Schneider and later born children list Mary Franz. With the exception of the last born, who lists Schneider again. Research needed.