Waldburger Genealogy

The family was prominent in Bohemia near Hirschberg and was undoubtedly of German origin. The emigrant to America left Bohemia, as many others did, to escape the oppression of the Hapsburgs who at the time were ruthlessly suppressing selfgovernment, and public opinion, and forcing the youth of the country into long terms of military servitude.

Franz Waldburger, a cobbler of Hirschberg, District of Dokra, married Barbara Leegold of Wobozok, Bohemia, about 1816. Of issue was

Franz Xavier Waldburger, b. May 1, 1819, in Hirschberg, Bohemia, district of Dokra. He d in Fort Dodge, Iowa, U. S. A., Feb. 13, 1879. In 1846 he m. Theresa Josepha Kampe, b. Feb. 18, 1827, in Hirschberg; d. Apr. 27, 1894 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Her parents were Joseph Kampe, a stocking maker, and Theresa Kampe (nee Hergple) both of Hirschberg. Franz Xavier Waldburger and his wife and dau. Theresa emigrated to America in the fall of 1857 and landed at Castle Garden, New York City. They moved at once to Davenport, Iowa, where they lived until 1866 when they moved to Johnson Township, Webster Co., Iowa. Here they resided until 1871 when they moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa. They were Catholic in their faith, but several of their children renounced this religion for others when they were grown.

On December 31, 1868, Mrs. Waldburger started with a team across the prairies to Fort Dodge, a distance of fourteen miles, to purchase provisions. She was accompanied by her fifteen-year-old dau. Theresa and a young man who was visiting the family. A blinding blizzard overtook them soon after they started home and very quickly the road was obliterated by drifting snow. Dusk was falling and the mother, fearing lest they get lost, got out of the wagon to search for the road. Before she realized it, she was out of sight of the wagon. The horses, impatient in the storm, soon became unmanageable and proceeded home. For hours the distracted mother was hopelessly lost and wandered aimlessly through the storm. About ten o'clock she caught sight of a gleam of light and found herself before a farm house where she was taken in almost exhausted from cold and fatigue. The frantic family at home spent a terrible night and it was not until the following morning that they knew the wife and mother was safe. Issue, nine, as follows

(1) Franz Waldburger, b. July 16, 1849; d. Mar. 21, 1855.

(2) Wenzel Waldburger, b. Sept. 27, 1851; d. Aug. 26, 1856.

(3) Theresa Waldburger, b. June 21, 1853; m. Charles Clouse.
Issue: (1) Frances; (2) Frank; (3) Albert; (4) Anna; (5) Hiram.

(4) Franz Waldburger, b. Apr. 24, 1855; d. July 24, 1855.

(5) Frances Waldburger, b. Feb. 13, 1857; m. 1st, Adam Krutz. Issue, two:

(1) Anna, m. M. Tierney;
(2) Viola, m. Louis Schultz.

Both children living, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
M. 2d, John J. Magennis; issue, two:

(1) Joseph L.
(2) John Francis.

Family lives, Fort Dodge, Iowa.

(6) Franz Joseph Waldburger, b. Jan. 28, 1859; d. Aug. 14, 1911; m Jan. 4, 1886, Sadie Snyder. Widow, living, New Kamilche, Wash. Issue, six children:

(1) William, b. Feb. 23, 1891; m., living, Olympia, Wash., with two children, Harold and Phyllis.
(2) Joseph, b. May 28, 1893; m., living, Tacoma, Wash.
(3) Myrtie, b. Jan. 21, 1896; m., living, Olympia, Wash., issue, two daughters, one named Grace.
(4) Guy, b. Nov. 1, 1897.
(5) Max, b. Aug. 28, 1900.
(6) Lester, b. Aug. 29, 1903.

(7) Joseph Charles Waldburger, b. Mar. 2, 1862 in Davenport, Iowa; m. Mar. 10, 1889, Nettie Irene, dau. of Sidney Simmons and Melissa Isabelle Simmons (nee Crawford) of Marshalltown, Iowa, b. Apr. 20, 1868. Family resides at Fort Dodge, Iowa. Attend Congregational Church. Occupation, Waldburger Drug Company. Issue:

(1) Ernest, d. young.

(2) Rose Marie Waldburger, b. Apr. 22, 1895. Educated, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Public Schools. Resides with parents.

(3) Robert Simmons Waldburger, b. Mar. 14, 1897; m. Sept. 5, 1922, Margaret M. Miller. He was in 126th Machine Gun Battalion, 34th Division, World War. Six months in France. Resides, Fort Dodge, Iowa.

(4) Frank Richard Waldburger, b. Apr. 4, 1902.

(5) Elizabeth Helen Waldburger, b. Jan. 1, 1906.

(8) Rose Belle Waldburger, b. Jan. 7, 1865, in Davenport, Iowa; m. Nov. 13, 1884, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Carl Phillip Bechtel, b. Nov. 12, 1863, at Nevada, Story Co., Iowa. (See Bechtel Genealogy) Both members Protestant Episcopal Church. Issue, two:

(1) Hattie Rosamond Bechtel, b. Dec. 16, 1885.
(2) Carl Phillip Bechtel, b. May 21, 1888.

(9) Anna Waldburger, b. Dec. 6, 1867; m. Ernest F. Green, a direct descendant of Nathaniel Green and Nicholas Herkimer. Issue, two:

(1) Ernestine, m. Herman Tiedemann, residing, Chicago;
(2) Doris, unm., Librarian, Laramie, Wyo. Parents reside, Pueblo, Colo.

Information obtained from birth certificates and passports of the emigrant to America, and from family Bibles for later generations.