Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI
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In reply to:
Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI
Marjorie Schmidt 9/13/03
My information on our Tennies family.Grandma Elizabeth said the name was pronounced Ten-yea because they were near the French border
August Tennies and Bertha Lange may have come to the states at seperate times, met and married here.As of this date 1998 I cannot confirm or deny this as fact.
August Tennies (1836) and Bertha Lange were living in New York in the 1860's.Three children, John (1860), Elizabeth (1864) and William (1866) were born in that state. Shortly after the birth of Elizabeth, a president came through the village where the family was residing.As is well known, politicians even at that place in time made an effort to meet as many people and kiss as many babies as possible, and this candidate was no exception.The mother held up the baby and the president kissed her.The baby was Elizabeth Tennies and the President was Abraham Lincoln.
(Stories told by Elizabeth Tennies Weber to her grand children.)
The family, according to the census records, relocated to New Jersey where two more children were born.Joseph (1872) and Mary Ana (1874).Sometime after 1874 the family traveled by train to Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.August's older brother Joseph had already relocated to Wisconsin with his wife Sarah and two children, Anton,born in 1857 and Mary born in 1859 in New York.Theysettled in Washington County, Wisconsin at the St.Lawrence settlement, eventually starting a farm and having eight more children.(Joseph's wife Sarah was an orphan living in New York when he met her.She could speak only English and he spoke only German but the language of love crosses all boundaries.This information was received from Benjamin Tennies,
son of Heinrich Tennies (Joseph's son)(Benjamin has since passed
Benjamin Tennies
4938 Arthur Road
Slinger, Wi. 53086
Phone 414-644-5596
Daughter
Irene Fechter
Phone 1-414-675-2154
Newburg, Wisconsin
Benjamin was 81 in 1996, I talked to him on the phone.Had no further information about the family.
The additional children of Joseph and Sarah all born in Wisconsin were
Carl (1862) Francesca (1863) Fellipe (1866) Helen (1868) Catherine (1870) *Heinrich (1872) Katerina (1874) Joseph (1879).Information obtained from the census of 1880 Vol. 29 Ed. 252 Sh. 6 L. 33.Joseph was born in Prussia 20 October 1832 and died 25 May 1899 in Washington County, Wisconsin.Cause of death was heart disease.He is buried in Schleisingerville (Slinger) Wisconsin, Washington County.The undertaker was Val Fisher.
*Father of Benjamin Tennies.
The following is another story told by Elizabeth Tennies to her grand children.Information was obtained from George Weber, born 1916, a grandson of Elizabeth Tennies Weber.
When the August Tennies family came from New Jersey by train to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. sometime after 1876, they went to visit Uncle Joseph and Aunt Sarah.Taking a wagon trail to the St. Lawrence settlement in Washington County, Wisconsin.Traveling through the woods on the journey the trees were so dense that they blocked out the sun, making the woods very dark.The children were a bit apprehensive being in a strange wild country, they didn't know what to expect.While visiting at the settlement Indians would come to the doors of the cabins asking for food, different than what they had been used to.Before the food could be prepared wood had to be chopped to make a fire in the modern cook stoves the settlers had transported from the East.Indians helped chop the wood,very friendly and the settlers "Had No Fear".They were frequently seen at the settlement to trade goods or just to visit.
The descendants of (Uncle) Joseph Tennies were quite successful and as of 1997 were well known in the business community of West Bend, Washington County, Wisconsin.
August Tennies and Bertha (Lange) settled in Milwaukee, had several more children, Anna Marie born 22 June 1877 died 22 October 1878, Bertha Tenniesdied 22 July 1879 at the age of 1 year 2mos old. Record from Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.Film # SA-Z 1032560 L.D.S. Family History Center.The family was living at 602 Harmon in the 1880 census.August was a tailor by trade and started a successful business in Milwaukee's 3rd Ward district.In 1883 city directory his place of business was 113 Mason street and his residence was located at 835 Racine Avenue.Son John was a tailor working with his father, Joseph was a clerk and son William was a teamster.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel April 22, 1888, " lawsuit by August Tennies versus Burrows vacated judgement" and on April 23 page 6/6 "changed the venue to Walworth County."In December of 1887 a lawsuit was instituted by August Tennies.Following are excerpts from the trial.Numerous papers were obtained from the archives at Whitewater College.
Case #6148 Tennies vs Burrows is now at UW-Whitewater Historical Society.(1996)
This is a brief summary of the trial and the final outcome.
Tennies vs Burrows
August Tennies (plaintiff) filed a suit for $250.00 against (defendant) E. P. Burrows in the Milwaukee County Superior Court on December 31, 1887 for services rendered related to improvements made to a business property the plaintiff had leased from the defendant.A change of venue to Walworth County(his place of residence) was requested by the defendant and granted.When the final jury trial was to be held September 12, 1888, after numerous postponements, the plaintiff August Tennies failed to appear and subsequently
lost the case.The jury was dismissed and the plaintiff was required to pay the defendant $45.65 for his costs and disbursements. James C. Officer, attorney for the plaintiff "objected to the taxation of the items listed for the reason that the same are untrue and contrary to the law"dated September 24, 1888.There are numerous papers attached to this lawsuit but these stated herewith are the most important and give the facts of the lawsuit.Three months following this suit August Tennies died 29 December 1888 and was buried at Calvary cemetery in Milwaukee Co., Wi.Soon after, 8 July 1889, his widow Bertha Lange, married a butcher named Joseph Riese.Evidently the marriage was not that happy from information obtained from a letter received by Elizabeth Tennies Weber from her Uncle Heinrich in Westflalen, Germany which is as follows:
Essen, Feb. 27, 1898
Dear Elisabeth,
I am reaching for my quill to let you know that I received your letter and I was so glad to hear from you one more time.I had forgotten you long ago.Many years have passed by since I left you and after that I have been in England for five years and now in Germany for 14 years. I have earned so much that I am able to work on my own and live well from it and farm my land with cows.I am, thanks to God, still healthy and my wife and children too.I only had two children, Joseph who is 26 years old and Ilse 20 years.Dear Elisabeth, write me once how your brothers are doing, if they are all well married and have Catholic women.How come your mother doesn't live with her second husband, is that man not a Catholic or can't she get along with him?Dear Elisabeth write me how my brother Joseph is doing.Is he still alive and how many children does he have.I wrote him 3 letters but never received an answer.Wrote me once when your father died.None of my family is living in Germany as I.My parents and sisters are dead and my homeland is in foreign ..?.. Dear Elisabeth how are your husband and children doing, are they all healthy and you wanted to send me a family picture; that would make me very happy.If possible do come and visit me here. I will close my letter with many greetings from my heart to your mother, brothers and sister and hope that my letter will reach you in good health.Please write again soon.I am happy you remembered me from long time ago and wrote to me.Many greetings to you and your husband and children from me and my family.
Your Uncle Heinrich
Address;
Heinrich Toinnies
in Eilisin No. 91 (Essen)
Westflalen, Deutschland
Daughter Mary Ana (1874) sister of Elizabeth,married Joseph Bisch (1870) and move to Terre Haute Indiana.They had four children Leo (1897) Gertrude (1898) Bernard (1902) and Madelein (1904).Mary Ana died in 1910 at the age of 36.Daughter Madelein born 8 October 1904 entered the convent "Saint Mary-of-the-Woods" in Indiana 6 September 1921 taking the name of Sister Marian Celeste Bisch as a Sister Of Providence.She died 7 November 1994.
The Memorial card of Sister Marian Celeste (Madelein Bisch) obtained from her nephew, son of brother Bernard (1902),Joseph B. Bisch aged 71 in 1995,
200 Gardendale Road
Terre Haute, Indiana 47803
Sister Marian Celeste Bisch
Born October 8, 1904
Entered Congregation
September 6, 1921
Died November 7, 1994
"O Provident God, hear our prayer for your daughter who labored for 73 years as a Sister of Providence to bring your gospel to the world.May she be the more worthy to share the embrace of Your love for all eternity in Heaven.We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever...Amen
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Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI
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Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI
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Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI
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Re: Tennies from Germany to Wash Co WI and Milw. WI