Joseph Rusler – Immigrant Ancestor

Joseph Rusler

1811-1898

Immigrant Ancestor

Joseph Rusler was born January 8,1811 in Baden, Germany.  He married Mary Anna in Baden before 1844.  To them were born three children: Sophia (1844), Michael Anthony (1846), and Charles (1849).  Joseph Rusler started for America alone about 1852. He left his wife and three young children.  His journey was long, rough and full of mishaps. (insert previous blog post) and when he finally arrived, sixth month later, he had no money.  He worked in New York for $.35 a day until he’d earned enough to go west, finally settling in Ogle County, Illinois in what was known as the German Valley.  In 1854 he was finally able to bring his family over.  After renting farmland for about 14 years they were finally able to buy their own land.  Mary Anna died, (probably in Germany) and Joseph remarried (probably before emigrating) Margaret Elizabeth.  After the family was reunited Joseph and Margaret had four children: Mary Susan (1855), Anna (1857), Daniel (1859), and George (1862).  Joseph was a Catholic and a Democrat.  He died December 18, 1898 at age 87 and was buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois.  His seven children settled in Nebraska, Canada, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

Mary Anna Rusler, first wife of Joseph Rusler, was born in Baden, Germany.  Not much is known about Mary except that she and Joseph had three children: Sophia, Michael Anthony, and Charles.  She died between 1849 and 1855, probably in Germany.

Margaret Elizabeth Rusler, second wife of Joseph Rusler, was born about July, 1823 in Baden Germany.  It is probable that she married Joseph sometime between 1849 when Charles was born and 1852 before Joseph left for America.  There are no American death records for Mary Anna and no American marriage records for Joseph and Margaret.  I wonder what the story was? Did Mary die soon after Charles was born and Joseph remarry then leave his young family to sail to America?  How hard that must have been, especially for Margaret wait in Germany for at least two years and then to sail with three young children alone.  Margaret and Joseph had four children after the family was reunited in Illinois: Mary Susan, Anna, Daniel, and George.  She died October 7, 1889 at age 66 and is buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois.

Sources: findagrave.com, 1860, 1870, 1880 census ancestry.com, York Compendium of Biographies 1899, History of York

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