Robert L. Wagner, Jr.

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
September 16, 1932
Local Happenings

Laurie and Robert Wagner, who have spent the summer with Mrs. George Kolb, left Friday for their home in Saginaw.

Robert married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Notes:

When Robert was 16 years of age, his father gave his consent to join the Air Corps during World War I.

From 1948 until his retirement in 1973, he owned and managed United Wholesalers Inc. He and Reeta moved to Saginaw (Bridgeport) in 1954, and Robert lived there until his death.

Robert married Reeta M. Smith on 16 Aug 1921 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan. Reeta was born on 21 Feb 1903 in Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan; died in Dec 1985 in Saginaw County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Art Peck instead had her year of birth as 1902. Assumed the SSDI was more accurate.

John married Anna Johanna Kolb on 31 Dec 1894. Anna (daughter of George Anthony Kolb and Maria Catharina Benkelman) was born on 27 Feb 1859 in Wisconsin; died on 24 Feb 1919 in Mayville, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, May 16, 1913
Local Items, Page 4

Mrs. John Wagner of Mayville was a guest at the house of George Kolb from Wednesday to Saturday.

Cass City Chronicle
Feb. 28 1919
Around Our Town
Page Four

Mrs. Geo. Kolb was called to Mayville Monday by the serious illness of her sister-in-law, Mrs. John Wagner. She passed away that evening. Mr. Kolb and Frank Gordon left Wednesday to attend the funeral. Mrs. Wagner was born in Wisconsin 61 years ago. At the age of six years she came to Elkland Township with her parents and resided heer about 25 years when she moved to Caro. She leaves two brothers, Geo. and John Kolb of Cass City; three sisters, Mrs. Ad Craw of Mrs. Isaac Adel, both of Caro and Mrs. Mary Buerk of Pontiac; two sons, Frank Gordon of Cass City and Robt. Wagner of Mayville, and two daughters.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

(Research):Census Information:

1880 Census
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Oc
cupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John GORDON Self M Male W 27 MI Farmer NY NY
Anna GORDON Wife M Female W 21 WI Keeping House --- ---
Martha E. GORDON Dau S Female W 1 MI MI WI
Sarah GORDON Dau S Female W 5M MI MI WI
Source Information:
Census Place Almer, Tuscola, Michigan
Family History Library Film 1254607
NA Film Number T9-0607
Page Number 30B


1900 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Fremont Twp
Enumerated 7 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 116 Sheet 3B
56-58
Wagner, John Hd W M May 1842 58 M 24 NY Germany Germany Farmer
------, Anna Wife W F Feb 1859 41 M 24 4/4 Wisc Germany Germany
------, Blanch. G. Dtr W F Apr 1884 16 S Mich Mich Wisc At School
------, Frank Son W M July 1886 12 S Mich Mich Wisc At School
Nash, Earl Gr. Son W M Jul 1897 2 S Mich Mich Mich

Notes:

Lived for 6 years in Anendorf, Guzzengen before he came to America on 19 March 1852. He had been studying to be a doctor but to avoid being drafted into the Army, he used his fathers passport and emigrated to America, settling in Greenfield, Wisconsin, where he met Catherina Benkelman. They moved to Cass City in 1864, and made their homestead on an 80 acre farm, 3 miles east and 1 1/2 miles north of Cass City. He was Elkland Township treasurer in 1867. They lived on their homestead until they lost everything they had in the "great fire" of 1881. They only saved their lives by staying in the sorghum fields and the Cass City river that ran behind the house. One son, George Henry, had taken up homesteading across the road from his parents, but sold his land to pay for his mothers funeral in 1883. (Courtesy of Janet Wright of DeFord, MI, September, 1996) BonnieMargaret Jacobs also wrote of George using his father's papers to emigrate, citing correspondence with Mrs. Thoams R. Harvey of Aldan, PA, a descendant of George and Catherine's.

Cass City Enterprise
January 8, 1903, Page 1

George Kolb, an old and respected resident of Caro and a pioneer of Tuscola County, died Monday afternoon at four o'clock, aged seventy-one years. Deceased was born at Wurteburger, Germany, October 7, 1831, and came to this country when twenty years of age, settling in New York state where he lived for two years. He then moved to Wisconsin, where he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Benkelman. In 1865 they moved to Tuscola county where he has since resided. His wife died in 1893, leaving nine children, one of whom, Henry, died in 1899. The surviving children are George and John of Cass City; Mrs. WAGNER of Fremont; Mrs. BURK, Mrs. HOYT, Mrs. DON, Miss Lydia KOLB and Mrs. A.J. CRAW, of Caro. Short services were held Wednesday afternoon at four o'clock at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. A.J. CRAW, after which the remains were taken to Cass City, where funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at four o'clock, the remains being laid to rest in the Cass City cemetery. - Caro Journal

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong)

BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote, in her 1981 unpublished manuscript, that in addition to farming, George was in itinerant preacher, doctor and undertaker, it being often said of him that "he got people coming and going"...bringing people into the world, ministering to them while they were here, and finally laying them to rest." (p. 141).

(Research):

Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Census Place: Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan Source:FHL Film 12
54607 National Archives Film T9-0607
Page 97A
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
George A. KOLB Self M M W 49 WERTENBERG Occ: Farmer Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Catherine KOLB Wife F M W 49 WERTENBERG Occ: Keeping House Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Lydia KOLB Dau F S W 8 MI Occ: At Home Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Henry KOLB Son M S W 7 MI Occ: Farmer Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG

George married Maria Catharina Benkelman on 6 Dec 1854 in Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Maria (daughter of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann and Maria Dorothea St?hle) was born on 16 Aug 1831 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 9 Dec 1883 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

German Parish records show "ist 1853 ausgewandert" (left for America) in 1853.

On the Oberant Welzheim Emmigrants list, 1818-1891, She is listed as Maria Catharina, g. d. 16t. August 1831 ledig, and travelling in a party headed by her mother, Maria Dorothea, the widow of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann, a farmer of Schneiderhof. Three of her sisters were on this journey as well.

BonnieMargaret's full source citation was: Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, "Verzeichnis der Auswanderung aus dem Oberamt Welzheim 1818-1891" F 214 B?schel 91 Fortlaufende Number 42 [or possibly 47] ).