Dettinger

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Dettinger Family History

History
   German documents - 1948
   Diary of John Dettinger (1874-1893)
   Biography of John Dettinger-Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Co., 1892
Census  
Family Tree Descendants of Johann Georg DETTINGER
Military John Dettinger, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Company C
Family Photo Album
Researchers/Contributors
Links

History

German documents dated 24 April 1948 on Dettinger family. dated 24 April 1948 on Dettinger family. (source: Dawn Kelly)
Page 1   Page 2   Page 3 (Translated to English)

Diary of John Dettinger - (source: Tom Dettinger & Dawn Kelly)

Page 1

This is the beginning of a long, long story- so long, in fact, that it may never have an end. It is the account of John and Margretha Dettinger and their life in the United States. Mainly it tells about John, because he kept a diary from 1874 until 1893. The writing in those diaries is usually in pencil, rather difficult to read, and the pages are yellowing and crumbling. But he was methodical, and he set down the homely little every-day occurrences, the money he spent, the people he owed, or the amounts due him.

But let him tell in his own, sometimes broken English, the very beginning:

"Record of John Dettinger. I was born in Konigreich, Wurtemberg, OberamtKirchheim Geburt--(the rest not discernable) Dettingen. I emigrated on March 16, 1852, to Amerika and left my father and mother, Jacob and Christina Dettinger, with 4 brothers and one sister at the village of Dettingen. I arrived in New York on the 22nd of May, 1852. I worked at farmers work in Erie County and near Lake Ontario until the winter of 1853 and 1854. In the beginning of 1854 I want to Wisconsin, first to Rock County and in the fall to Trempealeau County. The summer of '56' I lived with H. Brown. In the year 1857 on the 12th day of February I got married to Margretha Mathern in Galesville by Ryland Parker, Esq." Jacob was born that year, and In 1859 along came John, the second son. Then Elizabeth was born in 1860.

"On the 13th day of August," he writes, "I enlisted in the 30th regiment, Company C, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. "The Captain of that Company was Alexander Arnold. "I was mustered out of the United States servis on 12th day of July, 1862" he goes on.           We know he served his country well because he was mustered in as a private, was promoted to corporal and then to sergeant. His health was broken as a result of his army service. His lungs were affected, and he suffered from a chronic diarrhea.

A son was born on March 30, 1867 (date not discernable). He was named George, and lived until July 18, when he died. He was apparently buried on the home farm, and later his body was moved to the cemetery in Galesvllle. (I remember my father telling me not to step on a certain place on the cemetery lot "because a baby was buried there.")

But in 1866 Christina was born and on May 19, 1868, there was William. And "on the 24 of August, 1871, three o'clock in the morning we had a boy baby born which we shall call George."

"On May 11, 1873, was born a boy baby 4 o'clock in the morning named Christian Gottlieb."

Then on January 23, 1883, the last child was born-first named Charles, but then changed to Karl Frederick.

And so the family was complete.

They lived on the farm outside of Galesville which John homesteaded. While he was in the service, John and Jacob helped Margretha operate the farm as best they could. Two little boys and a baby girl-how did they manage? I'm sure neighbors pitched in and helped, as they did in those days, and still do at times. But they kept the farm going, raising geese and chickens,

Page 2

selling milk and eggs and feathers and wool. As long as the taxes were paid on time, the farm could not be taken away from them. Margretha's mother was with her too, and helped, I'm sure. They had come to America together from Rhine, Prussia, in the spring of 1855 after Margretha's father died. Elizabeth (the mother) lived with her daughter and John, and after John's death when Margretha moved to town she lived with her still. When Carl married she continued to live with them. John seldom mentions her in his diaries, although on April 10, 1878, "Grandma broke her leg", we are told. The bill was $15.00, paid to Dr. Bunsen. And once or twice he tells "the women are quilting".

Elizabeth Mathern died in 19?? and is buried in Pine Cliff Cemetery, a long way from her native land. She never learned to speak English easily, and her later years must have been very lonely. She developed a skin cancer on her forehead and wore a bonnet much of the time to cover it.

To get back to John-

In 1874 and '75' he began to keep a one-line diary. It is thrilling to me to read through it and recognize the names-ancestors of my friends. Names like George Rall, Christian Raichle, John Dopp, Isaac Clark, George Freeman, Pete Claussen, George Klein, I could go on and on. There is nothing momentous in the diaries-just the events that stood out in his mind at the close of the day.

As, on June 2, 1874, "Polly refused hoars first time"(!), but on June 11 "Polly took hoars". And on December 24, when he paid his taxes of $27.90. The next day he visited William Raichle, and "spent for Christmas $1.50". In 1875 on May 5 he bought ten yards of calico at 12 1/2¢ a yard. He also bought "a point of liquor" for 50¢. On April 11 "Polly got her colt from Good Friday till Saturday night". On June 13 of that year he received a letter from Germany telling him that one of his brothers he had left behind, George, had died.

In 1877 Nellie had a colt and died the next morning.

One July 13 he "paid preacher $4.00 for baptism of children".

He bought a pair of shoes for "Libbe" for $1.25. He bought a knife for Jacob too-he paid 75¢ for that. He bought a membership ticket to the fair and went the next day. The ticket cost him $1.00 and he spent “about $1.50" while there. He bought a plow from Peter Huff for $17.50, a pair of shoes "for wife" for $1.25. The "little red cow had a calf", and they sold geese Fur 60¢ each. The feathers too brought them 5-6¢ a pound.

In 1878 on February 19 he "took a pain in right hip side and lay to bett".

In 1881 he and Margretha went to LaCrosse. This was on December 22. They sold turkeys for 8¢ a pound and 28 chickens at 5-6¢ a pound. While in LaCrosse they bought 25 yards of sheeting at 9¢ a yard, and stayed over night at a hotel. That cost them $1.75.

In 1882 he took his clock to Kellman's (jeweler) and had it cleaned, it cost him $1.00. (The last time I had that same clock cleaned it cost me $30.00.)

On March 13, 1882, "the boys came home from building Jacob's house up on Pigeon Creek". On the 15th they went back to dig a well. April 10 they 

Page 3

started moving Jacob up there, and so the children begin to leave the nest.

On January 23, 1883, "wife sick-child born 3 o'clock". That was Charlie, later renamed Karl. In April "Flora had her colt" and "took George to doctor". The doctor's fee was 50¢ and the medicine was 75¢.

June 14, 1884, he sold wool and bought 6 bottles of medicine for $5.00. He also bought "bril1 or spectakle" for $1.50. Maybe that was so he could better read The Youth's Companion, for which he paid $1.75 a year. On October of that year the ground was "froze too hard for plowing", and November I brought the first snow fall.

March 11, 1885, he brought home a new sewing machine. It cost him $17.00, and the freight was 72¢.

All this time his health must have been failing. More and more we read that "the boys broke ground" or "the Days dreshed."

On November 16 of 1885 he and Isaac Clark started for Chicago. The morning of the 10th they took in a fat stock show, and in the afternoon "I were operated on-my eye cut out". He went home in the 25th. Later he wore and artificial eye.

At some time during the years in America a younger brother, Gottlieb, had also come from Germany. He settled near Galesville. Many times John mentions that "Unkel was hier". That was his bother Gottlieb. On October 10, 1093, we read "Unkel got hurt". On the 12th he died "at sundown". And on the 15th "funeral for brother Gottlieb".

This brother Gottlieb is buried in Pine Cliff Cemetery also, not far from the Dettinger plot. After I discovered it I Inquired about it and found that a "Catherine Dettinger" was the owner of the lot, but in 1944 the cemetery association took it back for non-payment of assessments. Every year I put a few flowers on the grave, but what became of Catherine no one seems to know.

Sadly the last entry that John made in his diary was dated December 23, 1893. He had bought 6 bottles of cherry pectoral (old name for cough medicine) for $5.00. Did he have pneumonia or was the damage done to his lungs during the war beginning to get the better of him? Whatever it was, he was treating it with cough medicine and it didn't work.

I turn the page and read:

January 1894     

        Funeral expenses                39
        Gravestone                        60
        Printing                               5
        Doctor bill                           3.50

At the bottom of that page is some writing in fading ink. A good deal of scroll work surrounds the words, making it difficult to read them. However, it looks much like "Das Ist Alles."

"Das ist alles"? NEIN! You are wrong, oh writer of doom!

Sagen Sie das nicht, mein freund. Read on, and you will see how wrong you are!

 Page 4

JACOB

As stated previously, Jacob was the first-born of this large family. He made his appearance August 16, 1857, on the homestead four miles west of Galesville. He helped with the farm work all of the years he lived at home. Many, many instances in John's diary record "the boys dreshed (threshed)" or "the boys hauled grain, or wood, or logs"- and he was one of "the boys". He must have been healthy-I find no instance when John had to take him to the doctor or buy him medicine.

In March 1882, he and John went to Northfield and built him a house. As simple as that! He had evidently been courting Christina Raichle, who lived in the town of Gale. The land in Northfield had been John's, and Jacob either bought it or received it as a gift. That part is not clear. Any way, that is where Jacob and Christina were to spend their young lives.

After the house was built, John and Jacob dug a well, and all was ready. The marriage took place on April 5, 1882, and on April 10 Jacob moved into the new house. The land was unimproved, and neighbors were few. But Jacob and Christina were used to hard work and they prospered.

Their family grew, along with their fortunes. There was Emma, and then George, and Annie, then Ella, Margaret, and lastly Pearl. These children grew to adulthood, married, and left home.

In 1914 Jacob turned the farm over to son George and built a retirement home in the town of Northfield. In 1932 the family celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, with all of their children in attendance besides hosts of other relatives and friends. On this occasion the Reverend Christopherson of Pigeon Falls gave "a fitting address which expressed the esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. Dettinger are held by the citizens of their community", to quote the newspaper account of that event.

Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Co., 1892 (source: Dawn Kelly)

John Dettinger, who resides on section 8, Gale township, has been a resident of Trempealeau county since the fall of 1855.  He was born in Württemberg, Germany, May 13, 1826, the son of Jacob Dettinger, who remained in Germany until his death.  The subject of this sketch was the youngest of twelve children, only six of whom grew to maturity, five sons and one daughter.

                John Dettinger came to America in 1852, being the first of his father’s family who ever came to this country.  He first lived for a time in Erie county, New York, after which he went to Evansville, Rock county, Wisconsin, and worked one summer for a Mr. Phillips, and in 1855 came to Trempealeau county. He was married, January 27, 1857, to Miss Margaret Mathern, who was born in Rhine, Prussia, in 1838. Her father died in that country, after which, in the spring of 1855, she came with her mother to America. She is the only child of her parents, and her mother now resides with her.  In August, 1862, Mr. Dettinger enlisted in Company C, Thirtieth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served with that regiment until the close of the war.  His health was much broken while in the army, and he has never fully recovered. He and his wife are the parents of eight children, six sons and two daughters, namely: Jacob, John, Elizabeth, wife of Frank McClary; Christiana, William, George, Christian and Carl.  Mr. And Mrs. Dettinger are among the well-known citizens of Gale township, where they have lived many years.  Their farm contains 160 acres of land, which is under a good state of cultivation, and where they are surrounded with the comforts of life. Mr. Dettinger was a faithful soldier in the cause of the Union and is now a worthy and respected citizen. He is a Republican in his political views and both he and his family are members of the Lutheran Church.

Census

1880 Federal Census, WI, Trempealeau County, Gale Township, District 70
Census image:John DETTINGER family zoom 1   zoom 2 Note: Johanne DETTINGER is the grandfather of Lemuel Irish DETTINGER.

1900 Federal Census, WI, Trempealeau County, Gale Township, District 129

Census Image: George DETTINGER, son of John DETTINGER, and family as neighbor to brother, Will DETTINGER. Note: George DETTINGER is the uncle of Lemuel Irish DETTINGER. Their common ancestors are Johanne DETTINGER and Margretha MATHERN.

Census Image: William "Will" DETTINGER, son of John DETTINGER, appears with family. Note: William DETTINGER is the uncle of Lemuel Irish DETTINGER. Their common ancestors are Johanne DETTINGER and Margretha MATHERN.

Census Image: Margretha (MATHERN) DETTINGER  appears in the last entry on this page as head of household, age 71, along with son, Carl F. DETTINGER, age 17. Wife of John Dettinger. Her husband had died six and a half years earlier on 29 Dec 1893.

Census Image: Elizabeth MATHERN  Age 87. Emigrated to the US in 1855.   Margretha's mother appears on the next page in the same Dwelling 53, Family 55. Note: Name listed at "Catharine" MATHERN on 1880 census.  Note: Margretha MATHERN is the grandmother of Lemuel Irish DETTINGER.

1920 Federal Census, WI, La Crosse County 
Census Image: William Dettinger  (continued on next page of census) Note: William DETTINGER is the uncle of Lemuel Irish DETTINGER. Their common ancestors are Johanne DETTINGER and Margretha MATHERN.

1920 Federal Census, WI, La Crosse County  
Census Image: Christian & Anna Dettinger  (continued on next page of census) Note: Christian DETTINGER and Lemuel Irish DETTINGER are 1st cousins 1 time removed. Their common ancestors are Johann Jakob DETTINGER and Christine Catharine KÖNIG.

1930 Federal Census, WI, La Crosse County  
Census Image: Lemuel Dettinger & family

Family Tree

Descendants of Johann George DETTINGER  Link to separate page (source: Laura Guthman)
Lemuel Irish Dettinger was named after his mother's father, Lemuel HARE, and his mother's father's mother, Elsie IRISH.
Keenan-Dettinger Pedigree Chart

Military

Dettinger soldiers serving in Wisconsin volunteer units
John DETTINGER: Roster Thirtieth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Company C
John DETTINGER: pension records

Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry Regiment

Family Photo Album   

  DETTINGER-HAUSER FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM  

Researchers/Contributors

Links

Family Web Site Links

Trempealeau County WIGenWeb See GENEALOGIES and LINKS

Wisconsin Genealogy, History, Society Pages

Cyndi's List for Wisconsin
Wisconsin GenWeb Project
USGenWeb Archives: Wisconsin
La Crosse County WIGenWeb
Trempealeau County WIGenWeb
American History and Genealogy Project
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
Migrations-Wisconsin
Wisconsin Land Records from the General Land Office
Wisconsin Biographies Project

State Historical Society of Wisconsin
La Crosse Area Genealogical Society
La Crosse County Historical Society

Vital Records

Vital Records Indexes La Crosse Public Library
Wisconsin Vital Records from the Wisconsin Division of Health
Wisconsin Vital Records from VitalChek

Wisconsin Census

1880 U. S. Census
1900 U. S. Census
1910 U. S. Census
1920 U. S. Census

Germany

BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG Mailing List
Cyndi's List - Germany / Deutschland
Genealogy.net: Baden-Württemberg
GenWeb Baden-Württemberg
German Genealogy Links
German-Prussian Genealogy Links