Individual Details

Birth

Or Erie, NY

Marriage

 CherylOlson|MA532782added this on 2 Apr 2011
They were married 22 Nov 1869 at Fountain City,WI by Martin Schulte, J.P. at the courthouse. The marriage was witnessed by Leona Biesanz, Winona, and A.B. Vogelson of Winona. Also mentioned elsewhere in Civil War records are witnesses by the names of Ferdinand Huefner and C.W. Gilbert. I think this information all came from the Civil War records.
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Marriage to Cynthia Amelia Salisbury
Fountain City, Buffalo, Wisconsin, USA 
Civil ceremony by Martin Schulte J.P Witnesses Ferdinand Huefner and CW Gilbert. Philpp Busatz, brickmaker, born NY, living in Winona, parents John + Magdalena Busatz, wife's parents Simon + Catharine Salisbury.
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Occupation

Was listed as brickmaker on all censuses 1870 to 1920. In 1920 listed as manager of brickyard.

Death

Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002
Name: Philip Biesanz
Death Date: 26 Nov 1921
Death County: Winona
State File Number: 015839
Certificate Number: 015839
Certificate Year: 1921
Record Number: 339879
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Winona Republican-Herald 1921 11 28 p4
Philip Biesanz Obituary

Philip Biesanz, aged 79, a well known pioneer resident of Winona, died Saturday night from pneumonia at his home in Gilmore Valley.

Funeral services are announced to be held at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the cathedral, with burial to be made in St Mary's cemetery. The Rev Father J P Sherman will conduct the service and old soldiers will act as honorary pall bearers.

Mr Biesanz had made his home in Winona for more than 50 years. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y., July 8, 1842, came west with his parents and settled at Dubuque, Iowa, before coming to Winona. Soon after coming here he took a position with Charles Butler as the manager of the brickyards in Gilmore Valley and afterwards became the owner of the same. He also operated the stone quarry on the bluff adjoining from which was taken the stone used in the abutments of the lower railway bridge here and also the high wagon bridge. This quarry later passed into the hands of his son, Charles P. Biesanz. Mr. Biesanz was coonnected with the operation of the brick yards up to the time of his death.

Probably the most striking incident in the life of Mr. Biesanz was when at the close of the Civil War he acted as one of an escort of four accompanying Jefferson Davis, the Confederate leader, from the place of his capture to Washington. He often told of a remark he heard Mr. Davis make to some of his men at the time. "Well boys, we've had a hard four years."

Mr Biesanz served for over a year in the Union army as a member of the Fifth Iowa cavalry, from which organization he was picked as one of the guard of Davis to go to Washington. He participated in the famous march of General Sherman to the sea through Georgia. He was identified with the Sheardown post of the G A R in Winona before it was disbanded.

Mr. Biesanz is survived by his wife, Cynthia, four sons, Charles and Frank Biesanz of Winona, William Biesanz of White Salmon, Ore, and Fred Biesanz of Minneapolis, and three daughters, Miss Leona Biesanz of Gilmore Valley, Mrs. Wm. Liebe of Owatonna and Mrs. John Riley of Creston, Iowa. The children from out of this city are all here to attend the funeral tomorrow. Another son, Sam, died at the age of twelve years. Also surviving Mr. Biesanz are a brother, Frank Biesanz and a sister, Mrs. Mary De Muth, both of Dubuque.
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