Gutekunst.Org -- Verona Pieper -- My Heritage

MY HERITAGE
Michael Pieper wes born in Stettin, Germany in the year 1815. He was a descendant of a noble family von-Pieper as the only son. His heritage was the estate of his father. About the year 1842 he was married to Augusta Tesch. Unto them were born two sons, Carl and Wilhelm, and one daughter, Lena.
Because of the great number of emigrants to America at that time who left Germany for various reasons, Michael Pieper made arrangements to sail for the United States of America with his family. His main motives were of a religious nature. Within the Protestant Church differences of opinion with respect to the proposed "Union" had arisen. In the United States everyone was permitted to serve his God according to the dictates of his own conscience. Thus M. Pieper decided to enjoy much liberty which was not certain in Germany at that time.
In the early part of the year 1853 the family made the proposed voyage on a sail boat. After a voyage of more than nine weeks they landed in the United States. However, one member of the family became ill with typhoid fever, namely, Lena. After a brief illness she died. The remaining members of the family then proceded on their voyage and settled near Watertown, Wis. where Michael Pieper purchased a farm with the money he had received from his estate in Germany.
However, he never felt at home in his adopted country. While on his estate in Germany, he was not required to attend to the routine work, which was done by servants. But in America things were different. Two more children were born on the farm, Albertine (Quandt) and Augusta (Dowie). To aggravate his sad frame of mind the Lord deemed it wise in his providence to afflict him with cancer of the liver. To the ravages of this disease he succumbed in the year 1864 at the age of 49 years. His wife had died a number of years before this, thus leaving the family to the care of the elder son, Carl.
Wilhelm Pieper was married and received a portion of the estate as an heritage while Carl received the larger portion, but was required to rear the two smaller sisters and set aside for each of them a specific amount which was available to them at the age of 21 years, according to the stipulations of the will of Michael Pieper. Only two sons were born to Wilherm [sic] Pieper, Frank and Adelbert, who subsequently purchased the entire Pieper estate and still own it at the time of this writing.
Albertine was married to Carl Quandt. They had two sons and two daughters, Bertram, Carl, Amanda, and Minnie. Bertram died at the age of 16 years. The Quandts took a very great interest in the cause of the Lutheran Church. Beside the work in their own congregation they furnished the money necessary to give two young boys schooling at Northwestern University, Watertown, Wis., and at the Theological Seminary at Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
Carl Pieper was born on the l7th day of September, 1844 in Stettin, Germany. When nine years old he came to the United States with his parents. After his father's death it devolved upon him to take care of the family. He was married to Wilhelmine Mathies, oldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies. Soon he took a very active part in the development of religious life in the community. The Rt. Rev. Johannes Bading, who for many years was pastor of St. John's Church of Milwaukee, and president of the Wisconsin Synod, instructed hiim and prepared him for confirmation. Primitive conditions prevailed in those days. Thus it happened that Carl Pieper and a large number of boys and girls of about his age, 15 years, were confirmed in a barn, where the congregation had up to this time regularly conducted services. Of prime importance at all times were to him the spiritual needs. This spirit pervaded his whole life. Subsequently when God blessed the Carl Pieper matrimony with children he conscientiously instructed them in the word of God, according to Luther's catechism. Eleven children were born to this union. Wilhelm and Anna died in infancy. Those still living and all married are seven sons and two daughters, Mathilda Indermuehle, Henry, Linda Rose, Edwin, Johannes Wilhelm, Franz, Adolph, Roland, Herbert, and Hilbert. All these children and the parents are still residents of the State of Wisconsin, except Johannes, who is residing at Stillwater, Minn.
Carl Pieper changed his residence in the year 1894 to Waucousta, Fond du Lac County, Wis., a small inland town 15 miles south of Fond du Lac, Wis. Here he had purchased a general merchandise store, an 80 acre tract of land, and built a cheese factory in order to be able to employ all of his boys. Soon the children began to establish their own homes and one child after the other left the home. Finally he had disposed of all of his holdings, purchased a small dwelling in Campbellsport, Wis., where both aged parents are still enjoying good health.
All children received their schooling in the public school and each one a number of years in a parochial school. Henry is a graduate of the State University of Wis., and Johannes is a graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis. All the remaining children received only grade school training. However, the privileges not offered to them, they are now offering to their children.
Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies was born in Stettin, Kries Naugard, Pomerania, Germany. For many years he was an employee on the old von Bismark estate, which was managed by Otto Leopold von Bismark, who later became Germany's iron chancellor. During his teens he associated very much with Otto von Bismark. Many youthful escapades the two made. So close were the two associated in spite of the great difference in rank and social standing, that when Friedrich Willhelm Mattheis [sic] emigrated to America a lively correspondence was maintained between them.
Friedrich Matthies was born in the year 1818. At the age of 25 years he was married to Augusta Degner. With his young wife he sailed for America in the year 1843. They were very poor and thus could not purchase a homestead for themselves. As a common laborer Matthies earned a living for himself and his wire and family. For his labors on the farm he did not receive cash money, but only provisions. For two years they had not known what money was. However, Friedrich Matthies had a healthy body and great courage. He was a man with a very strong physique. With his own hands he felled large trees and out of them he built his first log house in which he lived for many years. Both he and his wife were very thrifty and soon he was able to purchase a small farm to which more land was added as soon as the savings would permit another purchase.
There were born unto them two sons, Carl and Friedrich, and three daughters, Wilhelmine Pieper, Bertha Bartelt, Louise Hornburg. Carl Matthies was married to Emilea Biermann. Immediately the couple moved to the state of Nebraska. However, after about one year of residence in Nebraska they moved to Oklahoma where they have been ever since. Bertha Bartelt, wife of Wilhelm Bartelt, had no children. For many years she was matron at "Bethesda Home for Feebleminded Children" at Watertown, Wis. Wilhelm Bartelt at the same time had charge of the large farm where many of the feebleminded children, young men and women, were employed. Wilhelm Hornburg and Louise had nine children while Friedrich and his wife Louise Seifert had four children. At the age of 86 years he died and was laid to rest in Hustisford, Wisconsin where his wife lay.
Wilhelmine Matthies, oldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies, was married to Carl Pieper in June, 1868.
Verona Pieper-Gutekunst

OCR from photocopy of hand-corrected typewritten original by Carl S. Gutekunst. The original is undated, but from context it must have been written between 1984 and 1988.
This document is a written record of oral history: stories that the great grandchildren of Michael Pieper and Friedrich Matthies learned from their parents, which Verona committed to paper. No attempt has been made to adjust any of the dates, places, or names to match more historically accurate sources.

Page last modified 2003/09/17 17:20:24


	MY HERITAGE Michael Pieper wes born in Stettin, Germany in the year 1815. He was a descendant of a noble family von-Pieper as the only son. His heritage was the estate of his father. About the year 1842 he was married to Augusta Tesch. Unto them were born two sons, Carl and Wilhelm, and one daughter, Lena. Because of the great number of emigrants to America at that time who left Germany for various reasons, Michael Pieper made arrangements to sail for the United States of America with his family. His main motives were of a religious nature. Within the Protestant Church differences of opinion with respect to the proposed "Union" had arisen. In the United States everyone was permitted to serve his God according to the dictates of his own conscience. Thus M. Pieper decided to enjoy much liberty which was not certain in Germany at that time. In the early part of the year 1853 the family made the proposed voyage on a sail boat. After a voyage of more than nine weeks they landed in the United States. However, one member of the family became ill with typhoid fever, namely, Lena. After a brief illness she died. The remaining members of the family then proceded on their voyage and settled near Watertown, Wis. where Michael Pieper purchased a farm with the money he had received from his estate in Germany. However, he never felt at home in his adopted country. While on his estate in Germany, he was not required to attend to the routine work, which was done by servants. But in America things were different. Two more children were born on the farm, Albertine (Quandt) and Augusta (Dowie). To aggravate his sad frame of mind the Lord deemed it wise in his providence to afflict him with cancer of the liver. To the ravages of this disease he succumbed in the year 1864 at the age of 49 years. His wife had died a number of years before this, thus leaving the family to the care of the elder son, Carl. Wilhelm Pieper was married and received a portion of the estate as an heritage while Carl received the larger portion, but was required to rear the two smaller sisters and set aside for each of them a specific amount which was available to them at the age of 21 years, according to the stipulations of the will of Michael Pieper. Only two sons were born to Wilherm [sic] Pieper, Frank and Adelbert, who subsequently purchased the entire Pieper estate and still own it at the time of this writing. Albertine was married to Carl Quandt. They had two sons and two daughters, Bertram, Carl, Amanda, and Minnie. Bertram died at the age of 16 years. The Quandts took a very great interest in the cause of the Lutheran Church. Beside the work in their own congregation they furnished the money necessary to give two young boys schooling at Northwestern University, Watertown, Wis., and at the Theological Seminary at Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Carl Pieper was born on the l7th day of September, 1844 in Stettin, Germany. When nine years old he came to the United States with his parents. After his father's death it devolved upon him to take care of the family. He was married to Wilhelmine Mathies, oldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies. Soon he took a very active part in the development of religious life in the community. The Rt. Rev. Johannes Bading, who for many years was pastor of St. John's Church of Milwaukee, and president of the Wisconsin Synod, instructed hiim and prepared him for confirmation. Primitive conditions prevailed in those days. Thus it happened that Carl Pieper and a large number of boys and girls of about his age, 15 years, were confirmed in a barn, where the congregation had up to this time regularly conducted services. Of prime importance at all times were to him the spiritual needs. This spirit pervaded his whole life. Subsequently when God blessed the Carl Pieper matrimony with children he conscientiously instructed them in the word of God, according to Luther's catechism. Eleven children were born to this union. Wilhelm and Anna died in infancy. Those still living and all married are seven sons and two daughters, Mathilda Indermuehle, Henry, Linda Rose, Edwin, Johannes Wilhelm, Franz, Adolph, Roland, Herbert, and Hilbert. All these children and the parents are still residents of the State of Wisconsin, except Johannes, who is residing at Stillwater, Minn. Carl Pieper changed his residence in the year 1894 to Waucousta, Fond du Lac County, Wis., a small inland town 15 miles south of Fond du Lac, Wis. Here he had purchased a general merchandise store, an 80 acre tract of land, and built a cheese factory in order to be able to employ all of his boys. Soon the children began to establish their own homes and one child after the other left the home. Finally he had disposed of all of his holdings, purchased a small dwelling in Campbellsport, Wis., where both aged parents are still enjoying good health. All children received their schooling in the public school and each one a number of years in a parochial school. Henry is a graduate of the State University of Wis., and Johannes is a graduate of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis. All the remaining children received only grade school training. However, the privileges not offered to them, they are now offering to their children. Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies was born in Stettin, Kries Naugard, Pomerania, Germany. For many years he was an employee on the old von Bismark estate, which was managed by Otto Leopold von Bismark, who later became Germany's iron chancellor. During his teens he associated very much with Otto von Bismark. Many youthful escapades the two made. So close were the two associated in spite of the great difference in rank and social standing, that when Friedrich Willhelm Mattheis [sic] emigrated to America a lively correspondence was maintained between them. Friedrich Matthies was born in the year 1818. At the age of 25 years he was married to Augusta Degner. With his young wife he sailed for America in the year 1843. They were very poor and thus could not purchase a homestead for themselves. As a common laborer Matthies earned a living for himself and his wire and family. For his labors on the farm he did not receive cash money, but only provisions. For two years they had not known what money was. However, Friedrich Matthies had a healthy body and great courage. He was a man with a very strong physique. With his own hands he felled large trees and out of them he built his first log house in which he lived for many years. Both he and his wife were very thrifty and soon he was able to purchase a small farm to which more land was added as soon as the savings would permit another purchase. There were born unto them two sons, Carl and Friedrich, and three daughters, Wilhelmine Pieper, Bertha Bartelt, Louise Hornburg. Carl Matthies was married to Emilea Biermann. Immediately the couple moved to the state of Nebraska. However, after about one year of residence in Nebraska they moved to Oklahoma where they have been ever since. Bertha Bartelt, wife of Wilhelm Bartelt, had no children. For many years she was matron at "Bethesda Home for Feebleminded Children" at Watertown, Wis. Wilhelm Bartelt at the same time had charge of the large farm where many of the feebleminded children, young men and women, were employed. Wilhelm Hornburg and Louise had nine children while Friedrich and his wife Louise Seifert had four children. At the age of 86 years he died and was laid to rest in Hustisford, Wisconsin where his wife lay. Wilhelmine Matthies, oldest daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm Matthies, was married to Carl Pieper in June, 1868. Verona Pieper-Gutekunst OCR from photocopy of hand-corrected typewritten original by Carl S. Gutekunst. The original is undated, but from context it must have been written between 1984 and 1988. This document is a written record of oral history: stories that the great grandchildren of Michael Pieper and Friedrich Matthies learned from their parents, which Verona committed to paper. No attempt has been made to adjust any of the dates, places, or names to match more historically accurate sources.

Page last modified 2003/09/17 17:20:24