| Notes |
- In 1863 the German authorities listed William as "escaped" when they filled their reports. This lends credence to the family story that the Rosburgs left Germany to evade conscription into the German military.
ROSBURG, WM., proprietor of wagon shop, Luzerne; was born in Germany in 1836 came to Davenport this State, in 1856 remained there ON year, then went to Clayton County, in which county he married Miss Mary Nieland in 1854; they moved to this town in the year 1868, since which time he has been engaged in his present business at this place, Luzerne.
The above from the 1878 Biographical History of Benton County, Iowa.
William Fredrich Rosburg came to the United States when he was 19 and his brother Henry 17. An older brother, Chris, was already living in Davenport, Iowa. William worked in a logging camp at Chippawa, Wisconsin, then at Davenport, Iowa as a wagon maker - a trade he learned in Germany. On October 31, 1863, he married Maria Nieland of Mecklenburg, Germany at Clermont, Iowa, Rev. Skofield officiating. Maria came over in a sail boat when she was but seven years of age. It took 14 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean. During the passage the passengers dipped water from the ocean and would occasinally lose a pail in the rough seas. The captain complained about this, so Maria's brother, Henry, tied a rope around his waist to keep from loosing the pail and was washed overboard and drowned. William was drafted at Giard, Iowa in the fall of 1864, where he had established a wagon makers shop. He served in Com. B 13th Iowa Infantry under German Sherman. H served to the end of the war and told the story that when he was discharged he was so lousy that he bought civilian clothes and threw his uniform into the Mississippi River. Shortly after he returned from the army their little daughter Emma Wilhelmina died and was buried at Giard in 1865 at the age of 14 months. Her tombstone is still standing at Giard, and Grandma Rosburg after forty years was able to see it. They moved from Giard to Blairstown and then to Luzerne, Iowa, Benton County, in 1870, where he operated a wagon shop until 1900.
The shop was torn down then and the material used to build a new home. They celebrated their gold anniversary in 1913 with all the children home for the occasion. He had always hoped to be hauled to the cemetery in an automobile hearse, but due to rain, he was taken by a team to the Lutheran cemetery near Luzerne
The above written by Jim Welterlen
William and Maria Rosburg, also raised an orphan girl, whose parents died of dipthereia and left four children who were divided at the grave. Her name was Liesetta Blumke who later married August Grimm of Rutland Iowa.
Wilhelm Rosburg was a lover of Schiller's poems and many of his daughters are named after characters in these poems.
The above written by ?
The story has always been told to me how William went kicking and screaming into the Union Army during the Civil War. He was with Sherman on his burning of Atlanta and subsequent march to the sea. Above you have heard Jim Welterlen mentioned the throwing of his army clothes into the Mississippi river. From this you get the impression that his army career was anything, but happy. But, one of his fondest recollections in later years was his helping to burn Atlanta. William became a well respected German leader of his community. When WWI broke out the Germans of the midwest had no desire to send their sons off to fight their uncles and cousins. And so it turned out that the German community of Luzerne came to see William Rosburg. They told him that all he had to do was to say the word and they would not send their sons off to fight in Germany. His response was "I fought for my country once and I would do it again.". That ended the discussion. Quite a turn around for someone who went kicking and screaming into the Union Army.
The above written by James F. THoma
Came to America on 01 Jun 1857 aboard the ship Weser along with his brother Henry.
The above from Fritz Rosburg
A COLLECTION OF MEMORIES FROM "OUR FAMILY HISTORY"
by Laura Maria Rosburg Kouba
My Dad, Wilhelm Fredrich Rosburg, came to America in 1855 when he was 19 years old, with the 17 year old brother, Henry. They had an older brother, Christian, who had come over earlier and lived in Davenport, Iowa. They worked in Davenport awile and then moved to Clayton County, Iowa. Later at Clairemont, Fayette County he met and was married to Maria Nieland on Ocotber 21, 1863 by the Rev. Stockfield.
My Mom, Maria Dorothea Nieland was 7 in 1854 when she came to America with her parents. She said that when the family came to the United States that Grapdpa Nieland's brother went overboard from the ship. The Captain of the ship said that if another person lost a pail while dipping water, he 'halfto' pay. So he tied the rope around himself and it tokk him with it! They never saw anthing of him after that. It took them 14 weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Mary had very little schooling after coming to the United States. She worked for a Lutheran minister's family when she was a little older.
My Dad was drafter into the Union Army on October 5, 1864 (28 years old). He was a member of COmpany B, 13th Regiment of Iowa and was honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky on July 21, 1865. He served under General Sherman on the march from Atlanta to the sea! He had just started building a wagon maker shop in Girard, Clayton County, Iowa, when two men came to serve papers on him that he had been drafter to serve in the Civil War.
After the war, Grandpa and Grandma Nieland came to Benton County in a covered wagon. They bought and settled on a farm 2 miles North and 1 1/2 mile East of Luzerne, Iowa.
The oldest child of William and Mary Rosburg, Emma Wilhemine Lisetta, was born August 14, 1864 and died October 1865.
Mother was 40 years old when I was born on February 24, 1887. Mother was 47 years old when esther Augusta was born on July 17, 1894. I was baptized April 8, 1887 (6 weeks old) at the St Paul Lutheran Church in Luzerne by Rev. Philip Studt. His son, Martin, married my sister (Mary) Mayme.
Emil Sr. was baptized in 1887 when he was 10 years old at the "White School" South of Luzerne. Services were held there each Sunday by a travelling 'circuit rider' minister who served several churches.
My Dad's brother, Christian had a general store in Keystone, Iowa. He moved his house from Luzerne to Keystone. (About 6 miles!) In Luzerne, it was located on the lot we built our stucco house. Later both brothers moved West. Christian to the state of Washington where he founded the town of Rosburg. Henry moved to Seattle, King County, Washington, where he raised his family.
William Rosburg had a wagon maker shop in Luzerne from 1870 to 1900 when he retired (at age 64).
On December 12, 1911, William Rosburg, his 10 children, their spouses and grandchildren celebrated his 75th birthday, all coming home for the event. Chas. Rosburg and Wwife, Ella, from Iowa Falls, Iowa. Wm. F. Rosburg, wife and children from Elkton, South Dakota. The rest of the families were from in and around Luzerne. He just had the house wired for electricity so he had all the lights on from cellar to garret. A big day for all.
They also raised a girl, Lisetta Blumke. Her parents both died a few weeks apart of pneumonia. Mother said that they divided the children at the grave of her Mother. (Uncle Martin folks took one also.) Others took one or two. Lisetta married August Grimm and lived and died at Rutland, Iowa.
On October 31, 1913, William and Mary Rosburg celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at their home in Luzerne, which they rebuilt in 1900. They had lived there 45 of the 50 years. All the children, son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws and most of the grandchildren were home for the big day. The children presented the Father with a gold-headed cane and the Mother with a gold wedding ring plus a set of Haviland china dishes. They started out in Clayton County, then in Blairstown for a short time, then moved North of Luzerne. In 1868 they finally came to Luzerne where they lived until Mother passed away on July 7, 1927
October 1913
LUZERNE COUPLE CELEBRATE GOLDEN WEDDING
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM ROSBURG MARRIED FIFTY YEARS AGO
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HELP THEM CELEBRATE THE HAPPY EVENT
One of the most interesting events taking place in Luzerne for many days was the golden wedding celebration of Mr. and Mrs. William Rosburg, which took place at their home last Friday.
Rev. G. Schroeder, of the Lutheran church, the pastor of this worthy couple, honored the occasion by a short talk which was given in words most appropriate to the event.
Mr. and Mrs. William Rosburg were married fifty years October 31, 1913. About forty-two years of this time they lived in Luzerne, Iowa. Mr. Rosburg is about 77 years old. He was born in Holstein, Germany, and came to this country when about 19 years of age. Mr.s Rosburg is 66 years old and was born in Mechlenburg, Germany, as the oldes daughter of Henry Nieland, who came to this country with his family when Mrs. Rosburg was 7 years old.
They were married in Clayton County, Iowa, and removed to Benton county, Iowa, after a few years, living in Blairstown a short time, then north of Luzerne and in the fall of 1868 moved to luzerne where Mr. Rosburg worked at his trade, that of a wagon maker, until the spring of 1900
Children Present.
All the children, as well as all the sons-in law and daughters-in-law were present at the celebration of golden wedding of the aged couple. The children are as follows: Chas. Rosburg, farmer, Eldora, Iowa; Martha Peterman, wife of H. C. Peterman, farmer, Luzerne, Iowa; Rosa Van Deusen, whife of Chas. Van Deusen, president and manager of Farmers Co-op County, Van Horne, Ia; Amelia Westinghouse, wife of Spencer Westinghouse, engineer, C.and N. W., Belle Plaine, Iowa; W. F. Rosburg, farmer, South Dakota; Mary A. Studt, wife of Geo. Studt, farmer, Luzerne, Iowa; Amanda Kouba, wife of Wm. Kouba, merchant and postmaster, Luzerne, Ia.; Laura Kouba, wife of Emil Kouba, merchant, Luzerne, Ia; Miss Esther Rosburg, teacher, Luzerne school who lives at home. There are also nineteen grandchildren.
During the afternoon members of the family rendered a program consisting of numbers on the piano and violin and in the evening games and converstation made the hours pass all too quickly.
Mr. Rosburg is a veteran of the civil war and was a member of Co. B. 13th Iowa Infantry, and saw gallant service during the war. For forty-five years he has been a member of the Lutheran church.
The house was decorated in yellow and white and a huge wedding cake, on which were the years, 1869 and 1913, adorned the dining room table. Beautiful yellow chrysanthemums were the flower decoration.
Children Give Presents
The children presented their father with a gold headed cane, and their mother with a gold ring and a set of gilt-edge Haviland china dishes, and numerous other presents, amonth them being a gold wreath framed in a gold frame, presented by the oldest son.
A family dinner was served at 12 o'clock noon, the parents and their children being seated at one table.
The guests besides the children and grandchildren wer eL. P. Nieland, brother of Mrs. Rosburg, his wife and children; Mrs. Matilda Stuckenbruck, sister of Mrs. Rosburg, from Sioux county, Iowa, and Mr. and Mrs. August Grimm from Humbolt county, Iowa. Mrs. Grimm made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Rosburg for six years.
- Iowa Death and Burial Records lists parents as Henry Rosburg, Grapengeter
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1836 - 1917 (80 years)
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