Kaschmitter, Joseph 1858-1911 & Anna Filz Family

KASCHMITTER, KASHMITTER, FILZ, KELLNER, PFEMETER

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg (email)
Date: 2/16/2024 at 20:03:44

Kaschmitter, Joseph 1858 – 1911 and Anna Filz Family

The family story of Joseph and Anna Kaschmitter was taken from the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book of 1883-1983 page was not noted. The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added. Spellings of names and data was left as it was in the cited source.

Kaschmitter family of Alton IA
Compiled by Sister Burnita Kaschmitter, OSF, Mount St. Francis, Dubuque, Iowa June 1983

Joseph Kaschmitter was born March 18, 1858 in Geoys (Jois) Austria – Hungary. At age 17 He came to America with his parents who settled in Tennessee. On November 16, 1880 he married Miss Anna Filz, who also was born in Geoys and had come to America on the same ship and lived with her family in Loretto, Tennessee.

Recollections of the oldest living daughter, Louisa, are the Joseph lived for a short time in Minnesota, moving to Rock Valley in 1887, where he was employed as a section foreman by the railroad at $1.25 a day for a ten hour day. Because he wanted his children to have the benefit of a Catholic education, he moved to Alton in 1887 where he was employed by the Omana railroad as section foremen until April 1904, when he was appointed town marshal. According to the news item in the Alton Democrat announcing his death in 1911, Joseph resigned as Town Marshall in 1906 to work for the church at the request of Father Brune who was then pastor, but resumed his duties as town Marshall in 1907 when the town council offered him the job at an improved salary. The paper adds that ‘He served the town faithfully until he was brutally shot down in the performance of his duties.’

Joseph was survived by his wife Anna and nine children.

CHILDREN:
LOUSIA married Frank Sprute of Cottonwood Idaho. They eventually settled in Oswego, Oregon, and both died there.
JOHN married Anna Wilwert of Hospers, Iowa. John and Anna Kaschmitter can be remembered for the hatchery they operated in North Alton from about 1920to 1946. John died of a heart attack July 30, 1940. Anna (now a widow of Frank Vortherms who died Sept 26, 1966) lives at 309 Tenth Street in Alton, the only living family member left in Alton. John and Anna were parents of Vera of Kansas City, Kansas; Odilo of Sioux Falls; and Leonard of St. Louis Missouri.

CAROLYN married Frank Bremer of Wilmont, Minnesota. Frank died October 6, 1953. Caroline died October 6, 1977. The Bremer children are Henry of Cyrus, Minnesota; Anna Mae Enright and Verena Hawley of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Arnold of Morris, Minnesota; Edith Crippen of Baker, Montana; Clarence of Cyrus, Minnesota; Estelle ‘Stella’ of Ortonville, Minnesota; Edwin of Baker Montana; Norman of Alberta Canada; Gerald of Baker Montana.

OTTO married Elizabeth Friedman of Granville, Iowa. Otto died July 20, 19172. Elizabeth died October 19, 1975. Children of Otto and Elizabeth are Verena of Roswell, New Mexico; Leon of Salt Lake City; George of Tampa, Florida; Joseph, Theresa (Mrs. Gregory Binsfeld), Otto John and William of St. Cloud Minnesota, area; and Mary (Mrs. George Paine, Jr.) second oldest girl of Mission Viejo, California.
MARY married John Broich. They settled in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, and ae famous for have six sons in military service all at the same time during WW II; Christopher, Arthur, Walter, Joseph, Francis, James. The youngest son Alfred also served. Audrey Marie is the only living daughter. Mary died November 21, 1980. John, her husband preceded her in death.

CLOTHIDA married August Adan Elbert of Whittemore, Iowa, and they farmed near LuVerne, Iowa. ‘Gus’ died Mary 10, 1982. Clotilda died January 20 1983, both at the Nursing Home in Algona, Iowa. Their children are Louise (Mrs. George Davis) now of Humbolt, Iowa; Gladys (Mrs. Earl Anliker) of Plain, Wisconsin; Ruth Anne (Mrs. James Esser) of St. James, Minnesota; Edward and John of Spencer, Iowa; and Paul of Luverne, Iowa. A son Robert was drowned while in service in the navy.
HENRY GEORGE married Katherine Louise Kollasch of Whittemore, Iowa, April 27, 1925, and they lived all their married life in Sheldon, Iowa, where Henry worked for the Iowa Public Service Co. until retirement January 1, 1963. Henry died February 8, 1983, and Katherine died three months later, May 9, 1983. Henry was the last to die of the family of Joseph and Anna Filz Kaschmitter. Children of Henry and Katherine are Sister Burnita Kaschmitter of Mount St. Francis, Dubuque, Iowa; Jane (Mrs. James Kelly) of Columbus, Nebraska: Joan (Mrs. Paul Nelson ) of Carroll Iowa; and Matthew Jospeh of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

GERTRUDE married Frederick Kollasch (a brother of Henry’s wife Katherine). They farmed near Whittemore, Iowa, rearing eight children. Helen (Mrs. Andrew Miller) of Clear Lake, Iowa, Ruth (Mrs. Edward Bouc) of Daly City, California; Beatrice (Mrs. Howard, Andrew’s Brother , Miller) of Wesley, Iowa; Milo of Algona, Iowa; Glen of Whittemore, Iowa; Norma (Mrs. Richard Lane) also of Whittemore; Mark, Postmaster of Britt, Iowa; and Louis H., ordained a Priest of the Sioux City Diocese, May 1958, now Msgr. Kollasch, paster of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, Iowa. Fred Kollasch died September 27, 1962; Bertrude died April 16, 1975.

RICHARD FERDINAND married Mildred Gerst of Hospers, Iowa, and hey lived the later years of their lived in Le Mars, Iowa. Richard died March 20 1982. Eight daughters and four sons survive. Arlene (Mrs. Robert H. Simmons) of Lincoln, Nebraska; Isabelle (Mrs. William f. Langel) of rural Remsen; Marilyn (Mrs. Jack Leesman) of St Paul Minnesota; Evely (Mrs. Chares Black) of Cherokee; Mary Yvonne ‘Bonnie’ (Mrs. Eugene De Boe) of Hastings Minnesota; Susan (Mrs. Rischard Srause) of Huxley, Iowa; Carol (Mrs. Lyn Day) of Fort Hood, Texas; Jolene (Mrs. Leo Burton) of Minneapolis; sons Fread of White Vear Lake, Minnesota; Dick of Florida; Michael of Spencer Iowa,; and Lawrence John ‘Larry’ of Sioux City, Iowa.

Anna Filz Kaschmitter married a second time to William Schreier of Alton, June 4, 1918. Mrs. Schreier died February 3, 1925. Anna survived until May 13, 1934, when she too died at the home of her daughter, Caroline, at Wilmont, Minnesota. Anna is buried in Alton, Iowa.

Facts previous to 1955 are taken from Memories of the Zurline and Kaschmitter Families written by the Rev. Willima A. Kaschmitter, Maryknoll Missioner, the son of Matthias Kaschmitter, the brother of Joseph Kaschmitter whose descendants are enumerated above. Father William is now retired at Mountain View, California, having served in Manchuria, China and Japan beginning in 1933. Dated June 6, 1983.

(End of the St. Mary’s church book story.)

RESEARCH Notes: as found in a family report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other than this submitter.

Joseph W. Kaschmitter was born 18 Mar 1858 Jois Burgenland Austria and died 27 Mar 1911 Alton Sioux Iowa. He was the son of Andrew Kaschmitter born Sep 1817 Neusiedl Am See, Burgenland, Austria died 13 Apr 1892 Alton IA; and Anna Maria Pfemeter born 1817 Jois Burgenland, Austria died 20 May 1902 Alton Iowa. Joseph Kaschmitter married Anna Filz 16 Nov 1880 Lawrence Tennessee.

Anna Filz was born 9 Apr 1860 Jois Burgenland Austria and died 13 May 1934 Wilmont MN. She was the daughter of Gyorgy ‘George’ Filz born 1823 Jois Burgenland Austria died 7 Apr 1909 Dayton Ohio and Antonia Kellner born about 1825 Jois Burgenland Austria. Joseph and Anna had nine children living into adulthood and one died as new born.

CHILDREN – Although quite thoroughly described in the above St. Mary’s church book family account, herein is more details as to dates, places and names of the children.

1. Anna Louisa Kaschmitter was born 29 Oct 1881 Loretto Lawrence Tennessee and died 15 Jul 1958 Clackamas, OR. She married Frank Sprute 1884-1937. They married 1910 and One child listed as Myron Arthur Mabal 1935-1988. Possibly a foster child?

2. John Andrew Kaschmitter born 28 Jul 1883 Loretto TN died 30 Jul 1940 Alton IA. See his obituary on this web page. He married Anna Wilwert 1891-1990. Three children listed Vera Hedwig 1915-1985, Odilo Otto 1919-2016 and Leonard Henry 1926-2009.

3. Caroline Julianna Mary Kaschmitter born 24 Feb 1888 Rock Valley IA died 6 Oct 1977 Cyrus MN. She married Frank Bremer 1880-1953, he died Morris MN and they had children – Henry Bernard 1913-2009, Anna Mae 1915-2000, Verena Louise 1916-2001, Arnold William 1919-1995, Edith Marie 1921-2014, Clarence John 1922-2001, Estelle Elizabeth 1924-2013, Richard Milton 1926-1926, Edwin Richard 1927-1995, Norman Nicholas 1928-2007 and Gerald Joseph Frank 1930-1985.

4.Otto Joseph Kaschmitter born 24 Aug 1890 Alton IA died 20 Jul 1972 Paynesville Stearns MN. He married Elizabeth Catherine Friedmann 1892-1975 died at St. Cloud MN. Their children were Verena Anne 1916-2008, Leon Joseph 1917-1999, George Henry 1919-2008, Joseph Richard 1920-2020, Mary Helen 1922-1995, Theresa Catherine 1925-2001, Otto John 1930-2020, William Frederick 1933-2001.

5. Mary Clara Kaschmitter born 4 Jun 1893 Alton IA died 21 Nov 1980 Sleepy Eye MN She married John Henry Broich 1891-1970. Their children were Christopher John 1915-1974, Arthur Frank 1916-2005, Milo Nicholas 1917-1917, Walter Henry 1919-1992, Audrey Marie 1920, Joseph William 1922-1998, Ignatius John 1924-19124, James John 1927-2018, Alfred Otto 1929-1989, Frank 1931-1931, John Henry 1933-2020, Mary Ann 1935-1935.

6. Clotilda Mary Kaschmitter born 19 Oct 1895 Alton Iowa died 20 Jan 1983 Algona IA. She married August Adam Eibert 1899-1982. They were the parents of Louise Mary 1924-2018, Gladys Ida 1926-2013, Edward Jospeh 1928-2002, Robert Francis 1929-1952, Paul John 1931-2013, Ruth Ann 1933-1991, John Henry 1934-2021.

7. Henry George Kaschmitter born 27 Dec 1897 Alton IA died 8 Feb 1983 Sheldon IA. He married Katherine Louise Kollasch 1901-1983. They had children Burnita 1927-2013, Matthew Joseph 1941-2023 and Jane and Joan.

8. Gertrude Verena Kaschmitter born 6 Oct 1900 Alton IA died 16 Apr 1975 Whittemore, Iowa. She married Godfred ‘Fred’ Kollasch1897-1962. They had children Helen Dorothy 1923-2015, Ruth Mary 1925-2016, Beatrice Theresa 1926-2010, Milo Ferdinand 1928-2014, Glen George 1930-2008, Louis Henry 1933-2007, Howard Peter 1938-1928 and two others not named.

9. Richard Ferdinand Kaschmitter born 3 Apr 1903 Alton IA died 20 Mar 1982 Spencer IA. He married Mildred Margaret Gerst born 17 Jun 1908 Hospers IA died Sep 1974 Le Mars IA. Their children were Arlene Ann 1926-2006, Ellen Margaret 1928-1928, Frederick Joseph 1933-2021, Richard Carl 1937-2018, Lawrence John died 2021 and several other children not named due to privacy.

10. Infant son Kaschmitter born 2 Dec 1905 Alton IA died 3 Dec 1905 Alton IA.

OBITUARY - DEATH of Joseph Kaschmitter.
ALTON MARSHAL BRUTALLY MURDERED
Alton citizens were severely shocked on Saturday morning when word was passed around that Joe Kaschmitter, the town marshal, had been brutally shot down by hoboes in the early morning hours and was in a precarious condition. The dastardly crime was committed at about one o'clock in the morning. Joe was coming from the depot immediately after the first night train from the south had pulled out. When he reached the alley between Theodore Hoxmeier's store and home, two men ordered him to throw up his hands and before he could comply with their demands, the brutes shot him down as though he were a dog. He was shot twice--once from his side and once from the rear. The first shot struck him under his right arm, pierced the lower portion of the lung and left the body just to the right of the breast bone. The second bullet entered his right buttock, passed through the lower end of the rectum and tore through the left urethra, destroying that connection between kidney and bladder.
It seemed that the assailants hid themselves behind the telephone post at the rear of the Hoxmeier store. They saw Kaschmitter in the distance and decided to hold him up. They waited until he was alongside, had almost passed them and ordered him to hold up his hands. According to Mr. Kaschmitter they shot immediately after making their demand. It is our opinion that the dastards discovered that they had held up an officer and knowing that he was armed, expected him to shoot and they shot first. The first shot brought him to his knees, evidently with his face to the ground as the course of the second bullet would indicate. The fiends shot him the second time, this time from the rear, after he was down and almost out. We may be able to find a reason for the firing of the first shot but the dastards had no reason for shooting the second time.

Mr. Kaschmitter, while down, emptied his revolver but evidently without effect. He walked to Main street and tried to get into the St. Louis restaurant as he wanted to inform the mayor of what had happened. He failed to gain admittance and went down the street and tried at Schroeders, then at the Weis restaurant and from there went across the street to Cook's restaurant and again cried for help. Some of the people on Main street were up and heard his cries but as he staggered around with a gun in his hand and was not recognized by anyone, they feared to venture out as they did not know what to make of what they saw and heard. By this time John Weis was up and ventured out and assisted Mr. Kaschmitter into the restaurant. Joe told Mr. Weis what had happened and where and asked that Mr. Weis notify the Kaschmitter home, call Dr. Gleysteen and Father Brune and also notify P. Schaap--the sheriff.
In a few minutes two doctors and a nurse were in attendance and the poor man was given the best of care. He was carried to his home and in the early morning hours an operation was performed by Dr. Gleysteen assisted by Dr. Meengs of Alton and Dr. Cram of Sheldon. Miss Van Houte of Boyden, a registered nurse, who was a guest in the city, assisted in the operation and attended Mr. Kaschmitter until the nurse arrived from Sioux City. The operation disclosed that the bullets had passed through his body with the results mentioned before. One of the bullets, a thirty-eight caliber, was caught in his clothing after passing through his body. The doctors gave little hope for Mr. Kaschmitter's recovery and he passed away on Monday morning at about three-forty. His end was peaceful and without much pain. His family was at his bedside and as he slowly passed away he visited with them--told the little ones to be obedient children and admonished the older boys and girls to walk in the paths of righteousness and after forgiving his assailants he breathed his last.

Mr. Kaschmitter had been in the employ of the city for several years. He was ever faithful and was stricken down in the performance of his duties. It was his custom to go to the depot when the night trains came in and watch for suspicious looking characters. He was on his way back from the depot when he met his fate. Two men were in hiding determined to rob the man they saw coming in the distance. When they halted him they discovered they had held up an officer and opened fire at once. Sheriff Schaap and County Attorney Hospers were on the scene at once and immediately spread a net but so far without results. Without doubt the men made their getaway in the passenger north that pulled in shortly after the shooting.
Many heard the shots but paid no attention to them. Immediately after the shooting Milo Gibbs Jr. and Scott Reiniger drove through Main street and also the Maplewood hotel street but did not see anyone. John Zimmer--night clerk at the Maplewood--saw the fire from the guns but did not think anything was wrong and did not investigate it. Pete Koch, the night operator at the telephone office, heard the shooting and later the moaning of the wounded man but did not dare to investigate and forgot to make use of the telephone. The Hoxmeier family heard the shooting but as everything was quiet immediately afterwards they went back to sleep, and it was only Joe's persistent efforts and continued cries for help on Main street that brought relief.

Suspects were held at Heron Lake but investigation showed that the men passed through Alton on the second night train north and therefore could not have been in town when the crime was committed. Later the sheriff and Mr. Parks made a trip to Sioux City to look up the man that Parks shot some months ago and who at one time threatened "to get Parks." Investigation proved that he could not have been in Alton at the time. Later a telegram was received by our mayor from Omaha which promised a possible clue and same is being investigated.

Joseph Kaschmitter was born March eighteenth 1858 in Geoys Austria-Hungary so he was fifty-three years and nine days old when he died. When twelve years of age he came to the United States with his parents who settled in Tennessee with several other families who came from Austria-Hungary about the same time. On November sixteenth 1880 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Filz at Loretto, Tennessee. This union was blessed with ten children of whom nine are living. In 1886 Mr. Kaschmitter took his family to Minnesota, where they lived for one year. In 1887 they came to Rock Valley where Mr. Kaschmitter was employed as section foreman. Three years later, 1890, they came to Alton where they have since lived. He was employed by the Omaha railroad as their section foreman until April fourth 1904 when he was appointed marshal of the town of Alton by Peter Goebel, who was mayor at that time. He served in this capacity until June 1906 when he resigned. He was employed by Father Brune until May 1907 when the town council offered Mr. Kaschmitter the job as marshal at an increased salary which he accepted. He served the town faithfully until he was brutally shot down in the performance of his duties.

Mr. Kaschmitter was a devout Catholic, a kind husband and a loving father. He was an upright citizen and a respected man in the community. He was a member of St. Mary's choir and a member of the St. Joseph's society. Out of respect for the deceased officer a special meeting of the Town Council was called on Monday evening at which resolutions of sympathy and condolence were adopted and presented to the widow. The town council and town officials also had a beautiful floral piece delivered at the Kaschmitter home on Tuesday.

The funeral services were held on Thursday forenoon. They were conducted by Very Rev. F. J. Brune, who delivered a touching sermon in English. Father Brune remarked that in the twenty seven years of his ministry he had appeared before audiences more than 4000 times but never on such a sad occasion. It had never been his sad duty to deliver a funeral sermon over a man that had been murdered in cold blood. He further remarked that a crime had been committed not only against the man, but also the family, the town, the county and the grand state of Iowa and that the machinery of the state should be set in motion to capture the criminals in order that justice may be meted out. Father Brune remarked that such crimes as the one in question are the results of irreligious training--a growing up without religion or God. He had found that in nine cases out of ten a tramp or hobo came from a home where education and religion had been neglected and admonished the parents not to neglect their children in these respects.

The town officials attended in a body. Friends from all over the county were present to pay their respects to the departed and St. Mary's church was nearly filled with a sympathetic, grief stricken throng--more than 800 attending the services. All the business houses were closed during the services. The remains were laid to rest in St. Mary's cemetery.

Deceased is survived by the widow, nine children--Mrs. Frank Sprute of Cottonwood Idaho, John, Caroline, Otto, Mary, Clothilda, Henry, Gertrude and Richard--of Alton, and one brother, Anthony, of Cottonwood, Idaho. Mrs. Frank Sprute, a daughter residing at Cottonwood Idaho, arrived too late to attend the funeral, on account of a wash-out which delayed trains. She and her husband arrived Thursday afternoon and were given a chance to view the remains at the cemetery.
Source: Alton Democrat, April 1, 1911.
The article includes a photograph of Marshal Kaschmitter.

OBITUARY of Anna Filz, Mrs. Jospeh Kaschmitter and later Mrs. William Schreier 1860-1934
Funeral of Mrs. Anna Schreier at Alton Wednesday
Many Alton friends were saddened Monday morning to learn of the passing of Mrs. Anna Schreier on Sunday evening [May 13] at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Bremer, at Wilmont, Minnesota, where she had been hovering at death's door for several weeks.
Anna Filz was born April 9, 1860, at Jois, Austria. Her parents were George and Anna Filz. When she was 13 years of age the family emigrated to America and she came with her parents and three brothers to the western continent, the family locating at Loretta, Tennessee. She was married there to Joseph Kaschmitter on November 16, 1880, and after a few years there they came north, locating first at Blue Earth City, Minn., later at Rock Valley, and then moving to Alton in 1890 which has since been her home. In March 1911, Mr. Kaschmitter, who was marshal at Alton, was shot one night by prowlers. He died on March 27, and the happy home was broken. She was married on June 4, 1918, to William Schreier, at Alton. But Mr. Schreier died in February, 1925.
Mrs. Schreier had been very ill for five months, and at 6 p.m. Sunday passed beyond.
Nine children, all substantial citizens of the communities in which they live, survive, as follows: Mrs. Frank Sprute, Oswego, Oregon; John Kaschmitter, Alton; Mrs. Frank Bremer, Wilmont, Minn.; Otto Kaschmitter, Whittemore; Mrs. J. H. Broich, Adrian, Minn.; Mrs. August Elbert, Mrs. Fred Kollasch and Richard Kaschmitter, all of Whittemore; and Henry Kaschmitter, Sheldon. She is also survived by two brothers--Frank Filz of Indianapolis, Ind., and N. Geo. Filz of Dayton, OH.
Funeral services were held Wednesday morning here in St. Mary's Catholic church, Very Rev. M. A. Schemel officiating, and burial was at Saint Mary's cemetery at Alton. A host of friends extend their sympathy to the children in the loss of their wonderful mother, a brave pioneer who reared her fine family in the paths of righteousness, devoted to home and family and to her church.
Source: Alton Democrat, May 18, 1934.
* * * * * * * * * *
She evidently was buried under her first husband's surname. The Sioux County Cemetery Index has no Anna Schreier dying in 1934, but does have Kaschmitter, Anna, born 1860, died 1934, buried St. Mary’s Cemetery, Alton.
The Minnesota Death Certificates Index has Schrier, Anna, died 13 May 1934, Nobles County, certif. ID # 1934-MN-009825.

OBITUARY of Andrew Kashmitter (Father of Joseph) died Apr 12, 1892
Alton Democrat of April 16, 1892 Died: Tuesday April 12th, 1892 Andrew Kashmitter aged 76 years. Mr. Kashmitter died Tuesday after years of misery. His death was the result of old age. He has been at the home of his son Jospeh for the past six months. The funeral took place Thursday.

OBITUARY of Anna Mrs. Andrew Kashmitter (mother of Joseph) 1817-1902
Alton Democrat of May 24, 1902 Matt Kashmitter and wife of Rock Valley were here this week on account of the death of the former’s mother.
Separate article same issue – Mrs. Anna Kashmitter died at the home of her son Joseph in Alton Tuesday at three o’clock in the afternoon aged seventy two years. She has lived here for the past thirteen years. Her death was due to the infirmities of old age which had kept her bedfast for four months. Deceased was born in Hungary and came to this county (country) twenty seven years ago with her husband and two children leaving three daughters and three sons there. The children here are her sons Joseph of Alton and Mathias of Rock Valley. The husband and father died ten years ago. Funeral services were held from St. Mary’s church Thursday morning at nine.

There was a picture of Joseph Kaschmitter on the ancestry.com on line as well as of his wife.

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