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OCONTO COUNTY
Wisconsin
FAMILIES and BIOGRAPHIES
.August Henry Birr.
Descendant contact Owen Reinhart Birr
 August Henry Birr
Birr Family Collection |
 Margaret Hammel
Birr Family Collection |
These
portraits are charcoal renderings from photographs sent by families to
companies that employed mostly young art students. They came into
prominence from the 1870's into the early 1900's. Their popularity was
based on the fact that the price was within the ability of the
general population to afford. They were large and came with a fancy
pressed wood and composite gilded frame. Many are still in existence,
even though the identity of the people is no longer known.
For the detailed August Henry Birr and family memoirs, press HERE.
FIRST GENERATION
- For
more on Birr family genealogy and history, press HERE
Ferdinand Birr was born
April 7, 1816 and
died March 17, 1900.
+ He married
Caroline Stecker born October 10, 1820 and died November 2, 1892. Both buried in Morgan Cemetery, Oconto County, Wisconsin. No
Marriage
date found.
They came from
Stople, Pommerania, Germany.
According to a book called GERMANS TO AMERICA (Lists of Passengers
Arriving
at U.S. Ports) Volume 27 - May 1872 to July 1872 by Ira Glazier, page
442,
the BIRR family arrival was on the EUROPA from BREMEN, MAY 25, !872.
Ferdinand Birr and Caroline Stecker were both born in Stolpe, Pommern, Germany. The father was tall and slender. He wore long sideburns, was a man of dignity and he had a great deal of pride. He was a member of Emperor Frederick William's bodyguard, and for this was paid four cents a day. As a member of the guard, he accompanied the funeral cortege when the emperor died.
He was married to Caroline Stecker, an orphan, a descendant of rich feudal lords and a member of the nobility, Among the articles which she brought to America were fine linens, lace caps, and other articles such as only the upper class had. In Germany she was a nurse. They had seven children, five sons and two daughters.
SECOND
GENERATION
Child of
Ferdinand Birr and Caroline
Stecker :
August Henry Birr -
born: December 20 1846 Stolpt, Pommern (now part of Germany)
immigration : 1870 (1920 Oconto County, Wisconsin Federal Census) "After six weeks of sailing, he landed at Castle Garden (New York), now called
Battery Park, on October 1, 1870." Written by daughter Lucille Ruth Helen Birr Getke
occupation: farmer
citizenship: 1906
died: April 22, 1931 town of Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
(Notes on August Henry Birr -Third child of Fredinand and Caroline-
listed as step child in one family genealogy, source unknown.
Live with son Reinhard and family in town of Morgan after he was widowed).
+ Marguerite Hammel
born: October 22 1850
married:
1874 in Dodge County, Wisconsin
died: May 2, 1908
burial: Morgan Cemetery
(Notes on Margaret Hammel Birr - Young Margaret
Hammel lived in Lomira, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of a maker and seller of grain
sieves. She was a sister-in-law of a Mr. Delzer for whom August Henry Birr had
worked. She was born in
Bavaria,
near the Black Forest, and came with her family to America at the age of
19. It was a strange coincidence that she landed at Castle Garden the
same
day August H. Birr did, unbeknown to each other until they later met in Lomira. From a daughter's memoir)
obituary
Oconto County Reporter
May 7, 1908
Mrs. Birr Dead
Resident of Morgan 34 Years Passed Away May
2
Mrs. Birr Dead
Resident of Morgan 34 Years Passed Away May
2
Morgan, May 12, - Margaret, wife of August Birr, one of the oldest pioneers of Morgan, Wis., died at her home last Saturday evening, May 2, of hemorrhage of the lungs.
Deceased was born in Bavaria, Germany, Oct. 22, 1850. In 1870 she immigrated with her parents to Lomira, Dodge County, where she lived until 1874, when she married Mr. Birr and together they settled at Morgan in the primitive forest, isolated from friends and neighbors. The monotony of the dense maple forest, which surrounded the temporary cabin, was slowly broken by the appearance of new neighbors, larger fields and increased cares – cares which involved the rearing of the nine children, which remain to mourn the loss of a noble mother. Besides her children, William, Edward, Reinhardt, Anna, Mary, Ella, Margaret, Christine and Adelaide, she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Fred Wellniz of Morgan and Mrs. Conrad Le Sueur, Minn.
Four weeks ago, Mrs. Birr suffered from an attack of Pleurisy. She recovered from this and was in apparent good health before her death. She ate a hearty supper with the family Saturday evening and later joined Margaret (daughter) at the organ and together they sang several of Mrs. Birr's favorite hymns. After having sung "Face to Face" she suggested that they retire, which was done almost immediately. Twenty minutes later she had a coughing fit of sufficient violence to burst a blood vessel. Hastily springing from her bed and calling Margaret, she seated herself in a rocker near the bedroom door, Mr. Birr and Margaret were immediately at her side and were endeavoring to help her condition, but without speaking a word she extended a hand to each and expired.
Mrs. Birr was a Christian woman in every sense of the word; she was ever willing to give up personal considerations for the good of her family, ever ready and willing to give her time and energy for the good of all, with an unselfish spirit. This spirit of unselfishness that so predominated in Mrs. Birr's character made itself manifest in many ways in her family and neighborhood.
Rev. Zeller of Peshtigo conducted the funeral services, which were held Wednesday, May 6, from the Morgan Evangelical church.)
Children of August and Margaret (Hammel) Birr - 11 born, 9 surviving in 1900)
1. William A. E. Birr (Willie, Wilhelm)
born: October 1875 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
occupation:
died: before 1910
buried:
+ Margaret Apfel
born: December 1879
married: September 20, 1899 in Oconto County. Wisconsin
occupation:
Widowed servant by 1910 in town of Virginia, Vernon, Wisconsin - 1 child
died:
buried:
2. Anna Birr - One son, born 1915
born: February 1877 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
(note: Lived in Chase, Oconto County in 1900; Morgan, Oconto
County in 1905; 39th Street, Milwaukee in 1920 and 1930)
died:
buried:
+ William James Muckel
born: 1866 in Scottland
immigration: 1884 from North Ireland
naturalization: 1889
married: 1913
occupation: President of shoe manufacture/Proprietor of Shoe
Store in 1930
3. Mary Birr
born: September 1879 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
occupation: Teacher - Oconto and Milwaukee Counties, Wisconsin
died: December 27, 1970 in Oconto County, Wisconsin
buried:
4. Edward J. Birr (Eddie)
born: December 1883
occupation:
died: 1933
buried: Morgan Cemetery
+ Hazel ? (Edward J. Birr was her first husband)
5. Ella Birr
born: March 15, 1885 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
died: July 4, 1956 in Morgan, Oconto County,, Wisconsin
Ella Birr Lawton - Obituary
contributor: Richard LaBrosse
1956
At Family Reunion
Oconto Falls - A happy family reunion at the Reinhard Birr farm home in Morgan had a sad ending on July Fourth when Mrs. Wm. Lawton of Milwaukee passed away following a heart attack.
The former Ella Birr, daughter of the late Mr. And
Mrs. August Birr, Sr ., of Morgan, was born March 15, 1885 and was 71 years of
age. She had mentioned during the day that she was uncomfortable, but thought
it indigestion. About five o'clock she suffered the seizure which claimed her
life almost instantaneously. She was pronounced dead on the arrival of the
physician.
Soulek's ambulance took the remains to the Harder Funeral
Home of Milwaukee, where rites will be held Saturday afternoon. Survivors are
her husband, four daughters (should be sisters), Mrs. Anna Muckle and Miss Mary Birr, both of
Milwaukee, Mrs. Ray Pankratz of Suamico, Adeline Birr of Morgan and one
brother, Reinhard of Morgan.
All were present at the reunion with the
exception of Mary.
Sincere sympathy is extended to the bereaved by all.
buried: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
+ William Lawton
6. Christina H. Birr (Tina, Christine)
born: July 4, 1889 in Morgan, Oconto County. Wisconsin
occupation:
died: March 31, 1945 in Morgan, Oconto County. Wisconsin
buried:
+ Thomas Ryner
born: July 25, 1885 in Wisconsin
married: September 2, 1906 in Oconto County. Wisconsin
died: January 24, 1973 in in Oconto Falls, Oconto County. Wisconsin
Children of Christine Birr and Thomas Rymer were:
1. Allen Sherman Rymer
2. Barbara Margaret Rymer
3. Morris Thomas Rymer
4. Blanche Eleanore Rymer
5. Kenneth Birr Rymer
6. Neal William Rymer
7. Margaret Birr -
born: September 1891 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
occupation: Private Houskeeper
(note: Lived in Chase, Oconto County in 1900; Viroqua, Vernon, Wisconsin in 1910; Suamico, Wisconsin in 1956)
died:
buried:
+ Ray Pankratz
8. Reinhart H. Birr (Richard) -
born: December 4, 1893 Morgan, Oconto County, Wisconsin
occupation: farmer
died: May 8, 1974 in Oconto Falls, Wisconsin
buried: in Morgan Cemetery, Oconto County, Wisconsin
+ Edna A. Dobberke
born: February 20, 1897
died: March 8, 1969
buried: in Morgan Cemetery, Oconto County, Wisconsin
Children of Reinhart and Edna Birr:
1. Nathan A. Birrr born September 30, 1923 in Morgan, Oconto County, WI; died September 11, 2007
2. Lois H. Birr
3. Carol E. Birr
4. Robert R. Birr
9. Adeline S. Birr - single
born: June 15, 1896
died: October 1979 in Oconto Falls, Oconto, Wisconsin
buried: Morgan Cemetery, Oconto County, Wisconsin
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