Compiled by Theresa Catherine Foster in 1948. History of mother’s side of family.

Our great-grandfather, Matthew Kirsch and great-grandmother Kirsch were born in Germany. He was a shoemaker both in Germany and in America. They came to America and were blessed with five children:

Christian, our grandfather, Joseph, John, Minnie and Mary.

Joseph Kirsch married Elizabeth Shirley: they had eight children. After Elizabeth passed away, Joseph married Mary Alles, an old maid form Mount Vernon, Indiana; she was 50 yeas old.

John Kirsch married a Laura Ellis; three children were born to them.

Minnie married John Shirley and they had eight children and she passed away in 1902.

Mary married John Dishinger. Eight children made up their family.

Christian married Elizabeth Catherine Patri. Their seven children were John, Joseph, Elizabeth Catherine (mom), William Mathew, Alma Anna (Aunty), George Albert and Antone.

John died when he was 11months old and Antone, a pre-mature baby died when he was one month old.

Great-grandfather, John Patri, married Anna Shoney in France, where both were born and raised. They lived in Alsace-Lorraine, France. Their eight children are listed below:

John married Anna Swartz and they had four children.

Joseph married Elizabeth Goode. Not having children of their own, they adopted a little girl named Ellen.

Elizabeth Catherine Patri married Christian Kirsch and they were blessed with seven children.

Augusta married John Siebert and they had three children.

Andy married Regina Frye and they had two children.

Frank married a Suzie and they had three children.

George married Sara Batey and they had one child.

Augusta and John Siebert celebrated a "Golden Wedding Anniversary" on August 12, 1951 in Evansville, Indiana, their home.

Mom tells of the hard times her grandmother had in France when Germany was trying to take that part of the country. With the men away fighting it was necessary for the women to stay home and care for the fields. After Germany had taken over Alsace-Lorraine, the German Soldiers on their return march home, were confiscating anything they wanted along the way. Great-grandmother said when these soldiers came to rob them of their silverware and cooking utensils, she remembered how her mother and neighbor women and children, who were old enough to help hold off these "German soldier robbers" by throwing hot mush on them. Meanwhile others hid silverware and valuables in the haystacks and other places they didn’t think they would take time to look for. Great-grandmother also remembered an old man, who could hardly walk, being forced to lead his cow on with them. They beat him when he fell and would make him get up and keep going.

Great grandmother Patri was so impressed with these ugly memories of when the Kaiser took over, that in later years she was very bitter. Mom tells of an incident when her mother had been invited to visit some friends by the name of Shank. They, Great-grandmother and Grandmother, were entering the Shank living room when Great-grandmother stopped short pointing to a picture of the Kaiser and said, "Give me Ax, there is no room for both of us in there". Standing firm on her refusal to enter the room she was entertained in another room. All of her children said, Great-grandmother Patri would have been so happy to have lived to see the day when Germany lost that part of France in 1918.

Grandmother was four years old when the Germans came in. The Kaiser would not allow the French language to be taught in the schools. Thus all school children had to learn German.

When our Grandmother Kirsch (Elizabeth Catherine Patri) was nine years old, her family and grandparents came to America. They went to southern Indiana, where Great-grandfather Patri settled on a Farm. He died of typhoid fever seven years later. Great-grandmother Patri died on July 4, 1913.

Mom’s brothers and sister and the people, whom they married, are as follows:

John died; Joseph, born January 15, 1890, married Rose Schmidt and they were blessed with three children. He died on January 27, 1917. William Matthew was born on November 1, 1895; he married Margurite Mandaback and had six children. They lost one son following a lingering illness. They made their home in Washington, Indiana, where Matthew (Uncle Bill) was a Railroad Dispatcher. Alma Anna, born in June 24, 1897, married Bartholomew Stack and makes their home in Cheyenne, Wyoming. They adopted a two weeks old boy and named him James William. James married Doris Ellen Wyatt in 1943. He was a radioman in the Air Corp and was killed in action in World War II. This family has always been much closer to our family than some of our aunts and uncles. Aunt Alma lived with Mom and Dad often on and off for about six years before she married. Then Edna and Sis went to the Catholic High School in Cheyenne while Jimmie came and lived with us one year. He was like a brother more than a cousin. Thus the nickname of "Auntie and Uncie" for these special people.

George Albert was born on January 22, 1900. He married Lillian Weintz. They had one child, Earl Eugene, who lived with us a couple of years when his mother and father separated and later divorced. Aunt Lillian is living alone. Uncle George married an Ann and they have a cute little girl named for their favorite movie actress, Linda Darnell Kirsch. Earl married Mary Rogers of San Francisco, Calif., where they now make their home with their two sons, Kennith and Michael.

Mom’s other brother was Antone and as mentioned previously, died when he was a month old, on November 18, 1902.

Elizabeth Catherine, our mother, was born on July 6, 1893, in Evansville, Indiana. There she attended Delaware Grade School up to the eighth grade.

On December 13, 1906, Grandfather Kirsch died of socalled miller’s consumption. He had worked in a flourmill from the age of fourteen until his death at the age of 43.

Elizabeth finished the seventh grade and then went to work in Fendrick’s Cigar Factory at the age of

Fourteen. She worked there for six years and was absent only one day during all of the six years.

In 1916, Grandmother Kirsch married Roman Kohl. They made their home in Ridgeway, Illinois.

Later, Grandmother, having a severe case of sugar diabetes, went to her son, William’s home in Washington, Indiana. There was little the doctor could do for her there. Six weeks later, on March 28, 1928, Grandmother Kirsch passed away.