Individual Details

Death of Michael Musselman Galena Gazete April 19, 1927 submitted by Alayne Hammer
The Clay Center, Kan. Dispatch of July 31 probably 1902. consisted of the following notice of the death of a former well known resident of Jo Daviess County [Illinois].
Michael Musselman, brief mention of whose death was made in these columns last week, was born in Bavaria, July 25, 1829. At the age of seventeen, with his father, a native of Saxony, and his mother, he emigrated to the United States. For one year they sojourned in Lancaster county, Penn. The parents moved from there to Jo Daviess county, Illinois Michael followed a year later, and followed the business of farming until 1870. That year Mr. Musselman came to Kansas and bought the farm adjacent to Clay Center on the west. Later he engaged in real estate and loan business in this city, leaving the farm for a time in the hands of his sons. He returned to the country again, however, determined to spend the remainder of his days on the home place; but fate decreed otherwise, and after two years he moved to Denver, where he resided until his death. Mr. Musselman was married Oct. 16, 1852, to Miss Elizabeth Durstein, and of this union there were born eleven children, ten sons and one daughter-of six are living. They are John, Louis, Christian, Gustave, Ernest, and William. John married Miss Jennie Goodin, who died February 23,1898 leaving three children, Samuel, Lizzie, and Francis. He later married Miss Charlotte Schnitker of Washington county, Illinois. Louisa is the wife of Rudolph Hammer of Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and the mother of seven children. Christian married Miss Katie Keiner and they have three children-Sallie, Bertie, and Rennie.Gustave married Miss Lucy Dookids. Their children are-Charles, Carl Clarence, Goldie, Lester and Raymond. Ernest married Miss Minnie Adamson of Rogers, Ark. They have two children-Ralph and Ernestine. Mrs. Elizabeth Musselman died at the home in Jo Daviess county June 9, 1875 and in March 1878, Mr. Musselman married Mrs. Ida (Fuss) Baier, and of this union there were born two children-Emma and Clara. Mr. Musselman was something of a politician, with leanings towards the Democrats, and had been honored by several positions of public trust.

The marriage record of Michael to Elizabeth Durstein hasn't been found online at the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index. Probably name is mispelled. Elizabeth Duerrstein Musselman is buried at the Hammer or Mennonite Cemetery, Guilford Twp, Jo Davies Co. Her stone reads b Jan 3 1835 and d Jun 9, 1875, 40y 5m 6d.

1850 Census, Jo Daviess Co, IL.
Christopher Musselman, age 50; Susan age 47; Michael age 20, all born Germany.

1860 Census, Jo Daviess Co, Thompson Mill Twp.
Michl. Meuselman, age 30, Farmer, born in Bavaria. Elizabeth age 25, born Saxony. Children born in Illinois: John age 3, Louisa age 2, Christian age 6/12. Also Christian age 60, born in Saxony, "Father" in parenthesis.

1860 Census, Jo Daviess Co, Thompson, Ill.
Mich.Mussulman, age 40, Farmer, born in Bavaria. Elizabeth age 36, born Saxony.
John age 13, Louisa 11, Christian 9, Augustus 7, Earnest 5, David 3, Michael 2.
Christian, age 70, born in Bavaria. All have marked that both their parents are of foreign birth.

The Illinois Marriage Index online has Michael's marriage to Ida Baier in Jo Daviess County, as 7 Mar 1878. Elizabeth is buried in the Mennonite Cemetery in Guilford Twp with a death date in 1875.

1880 Census, Clay Co, Kansas
Michael Musselman age 51, Farmer, born in Bavaria with parents born in Bavaria.
Ida, wife, age 31, born in Prussia as were her parents.
John age 23, son, farmer.
Gustaf, 18, son, works on farm
Earnest, 16, son, works on farm
William, 7, son
Emma, age 1, daughter
Clara, age 1/12, born in April, daughter - she was the only child born in Kansas - the others all born in Illinois.
Mary Hoag, age 18, Servant, born in Bavaria.

Birth	25 Jul 1829	Bavaria
Marriage	16 Oct 1852	Jo Daviess County, Illinois - Elizabeth Durstein
Marriage	7 Mar 1878	Jo Daviess County, Illinois - Ida Fuss
Death	22 Jul 1902	Denver, Denver County, Colorado

Spouse	Elizabeth Durstein (1835 - 1875)
Child	John Musselman (1857 - )
Child	Louisa Musselman (1859 - )
Child	Christian Musselman (1860 - )
Child	Augustus "Gustave" Musselman (1862 - )
Child	Elias Ernest Musselman (1864 - 1927)
Child	David Musselman (1867 - )
Child	Michael Musselman (1868 - )
Child	William Musselman (1873 - )

Spouse	Ida Fuss (1849 - )
Child	Emma Musselman (1879 - )
Child	Living

Father	Christian Musselman (1800 - )
Mother	Susan [Musselman] (1803 - 1860)