Dominic Gruss, son of Dominique, was born on September 1, 1822 at Guémar, France. He died on October 17, 1909 at Bainbridge, Michigan at the age of eighty-seven years, one month and sixteen days. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan. Carrie Hall Gruss, in her personal notes on the Gruss/Hall families, gave August 21, 1822 as Dominic's date of birth.
This Dominic is referred to in the official French records as Dominique. In one land record from Berrien County, Michigan he is also referred to as Dominique. His tombstone refers to him as Domnick.
While Dominic was living in France, he was a tile maker (tuilier) by profession. After 1864, Dominic was a farmer in Benton Township, Michigan. Dominic was found in the 1860 United States census return for the Township of Lake View, Cook, Illinois. He was working as a hostler for Mr. William, a banker.
Dominic arrived in America at the Port of New York on November 11, 1855 aboard the ship Havré whose captain was D.B. Baxter. The ship left the Port of Le Havré, France on October 9, 1855 with two hundred twelve passengers. According to the ship manifest Dominic was thirty-three years of age and a farmer by profession. He travel steerage. He obtained his passport on September 14, 1855 at Colmar, France giving New York as his destination. He settled in the Chicago, Illinois area. According to his daughter-in-law's notes, Dominic became a naturalized citizen of the United States on April 14, 1862 at Chicago, Illinois. No official records of this have been found because all such records were destroyed in the Chicago fire.
Dominic married at Chicago, Illinois to Marie Magdelena Spiegel, daughter of François Antoine Spiegel and Marie Magdelena Stockel. The date is presently unknown but it is reported that the year was 1862. Marie Magdelena, also known as Lena, was born on October 10, 1827 at Guémar, France. Carrie Hall Gruss, in her notes on the Gruss family, gave May 2, 1892 as the date of Magdelena's death. Her tombstone reports that the time was about May of 1895. She is buried in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan.
In late 1864 or early 1865, Dominic and his family moved to Benton Township, Berrien County, Michigan.
Dominic and Magdelena had four children.
Prior to her marriage to Dominic, Marie Magdelena married at Guémar, France on October 2, 1850 to Leonard Reist, son of Leonard Reist and Marie Madelaine Arnold. Leonard, the son, was born on October 29, 1826 at Illhausern, France. His date and place of death are presently unknown. Leonard was a domestic while living in France. In the 1860 United State census return for the ninth ward of Chicago, Leonard's occupation is given as a laborer.
Leonard and Magdelena arrived in the United States of America at the Port of New York on July 18, 1853. They left LeHavré, France aboard the ship The Florida, James G. Mills, Captain, which carried 512 passengers. At the time of their departure from France, Leonard was twenty-six years of age and Magdelena was twenty-four years of age. They were accompanied by Magdelena's sister, Josephine Spiegel.
Marie Magdelena and Leonard had two children:
Leonard married on April 29, 1879 at St. Joseph, Michigan to Elizabeth Deitle, daughter of Frank Deitle and Rose [family name unknown]. Elizabeth was born on April 10, 1858 at St. Joseph, Michigan. She died on June 10, 1954 at Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Magdelena married on April 14, 1880 in Chicago, Illinois to Nicholas Schneider at Saint Michael's Catholic Church.
Sources
Return to Top of page.
Return to the Gruss Family Index.
Return to Gruss'Um Hollow.
