Louisa Gruss and Seraphine Willmeng's Family

Louisa Gruss Willmeng Seraphine and Louisa Willmeng

Louisa Gruss, daughter of Dominic, was born on October 26, 1864 at Chicago, Illinois. She died on January 20, 1946 at Benton Harbor, Michigan. She is buried in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan. Louisa was an active member of the Altar Society of St. John's Catholic Church.

Louisa married at St. Joseph, Michigan on June 5, 1888 to Seraphine Willmeng, son of Joseph Bernard Willmeng and Elizabeth Feller, nee Sieler. The witnesses to their marriage were: Henry Gruss and Lena Willmeng. Seraphine was born on March 25, 1860 at Naperville, Illinois. He died on January 6, 1944 at Benton Harbor, Michigan. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan. Seraphine was a member of the Holy Name Society at St. John Evangelist Catholic Church. He was a farmer by profession. The family resided at 400 Empire Avenue in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Louisa and Seraphine had four children.

  1. Joseph Leo Willmeng was born on May 29, 1889 at Lemont, Illinois. He died on May 19, 1944 at Watervliet, Michigan as a result of an automobile accident.

    Joseph married on November 26, 1914 to Alice Mabel Butzbach, daughter of Jacob Butzbach and Sophia Sinn. Alice was born on February 23, 1891. She died on October 19,1990 at Portage, Michigan.

    Joseph and Alice had five children.

    1. Gordon Joseph Willmeng was born on 28 October, 1915. He died on August 2, 1989 at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery at Watervliet, Michigan.
    2. Lumen Edward Willmeng was born on April 1, 1918.
    3. Warren E. Willmeng was born on February 22, 1921.
    4. Madalyn Alice Willmeng was born on October 10, 1923.
    5. Donna Willmeng was born on February 25, 1925.
  2. Katherine (Katie) Willmeng was born November 20, 1890 at Lemont, Illinois. She died on December 3, 1895 at Lemont, Illinois.
  3. Clara L. Willmeng was born on November 9, 1893 at Lemont, Illinois. She died on July 31, 1988 at St. Joseph, Michigan. She was buried August 3, 1988 in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery at Watervliet, Michigan.

    Clara married on January 14, 1915 at Watervliet, Michigan to Henry D. Offerman, son of Henry John Offerman and Theresa Pfleger. Henry was born on May 30, 1887 at Troy, Michigan. He died on October 28, 1918. He is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery at Watervliet, Michigan.

    Clara and Henry had three children:

    1. Frank Offerman was born on November 4, 1914. He died on May 18, 1974 at Fort Myers, Florida. Frank served in the U.S. Air force during World War II. Frank married Malene Tillstrom.
    2. Dorothy Offerman was born on March 21, 1917. Dorothy married Charles Frick on June 24, 1937.
    3. Bernadine Offerman was born on March 3, 1919. Bernadine married Ralph Stouffer on October 1, 1937.
  4. Theresa Willmeng was born on December 20, 1896 at Lemont, Illinois. She died on February 12,1973 at St. Joseph, Michigan. She was buried on 14 February, 1973 in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan. Theresa was a teacher in Bainbridge and Galesburg, Michigan.

    Theresa married on February 11, 1920 at Watervliet, Michigan to Lumon C. Harris, son of Edwin Harris and Minnie Harrison. He was born on August 1, 1893 at Edwardsburg, Michigan. He died on July 3, 1978 at St. Joseph, Michigan. Lumon was a farmer by trade.

    Theresa and Lumon had four children.

    1. Carl J. Harris was born on November 29, 1920. He died on January 1, 2000. Carl married on February 7, 1942 to Betty H. Hett.
    2. Marguerite Harris was born on March 3, 1922. Marguerite married on May 11, 1946 to James White.
    3. Marion Louise Harris was born on June 11, 1924.

      Marian married at St. John's Catholic Church in Benton Harbor, Michigan on August 30,1946 to Warren Calvin Tyner, son of David A. Tyner and Elizabeth M. Harner. Warren was born on November 2, 1923 at Benton Harbor, Michigan. He graduate from the University of Michigan with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. We retired from Ford Motor Corporation in 1974. Warren serviced in the United State Regular Army, Sixth Corps, (also known as Army Air Force or Army Air Corps) during World War II. He saw service in the Asiatic and Pacific theaters. Warren died at Ann Arbor, Michigan on February 23, 2003. He was buried with military honors in Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

    4. Cathleen Harris was born on November 14, 1927. She died on December 21, 2003 at Rancho Santa Fe, California. Cathleen first married on June 16, 1948 to John N. Bartz. Cathleen married a second time on June 29, 1973 to Lenard Schweitzer.

Prior to his marriage to Louisa, Seraphine had married Catherine Ann Jungles. Catherine was born on June 2, 1862. This date is based upon her age, 24 years, 10 months, and 10 days, at the time of her death. She died on April 13, 1887 at Lemont, Illinois. It appears that her parents were John Jungels and Anna Maria Wagner..

Seraphine and Catherine had one child.

  1. Anne Louise Willmeng was born on December 2, 1885 at Lockport, Illinois. She died on June 28, 1972 at Watervliet, Michigan. She was buried on June 30,1972 in Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan.

    On January 23, 1914, Anne married at Watervliet, Michigan to Henry Robert Hiler, son of Charles Hiler and Mary Seaver. He was born on December 10, 1885 at Bainbridge, Michigan. He died on July 31, 1945 at Benton Harbor, Michigan. Henry was a farmer by profession.

    Anne and Henry had five children, all of whom were born in the area of Benton Harbor, Michigan.

    1. Elaine Hiler was born circa 1914. She died on December 6, 1946.
    2. LeRoy H. Hiler was born on May 21, 1916. He died on August 13, 1985 at Kalamazoo, Michigan. LeRoy married in 1938 to Genevieve Koerber.
    3. Vernon S. Hiler was born on July 10, 1917 at Bainbridge, Michigan. He died on July 24, 1999 at Watervliet, Michigan. Vernon married on June 11, 1949 to Jane Northdorf.
    4. Gerald L. Hiler was born on May 29, 1921 at Bainbridge Township, Berrien County, Michigan. He died on July 23, 2001 at Watervliet, Michigan. Gerald married on February 14, 1942 to Amy Len Harner. He was a fruit farmer by profession.
    5. Clarice Hiler was born on September 20, 1924. Clarice married on January 2,1945 to Fred Stoffer.

Sources

  1. Obituaries of Louisa Willmeng, nee Gruss and Seraphine Willmeng and their children.
  2. Marriage Records for Berrien County, Michigan at St. Joseph, Michigan for the year 1888, entry 251.
  3. Records of and tombstones at Calvary Cemetery at Benton Harbor, Michigan.
  4. Burial records for Katherine Willmeng and Catherine Willmeng, nee Jungles.
  5. Baptismal records for Anna Willmeng
  6. Berrien County Directories for the years 1934 and 1936.
  7. Some Genealogical Notes on the Willmeng Family by Earle W. Mays.
  8. 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Benton, Berrien, Michigan, Page 10, Dwelling 72, Family 72.
  9. 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Homer, Will, Illinois, Page 11, Dwelling 88, Family 88.
  10. 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Homer, Will, Illinois, Page 17, Dwelling 135, Family 135.
  11. 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Benton Township, Berrien, Michigan, Page 21C, SD 1, ED 2, Dwelling 322, Family 322.
  12. 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Homer Township, Will, Illinois, Page 6B, SD 4, ED 195, Dwelling 53, Family 53.
  13. 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Homer Township, Will, Illinois, Page 18B, SD 4, ED 195, Family 163.
  14. 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Ontwa Township, Cass, Michigan, Sheet 1A, SD 4, ED 91, Dwelling 1, Family 1.
  15. 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Homer Township, Will, Illinois, Sheet 7B, SD 6, ED 107, Dwelling 137, Family 140.
  16. 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Bainbridge Township, Berrien, Michigan, Sheet 5A, SD 4, ED 64, Dwelling 77, Family 79.
  17. 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Joliet Township, Will, Illinois, Sheet 7A, SD 6, ED 111, Dwelling 111, Family 114.
  18. 1910 U.S. Federal Census for Joliet Township, Will, Illinois, Sheet 3B, SD 2, ED 158, Dwelling 42, Family 44.
  19. 1910 U.S. Federal Census for Ontwa Township, Cass, Michigan, Sheet 1A, SD 4, ED 112, Dwelling 13, Family 13.
  20. 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Ontwa Township, Cass, Michigan, Sheet 5A,SD 4, ED 134, Dwelling 142, Family 145.
  21. 1920 U. S. Federal Census for Bainbridge Township, Berrien, Michigan, Sheet 1A, SD 4, ED 68, Dwelling 1, Family 1.
  22. 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Benton Harbor, Ward 3, Berrien, Michigan, Sheet 14B, SD 12, ED 11-13, Dwelling 357, Family 371.
  23. 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Ward 2 of Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan, Sheet 13A, Dwelling 317, Family 353.
  24. 1930 U.S. Federal Census for Bainbridge Township, Berrien, Michigan, Sheet 4A, SD 12, ED 11-2, Dwelling 89, Family 79.
  25. Genealogical information on the Jungles family as posted by John Fishbeck in the family tree section of http://www.ancestry.com. See Families of DuPage, Grundy, Kendall and Will Counties in Northeastern Illinois.
  26. World War I draft registration cards found at http://www.ancestry.com for:
  27. History of Berrien County, Pages 888 to 890.

Return to Top of page.

Return to the Gruss Family Index.

Return to Gruss'Um Hollow.

Written and Edited by Harry Gruss
Revised February 20, 2008.

Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!