MAGDALENA REBASCHUS

Magdalena Rebaschus, b. 17 September 1820, Labowischken, East Prussia, Prussia (Germany). She was, no doubt, baptized at the Luthern Church of Ballethen. On 30 October 1840, she was united in marriage to Gottlieb Baumgartner (b. 13 March 1816, Kaszemeken, East Prussia; died 25 June 1906, Kaszemeken, East Prussia, son of Gottlieb Baumgartner and Margarete Lindereiter; see also Section II, Part III.) This union was blessed with at least 11 children. As the family lived at Kaszemeken, they attended church at Gawaiten. They are: (all born at Kaszemeken)

*#102C1 I. Magdalena (Helene) Baumgartner, b. 2 Oct 1841
*#102C2 II. Edward Baumgartner, b. ca. 1843
*#102C3 III. John Baumgartner, b. 22 May 1845
*#102C4 IV. Frederick Baumgartner, b. 24 June 1850
*#102C5 V. Caroline Baumgartner, b. 30 April 1852
*#102C6 VI. Herman Baumgartner, b. 2 March 1854
*#102C7 VII. Carl Baumgartner, b. 16 April 1856
*#102C8 VIII. August Baumgartner, b. 28 August 1859
*#102C9 IX. Gustave Baumgartner, b. 30 December 1861
*#102C10 X. Wilhelmina (Minnie) Baumgartner, b. 5 May 1864
*#102C11 XI. Anna Baumgartner, b. 16 February 1867

Certainly, her large family kept Aunt Magdalena busy. Indeed, what a surprise after eating dinner with Magdalena's great-grandaughter, Vona Weger Lauman, to be shown the large picture of Magdalena Rebaschus Baumgartner, that Magdalena's daughter, Anna, brought with her to America. "My," I remarked, "that's Great-Great-Great-Great Aunt Magdalena!" Although Magdalena did not make it to America, eight of her children did! No doubt, there was also correspondence with her sister. Christina Peischan in America and perhaps some day some correspondence will come to light.

The connection between the Peischans-Herzmann's and the Baumgartners came about this way: Great-great Aunt Emma Hermann Yearous recalled that her husband was in the pool hall in Arlington with his sons and one of the Baumgartners was in there and John introduced him to his sons as a cousin. Then upon inquiry with Frieda Zwanziger of Strawberry Point, she knew that the families were connected because often at baptisms, etc. the families were together in years gone by. She immediately called Hulda Baumgartner Weger who knew that Christina Peischan was her father's aunt. Unfortunately, at that time I didn't know on which side she was an Aunt! But when I was in the court house in Elkader and located the marriage certificate of Rudolph Peischan, it stated that his mother was Magdalena Rebaschus. Then soon after that, I located the marriage record of Anna Baumgartner to Michael Weger and it stated her mother was Magdalena Rebaschus, so I finally had the connection!

Magdalena's grandson, Arthur Baumgartner, recalled the most about the early stories of the Baumgartner and Peischan families. Indeed, it was he that first brought to light the stories of Uncle Christian killing someone in self-defense and the story of the shipwreck of the Riemaths! About his Grandmother Baumgartner, he recalled that she had black hair and blue eyes.

About his Grandfather, Gottlieb Baumgartner, Arthur Baumgartner recalled that he was a farmer and a mail carrier in Germany. he had also known that he lived past the age of 90! The interview with Arthur Baumgartner was at his home in Strawberry Point, Iowa in 1967!

Arthur also recalled that Insterburg was the first town of any size. He also recalled that Fred Hahn (see Section II, Part I) supplied some of the money for some of the relatives to come to America.

Magdalena died 9 August 1891 at Kaszemeken, East Prussia, Germany. At that time her children, John, Fred, Herman, Carl, Gustave, Wilhelmina Beyer, and Anna Weger were living in America and how sad that they could not be at her funeral!

Magdalena's husband, Gottlieb, survived her for many years and died at Kaszemeken, Germany on 25 June 1906, just over the age of 90! None of his 11 children lived to that advanced age. Records from Gawaiten that have survived indicate that he was confirmed in the Luthern church there in 1830! Records from Gawaiten for the baptism of only 3 of his youngest children have survived the rages of war; but perhaps other records will be located.

As the descendants of Christina Rebaschus Peischan are in Section II, Part I, we shall now continue with the descendants of Karl Rebaschus and Magdalena of whom several hundred are known:

FIFTH GENERATION

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