G'Sell, Francois

Francois Antoine G'SELL was born in France, in the late 18th Century, and died on 14 Aug 1837, in France. His wife, Marie Anne MILTENBERGER, was born on 4 April 1791, and died 13 April 1872. They had 7 children.

1-Francois Antoine G'SELL d. 14 Aug 1837

+Marie Anne MILTENBERGER b. 4 Apr 1791, d. 13 Apr 1872

2-Ferdinand G'SELL b. 1820, d. 1895

+Josephine BOWERS

2-Catherine G'SELL

2-Antoine G'SELL b. 1824, d. 13 Feb 1893

2-Jean Pierre G'SELL b. 1833, d. 4 Apr 1896

+Therese SCHMITT b. 1827, d. 26 Apr 1853

2-Marianne Nannette G'SELL

+Jean Pierre WITZIG

2-Josephine G'SELL

2-Emily G'SELL

+Jean BERGER

The information in blue is from [M]. The G'sell, Ferdinand page goes into more detail on Ferdinand G'SELL and Josephine BOWERS and their descendants.

The widow Marie Anne (MILTENBERGER) G'SELL and her mostly grown children left France and came to America in 1851, arriving in Texas.

Marie Anne Gsell

in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

Name: Marie Anne Gsell

Arrival Year: 1851

Arrival Place: Texas

Source Publication Code: 8123.10

Primary Immigrant: Gsell, Marie Anne

Annotation: Date of emigration with intended destination. Author used several sources; although most of the entries were extracted from the Alsace Emigration index, a microfilmed card file which is among the holdings of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Y

Source Bibliography: SCHRADER-MUGGENTHALER, CORNELIA. The Alsace Emigration Book. Vol. 1. Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1989. 277p.

Page: 90

In 1870, Mary is living with 3 of her daughters. This Census doesn't have much information, but it gives us the approximate birth dates of the 3 daughtes, and puts then in Carondelet in 1870. It appears that Cathrine and Josephine have not married, and Mary is widowed.

1870 Carondelet St Louis MO

G'SELL Mary 79 1791 France

G'SELL Cathrine 53 1817 France

G'SELL Josephine 51 1819 France

WITZIG Mary 44 1826 France

The death record confirms the date that appeared in [M], and gives the location.

Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910

Name Maria A Gsell

Death Date 13 Apr 1872

Birth Date abt 1791

County St Louis

Death Location Carondelet, St Louis

Race/Ethnicity White

Age 81

The following sections will cover the children of Francois Antoine G'SELL and Marie Anne MILTENBERGER.

1. Cathrine G'SELL, b. 1817 in France

Catherine Gsell Or Gazelle

in the New Jersey, Deaths and Burials Index, 1798-1971

Name: Catherine Gsell Or Gazelle

Birth Date: abt 1820

Birth Place: France

Death Date: 21 Jun 1885

Death Place: Easthampton, Burlington, New Jersey

Death Age: 65 years

Marital Status: Widowed

Gender: Female

Father Birth Place: France

Mother Birth Place: France

FHL Film Number: 589306

This is probably the wrong person. It says she was widowed, so G'SELL would be her married name.

2. Josephine G'SELL, b. 1819 in France

Josephine Gsell

in the Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910

Name: Josephine Gsell

Death Date: 27 Jul 1898

Birth Date: abt 1817

County: St Louis

Death Location: St Louis

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 81y, 6m

3. Ferdinand G'SELL, b. 1820 in France, married Josephine BOWERS. They are covered in the G'SELL, Ferdinand page.

4. Antoine G'SELL, b. 1824, d. 13 Feb 1893

1-Antoine G'sell b. 1824, d. 13 Feb 1893

+Unknown

2-Albert G'sell b. 18 Sep 1858, d. 7 Dec 1931

+Elizabeth G'sell b. 21 Dec 1858, m. 1881, d. 7 Aug 1940

2-Eugenia G'sell

+Edward CHAPMAN

2-Arthur G'sell

+Mary Shallenberger

2-Emile G'sell

+Louisa

2-Julius G'sell

+Mabel

2-Louis G'sell d. 28 Feb 1918

Anthony G'sell

in the St. Louis, Missouri Marriages, 1804-76

Name: Anthony G'sell

Spouse: Catharine Schleninger

Marriage Date: 18 Dec 1855

Volume/Page: 07-446

1860 US Census for Twp 2 N Range 6 W, St Clair, IL (P.O. Summerfield), taken 11 Sep 1860

GILL Antoine 35 1825 Male France Merchant real estate $200, personal $2000

GILL Catherine 23 1837 Female France

GILL Eugenia 4 1856 Female New Mexico

GILL Albert 2 1858 Male Missouri

GILL Emil 1/12 1860 Male Illinois

HEGE Daniel 33 1827 Male Bavaria Minister personal estate $200.

HEGE Barbara 26 1834 Female Darmstadt

HEGE Menno 2 1858 Male Iowa

In 1870, the family is in Grand Tower, IL, a small town on the Mississippi, about 80 miles SE of St Louis.

1870 Grand Tower Jackson IL

GISULL Antoine 46 1824 Male White France Retired Real Estate $3,000 Personal $100

GISULL Catharine 35 1835 Female White France

GISULL Eugenia 13 1857 Female White Mexico

GISULL Albert 11 1859 Male White Missouri

GISULL Emil 10 1860 Male White Illinois

GISULL Albertine 8 1862 Female White Illinois

GISULL Arther 6 1864 Male White Illinois

GISULL Lewis 2 1868 Male White Illinois

GISULL Julius 1 1869 Male White Illinois

Antoine must have done well as a merchant, as he was able to retire at age 46, and still support a large family. The names of the children agree with [M], except there is another daughter, Albertine. Also, Eugenia's birth place was Mexico in the 1870 Census, but it was New Mexico in the 1860 Census.

1880 US Census for Grand Tower, Jackson, IL

G'SELL F. A. A. White Male 56 1824 Self Widower France France France Trader

G'SELL Albertine White Female 18 1862 Daughter Single Illinois France France

G'SELL Julius White Male 10 1870 Son Single Illinois France France

5. Jean Pierre G'SELL, b. 1833, d. 4 Apr 1896 married Therese SCHMITT b. 1827, d. 26 Apr 1853

1-Jean Pierre G'SELL b. 1833, d. 4 Apr 1896

+Therese SCHMITT b. 1827, d. 26 Apr 1853

2-Ernestine G'SELL b. 15 Jan 1849, d. 6 Mar 1913

+John J. CLAIR b. 13 Jun 1854, d. 22 Jan 1909

3-Anthony CLAIR d. 24 May 1933

3-William A. CLAIR b. 14 Jan 1886, d. 7 Sep 1913

3-John J. CLAIR Jr. b. 13 Mar 1890

The following individuals appear in the 1880 Census, living on the 2nd floor of 280 Franklin Street, St Louis, MO.

1880 US Census for Dist 425, St Louis, St Louis, MO

WITZIG Manon White Female 56 1824 Widowed France France France

GESELL Carolina White Female 65 1815 Single boarding France France France

GESELL Josphine White Female 63 1817 Single boarding France France France

GESELL Louis White Male 12 1868 Single nephew Illinois France France

GESELL Ernestine White Female 28 1852 Single niece Missouri France France

If this Ernestine is the daughter of Jean Pierre and Therese, she would be the niece of the sisters Mary (G'SELL) WITZIG, Cathrine G'SELL and Josephine G'SELL. That would make sense if Manon is Mary and Carolina is Cathrine.

Note: In 1880 Ferdinand G'SELL ran a boarding house. A 23-year-old carpenter named John CLAIR was one of the boarders.

1900 US Census for Ward 10, St Louis, St Louis, MO

CLAIR Ernestine Head Jun 1855 44 Married 18 1882 Missouri France France

CLAIR Anton Son Aug 1883 16 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri Shoemaker

CLAIR Willie A Son Jan 1886 14 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri D.D. Blind

CLAIR John Son Mar 1890 10 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri

In the 1900 Census, John CLAIR is absent, but Ernestine is still married. John must have been born in Ohio. Ernestine was born in Jun 1855, more than 5 years later than the date in [M]. Still, I think this is the right Ernestine CLAIR, because the names of the kids are right. John and Ernestine were married in about 1882. Ernestine has had 3 children, all 3 still living. They live at 3825 Indiana Avenue, in a mortgaged home.

1910 US Census for Ward 11, St Louis, St Louis, MO

1910 Ward 11 St Louis St Louis MO

CLAIR Ernestine Head 55 1855 Widowed Missouri France France

CLAIR Anthony Son 26 1884 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri Expressman

CLAIR William R Son 24 1886 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri None

CLAIR John J Son 20 1890 Single Missouri Ohio Missouri Chair Bldr. Barber Supply

William R. CLAIR was blind, deaf and dumb. He died in 1913, at age 27. The family lived at 3827 Indiana Avenue in 1910, and Ernestine owned the home, free of mortgage.

6. Marianne Nannette G'SELL married Jean Pierre WITZIG.

Mary A Witzig

in the Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910

Name: Mary A Witzig

Death Date: 19 Oct 1902

Birth Date: 19 Aug 1822

County: St Louis

Death Location: St Louis

Race/Ethnicity: White

Ann G'Sell

in the St. Louis, Missouri Marriages, 1804-76

Name: Ann G'Sell

Spouse: James Peter Witzig

Marriage Date: 9 Dec 1856

Volume/Page: 08-150

It looks like Jean Pierre WITZIG became James Peter WITZIG in the US, at some point. In 1850 he was still Jean Pierre, living with has brother and sister or sister-in-law, or perhaps cousins.

1850 US Census for Hancock, IL

WITZIG Jean Jayme 28 1822 White Male France Mechanician?

WITZIG Eugenia 23 1827 White Female France

WITZIG Jean Perrie 24 1826 White Male France Brazier

In 1860, Jean Pierre is Peter. He and Marianne are in St Louis, still childless.

1860 US Census for St Louis, St Louis, MO

WITZIG Peter 34 1826 Male Mühlhausen, France?

WITZIG Marianne 35 1825 Female Erstein, France

Peter is a machinist, with no real estate, and a personal estate valued at $200. Their birth places are hard to read. It looks like Peter was born in Mühlhausen, France and Marianne in Erstein, France. There is a Mühlhausen, in central Germany, not France. Erstein is in Alsace, France, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Strasbourg, bordering southern Germany. Erstein is the origin of the MILTENBERGER family, according to [M].

As we saw in the first section, Marianne was widowed, and living with her mother and two unmarried sisters in 1870. So Jean Pierre, or Peter, died some time between 1860 and 1870. Marianne lived until 1902.

7. Emily G'SELL married Jean BERGER

Sources

[G] G'Sell Family on Facebook

[M] The Miltenberger family of Alsace, by Val Miltenberger, 1954

Updated 26 Aug 2020 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com