Growth of the Family. George Frederick Wagner emigrated from Austria- Hungary as a child. He married Margaret Trentz in Dubuque Iowa on June 16, 1916. The couple had three children George John, John Anthony, and Anthony August. Tragically, Margaret died of a 'soft shell' brain tumor on Dec 26, 1921, and George was left with three small children. He married Carrie (Caroline) Trentz, Margaret's younger sister on February 6 of the next year, and she assumed the role of mother to three young children. Between 1924 and 1940, George and Carrie had seven more children, including Joseph Francis, Leo Peter, Mary Ann, Walter James, Margaret Elizabeth, Dorothy Theresa, and Helen Rita. Thus, the family eventually included 10 children. All the children had the same father, but they shared two mothers, who were sisters. Thus, George, John, and Anthony were raised, for most of their childhood, by Carrie, who was both their stepmother and their aunt. The children were either full brothers and sisters or '3/4' brothers and sisters. The family, listed with their biological mother, and their eventual spouses includes:
George Frederick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957) & Margaret Trentz (31 Dec 1898 - 21 Dec 1921)
1. George John Wagner & Mary Elanore Ball
2. John Anthony Wagner (1 Sep 1919 - 16 Mar 1959) & Mary Lourdes Jaeger (1 Mar 1924 - )
3. Anthony August Wagner & Shirley Ann Keller
George Frederick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957) & Caroline (Carrie) Trentz (10 Sep 1900 - 25 Jul 1984)
4. Joseph Francis Wagner & Monica Mary McAndrews (9 Jul 1924 -April, 1999 )
5. Leo Peter Wagner & Alice Jean Blattner (20 Mar 1930 - )
6. Mary Ann Wagner & Donald Joseph Theisen
7. Walter James Wagner* & Mary Brown (11 Dec 1933 - 25 Apr 1993); & Barbara Bland Cothran (29 Sep 1932 - )
8. Margaret Elizabeth Wagner* & Merlin Francis (Merl) Goerdt (31 Mar 1932 - 9 Oct 1980); & Merlin Leroy Doerr (8 Oct 1928 - 22 Aug 1988)
9. Dorothy Theresa Wagner & Lee Eisbach (15 Sep 1934 - 8 Feb 1988)
10. Helen Rita Wagner & Robert O'Leary (6 Aug 1938 - )
(* indicates a person who has a second spouse)
Family History. George Frederick received little formal education. He was a blacksmith and machinist. He worked for the Milwaukee railroad until 1929 where he made parts for the trains. George purchased a house on 1111 Garfield in 1915, but lost the home when in 1922 during a 6-month strike, and they moved to 1112 Lincoln Avenue. In 1926, the family moved to a house on a large lot at 3040 New Brunswick Street, which George had built himself. The children all grew up in this house, and Carrie remained in it until after George died and she had to move into a smaller apartment. The house had a detached garage that was filled with tools and lumber. George planted an orchard next to the house on the other side of the driveway. Behind the house was a grape arbor. He loved to garden and planted a huge garden in an area which was down some cement steps behind the house. He worked the garden with the help of the children, and the garden provided a substantial part of the family's food. The garden included tomatoes, carrots, beans, corn, peas, and other vegetables. Carrie canned fruit and vegetables for use in the winter. George made and enjoyed home made wine. Both Margaret and Carrie were full time homemakers.
In 1929, George began working for the Klauer Manufacturing Company and he was promoted to superintendent in 1930. The company had received a patent for the SnoGo, a truck mounted rotary snow blower. He worked on the production and improvements of the SnoGo for the rest of his life. He occasionally traveled to Colorado and other western states to demonstrate the product.
George died of a heart attack in 1957, but Carrie continued to live in the family home until she decided that she and her children felt that she was getting to old to maintain the household. She lived in several apartments in the same area of the city. She spent the last years of her life in a house near her daughter, Mary Ann Theisen until she died in 1984. Carrie was very religious and attended Mass nearly every day when she as older. She insisted on keeping her house very clean, even as she got older.
Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. George had 42 grandchildren. Fifteen of these grandchildren were the direct descendants of Margaret, while 28 grandchildren were direct descendants of Carrie. By January 1998, there were at least 69 great grand children (second cousins) in the family, but more children will be born into that generation. The children and grandchildren of the family are listed below and a brief biography of each child is included (* indicates a person who has a second spouse):
George Frederick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957) & Margaret Trentz (31 Dec 1898 - 21 Dec 1921)
1. George John Wagner & Mary Elanore Ball; m. 16 Jul 1941, Dubuque, IA
| Sally Joan Wagner*& unknown unknown
| Sally Joan Wagner*& Tom Schwarz: m. 8 Jul 1983, St Louis, MO
| | Amy Wagner Schwarz
| | Sarah Wagner Schwarz
| |Jill Wagner & Antonio Navarro; m. 2 Jul 1974, Spain
| | Ana Patricia Navarro
| | Brian Navarro
2. John Anthony Wagner (d. 16 Mar 1959, Clinton,Iowa) & Mary Lourdes Jaeger; m. 9 Jul 1947, St Anthony's, Dubuque, IA
|| John Anthony Wagner & Lorraine Gudas
| | Gregory Paul Gudas Wagner
| Cynthia Ann Wagner
| Paul Fredrick Wagner & Jill Doonan; m. 18 Jul 1981
| | Jason Alan Wagner
| | Nicholas Scott Wagner
| |Ann Therese Wagner & John Ackerman; m. 16 Aug 1986, St Anthony's, Dubuque, IA
| | Kathleen Ann Ackerman
| | Benjamin John Ackerman
3. Anthony August Wagner & Shirley Ann Keller; m. 31 May 1947
| Thomas James Wagner & Jeanne Marie Chandler; m. 28 Jun 1975, Fort Wayne, IN
| | Carrie Frances Wagner
| || Katheryn (Katie) Marie Wagner
| || James Thomas Wagner
| || Mary Margret (Mollie) Wagner
| Timothy Joseph Wagner & Karen Sue Schenkel; m. 2 Aug 1975, Fort Wayne, IN
| | Joseph Theodore Wagner & Erin Elizabeth Heishman; m. 8 Jul 2000
| | | |Grace Elizabeth Wagner
| | |Emily Anne Wagner
| | |Susan Elizabeth Wagner
| Terrence John Wagner& Yvonne Marilyn Meyer; m. 4 Oct 1980
| | Alyssa Marie Wagner
| | Melanie Faith Wagner
| | Nicholas John Wagner
| |Tamara Mary Wagner & Robert George Warner; m. 10 Jul 1982, Fort Wayne, IN
| | Kristin Elizabeth Warner
| | Kelli Marie Warner
| | Daniel Robert Warner
| | Megan Ann Warner
| | Erika Margaret Warner
Tracy Ann Wagner & Philip Clement Roach; m. 23 Apr 1988, Fort Wayne, IN
| | Thomas Philip Roach
| | Jessica Elizabeth Roach
| | Jennifer Marie Roach
| Theodore Francis Wagner ( d. 11 Nov 1964, Fort Wayne, IN)
| |Trudy Margaret Wagner & Brandon Tod Landers; m. 27 Jun 1987, Fort Wayne, IN
| | Tyler Brandon Landers
| | Taylor Margaret Landers
| | Trevor Theodore Landers
| Tony Francis Wagner & Elaine Hansen
George Fredrick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957) & Caroline (Carrie) Trentz (10 Sep 1900 - 25 Jul 1984)
4. Joseph Francis Wagner & Monica Mary McAndrews (d. Apr 1999); m. 27 Dec 1948
| |Michael Joseph Wagner ( d. 22 May 1996, Sykesville, MD) & Darlene Hammond; m. 12 Dec 1981
| | |Ross Joseph Wagner
| Kathryn Ann Wagner & Anthony Jay Schmidt; m. 2 Feb 1983, Ocean City, NJ
| | Anna Melville Schmidt
| |Carol Ann Wagner & Ted Joseph Murray; m. 16 Jul 1976, Dubuque, IA
| | |Kristen Elizabeth Murray
| | |Jenny Sue Murray
| | |Alexia Theresa Murray
| |Mary Jane Wagner & Keith Gregg Elinson; m. 28 May 1988, Honolulu, Hawaii
| | Samuel Michael Elinson
| | Maggie Rose Elinson
| |Susan Marie Wagner & Daniel Brian Brown; m. 28 Jun 1986, Pullman , Washingtom
| | |Eliot McAndrew Brown
| |Nancy Jo Wagner & Mike Roger Connly; m. 28 May 1992, St Paul, MN
| | |Eileen McAndrews Connly
| | |Julia Michael Connly
5. Leo Peter Wagner & Alice Jane Blattner; m. 13 Nov 1954, Rochester,MN
| Earl Albert Wagner (d. 29 Oct 1997) & Joyce Carol Duell; m. 6 Sep 1972, Rochester, MN; div. Oct 1982
| | Heather Dorothea Wagner
| | Nathan Earl Wagner
| Lynn Francis Wagner & Jenny Marie Pleiss; m. 5 Aug 1972, Mankato, MN
| | Gregory John Wagner & Gretchen Miller; m. 5 Aug 2000
| | |Jacob Levi Wagner
| | |Timothy Robert Wagner
| Daniel Lee Wagner & Pam Rae Storing; m. 6 Oct 1990, Lake City , MN
| | |Christopher Lee Wagner
| Dianne Richaea Wagner
| Mary Margret Wagner*& Terry Eggart; m. 19 Oct 1976; div. Jul 1978
| Mary Margret Wagner* & Kevin Andre Richardson
| | Keionne Angelique Richardson
| | Kevin Andre Richardson
| Peter Wagner & Joan Elizabeth Miller; m. 14 Oct 1978, Rochester, MN
| | |Molly Susan Wagner
| | |Jasmine Ann Wagner
| | |Zachary Michael Wagner
| George Wagner & Jennifer Louise Bruemmer m. 23 Jun 1984, Rochester, MN
| | Peter Michael Wagner
| | Rachel Louise Wagner
| | Sarah Claire Wagner
| | Meredith Bruemmer Wagner
| Patricia Joan (Patty) Wagner & Peter Loftus; m. 21 Sep 1991, Rochester, MN
| | Joseph Peter Loftus
| | Elle Claire Loftus
| Margret Susan (Peggy) Wagner & Kenneth Paul Scott; m. 22 Oct 1994, Rochester, MN
6. Mary Ann Wagner & Donald Joseph Theisen (m. 17 Apr 1948)
| |Ronald Joseph Theisen* & Sandra Jean Noonan; m. 23 Oct 1976, Dubuque, IA; div. Feb 1998
| | Lisa Lynn Theisen |& Dan Huinker
| | Thomas John Theisen
| | Lori Jean Theisen
| | Michael Joseph Theisen
| Ronald Joseph Theisen* & Lynn Strang;m. 22 May 2000
| | |Elizabeth Ann Theisen
| James Joseph Theisen & Mary (N.M.I.) Mokricky; m. 27 Jan 1979, Nashua, IA
| | Ryan James Theisen
| | Christopher James Theisen
| Stephen John Theisen & M Sue Kadluboski; m. 6 Apr 1974, Dubuque, IA
| | Jessica Ann Theisen & Nicolas White; m. 8 Jun 2002
| | Justin Patrick Theisen
| | Jonathan Patrick Theisen
| Donna Kay Theisen & Stephen Pasos; m. 8 May 1984, San Francisco, CA; div. 1990
| | Joshua Pasos
| David Paul Theisen & Anne Mary DeCristofaro; m. 13 Nov 1987, Boston, MA
| | Danielle Anne Marie Theisen
| | Gabrielle Joelle Marie Theisen
| | David Donald Joseph Jr Theisen
| | Janelle Dawn Marie Theisen
| | Jacob Jerry Joseph Theisen
| | Garrett Anthony Joseph Theisen (d. 1 Mar 1995)
| | Lucas Garrett Joseph Theisen
7. Walter James Wagner* & Mary Brown (d. 25 Apr 1993, New Brunswick, Georgia); m. 6 Sep 1956, Dubuque, IA
| Cheryl Ann (Sherry) Wagner
| Scott Wagner & Shannon Marie Poston m. 17 Apr 1992; div. Aug 1995
| Michelle Marlene (Shelley) Wagner & Clint Lamar Griffin; m. 28 Mar 1992, Brunswick, GA
| | Kayla Griffin
7. Walter James Wagner* & Barbra Bland Cothran; m. 8 Jul 1995, Jacksonville, FL
8. Margaret Elizabeth Wagner* & Merlin Francis (Merl) Goerdt (d. 9 Oct 1980, Dyersville, IA); m. 8 May 1954, Dubuque, IA
8. Margaret Elizabeth Wagner* & Merlin Leroy Doerr ( d. 22 Aug 1988, Dubuque, IA); m. 19 Jun 1986, Dubuque, IA
9. Dorothy Theresa Wagner & Lee Eisbach d. 8 Feb 1988, Dubuque, IA; m. 21 Aug 1954, Holy Ghost
| Diane Eisbach & Alan Paul Kloft; m. 23 May 1975, Dubuque, IA
| | Jill Marie Kloft
| | Christian Lee Kloft
| Kathleen Mary Eisbach & Thomas Robert Noel; m. ? 8 Sep 1978, Dubuque, IA
| | Jennifer Lee Noel
| Mary Beth Eisbach
| Leo John Eisbach & Natalie Paige Moore; m. 7 Jan 1995, Laurel, MD
| David Eisbach* & Alexandra Maria Nelisen; m. 27 Oct 1989, Dubuque, IA; div. 6 Mar 1998
| | Sebastian Lee Eisbach
| | Maxmillian Josef Eisbach
| | Arianna Marie Eisbach
| David Eisbach* & Jenny Kress; m. 8 Jul 2000
| | Lainey Kress
10. Helen Rita Wagner & Robert O'Leary; m. 1 Sep 1962
George and John Wagner, the oldest children in the family. Both graduated from Loras Academy and both attended Drake College and became Pharmacists. George moved to Clinton Iowa where he started 'The Wagner Pharmacy', with his wife Mary Ball, who was also originally from Dubuque. He hired his brother John, and later he took him on as a partner. George and Mary had two children, Sally (the oldest of George's grand children) and Jill.
John married Mary Lou Jaeger and they had four children, John, Cindy, Paul, and Ann. John died prematurely of Hodgkin's disease in 1959 at the age of 39. Mary Lou returned to Dubuque to be near her immediate family. She worked as a bank teller and she raised her family. There is a separate narrative about John & Mary Lou's family. George continued to run the pharmacy in Clinton until he sold his business and he retired. The two pharmacies still do business in Clinton.
John, the oldest son of John and Mary Lou, developed an interest in the family history. The family tree is available on Reunion, an easily used data base program and on a web site that includes children, grandchildren, and other relatives. Much of the information in this program was derived from 'The Chronicle Synopsis of the Wagner Family' which was assembled and written by Tony Francis Wagner, the son of Tony Wagner. Data on the family also comes from personal interviews, from data accumulated by Mary Lou Wagner, and from records in newspapers and grave stones.
The other four brothers, Tony, Joe, Leo and Walter all attended Senior High School. Tony boxed both in the C. Y. O. (Catholic Youth Organization) and the Golden Gloves organization. Tony, like his father, worked for Klauer Manufacturing for several years both before and after serving in the military. Tony served in the army in both New Guinea and the Philippines. He graduated from the Iowa State University with a degree on mechanical engineering, and he married Shirley Keller, who he had met at a C. Y. O. dance in 1941, while he was still in college. Tony and Shirley arranged a blind date for John and Mary Lou, which developed into a marriage. Tony took a job with the American Bridge Company in 1950 and the couple moved to Gary, Indiana, and subsequently he worked for the Viking pump company where he designed a line of stainless steal pumps. The family moved to Fort Wayne Indiana when Tony took a position as chief engineer at the Wayne Pump Company. When this company closed he worked for Tokeim as a pump designer. Tony returned to Iowa to accept a position with Viking Pump in Cedar Falls, which temporarily divided the family while the children completed their education. The family later returned to Fort Wayne, and many of the children and grand children live close together. Tony and Shirley had eight children, including: Thomas James Wagner, Timothy Joseph, Terrence John, Tamara Mary , Tracy Ann, Theodore Francis, Trudy Margaret and Tony Francis. Theodore died in a tragic swimming pool accident just before his third birthday. Tony Francis, the youngest child, wrote the 'The Chronicle Synopsis of the Wagner Family' which is the source of much of this document. It has includes and excellent treatment of Tony Wagner and his family.
Joe was the first child of Carrie and George. Joe worked in the garden, cut wood, and helped his father make Kraut and wine. He made several crocks of 'kraut' in crocks which were compressed by cherry wood and heavy rocks. In high school he worked at the Genz store (run by Ado Genz, subsequently the Walsh store) where he worked every day after school. His job passed through several members of the family. One of his jobs was to drive a truck with groceries to Galena, which was a great treat because the family had no car at that time. He, like Tony boxed with the CYO and Joe was the 105 lb. champion of Dubuque.
Joe liked to work with his father. He would walk down to Klauer with his father on Saturday and help his father setting up for the next week. George explained the machines and the engines that ran the SnoGo machines. This got Joe interested in engineering. He worked for John Deere just after high school in a machine shop for the war effort. He made parts for shells and components for guns at Schoitz engineering works in Waterloo (owned by Otto Schoitz). His boss Heiko Meiers told him he could get a deferment because of his value to the war effort, but Joe had already enlisted in the air force. He felt that would be better than being in the infantry.
He trained at Jefferson Barracks MO and U of MN before going to Santa Anna CA for classification. He became a pilot and was trained at Oxnard CA in Orange County for training and then went to Chico CA for more training and then Luke Field in AZ where he received his wings and commission as pilot and a 2nd Lt. He trained on a P-40 Curtis Warhawk, which was a single engine fighter which had only one person. Two weeks latter 24 of his class (christened the 'terrible 24') were sent oversees to join the 15th fighter group at Bellow field Hawaii. Of the terrible 24 about half were casualties (2 were wounded and 10 were killed (3 were shot down over Japan, 3 were lost in weather, 2 died in mid-air collisions, one died in prison camp, one bailed out but died when his parachute didn't open.
He started to fly P-47 thunderbolts and then P-51 mustang. It had a 1650 HP engine and 6, 50 caliber wing mounted guns and capacity to carry bombs. He was transferred from Hawaii to Siapan and Guam by aircraft carrier and then flew to Iwo Jima (an 850 mile flight) in May of 1944. He arrived while the island was still partially occupied by the Japanese who were still counterattacking. He escorted bombers from Guam and attacked Japanese positions on Iwo Jima. He attacked a pillbox by skip bombing (i.e., the flew in low and tried to bomb the entrance to the fortified positions). He flew from Iwo Jima to Japan using an extra wing tank. He escorted Bombers and strafed airfields in Japan. He encountered storms on these 8-hour missions and lack of fuel was a serious problem. In one storm they lost 20 of 26 planes, which gradually lost radio contact. He was involved in missions over Osaka and Okinowa. The day before his last flight, he had taken his plane in for repair and the wheels were removed and replaced. On return his wheel collapsed and his plane cartwheeled. His plane caught fire and he got stuck when he was part way out, but was pulled out by marines. He was in hospitals for almost a year and a half, receiving multiple skin grafts. He got temporary duty at Ft Levenworth, KA at the end of the war.
After the war, he went back to school at Iowa State. After getting his Bachelors in Mechanical engineering he joined John Deere where he worked for 38 years. He worked for John Deere both in Dubuque and in Davenport. He was transferred to Davenport by the company, where he was responsible for correcting problems in construction of industrial tractors, graders, skidders, and 4 wheel drive loaders (including some who were built for Hatachai of Japan). The keeper of his rooming house introduced him to his future wife. Monica was a Clark Graduate, who was working on the hospital at Iowa State. She said she studied too much!
He married Monica McAndrews in 1948 and the couple had six children Michael Joseph, Kathryn Ann, Carol Ann, Mary Jane, Susan Marie, and Nancy Jo. Michael got a Masters from Iowa State in industrial relations. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed fishing and hunting. Kathryn graduated from U of Iowa in Art and teaches art at U of Montana at Boseman. Carol graduated from the U of Iowa in athletics and works part time for her husband Ted in his dental office. Mary Jane graduated from U of Iowa and became a nurse and got a Masters degree in nursing. She works at a hospital in Egan, MN. Susan graduated from U of Iowa and teaches Young children in Okanogan, WA. Nancy has a Ph.D. from the U of MN in clinical psychology and she practices at an HMO in St Paul, MN. Michael suffered from depression and took his on life in 1996.
Leo. While attending junior high school, Leo worked as a farm laborer in Sageville for fifty cents a day for Frank Finnzel (the father of Frankie Finzel, whose family still sells corn in Dubuque, and who dated Mary Lou before she met John). He picked tomatoes, hoed, picked melons, picked strawberries, and pulled pea brush (the remnants of pea plants that had to be removed before the next years planting). His salary was fifty cents a day and he had to pay for clothes, shoes ($2.98 a pair), and lunch. He would hike out to the country with his brothers (John, Joe and others) and father to the riverside area in bottom land owned by either Frank or Jake Hedricks, who were (according to Leo) Carrie's relatives. They would pack sauerkraut and wieners for lunch and cut trees and split firewood until it was dark. When they had a stack, they would hire a truck to carry it back to the house for heat in the winter. John and Joe also worked for the Hedricks doing farm labor. Leo liked to fish at the lock and dam. The family was happy to get fish to add to their diet. He and his brothers fished, skied, and ice-skated together. Leo and Joe bought a 22 rifle from the Hedricks and kept it a secret for three years, hiding it in the tool shed. When Joe returned from the war, they gambled for it, and Leo still has it.
Leo had an appendectomy in ninth grade. Shortly after this he was diagnosed with 'chronic ulcerative colitis', a diagnosis which was later changed to Crone's disease. He had a colostomy six months later. This surgery left him with a direct opening to the exterior, and he had to wear a home-made diaper like garment to receive his waste (external appliances were not available). He became very weak and lost weight. He had to quit school and worked for three years near his father in the sharpening room at Klauer where he could be isolated from other workers. On the advice of a co-worker, Leo decided to travel to Mayo clinic to be evaluated. They did surgery to close the colostomy. Leo payed for the surgery himself from his earnings at Klauer. (Hospital charges were 6 dollars per day). He then returned to high school and finished, although he was older than his classmates. He had more than 14 major surgeries that eventually removed all but 2 feet his intestine. He had to receive nourishment through permanent tube, which was attached to pump each night.
After finishing high school, he went to Loras with the intention of becoming a dentist, but could not afford the $1000 for instruments, which was required to continue. He then went to Methodist Kahler School where he worked his way through and became a registered nurse and an Anesthetist. They provided a small stipend and classes in exchange work at the clinic. He met Alice, who was also a student, at the clinic. She had returned to school after her husband had died in a tractor accident. Leo said he knew she was his future wife from the first time he met her. He met her in September of 1954 and was married in November! Alice Jean Blattner, had two children from a previous marriage, Earl Albert and Lynn Francise, and Leo adopted both of these children. Alice's first husband had been killed in a tractor accident.
Leo worked as an Anesthetist at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN. Alice, who was a registered nurse also worked at the Mayo Clinic. The couple lived in the country. They bought 4 acres in 1954 and in 1967 they bought 240 acres. They primarily raised beef cattle and produced about 75 head each year. The couple had seven more children, including Daniel Lee, Dianne, Mary Margaret, Peter, George, Patricia Joan (Patty), Margaret Susan (Peggy). The couple talked 'shop' at home, and 6 of their children adopted professions related to medicine. The couple kept a large garden and Leo liked to work with wood. He made and sold wooden crafts at fairs (e.g., door stoppers, toys, the famous 'surprise bank' that exploded when a coin was deposited, and nativity scenes) at fairs. He sold his crafts to patients that had traveled to the famous Mayo clinic, so his work is now in Europe, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, India and other countries. Leo said he believed strongly in the value of work; and he was a nurse, a farmer, and a craftsman.
Mary Ann. The string of boys was broken with the birth of May Ann. Like all her sisters, Mary Ann graduated from the Immaculate Conception Girls Academy. She took piano in grade school. As the first girl, she had to do more of the 'inside work.' She had to clean the kitchen cabinets every Saturday. She helped can tomatoes and peaches and made grape jelly. After finishing the dishes she had to do the outside work, picking plums and beans, etc. She once spilled a 5 gallon bucket of oil in the house that she was carrying in to fill the stove. She emptied the water pan under the ice box. To make Jell-O they had to put it outside in the snow to set, so Jell-O was a winter treat. They ate pancakes and banana sandwiches. Fresh corn, tomatoes, and hot dogs were her favorite meal. George made pigs feet every Saturday night. On Sundays they frequently made beef goulash. Each week Carrie made on cake and two pies.
Mary Ann worked for Dubuque Fire & Marine Insurance Co, and moved of Pittsburg Plate Glass and took May Lou Jaeger Wagner's old position when Mary Lou married Mary Ann's brother, John. She met Don Thiesen at the Melody Mill. Don had just returned from the service and went to Bayless Business College. He had been a combat medic with the 8th armored division but he stayed in the states to train others for about a year. He was then shipped to Germany just after the battle of the bulge and remained in Germany till after the end of the war. After the war, he worked at Stanley home products in a distribution center in Dubuque. Mary Ann and Don Thiesen, who remained in Dubuque, had five children, including Ronald Joseph, James Joseph, Stephen John, Donna Kay, and David Paul. When David was seven years old, Mary Ann started working at the Telegraph Herald. She worked at the First National Bank in 1974 until she retired in 1991. She volunteered at the food pantry and the Stone Hill Care center.
Walter. Walter James was the youngest boy. He went to Senior High school and Loras College. He worked for National Tea and Kroger (two grocery stores) while he was in school. He and Leo drove to high school together in a model T that Leo had purchased for $50 (Leo had delayed his schooling because of health problems). He had to cut grass and work in the garden. He raised chickens for eggs and home consumption. Leo made him hold the chickens while Leo cut off the head, which frequently resulted in his being covered with blood.
Walter was drafted after his senior year and served in Korea as a second Lieutenant in Artillery. He finished at U. of Iowa and received a BS in Chemistry. He met Mary Brown, who was in nurses training in Dubuque on a blind date and they were married in Sept of 1956. The couple moved to Brunswick, Georgia where Walter worked and supervised quality control for Georgia Pacific in plants that made gypsum wallboard. He traveled extensively visiting plants throughout the country until he retired. The couple had three children, Cheryl Ann (Sherry), Scott, and Michelle Marlene (Shelley). Mary died of a Heart Attack in 1993. Walter married Barbara Bland Cothran in 1995. The couple sold their homes and built a new home in Thomasville, GA.
Margaret. Margaret used to pick raspberries with Leo and Walter; and Leo told the girls that they shouldn't talk because there were preying mantises (actually, darning needles) that would go in your mouth and sew your mouth shut! She and Walt had to follow their father who dug holes for corn. They had to drop four kernels of corn in each hole. They tired of the task one year and dropped all the corn seeds in one hole and they had a huge group of corn plants from that hole. As often as possible, she stayed inside to avoid working for her father who was a demanding taskmaster. Her mother had a special job for each day. She baked 40 loaves of bread each week. Monday was wash day for clothes; Tuesday was ironing; Wednesday was baking; Thursdays was changing linens; Friday was baking and grocery shopping (by bus). They even washed clothes for George and John when they were at Drake and returned them by mail. She helped pit cherries and juice grapes, but their mother did most of the canning. George and Carrie rarely were away, but if they did go away (e.g., to Rochester to visit Leo or to Springfield, MO to visit Joe when he was in the hospital), they would ask Uncle Bill Trent to look in on the kids. Once, when he entered the house, the children thought he was an intruder. So Leo met him with a butcher knife and Mary Ann with a high heel shoe! Margaret remembered that her father loved to drink his homemade wine. When rationing was being instituted, he managed to get several hundred pounds of sugar to help in his wine production. Much to his dismay, Carrie wouldn't go along with his 'hoarding' and turned it in to the authorities.
Tony, like all the kids had to be in by 12:00 when the doors were locked. Tony was frequently late, and had to sneak in. He would put a ladder against the house to wake the brothers so they would let him in. One night he made too much noise, and the parents went up to check. Tony hopped in with his suit on, and pulled up the covers. His parents saw him in bed, but were never the wiser! When the kids were disciplined, the parents made them kneel in the corner.
Margaret was 17 months older than Dorothy and remembers being frustrated that when Dorothy was in the convent. Dorothy was not allowed to talk to members of the family, so Margaret had to pass her on the street and be unable to talk or share news of the family!
She went to Holy Ghost Grade School and Immaculate Conception High School (which is now Shalom Retreat center). Both schools were taught by Franciscan nuns. She remembers thinking that the nuns were so holy that she could never imagine them eating or using the bathroom. Her tuition in high school was $108. She worked at the Dubuque Packing Center as an assistant to the secretary to Bob Wahlert, the head of the company. Immediately after graduating. Margaret Elizabeth married Merl Goerdt in 1954, but Merl died in 1980. She worked for Merl (MF Goerdt Construction) as a secretary. She did payroll, taxes, and secretarial work. He built sewage treatment plants throughout IA, part of the floodwall in Dubuque and gas lines for Northern Natural Gas. She married Merlin Leroy Doerr in 1986, but Merlin died in 1988. Margaret worked for social services in 1981, as secretary to the director. She didn't have any children.
Dorothy. Dorothy remembered John, but not George, living at home. Like the other children she remembered having to work for either her mother or her father. For her father she picked strawberries and grapes. Her father sold grapes to friends when he had a large crop. She helped with laundry on Mondays and Thursdays. She helped her mother boil water, use the ringer-type washing machine, and hang laundry. In the winter laundry was hung in the house. She did laundry for George and John when they were at Drake, and she remembers pressing military shirts. She helped can tomatoes, pickles, beets peaches pears and plums. She helped make grape and plum jelly, ketchup, and mince meat pie stuffing. The house always smelled wonderful on Wednesday and Saturday when Carrie made bread. She learned sewing in school and at home, but felt Margaret was always better at sewing. Dorothy and Margaret took the bus to stay with their Aunt Mary in Lancaster, generally for a week or more. When Joe came home with material from a parachute, Mary made blouses and skirts for both Margaret and Dorothy.
Dorothy attended Holy Ghost grade school. She was a very religious young woman and, immediately after grade school, she entered the Glen Mary Convent in Cleveland with the intention of becoming a missionary. She greatly missed her family and friends and returned to Dubuque where she continued at Mount St. Francis, a Franciscan convent. She left Mt. St. Francis and finished high school at Immaculate Conception in Dubuque. She worked for a year in the office traffic department at the Dubuque Packing Company where she scheduled shipments and planed routes for the drivers. She meet Lee Eisbach, her future husand, at a dance held at Loras. She was forced to quit her job when they married (they didn't employ married women!). She worked in the Dubuque Container Company until her first child was born. Lee Eisbach worked for Dubuque County as a road inspector. The couple lived at 2555 Jackson street in Dubuque, IA. They had five children, including Diane, Kathleen Mary, Mary Beth, Leo John, and David. As the children got older, Dorthy started working part time at the Telegraph Herald. Lee died in 1988.
Helen Rita, the youngest of the family, became a registered nurse. Her interest in medicine came from Leo and Alice who talked about medicine when they visited home. Helen married Robert O'Leary, a Dubuque boy who became an architect. They met while Helen worked in a Sutter's Bakery. Bob came in to buy donuts for coffee breaks at the firm where he worked as an office boy while going to school at Loras. Helen received her nursing degree from St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital in Dubuque. She paid for her tuition from the savings at Sutter's. Bob graduated from Loras with BA in psychology with a minor in Philosophy and worked for a year in Dubuque. The couple were married in September of 1962 and moved to New York City, where they lived and worked until 1988. Helen worked as a Nurse at St. Luke's Roosevelt and Bob attended Columbia where he received a Bachalor's degree in architecture. Helen went back to college in New York and received a BA from Marymount of Manhattan.
Helen was a charge nurse for five years and the head nurse for 15 years on a medical surgery floor. She did a specialty in obesity surgery (stomach stapling and intestinal bypass). She got involved with this specialty because of a close relationship with Dr. Kral. She left that position after 15 years because she wanted to avoid having to deal with the unions and get into a non-management position. She transferred to gastro-intestinal unit where she worked for 5 more years. After leaving NY she took a position at Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Conn. where she also worked in a medical surgery floor. She returned to NY City for American Health Institute Nursing Conferences about three times each year.
Bob worked for several firms in NY. He worked for Egger's group in NYC and was involved in designing the new Fulton Fish Market, a basketball/hockey rink at West Point, an apartment building at 96th and Columbus, an office building on Lexington Avenue, the Harlem river state park (including an Olympic style swimming complex, a diving pool, water slides, a basketball court, and an outdoor arena for staged events) and several churches on Long Island.
The couple then moved to Copake, a rural part of New York, where they lived on a hillside with a beautiful view. He worked for Gezzi Associates doing architectural drafting (mostly small businesses and residences) and he freelanced. Bob took additional courses and taught graphics architecture and graphics art using PhotoShop, Illustrator and Quark Express.
The entire family was religious and all the boys served as alter boys at Holy Ghost Church. All the boys also served in the military, either in WWII or the Korean Conflict.
George Frederick, who was born on 14 April 1891 came to New Vienna, Iowa with his mother and father, George Wagner and Justina (Lucy) Lorenz in 1894 . He became a citizen in 1900.
George Wagner was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1858 to Joseph Wagner and Mary Boldasty. He is said to have worked as a police officer in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. He married Lucy in 1880. George was a farmer in Center Township, Dubuque, Iowa, and the road supervisor for Center Township. On his death certificate, he was listed as a carpenter.
Justina Lorenz was generally called Lucy by the Wagner family, but Lucy was probably Justina's nickname. The origin of the nickname is not clear. Lucy was probably George's second wife, and she had previously been married to Josef Baldasty. She had a son named Joseph Baldasty who came to this country with the family. Justina came to this country with her two sisters, Theresia (Theresa) and Mary on a ship called the Weimar (Weinar, Weinan (sp?). The three sisters were the children of Georgius (George) Lornez and Juliana Bogad (Bogod; sp?) who lived in Jabing, Austria-Hungary. George and Juliana also had a son, Emericus, but he died as an infant. The family records are documented in St Anne's parish, but the family name apparently had various spellings including Lorince and Lorincz (with an umlaut on the o). Jabing is a small village near the border of what are now the separate countries of Austria and Hungary. It is located an area called Burgenland, near the town of Oberwart. Mary was the wife of Fred Nicko and Theresa was the wife of Emmerich Forkes. Theresa and Emmerich largely raised Joseph Baldasty and he saw them as his parents. Joseph Baldasty married Elizabeth Richard, a Dubuque girl, but the couple moved away from Dubuque after Justina's death. They settled in Spokane, Washington and raised four children.
A complicated family relationship: Lucy's sister Mary Lorenz had a daughter, Theresa, with Fred Nicko. Thus, Theresa was the first cousin of George Frederick Wagner. Theresa married Tony Trentz, who was the brother of Margaret and Carrie Trentz. George Frederick married Margaret and, then, Carrie. Thus, first cousins (George and Theresa) married siblings Tony, Margaret and Carrie. This might not have been so unusual in small towns in Iowa.
George and Justina lived on a farm in the northwest part of Iowa Township. The farm was very near the farm of John Trenz (Trentz), the father of Margaret and Caroline Trentz, who married George Fredrick. George and Justina had six natural children, but only two survived beyond 1900. George's older sister, Mary was born on 12 Dec 1882. She married August Krogman and the family included 11 children one of which was a child from August's first marriage. Mary and August initially lived in Dyersville, Iowa. They moved to a farm in Patch Grove, Wisconsin in about 1916. In 1929, they moved to Dickeyville, WI. They latter moved to Madison, Wiconsin. After August's Death, Mary married John Schatz and lived in Lancaster, WI.
Justina died on 27 Oct 1907 of uterine cancer and George died on 26 May 1916 of an aneurysm of the aortic arch. They are buried in Mt. Calvary cemetery and their graves are inscribed in German.
Thus, George and Justina had three children who lived to adulthood and four who died as children:
George Wagner (27 Mar 1858 - 26 May 1916) & Justina (Lucy) Lorenz (13 Dec 1859 - 27 Oct 1907)
Joseph Baldasty (22 Feb 1886 - 26 Oct 1961)
& Elizabeth Richard (1 Dec 1886 - 18 Jul 1973)
Mary Wagner* (12 Dec 1882 - 21 Jul 1965) & August Krogman (7 April, 1934)
Mary Wagner* (12 Dec 1882 - 21 Jul 1965) & John Schatz
~George Frederick Wagner* (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957)
& Margaret Trentz (31 Dec 1898 - 21 Dec 1921)
~George Frederick Wagner* (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957)
& Caroline (Carrie) Trentz (10 Sep 1900 - 25 Jul 1984)
four deceased children Wagner ( - Before 1900)
Margaret and Caroline Trentz were both daughters of John Trentz and Matilda Specht. The family had a farm in the north east corner of Center Township, Dubuque County, not far from the farm of George Wagner. They were married in 1894 in Bangston, Iowa and raised seven children:
John Trentz (1863 - 5 Jun 1916) & Mathilda (Tillie) Specht (17 Jul 1874 - 15 Jun 1944)
Martain Trentz (16 Feb 1896 - 9 Apr 1972) & Ema Gau
~Margaret Trentz (31 Dec 1898 - 21 Dec 1921)
& George Fredrick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957)
~Caroline (Carrie) Trentz (10 Sep 1900 - 25 Jul 1984)
& George Fredrick Wagner (14 Apr 1891 - 27 Jan 1957)
Tony Trentz (1 Aug 1902 - 6 Sep 1994)
& Theresa Nicko (2 Aug 1902 - 22 Aug 1971)
George Trentz* (2 Apr 1904 - 8 Dec 1957) & Ruth Fenelon
George Trentz* (2 Apr 1904 - 8 Dec 1957) & unknown
Bill Trentz (29 Mar 1907 - 14 Feb 1967) & Dorothy Roberts
Pearl Trentz (1909 - 26 Apr 1913)
In 1905, the family moved to Randolph, Nebraska, where John was a farmer. The family lived in a sod house and suffered from wind and sandstorms. They moved to Montana in 1909, but John had an accident and had to give up farming. The family returned to Dubuque in 1911 where they lived at 2063 Lincoln Avenue. Pearl died of Diphtheria in 1913. John died in 1916, but Matilda lived until 1944. Both are buried at Mt. Calvery cemetery.
John Trentz, who was the father of Margaret and Caroline, was born in Trentz Hollow, Bangston, IA in 1863 to Michael and Mary Trentz. Michael Trentz was born in Prussia and came to Dubuque County in 1840 and settled near Bankston. He farmed in the same location for his entire life. He married in 1850, and his wife Mary, whose maiden name is not known, could not read or write. Michael fought in the Civil War. Both Michael and Mary died in 1904 in Bankston.
Michael Trentz (1826 - 1904) & Mary Locker (1828 - 1904)
~John Trentz (1863 - 5 Jun 1916)
& Mathilda (Tillie) Specht (17 Jul 1874 - 15 Jun 1944)
Mary Trentz (1853 - )
Anna Margaret Trentz (1855 - ) & George Preler
Nicholous Trentz (1861 - ) & Molly ????
Bertha Trentz (1865 - 1921) & Hank Jurergens
Matilda Specht, who was the mother of Margaret and Caroline, was one of six children of Martain and Eva Specht. Martain was born in Germany on 7 Nov 1826 and came to the US about 1850. He was a farmer and a soldier in the Civil War. He married Eva (maiden name unknown) in 1865. The family moved to Sageville, IA in 1867. Martain and Eva both died in Peru, IA in 1913. The six children were:
Martain Specht (7 Nov 1926 - 10 Mar 1913) & Eva (10 Mar 1831 - 7 Feb 1913)
Clem Specht & Maude Roskoph
Adam Specht & Kate Smearback
Frank Specht (1872 - ) & Margret Murphy
Elizabeth Specht (1967 - ) & Jake Hendrick
~Mathilda (Tillie) Specht (17 Jul 1874 - 15 Jun 1944)
& John Trentz (1863 - 5 Jun 1916)
Margaret Specht (1876 - ) & Herman Weiland