Kurtenacker, William 1849-1925 & Magdelena Marx Family

KURTENACKER, MARX, NEUROTH, REITER, REUTER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/21/2024 at 09:55:18

Kurtenacker, William 1849-1925 & Magdelena Marx Family

This family story was taken from the Alton St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book of Alton 1883-1983. The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux county Genealogical Society. Some research notes have been added.

William Kurtenacker, at age 16, came to America from Niedersayn, Germany, where he was born on September 26, 1849. He worked in milling at Bellevue, Iowa; and later at Spragueville, Iowa due to illness, he returned to Germany for about eight months, but resumed life in the United State in 1873 settling at Preston, Iowa where he became village butcher. He married Magdelena Marx at Springbrook, Iowa in 1878. The two oldest children Margaret and Anna were born at Preston. In 1883 he moved to Alton, where he got into farm implement business, sold furniture, and worked with undertaking. He died on Feb 25, 1925. William’s wife Magdelena died at age 39 in 1897.

William Kurtenacker and his wife Magdelena Marx were the parents of five girls: Margaret, Anna, Mathilda, Susan and Helena; and one boy, Joseph. There is a history of Margaret elsewhere in this book. (some excerpts added here by this submitter in next paragraph) .

Margaret Kurtenacker was born 10 Sep 1881 at Preston IA. She attended St. Mary’s Academy and from there entered nurses training at Mercy Hospital at Counsil Bluffs IA. She was a nurse in De Bey Hospital in Orange City for many years. She was organist for St. Mary’s Church for 40 years. She died 19 Dec 1965 and is buried in St. Mary’s cemetery at Alton. See the obituary of Margaret on this web page.

Anna Kurtenacker, born about 1883 at Preston, Iowa, moved with the family to Alton Iowa and attended St. Mary’s Academy. Married to Nick Krier, she lived for a number of years Alton, where the children Adrian and Ottilla attended St. Mary’s Academy. One boy, Norbert died while quite young, and Keith was the youngest of the family. Anna and the family resided at Humboldt, Iowa for some years. After the death of her husband, Anna lived in a lakeside home at Excelsior, Minnesota. There she was cared for by her son Adrian. They were joined later by Ottilla, her daughter until her death.

Mathilda Kurtenacker was one of the two first graduates from St. Mary’s Academy in June 1903. Born April 3, 1885, she had attended St. Mary’s and prepared for teaching. She taught in rural schools near Alton for several years. Married to Andrew Wagner, formerly of rural Alton, June 22, 1914, she moved with him to their ranch home near Ralph, South Dakota. Andrew Wagner had homesteaded there in 1909 with a number of other ‘Altonities”. Then many of them moved back to Alton, Andrew purchased their homesteads to form the ranch where the family of five boys and two girls were raised. The oldest boy William died as a baby. Then came Annette (Kusier). Joseph, Donald, Lois, Andrew, and Thomas. It is interesting to note that Sister Lois Wagner was also a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy in 1940, and is now a member of the Franciscan Sisters who teach there. Mathilda died in September 1935, leaving a very young family, ages 8 to 20.

Susan Kurtenacker was born 17 Dec 1889 while the family lived at Alton. She died Mar 1979 Sioux Falls SD. She too attended St. Mary’s Academy. Married to Frank Even, a native of Alton, she resided at several places in Iowa before making a home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota during the later half of her life. Their children were William, Naomi, Ralph, Mike, Audrey, Karl, Daniel, and Blanche. After the death of her husband. She lived with her youngest child. Blanche, who cared for her until her final years at Colonial Manor in Hudson, South Dakota.

Helena Kurtenacker (as summarized by submitter from family story elsewhere in the St. Mary’s church book)
Helena Kurtenacker was born at Alton IA 27 Dec 1887. She made her home at Alton for the next 82 years. She died 17 February 1970. After graduating from St. Mary’s Academy she made sewing her occupation. She cared for her father, and later she and Margaret lived in the home. She is buried in the family plot at St. Mary’s cemetery. See the obituary of Helena on this web page.

Joseph Kurtenacker was born at Alton, attended St. Mary’s Academy from which he too graduated. Joe served int eh Navy during World War I, after which he married Ruth Rizer in 1922. they moved to Trinidad. New Mexico, where he worked with Swift & Company until 1930. Joe was manager of the Swift & Compnay plant in Albuquerque , New Mexico until 1937 when he contracted cancer. Shortly after this he returned to the family home at Alton, where he was cared for by his sisters Margaret and Helena. He died at Alton January 13, 1940, and was given a military funeral form St. Mary’s Church. He too is buried in the family plot in St. Mary’s Cemetery. His wife, Ruth, who was only 39 when he died never remarried, and at present is in Meadowlark Convalescent Hospital in San Diego, California. See Joseph’s obituary on this web page.

(end of the family story in the St. Mary’s church book)

RESEARCH Notes: From a family report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other than this submitter. Obituaries found on this web page.

William Kurtenacker was born 26 Sep 1849 Niedersayn, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 26 Feb 1925 Alton, Iowa. His parents were Heinrich Kurtenacker 1800-1880 and Anna Marie Neuroth 1807-1882. He married Magdalena Marx 20 Feb 1875 Springbrook, Jackson, Iowa.

Magdelena ‘Lena’ Marx was born 14 Jun 1857 Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 29 Apr 1897 Alton Iowa. Her parents were tracked down through her brother Peter Marx 1862-1943. They are as found in a family report on ancesty.com public member trees, to be Peter Marx born Mar 25, 1825 Schiffingen, Luxembourg died 18 Feb 1902 Sedgwick County KS and Margarite Reiter/Reuter born 5 Sep 1829 Mersch, Luxembourg and died 21 Jun 1896 Saint Joe, Sedgwick KS. William and Magdelena’s children as described above in St. Mary’s Church history.

CHILDREN: See the above narrative of the family story from the St. Mary’s Church book for the children’s names and their information.

OBITUARY of William Kurtenacker 1849-1925

Source: Alton Democrat (3-6-1925) Born: September 26, 1849 Died: February 26, 1925
WILLIAM KURTENACKER, ONE OF THE FIRST ALTON RESIDENTS DIED FEBRUARY 26TH ----ALTON PIONEER MERCHANTS GONE
William Kurtenacker, pioneer Alton resident passed away shortly after a few weeks illness due to his advanced years. Mr. Kurtenacker was one of the first Alton merchants, engaging in business here in 1883.
William Kurtenacker was born on September 26th, 1849 at Niedersein, Germany. He was the youngest son of Heinrich Kurtenacker and was the last surviving member of a large family of children. His father owned a flour mill and young William assisted his father at the mill after leaving school. In 1866 at the close of the Civil War, when he was 16 years old he came to the United States with his father and youngest sister, settling at Dubuque and later engaging in this trade as miller at Bellevue and Spragueville.
An illness at this time developed from his work in the damp and low atmosphere and he was advised to return to his native country. In 1872 he and his father returned to Germany where they visited for six months with a brother. Here he recovered his health in the refreshing ocean breezes of his native land. The father and son returned in 1873 and went to Preston, Iowa, where for seven years the latter was the village butcher. In February 1878 he was married at Springbrook to Miss Magdalena Marx. In 1883 the family moved to Alton where Mr. Kurtenacker engaged in the implement business, later taking up the furniture business, in which Henry Lieb became his partner. In a few years he went into partnership with Ed Pins, continuing in his corner store the furniture and undertaking business for about 35 years. He assisted in building the first Catholic Church, which was constructed in 1884, some of the material having been taken from the prairie church four miles east of the village. Mrs. Kurtenacker passed away April 1897. In 1915 at the age of 66 years, Mr. Kurtenacker sold his business and retired.
Five daughters and one son survive and have the deep sympathy of a host of friends in the loss of their father, who was a sterling pioneer character. His last years were passed in a well earned rest and he passed away peacefully in prayer until he drew his last breath. The children are: Margaret, at home, Mrs. N.J. Krier of Highmore,, South Dakota, Mrs. Andrew Wagner of Tialph, South Dakota, Helen at home; Mrs. Frank Even, Humboldt, South Dakota and Joe of Trinidad, Colorado.
Funeral services were held at St. Mary’s Church Monday morning with the Very Reverend F.J. Brune officiating and many friends were present to honor the memory of the pioneer.

OBITUARY of Magalena Marx- Mrs. William Kurtenacker 1857 -1897

From the Alton Democrat of May 1, 1897
The death of Mrs. Wm. Kurtenacker at her home in this city last Thursday morning, was a severe blow to her many relatives and friends.
Although her life had been despaired of several weeks ago, it did not lesson the sting nor make the sorrow any lighter to bear when the dark hour came. Mrs, Kurtenacker had been a sufferer from cancer for some time past, and several months ago steps were taken to have it removed and accordingly went to Dubuque where she received treatment. As it is often the case, the treatment proved unsuccessful.
She returned home several weeks ago, and seemed to weaken day by day until it culminated in her death. All that medical skill and loving and willing hands could do to prolong her life and relieve her sufferings was done, but to no avail.
Mrs. Wm. Kurtenacker, nee Miss. Magdalena Marx, was born in Luxemburg, Germany, June 14, 1857,
coining to America in 1865. She was united in marriage with Mr. Kurtenacker, Feb. 20, 1878, at Spring Brook, Iowa, and they at once took up their married life at Preston, Jackson county, where they resided until the spring of eighty-three when they came to Alton, where they have since made their home. Six children were born to them, five daughters and one son, the eldest at this time being fifteen years of age, and the youngest three, who together with the sorrowing husband survive her.
Her father, six brothers and one sister residing in Kansas, and her sisters, Mrs. Mike Nemmers of LeMars, Mrs. Eck of St. Louis, and Mrs. Schurtz of Chicago, mourn her loss.
She was a good true Christian woman, a loving wife and a devoted mother, and if it were not for the fact that God who is the all wise Ruler of all things, is just and merciful, it would seem cruel to take her from at home where a mother's inspiring love and presence and guiding influence is so much needed as it seems to be in this home. We trust that He will give them sufficient grace to say "Thy will, not mine be done."
THE DEMOCRAT extends sympathy and condolence to the sorrowing family, relatives and friends. The time of the funeral has not been decided upon at this time but it will probably occur Monday.

There is picture is of the five Kurtenacker children from the St. Mary’s church book. These picture of Mr. and Mrs. Kurtenacker were take from the 1908 Atlas Part IV Section three page 37

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen