Altmayer-Gross Stories

John G. Gross (Susanna's brother) was born in the Providence of Bavaria, Germany in 1829. John received his education in Bavaria and at the age of 21 migrated to New York where he lived for three years before moving to Germantown and then to Morrison, Wisconsin, where he purchased a 320 acre farm. Just prior to the Morrison move, he married Margaretha Moeshel in 1853. In 1867 John went into the lumbering business and with his earnings bought a sawmill eight years later. Also in 1875 he became a stock holder in the first cheese factory in that area. He was also instrumental in bringing a variety of community business to the county. During the same period he held town and county offices including the position of county supervisor for eight years. Perhaps his greatest efforts were directed toward improving the schools and educational standards for the community. John was an outstanding citizen and his strong effort and accomplishments left a bright blaze for his nine children to follow in the early development of Wisconsin. Internment for John and his wife is in the Woodlawn Cemetery. Services were conducted by the Masonic Lodge of De Pere, Wisconsin.

(Susanna's father) - In the old farm house cemetery that was donated from the Gross farm near Wayside, WI, is a weatherworn headstone that reads "(Johann) Gottfried Gross - 5 May 1801 - 4 Mar 1877. This would be seven generations ago and the first record of a death of a Gross in America. Although this history dates back through eight generations.  (Farm was located just north of Hill and Bocks Roads instersection - unsure of cemetery location)

(Not sure who Grandpa is yet) - Excerpts from Harry Gross' autobiography: "My Grandpa Gross was a smaller man (than Grandpa Christensen) - fairly tall and slender - and a loving person. He would stay with us in our little brick home. He just adored my mother. We had an old dead plum tree in our yard and Grandpa Gross would have Grace and me shake the heck out of the tree, and while we were doing that he would loosen the fruit in the bags and let them fall to the ground as Grace and I squealed to recover them. There would be peaches, crab apples, and others. Grandpa Gross had a long gray beard and he would tie a napkin around the beard when he had his meals. He always had a raw egg in his beer. We dearly loved him, and when he died I noticed a white apron on him in the casket. I was only ten, and not knowing what that was, I asked. It was the apron of a Mason, to be worn at all meetings and in death, if so wished. I made up my mind than and there that when I could, I would become a Mason. Which I did in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1925."

??  August Gross 1854-1930. Married Mary Gross 1860-1929 

Altmayer-Gross Family

Generation No. 1       

1. Daniel Gross died date unknown. He married Maria Elisabetha Konrad.

i. Johann G. Gross b. 25 Mar 1779 Duchy, Württemberg, Germany - d. 08 Mar 1839, Kingdom, Württemberg, Germany. He married Maria Elisabetha Schunck.

Generation No. 2 (Daniel1)
2. Johann Gottfried Gross b. 05 May 1801 Webenheim, Germany - d. 4 Mar 1877 Green Bay, WI. He married (2) Juliana Christina Schunck on 21 Mar 1828 in Webenheim, Germany.

i. Katherine Friederika Gross, b. 18 Jan 1839, Pleidelsheim, Neckarkreis Kingdom, Württemberg, Germany - d. 09 Nov 1933, San Antonio, Bexar, Texas

ii. John Gottfried Gross b. 06 May 1829 Webenheim, Germany - 17 Jan 1909 Morrison, WI.

iii. Frederick John Gross, b. 1835 - d. 07 Feb 1904, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.

iv. Susannah Gross, b. 08 Sep 1838, Bingin, Germany - d. 1930, De Pere, Wisconsin, USA. (Susannah married Nicholas Altmayer in 1860)

       

Generation No. 3 (Daniel1, Johann2)
3. John Gottfried Gross, b. 06 May 1829 Webenheim, Germany - d. 17 Jan 1909 Morrison, Brown, Wisconsin. Arrival: 1849. Married Margaretha Moeshel on 1853
                        i. Margaret Gross, b. Aug 1867, Wisconsin, d. 1913. Married Daniel Schunck.

3. Susannah Gross, b. 08 Sep 1838, Bingin, Germany - d. 1930, De Pere, Wisconsin, USA. (Susannah married Nicholas Altmayer in 1860)

i. Frederick A./F. Altmayer, b. 01 Jan 1861, Brown County, WI, d. 2 Dec 1940 Green Bay. Married Louise Hochgrave
ii. Philip Michael Altmayer b. 3 Jan 1863, Morrison, Brown County, WI, d. 3 Jan 1915 Arizona. 
iii.  Mary Margaret Altmayer, b. 25 May 1865, Brown County, WI - d. 1946 Appleton.  

iv. John Godfrey Altmayer, b. 20 Oct 1867, Brown County, WI - d. 1950. 

v. Christina/Mena Altmayer, b. 20 May 1870, Brown County, WI - d. 11 Jan 1959 Brown Co, WI. Married (19 Jan 1893) Albert Schunck (traveling salesman) b. 5 June 1867 -d. 5 Sep 1925 Brown Co, WI. 

vi. Caroline C. Altmayer, b. 07 Mar 1873, Brown County, WI - d. 28 Jun 1902 Brown Co. Married (15 Jan 1895 Brown Co) Rob Lee b. Apr 1872. 1900 Census Ontario Dr/St, De Pere with Marguerita and Robert.

vii. George Nicholas Altmayer, b. 7 Nov 1876, Brown County, WI - d. 17 Nov 1944 Menasha. Married Mary A/Mayme Kraus b. 1885-d. 12 Aug 1953. Lived at 627/637 Second Street, Menasha, WI. 1910-1930 keeper/clerk of restaurant/saloon.

viii. William (Willebald) Sylvester Altmayer/Altmeyer, b. 31 Dec 1878, Brown County, WI - d. 1939.  Married Marie/Mary Anna Kraemer (parents Mathis and Katherine Kraemer) b.10 Aug 1882 – d. 21 Jan 1970. 1930 census 449 N Broadway, De Pere, WI. 1900 Census in De Pere with Susannah and Clara – listed as Carpenter. 1920-30 Salesman/Jobber Hay Grain Co.

ix. Clara Susanne Altmayer, b. 25 Jul 1882, Brown County, WI - d. Jun 1968 Washington DC (buried in Brown Co, WI). 

Generation No. 4 (Daniel1, Johann2, Susanna3)

4. Philip Michael Altmayer b. 3 Jan 1863 Morrison, Brown County, WI – d. Nov 1914 Shawano of tubercolosis. Married Hulda Elizabeth/Ernestine Jung (b. 20 Apr 1877 Shawano, d. 20 May 1925 Shawano - Occupation: housewife) in 1904, daughter of Ernst August Jung and Bertha A. Weber. BIOGRAPHY: Born in Morrison, WI. Moved to Shawano, where he owned a hardware store. Occupation: Merchant (mercantile, hardware).  In Shawano, boarder at Murdock Hotel 1900 – clerk hardware store.

i. Alvin Archibald Altmayer, b. 30 Mar 1905 Shawano, WI - d. 10 Nov 1986 Menomonee Falls, WI.

ii. William Ernst Altmayer, b. 12 Nov 1909 Shawano, WI - d. 27 Nov 1956 St Louis, Missouri.

iii. Margaret/Marguerite Caroline Altmayer, b. 15 Oct 1913, Shawano, WI - d. 20 Jan 1998, De Pere, Brown, WI.

Generation No. 5 (Daniel1, Johann2, Susanna3, Philip4)

5. Alvin Archibald Altmayer b. 30 Mar 1905 Shawano, WI – d. 10 Nov 1986 Menomonee Falls, WI. Married Dorothea Ruth Formont (b. 1910 New York – d. 8 Oct 1973 Menomonee Falls).

Altmayer Family

Generation No. 1
1. Nicholas Altmayer (Nicholaus) b. abt 1812 Prussia – d. 1879. Married Catherine Backer/Becker/Baecker (b. 1816 Prussia-Michelbach, Saarlouis, Saarland, Germany – d. NA - died when Nicholas N. was a toddler. Never came to America.). He married Unknown. Arrived in NY July 1843, naturalized 26 Sep 1856 (PJ Gross and V Paulus witnessed).  Civil: WI. Residence 1: 1880/1870, Morrison, Brown, WI with Nicholas and Susannah - Farmer. Residence 2: 1855/1860, Germantown, Washington, WI. 10 Sep 1844 Land Patent: E½NE quarter of section 9 in township 9-N of Range 20-E in district of Sands? Subject to sale at Milwaukee, WI territory (80 acres) [No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI, Washington] (Roughly translated is Germantown/Rockfield, WI on County G or Division Road between Bonniwell and Rockfield Roads) Children of Nicholas Altmayer and Catherine Backer are:

• i. Nicholas N. Altmayer b. 1835 Prussia - d. NA.

Generation No. 2 (Nicholas1)
2. Nicholas N. Altmayer b. 1835/1833 Prussia (Bingen, Germany) – d. NA (btwn 1905-1910 maybe in Salem, Oregon - disappeared). Married Susannah Gross (b. Sep 1838 Webenheim, Germany - d. 3 Jun 1930 Woodlawn Cemetery, De Pere) in 1860, daughter of Johann Gottfried Gross and Juliana Christina Schunck. Database: WI 1860 Federal Census Index – in Germantown, WI. Residence: 1870/1880, Morrison, Brown, WI. Residence 1890 De Pere, WI. Description: blue eyes, light hair, light complexion, 5 ft. 6 inches. Military service: 25 Feb 1865, Green Bay, WI. Event: 4th Indpt. Battery, Ohio Light Art'y., Civil War, Private Military Service. Event: Company F, 50 Wisconsin Infantry Military Service 25 FEB 1865. Occupation: founder of the Union House hotel and restaurant, De Pere, WI. Susannah celebrated her 90th birthday in Menasha/Appleton Sep 1928. 1870: Man of lumber and shingles. Susanna listed as Capitalist in 1900 census – also married 40 years. Still married 1905, but 1910 marked as Single???—widow on 1920 and 1930 censuses. Nicholas doesn’t appear on 1900 or 1905 cenuses. Susanna immigrated 1852 never naturalized.

• i. Frederick A./F. Altmayer, b. 01 Jan 1861, Brown County, WI, d. 2 Dec 1940 Green Bay.
• ii. Philip Michael Altmayer, b. 03 Jan 1863, Morrison, Brown County, WI, d. 3 Jan 1915 Arizona.
• iii. Mary Margaret Altmayer, b. 25 May 1865, Brown County, WI - d. 1946 Appleton. Married George S Sweetman (b. 4 Oct 1862 Rochester, NY– d. 25 Dec 1944 Appleton) 14 Oct 1891. Marriage Oct 14 1891 Brown County. Built house at (521 E Pacific) Pacific and Union Sts in Appleton. George was railroad station agent – VIP, in news often – retired Aug 1937. A brother married in Green Bay Oct 1907.
• i. Marjorie M. Sweetman b. May 1893 – d. 1923. Teacher in Waukegan, IL.
• ii. George Wells Sweetman Jr. b. 23 Aug 1898 – d. 25 March 1929 Appleton
• iv. John Godfrey Altmayer, b. 20 Oct 1867, Brown County, WI - d. 1950. Married Carrie Smith. 1930 of Evanston, IL
• v. Christina/Mena Altmayer, b. 20 May 1870, Brown County, WI - d. 11 Jan 1959 Brown Co, WI. Married (19 Jan 1893) Albert Schunck (traveling salesman) b. 5 June 1867 -d. 5 Sep 1925 Brown Co, WI. 1930 in Brown Co. 1120 Webster Ave, Green Bay. Margaret Wilmer lived with her. She was working at Prangy's Department store in Green Bay. He was boarding across the street. She was waiting for bus to go to work. He was going downtown to his office. He felt sorry for her, asked her if she wanted a ride.
• i. Elinor/Eleanor S. b. 22 Nov 1894 Milwaukee – d. 2 May 1982 Two Rivers, WI. Married Thomas George Bailey (b. 4 Oct 1887 Michigan) about 1924.
• ii. Lillian M b. 19 Aug 1900 – d. 15 Nov 1987 Two Rivers, WI. Married Alvin John Kruschke. Daughter Suzanne.
• iii. Caroline S b. 2 Jun 1902 – d. 9 Sep 1989 Columbus, OH. Married Lester Martin.
• vi. Caroline C. Altmayer, b. 07 Mar 1873, Brown County, WI - d. 28 Jun 1902 Brown Co. Married (15 Jan 1895 Brown Co) Rob Lee b. Apr 1872. 1900 Census Ontario Dr/St, De Pere with Marguerita and Robert.
• i. Margaret/Marguerita b. Feb 1896 – d. NA
• ii. Robert Gerald b. Feb 1898 – d. NA
• iii. Edward A b. 1901 – d. NA
• vii. George Nicholas Altmayer, b. 7 Nov 1876, Brown County, WI - d. 17 Nov 1944 Menasha. Married Mary A/Mayme Kraus b. 1885-d. 12 Aug 1953. Lived at 627/637 Second Street, Menasha, WI. 1910-1930 keeper/clerk of restaurant/saloon.
• viii. William (Willebald) Sylvester Altmayer/Altmeyer, b. 31 Dec 1878, Brown County, WI - d. 1939. Married Marie/Mary Anna Kraemer (parents Mathis and Katherine Kraemer) b.10 Aug 1882 – d. 21 Jan 1970. 1930 census 449 N Broadway, De Pere, WI. 1900 Census in De Pere with Susannah and Clara – listed as Carpenter. 1920-30 Salesman/Jobber Hay Grain Co.
• i. Marie Susanne b. abt 1908 – d. NA. Married Richard Aylward
• ii. Genevieve A. b.1910 – d. NA. Married Robert Lueck Hoyle
• iii. Edith J/Ann Altmayer b. abt 1918/1917 – d. 1989. Married James Francis O’Meara
• ix. Clara Susanne Altmayer, b. 25 Jul 1882, Brown County, WI - d. Jun 1968 Washington DC (buried in Brown Co, WI). Married (7 Oct 1906) Albert Schwarting b. Feb 1872 – d. 1936. 1930 932 North Broadway, De Pere. Albert was manufacturer of candy. 1910 in Blue Grass, IA with no kids. Schwarting had a candy company. She used to make dandelion wine. Played concert piano in the Orpheum Theater for silent movies. Tried to teach mom how to play piano. Nice lady. Went to visit Clarence in Washington and stay for a month or more. Clarence put her in a nursing home against her will, where she died.
• i. Albert Clarence Schwarting b. 17 Dec 1910 Iowa - d. Nov 1975 Baltimore, MD. Married Betty

Generation No. 3 (Nicholas1, Nicholas2)
3. Philip Michael Altmayer b. 3 Jan 1863 Morrison, Brown County, WI – d. Nov 1914 Shawano of tubercolosis. Married Hulda Elizabeth/Ernestine Jung (b. 20 Apr 1877 Shawano, d. 20 May 1925 Shawano - Occupation: housewife) in 1904, daughter of Ernst August Jung and Bertha A. Weber. BIOGRAPHY: Born in Morrison, WI. Moved to Shawano, where he owned a hardware store. Occupation: Merchant (mercantile, hardware). In Shawano, boarder at Murdock Hotel 1900 – clerk hardware store.

• i. Alvin Archibald Altmayer, b. 30 Mar 1905 Shawano, WI - d. 10 Nov 1986 Menomonee Falls, WI.
• ii. William Ernst Altmayer, b. 12 Nov 1909 Shawano, WI - d. 27 Nov 1956 St Louis, Missouri.
• iii. Margaret/Marguerite Caroline Altmayer, b. 15 Oct 1913, Shawano, WI - d. 20 Jan 1998, De Pere, Brown, WI.

3. Frederick F. Altmayer b. 01 Jan 1861 Brown County, WI – d. 2 Dec 1940 Green Bay. Married Louise Hochgrave (b. 1870 –d. 4 May 1960) on 25 Sep 1895 in Brown County, WI. Occupation: Morrison, Brown County, Wisconsin; Occupation: farmer. Residence 1: 1880, Morrison, Brown, Wisconsin, United States. Residence 2: 1930, 628 S Monroe Ave, Green Bay, Brown, Wisconsin. 1898 Shawano County Business Directory: Frederick Altmayer, Shoes. 1898 owned land on NE side of Washington Lake (just north of Shawano Lake). Louise ran the kitchen in the Union House, owned by husband, Fred.Would pack lunch buckets for the bridge and railroad workers.

• i. Susannah Caroline Altmayer, b. 27 May 1897, Shawano County, WI - d. 12 Sep 1989, WI.

3. John Godfrey Altmayer/Altmeyer b. 20 Oct 1867 Brown County, WI – d. 1950. Married Carrie Smith. Children of John and Carrie:

• i. Arthur Joseph Altmayer/Altmeyer, b. 8 May 1891, De Pere, WI - d. Oct 1972, Madison, WI. Married Edith T Treloar. Father of Social Security – building named Altmeyer Building in Washington, DC. 1900 census: listed as stepson living with Adelbert and Carrie Scharphorn (age 34), their daughter Irene and servant Lillie Hamrick. http://www.ssa.gov/history/bioaja.html

Children of John and Edith Treloar: - Edith was sorority AEPhi (Alpha Epsilon Phi) housemother at Northwestern in 1960’s.

• ii. John Godfrey Altmayer, b. 1918 IL – d. NA. Evanston, IL 1920 & 1930
• iii. William Treloar Altmayer, b. 1919 IL – d. 1994. Evanston, IL 1920 & 1930
• iv. Robert Altmayer, b. 1922 – d. NA.
• v. Charles Altmayer, b. 1926 – d. NA.
• vi. Earl Lincoln Altmayer, b. 1927 – d. NA.

Generation No. 4 (Nicholas1, Nicholas2, Phillip3)
4. Alvin Archibald Altmayer b. 30 Mar 1905 Shawano, WI – d. 10 Nov 1986 Menomonee Falls, WI. Married Dorothea Ruth Formont (b. 1910 New York – d. 8 Oct 1973 Menomonee Falls). Residence: 1930, 546 34th Street, Milwaukee, WI. Ruth has sister Mildred b. ab 1905. 21514 W Silver Spring Road, Menomonee Falls, WI

4. William Ernst Altmayer, b. 12 Nov 1909 Shawano, WI - d. 27 Nov 1956 St Louis, Missouri. He married Drucella R. Bell b. 8 Apr 1915 WI -d. 30 Jun 2010 Las Vegas, NV (children – Carol and Billie Jean). He married Florence (children – Diane). William at a football game and had an aneurism.

4. Margaret/Marguerite Caroline Altmayer, b. 15 Oct 1913, Shawano, WI - d. 20 Jan 1998, De Pere, Brown, WI. Married George Alexander WILMER abt 1935 IL. Children: Susan Mary WILMER, Judith Carol WILMER. Married Justin Joseph FORD. Said she went to live with Aunt Steen (Christina?) but 1930 census shows her in Milwaukee with Alvin.