Obituary for
ELIZABETH (HEBBEN) WILMSEN

Mrs. Elizabeth (Hebben) Wilmsen, wife of Bartholomew Huebert (or Henry) Wilmsen who has been a resident of Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA for 40 years, died at her home Christmas morning from paralysis and heart trouble. Deceased was 65 years old and had been ill about 4 weeks. In the Spring of 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Wilmsen came to his country from Germany and June 4th of next year were married in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA. In the fall of that year they came to Lewiston and settled on their present farm. They have 9 children living who were all at her bedside before she died. John George Wilmsen of Groton, Brown County, South Dakota, USA; Ernest August Wilmsen of Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA; Napoleon J. Wilmsen, Herman R. Wilmsen, and Charles [AKA “Chas”] Henry Wilmsen, at home; Mrs. Maria Louise (Wilmsen) Monnigan of Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA; Mrs. Matilda A. (Wilmsen) Tyson [Fredrick Tyson] and Mrs. Bertha S. (Wilmsen) Clark [Arthur E. Clark] both of Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA; Mrs. Cecelia V. (Wilmsen) Freemore [Frank J. Freemore] of Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, USA. The funeral was held Thursday, 28 Dec 1899, at 12 P.M. from the house; and 2:00 P.M. from the Catholic Church in Briggsville, Marquette County, Wisconsin, USA.

REFERENCE:
1. Book: “Calkins, Stearns and Wilmsen Genealogy,” 1985 (First Edition), by Gladys Verle (Engle) Brannon; Appendix IA, Page 5.

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John Wilmsen

John Wilmsen and Mary (Bloss) Wilmsen lived at Huisberden, Prussia, Germany. The John Wilmsen Family belonged to the Titled Aristocracy of Germany and were a prominent family. John was a Burgomaster of the town and also held the title of "Graf" which is the equivalent of a French Count. They lived in a castle. Their son, Bartholomew Huebert (or Henry) was born on 6 Nov 1822 at Huisberden, Porass Rhein, Prussia. Bartholomew was an officer of the German army. He was a Secretary to a General and entrusted with military secrets. It is reported through the generations that Bartholomew attended a University there in Germany. As the story goes, Bartholomew fell in love with a cook at the castle, by the name of Elizabeth Hebben. This was unheard of in that time and he was disinherited when they were married in a civil ceremony before leaving for America. Bartholomew's part of the family inheritance went to his brother who in turn gambled it away. Bartholomew returned to Germany several times through the years to see his mother.

The new Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew Huebert Wilmsen arrived in America in the Spring of 1854 and made their home on a farm between Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA and Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. On 4 Jun 1854 they were married again at Old Saint Mary's Catholic Church at 836 North Broadway, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA. The priest was G. G. Holzhauerz. Bartholomew was a protestant. Elizabeth was the daughter of Albert and Mary Beining Hebben. She was born in Dunsbergen, Prussia on 29 Apr 1833. They had 11 children, 6 boys and 5 girls.

Bartholomew died on 11 Feb 1901 at the age of 78 years, 3 months and 5 days at his farm at Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. Elizabeth died on 25 Dec 1899 at 2 A.M. at the age of 66 years, 7 months, 26 days at their farm. She is buried at Saint Mary's Help of Christian's Catholic church cemetery, which is located in the back of the church in Briggsville, Marquette County, Wisconsin, USA. Bartholomew is buried next to his wife. (His death is not recorded. Information was obtained from the Portage Weekly Democrat Newspaper of Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA held by the Historical Society of Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA).

Matilda (Tillie), their 5th child and 2nd daughter, married Frederick Tyson and had 1 son, Melvin. They lived at Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA. Then they bought out her brother Pony Wilmsen's General Store at Plana, Cambria Township, Brown County, South Dakota, USA; about 10 miles east of Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota, USA on the Milwaukee Railroad Line. They sold that, and then moved back to Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA; and went into the hardware business.

Their 3rd daughter and 6th child, Bertha (Bert), married A. E. Clark, a banker. They lived in Huron, Beadle County, South Dakota, USA. They had no children of their own, so they adopted a girl and named her Crystal Pearl. Soon after this, they moved to Tomball, Harris County, Texas, USA. It is said that the man delivering ice used to tell Crystal's birth mother what a beautiful child Crystal was. The mother had given the child up because she was born out of wedlock, and being an actress, she thought it would hurt her reputation. Meanwhile, A. E. Clark did well in the oil rich Tomball area of Harris County, Texas, USA. Crystal married, but had no children. She died of cancer, but no date is available.

Napoleon J. (Pony), Bartholomew and Elizabeth's 7th child and 4th son, was 6 feet tall, erect in his carriage. He was always slender, with a youthful step. He wore a neatly trimmed mustache, wore glasses for reading and writing. He was kind, gentle and polite, was never heard to speak an unkind word or use indecent language. He was a merchant, and for 2 terms, was a County Commissioner. He worked with Governor Burow on Roads and Bridges to assure proper construction and detect fraud. His wife, Elizabeth Stewart Allen, was the 3rd child in a family of 11. They lived on a farm near Poynette, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. She attended and graduated from Poynette Academy at Poynette, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. After graduation, she taught in Wisconsin, USA until she and Pony (Napoleon J. Wilmsen) moved to South Dakota, USA. At the time of the 1st World War (WWI) there was a shortage of teachers and she was asked to teach a country school west of Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA. She continued to teach for 23 years. She was known as an excellent teacher and was much loved by her pupils.

Herman R. and Charles Henry, the 8th and 9th children, were never married. Both were quiet and very unassuming, seeming lonely. They lived with different relatives, Herman with Blanche (Wilmsen) Engle and Chester Harry Engle at least 5 years.

[The following is taken from a letter written by Gladys Blatt to: her sister, Georgia Heverin and Beatrice Polachek. The information on Elizabeth Stewart Allen, Napoleon's (Pony's) wife, was from the same source].

"Now about dad's family. They belonged to the Titled Aristocracy of Germany. Dad's father, Bartholomew Huebert Wilmsen had been in the army and was a secretary to one of the Generals, and had in his possession, the military secrets. He was a beautiful writer and penman. He didn't care for military life. He was very trustworthy and handled the most important military documents. The title of 'Graf' was given to our grandfather, John Wilmsen. This is comparable to the French Count. John owned property that contained large deposits of a material used in a roofing material that was very long lasting. Zinc, an important metallic element was mined near Aachen and Silesia, and is used as a coating protection when rolled into sheets. Then, it is used as a roof. It is very slowly affected by the weather.

I recall my dad telling of his sister foretelling of her parents' deaths. He also told of going into a seance with some friends. Dad asked to see his mother. A mist and a shadowy form appeared, and he, or the spiritualist asked where she was and she answered in a far-away voice, 'in the flowery land.' That is how she always referred to Heaven. This happened in a large city, and no one would have known about her calling heaven, the flowery land. Psychic Phenomena certainly is interesting. I remember how you told me of aunt Bert hypnotizing Crystal Pearl! Guess we have a psychic family."


REFERENCE:
"Calkins, Stearns and Wilmsen Genealogy" (1985). – By: Gladys V. Brannon.

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The Children of Elizabeth (Hebben) Wilmsen and Bartholomew Huebert [or Henry] Wilmsen are:

1. Maria Louise (Wilmsen) Monegan: 16 Jun 1854 in Milwaukee, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 26 Feb 1933.
2. John George Wilmsen: 11 Dec 1855 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 9 Jan 1927 in Groton, Brown County, South Dakota, USA.
3. Ernest August Wilmsen: 3 Apr 1857 in Lewiston, Columbia County, USA. — 10 Apr 1934 in Anaheim, Orange County, California, USA.
4. Albert E. Wilmsen: 1860 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 9 Jan 1927 in Groton, Brown County, South Dakota, USA.
5. Bertha S. (Wilmsen) Clark: 29 Jan 1863 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 6 May 1949 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA.
6. Matilda A. (Wilmsen) Tyson: 16 Dec 1863 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 15 Sep 1940 in Hecla, Brown County, South Dakota, USA.
7. Napoleon J. Wilmsen: 5 Oct 1865 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 23 Nov 1950 in Paynette, Portage County, Wisconsin, USA.
8. Herman R. Wilmsen: Aug 1867 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 1 Jun 1936.
9. Charles Henry Wilmsen: Oct 1869 in Lewiston, Columbia County, USA. — 1 Jun 1925.
10. Cecelia V. (Wilmsen) Freemore: 20 Oct 1874 in Lewiston, Columbia County, Wisconsin, USA. — 21 Oct 1945.
11. Daughter (infant?) that died.