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Michael WURZER

Male 1851 - 1922  (70 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All

  • Name Michael WURZER  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    Birth 6 Aug 1851  Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 6
    Gender Male 
    Name Mike  [3, 7
    Death 14 May 1922  Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    • Buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Fingal, Barnes County, North Dakota. Findagrave Memorial# 75293170.
    Person ID I553  morisonwurzer
    Last Modified 21 Sep 2020 

    Father Melchior WURZER,   b. 13 Feb 1819, Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Apr 1884, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 65 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Rosalie SCHERMANN,   b. 12 Jun 1821, Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Jan 1890, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage Abt 1840  Austria Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F258  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Maria SHERMAN,   b. 23 Jan 1859, Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Feb 1942, Oriska, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Children 
     1. John Michael WURZER,   b. 7 Jun 1876, Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Jan 1949, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 72 years)  [natural]
     2. Adolph WURZER,   b. 11 Sep 1879, Geresdorf, Austria Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Feb 1963, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)  [natural]
     3. Magdalena WURZER,   b. 20 Mar 1888, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Apr 1913, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 25 years)  [natural]
     4. Mary WURZER,   b. 13 Feb 1883, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1969, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)  [natural]
     5. Theresia WURZER,   b. 11 Jun 1885, Fargo, Cass, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 May 1966, Valley City, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)  [natural]
     6. Agnes WURZER,   b. 21 Sep 1891, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jan 1957, Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 65 years)  [natural]
    Family ID F260  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Sep 2020 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 14 May 1922 - Fingal, Barnes, North Dakota, USA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • The following notes were written by Patricia Lynn Johnson and passed on to Elizabeth Eileen Morison McMahon in the 1960s: Living conditions in Gerresdorf were extremely limited. Rural areas were becoming overcrowded. Most people had small acreages of land and very few personal possessions. When word came of opportunities to acquire homesteads in the United States, the Wurzer family decided to pack their belongs and leave Austria-Hungary for a new home in a new country. Michael, his wife, their 2 sons, his parents, his 3 brothers (John, Joseph, Frank) and his 3 sisters (Maria, Elizabeth, Rosalie) left Vienna by boat for New York City.

      From there they travelled by train to North Dakota.

      About 1880 they all homesteaded north and east of Fingal in Binghampton Township, except Joseph who remained single and served in the Spanish-American war.

      Michael and his wife Maria experienced many hardships, like all the pioneers at that time. Maria plowed with one ox while Michael worked for area farmers to earn money to buy a second ox to complete the team. In order to obtain flour, Michael took wheat to Marsh's mill, south of Valley City, because the town of Fingal did not exist at that time. Groceries and supplies had to be purchased at Tower City. Most of these trips were made by foot since construction work was being done on the Northern Pacific Railroad. There were many jobs available for local people. Maria was employed at a Tower City Hotel in the laundry, which was all hand work. By this time, Michael was building a house for his family. One room was insulated with sod and later a stone addition was constructed. The house still stands 1 mile north and 1 mile east of Fingal. It was inhabited until only a few years ago and is now known as the Martin Boyle farm.

      HISTORY: Michael Wurgel [stat] immigrated through Baltimore, MD on the vessel "America" on June 16, 1882. He claims to be a "tailor" with the nationality of "Austria" and last permanent residence in "hungary". His father "Melchior" is also on this ship. Src: Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists Index, 1820-1897, FHL microfilm 417,378, Digital Folder Number 007535227. NARA M327, Roll 167, No. W563-W651.

      1900: US census: on familysearch.org. Michael Wanger[sic], (age not readable), b in Germany, occupation: farmer, living with husbandMike and children: Adolph21, Mary17, Theressa15, Lena12, Agnes9. Location (on index): Binghamton, Barnes, North Dakota.

      1910 US census: on familysearch.org. Michael Wurzer, 58, b in Europe, married 32 years, immigrated 1882, naturalized, occupation: farmer, living with wifeMary52 and daughter Agnes19. location: Binghamton, Barnes, ND.

      1915 ND census: on familysearch.org. Mike Wurzer (male aged 20-60), living with Mary Wurzer and Laura Dahl. (Note: Laura is with her grandparents after her mother's death.)

      1920 US census: on familysearch.org. Michael Wurzer, 68, b in Hungary, living with wife: Mary60 Wurzer and granddaughter LauraDahl9. Location: Springvale Twp,Barnes Co., North Dakota.

      BURIAL: findagrave.com. Michael Wurzer. Buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Fingal, Barnes County, North Dakota. Findagrave Memorial# 75293170.
    • HISTORY 1882: on familysearch.org. Michael Wurgel[sic], 33, occupation: tailor, Nationality: Austria, from Hungary Immigration June 16, 1882 on vessel: America at Baltimore, MD,

  • Sources 
    1. [S79] Wurzer Family History, typed pages of research, given to Elizabeth Morison McMahon by Patricia Lynn Johnson, circa 1990.

    2. [S6] 1901 Canada Census, Location: Red Deer Sub-District, District Y.3, Alberta. p. 6. Found on Ancestry.com, familysearch.org, and Library and Archives Canada, 2004. Series RG31-C-1. Microfilm reels: T-6428 to T-6556.

    3. [S59] 1910 US Census, Location: Binghamton, Barnes, North Dakota; Roll: T624_1138; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 1375151. Found on familysearch.org.

    4. [S55] 1920 US Federal Census, Location: Springvale, Barnes, North Dakota; Enumeration district 1, Image 165, citing sheet 9A, NARA microfilm publication T625; FHL microfilm 1,821,330. Found on familysearch.org.

    5. [S56] 1900 US Census, Location: Binghamton, Norman, Raritan & Thordenskjold Townships, Barnes, North Dakota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 14B, family 245, NARA microfilm publication T623; FHL microfilm 1,241,226. Found on familysearch.org.

    6. [S52] Find a Grave, Found on familysearch.org and/or on ancestry.com. All are on findagrave.com.

    7. [S54] 1915 North Dakota Census, Location: Adams, North Dakota, United States; citing family number 11, line number 391, State Historical Society of North Dakota; FHL microfilm 1,731,408. Fouund on familysearch.org.


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