THIS ISSUE'S PROFILE

This issue of The Boßecker Newsletter will focus on Anna Bosecker, the eldest child of the immigrant Karl Boßecker and his second wife, Elizabeth (Sachs) Bosecker.

Anna was born on 11 Jun 1848 in Vanderburgh County, IN. As the eldest child, I suspect Anna was expected to help her mother at an early age. Karl's wife certainly needed help as the children arrived regularly for the next 12 years.

Anna grew up in German Township of Vanderburgh County, IN. She would have attended church at St Paul's Evangelisch Kirche located a few miles from her home. This church is now known as St Pauls United Church of Christ and it was the site of the Boßecker Reunion in 1996.

On 13 May 1867 Anna Bosecker married Philip Daniel Schmidt at St Paul's Evangelisch Kirche. Philip was the son of Andrew & Elizabeth (Maurer) Schmidt and he was born on 31 Aug 1843 in Vanderburgh County, IN.

Philip Schmidt is reported to have had at least 5 siblings. His brother, Andrew, married Anna Bosecker's sister, Elizabeth. Family tradition also states that Philip was in the Civil War.

Shortly after their marriage, the Schmidts apparently moved to Wabash County, IL According to the Personen-Oder-Seelen-Register found in the St John Evangelical Lutheran Church (Cowling, IL) Parish Records, Anna Elizabeth Schmidt was born in Wabash County, IL on 9 Apr 1868.

As the St John congregation didn't form until 1870, Philip & Anna Schmidt took Anna Elizabeth back to St Paul's in Vanderburgh County, IN to be baptized. No doubt Großvatter Karl & Großmutter Elizabeth were delighted to have their daughter and only grandchild visit in July of 1868.

More children followed: Andreas C. Schmidt was born on 20 Aug 1869; Wilhelmine Katharina Schmidt was born on 16 Aug 1871; Louise Schmidt was born on 16 Nov 1874 and Philipp Wilhelm Schmidt was born on 23 Dec 1875.

All of these children except Louise Schmidt were born in Wabash County, IL. Louise was born in Vanderburgh County, IN. Apparently the Schmidts moved back to Vanderburgh County, IN sometime between 22 Sep 1871 (Wilhelmine Katharina Schmidt was baptized at St John Evangelical Lutheran Church [Cowling, IL] on 22 Sep 1871) and 23 Dec 1875.

On 25 Oct 1876 disaster struck the Schmidt family. The St John Evangelical Lutheran (Cowling, IL) Todten Register in the Parish Records note the death of Philip Daniel Schmidt due to Nervenfieber. Philip Daniel Schmidt was buried in the St John Evangelical Lutheran (Cowling, IL) graveyard on 27 Oct 1876.

Anna (Bosecker) Schmidt is now a widow with 5 children under the age of 9 years old; not a good situation to be in at any time but I suspect that it was a particularly bad situation to be in the winter of 1876.

In February of 1878, Anna (Bosecker) Schmidt married Truman E. B. Combs. On 24 Sep 1878, Anna gave birth to a son, Christian Combs. On 23 Jan 1881, Anna gave birth to a second son, Truman Wilhelm Andreas Combs.

Apparently young Truman died as a child as I find no other record of him after the recording of his baptism in St John Evangelical Lutheran Parish Records.

On 2 April 1881, less than 4 months after the birth of Truman, Anna's 5 year old daughter, Louise Schmidt dies. I have been unable to decipher the pastor's notes in the Parish Records as to the cause of death.

At this point things get a little cloudy regarding the relationship between Truman Combs & Anna (Bosecker)(Schmidt) Combs. Here are the facts as I have found them:

1. I have not found any record of Anna using the name Combs after the death of her daughter Louise Schmidt in 1881.

2. On 20 Dec 1884, Truman E.B. Combs marries Cynthia Wyrick in Wabash County, IL and they start a family.

3. On 4 Nov 1902, Anna (Bosecker)(Schmidt) Combs is granted a divorce from Truman E.B. Combs.

On 20 Nov 1908, Anna (Bosecker) Schmidt died at the age of 60 years, 5 months and 9 days. She was buried in St John Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery at Cowling, IL on 23 Nov 1908.

I do not have any information at this time on the fate of Truman E.B. Combs.

THIS ISSUE'S CENTERFOLD

I was happy with the way the last issue's centerfold, a graphical depiction of the first 3 generations of the Peter Boßecker family, worked out. This issue's centerfold has the first 3 generations of the Karl Boßecker family. I hope to do a similar graphical depiction for the Johannes Boßecker family in the future but I will probably have to spread Johannes's 14 children over 2 issues.
Click here to see the centerfold.

MORE VETERANS

Here are more Boßecker descendant veterans that have been documented since the last issue.

Forrest W. Boseker [1911-1995].
Chief, US Navy, GG-Grandson of Peter Boßecker.

Floyd F. Bosecker [1918-1960]
Corporal, US Army Air Corps, 491st Bombardment Squadron, WW II. Great-Grandson of Karl Boßecker.

James R. Cheaney [1931-1997].
SgtFC, US Army, Korea & Viet Nam. Wounded in Action. GG-Grandson-in-law of Johannes Boßecker.

NEW ARRIVALS!

Corbin Alan Voges, GGGG-Grandson of Johannes Boßecker, was born on 23 May 1997 at Evansville, IN.

Jonathon Edward Monroe, GGGGG-Grandson of Johannes Boßecker, was born on 23 Jan 1998 at Wichita, KS.

MARRIAGES!

Peter Fellwock, GGG-Grandson of Johannes Boßecker, married Cyndee Williams in Las Vegas, NV on
4 Oct 1997.

Erica Sue Hanson, GGGG-Granddaughter of Johannes Boßecker, married Corey Gorsich in Mount Olive, IL on 18 Oct 1997.

IN MEMORY OF...

James R. Cheaney
[14 Sep 1931 - 7 Aug 1997], GG-Grandson-in-Law of Johannes Boßecker, passed away at Evansville, IN at the age of 65 years, 10 months and 24 days.

REUNION

Richard A. Bosecker, grandson of Georg & "Lena" (Neu) Bosecker, sends the following letter regarding the renewal of a "Cousins Reunion".

Dear Cousin:

I am sending out this letter to let you know after consulting through Shirley Johan that there is interest to renew the cousins reunion that was begun a few years ago. A consensus was that June 27-28 weekend would be the best... ...I have contacted the Holiday Inn at Springfield and they will reserve a block of 12 rooms for us (for up to 14 days before the 27th). Those rooms not taken will then be let out to other people. With this many people booking, the rate will be $68/2 adults per room. Children are free... ...we are receiving the use of the conference room... ...The phone number for reserving a room is 217-529-7171. Remember, you must make a reservation by June 12th. You may cancel up to 24 hours before June 27th ... ...If you need more information, call Shirley at 815-645-2616 or Richard at 618-252-7353.

MORE BOSECKER RELATIVES?

Last year while doing some research at the Atlanta Branch of the National Archives, I stumbled across an unknown Bosecker family living in Guttenberg, Iowa in 1920.

Relationship to our family is unknown at this time. This family immigrated to the United States in the early 1840's is reported to have been from Grosswalbur, Germany. This village is only about 7 miles south of our family's ancestral village of Veilsdorf, Germany.