Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Family History Writing Challenge Day 7

In 1860, the population of Cincinnati was just over 161,000 people. Due to its location at the confluence of three major tributaries to the Ohio River, it was a regional center for river trade. Surplus pork, wheat, corn and other agricultural products were transported by boat to New Orleans.

Cincinnati furniture company 
During the nation's expansion, there was a lack of furniture being shipped westward. Seeing an opportunity, furniture making became one of Cincinnati's earliest industries. Dense forests in the area provided a constant supply of wood, and saw mills flourished. In the 1860 Cincinnati Directory, there were no fewer than 19 furniture manufacturers listed. It is no wonder, then, that Joseph and his sons were able to find work in this industry.

The last mention of Joseph in a Cincinnati Directory was 1878, where he is listed as being in a Home for the Aged. To date, I have found no census records for Joseph and his wife Caroline other than the one in 1860. They do not appear on any later census records with their children either. There also are no death records that have been located on either one of them, so we'll pick up the story with their children.

The oldest child, Urs Viktor, was born on 1 September 1842 in Büsserach. He would have been 12 when the family emigrated in 1854. What is interesting is that beginning with the 1910 census, he indicates that he was naturalized in 1850. In the 1920 census he says that he come to this country in 1847, and was naturalized in 1850. As a child, he could not have applied for naturalization. If Joseph was naturalized, then his wife Caroline and all four children automatically became naturalized citizens as well. However, an immigrant had to be in the country for five years before application could be made, so these numbers just don't add up.

The Canton Solothurn Passport register clearly shows that Joseph purchased passports for himself and his four children in 1854. So did the family really leave in 1847, and then go back to Switzerland? If so, did they have to secure passports to leave again in 1854? This certainly bears additional scrutiny. Locating Joseph's naturalization papers would be very helpful, as these would state when he first arrived in America.

Urs Viktor went by the name of Victor Kuebler in Cincinnati. He was employed as a cabinet maker when he married Mary Neiheisel on 19 February 1868. Mary was born 15 August 1847 in Hamilton County, Ohio to Phillip Neiheisel and Barbara (Oliger) Neiheisel. Victor and Mary had the following children: Stella born in 1868; Joseph born in 1871; Sylvester born in 1873; Rosa born in 1876; and George born in 1880.
Victor Kuebler stone

In the early part of his career, Victor worked as a cabinet maker and chair maker, even becoming a chair factory foreman. In later years he was a machinist and pattern maker. His wife died 26 December 1892 at the age of 45, and he later moved in with his daughter Rosa and her husband. Victor died on 28 November 1926. He was 84 years old.

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