Falck, Charles and Marguerite (Pfister)

(Gilmer Seegmiller)

Charles Falck the son of Laurent Falck Sr. and Marie Elizabeth Glass was born 25 Mar 1850 in Balbron, Alsace, France. Fie died 20 Aug 1916 in Decorah, IA. On 27 Jan 1874 in Ft. Atkinson, IA he was married to Marguerite Pfister, the daughter of Philippe Pfister and Marguerite Riehl born 5 Sep 1849 in Schwindratzheim, Alsace, France. Charles Falck emigrated with his family from Alsace, France to Pennsylvania about 1850. In about 1855 he joined his father in Ft. Atkinson. Marguerite Pfister came from Alsace, France to the Locust area, via Ontario, Canada, Apr 1855.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Falck

The wedding in Ft. Atkinson was held in the Stone church that was situated on the hill above the old Fort. This was a double wedding, the other couple being Marguerite’s brother Phillip Pfister and Charles' cousin Elizabeth Falck. The wedding day was the third time that the young people were together. The marriage was arranged by the parents of the respective children. After the wedding Charles and Marguerite moved into a log house east of Locust near the farm where Marguerite’s father lived. Phillip Pfister Jr. and his bride moved to a farm a short distance north of Locust.

To the Charles Falck family were born 3 daughters: Julia Catherine (2 Jun 1875) married Gideon Seegmiller, Amelia (4 May 1877) married Henry Sellman, and Gusta (born 20 Jan 1879) married Cambridge Houx. The early years in the log home were very plain and hard. Charles had one of the first reapers in the area and when cutting grain one person had to stand on a platform to tie the bundles as the grain was cut. The first summer that Julia was born her mother would tell how the father and mother would take Julia out to the field with them and how, after the mother was in the seat, the father would put Julia in her lap and tie her on the mother’s lap with a piece of cloth. The mother was free to drive the horses on the reaper while the father would tie the bundles and not have to worry about Julia falling from the lap of the mother. The family lived in the log cabin until the girls were raised. There were about forty acres separating the Falcks from the main roads. In the 1890’s this piece of ground was purchased and a new set of buildings were built.

In the spring of 1906 their daughter Julia and her husband Gideon Seegmiller took over the farm and the Falcks moved to Decorah. Marguerite loved to travel and made many trips to visit friends and relatives. She traveled back to Alsace, France to visit relatives about 1910. When she was over 80 years old she made her last trip to the west coast, and not telling the family, she took a side trip to Alaska. When asked why the trip to Alaska, her reply was that she had been in most of the states but never Alaska.

Charles died 20 Aug 1916 in Decorah from cancer considered to be brought on by an injury received when trying to stop a run-away team. Marguerite lived a very exciting life until a short time before her death - about two weeks after her 88th birthday. In 1930 she was visiting a cousin in Pittsburgh, PA. He had to make a business trip to Washington DC and told her that he was going to go by air and didn’t think that she would be interested. Her reply was that she had traveled by every mode up to now except by air and wouldn’t miss the trip.

To a grandson, she was always a safe haven in a storm.

Falck, Lorenz, Sr. and Salome (Glass)

(Gilmer Seegmiller)

Laurent (aka Lorenz) Falck, Sr. was born 1 Jun 1817 in Balbron, Alsace, France, the son of David and Marie Elizabeth (Glass) Falck. His first name was spelled several different ways but when he graduated from the Academy his name was listed as Lorenz. He graduated from the Academy of the 10th Regiment De Tragons in the class of 1837. He entered the Army under Napolean II 21 Dec 1838 and left the Army 31 Dec 1844. On the 12 Dec 1844 he was married to Salome Glass the daughter of Laurent and Anna Marie (Steiger) Glass. In 1852 he left France with his wife and three sons: Lorenz Jr., Charles and Frederich and came to the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania.

Mr. and Mrs. Lorenz Falck

In 1853 Lorenz Sr.came to the Ft. Atkinson area with his brother Jacques and brother-in-law Lorenz Glass. All purchased land within a short distance from each other.