By: Heather Lee Duschell, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA

Duschl Family History

Joseph M. Duschl, Sr. was born in Bavaria. A proprietor of the Emperor’s (Franz Joseph I of Austria) iron works, he had gained that position through his industry, fidelity and skill as a mechanic.

Joseph M. Duschl married Magdalena Grahamer in Schwanenstadt, Upper Austria. Magdalena bore him 7 children: Anna, Lousia, Magdalena, Matthias (oldest), Theresa, Marie, and Joseph M., Jr. This Duschl family was one of many families in Upper Austria who wanted to escape from the Revolution that was raging since 1776. Austria under the rule of the Emperor – a continuation of the European government of the Middle Ages. The German nations as a whole were slow to adopt constitutional government. The upper classes ruled the Austrian people and ruled them poorly, to the increasing dissatisfaction of the ordinary person. Finally in 1848, the Austrian people rose in a revolution, trying to overthrow the government of the Emperor and to institute a government by constitution. This war of 1848-1849 was unlike our own war of Independence in the USA. The Emperor was too close at hand. The Imperal armies, allied with the armies of the Russian Czar, crushed the Revoution. The solders were bombarded into surrender and the uprising for freedom was ended. At this time, many families began making plans to come to the New World where they could live as free people and be able to worship their “God” as they pleased.

These people send one man to the New World to look for a place that resembled their homeland. His name was Mr. Lichtenwagner. When he found the land in the new world, he sent word to his friends in Austria and on November 15 th, 1853, the first families arrived. Among these was the Joseph M. Duschl, Sr. family. They suffered many hardships on the voyage over, the worst being the death of their beloved wife and mother, Magdalena. She was buried at sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean voyage ended at New Orleans and then they traveled up the Mississippi River by flatboat. By the time they arrived at Willard’s Landing, which was on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, just north of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, they had been on the water for 69 days, the last few without food or water.

They traveled on East to the wilderness settlement that Mr. Lichtenwagner had bought. He had already set up a sawmill and land cleared and timber cut for these families to start building homes. Soon after they were settled, they started making plans to build their church—one to be fashioned after the cathedrals of their homeland and to be built with all their skill, knowledge, and their faith and strength. The church was called “Kornthal”, often referred to as the Church of Peaceful Valley. Along the church property flows Dutch Creek, this is a clear, rock-bottom sprint-fed stream. The settlement and church are located in the beautiful foothills of the Ozarks, 2.5 miles southwest of Jonesboro, Illinois.

Joseph M. Duschl, Sr. married Magdalena Grahamer in Schwanenstadt, upper Austria

Children (7):

 Anna Duschl married Daniel Cook (8/5/1855)

 Louisa Duschl married Henry Harmes (8/22/1859)

 Magdalena Duschl married Franz Louis Terpenitz (12/15/1856)

 Marie Duschl married Joseph H Terpenitz (5/31/1863)

 Theresa Clarisa Duschl married Michael Fettinger (9/24/1863)

 Matthias Duschl married Josephine Reischauer (10/31/1876)

o Born on 2/7/1841 in Schwanenstadt, upper Austria

o He was 12 when the family arrived in New Orleans o Had 7 children

. John Edward married Clara Margaret Huppert (date unknown)

 Children

o Otto A. Duschl

o Josephine Duschl

o Elmer Matthias Duschl

o Eva Louise Duschl

o Leon Edward Duschl

o Rosemary Duschl

. Ernest Duschl married Hulda Huelson

 Had no children

. Minnie Marie Duschl married Otto John Kirschner (12/10/1916)

 Josephine Clara

 Pauline Rosina

 John Rudolph

 Robert Edward

 Mary Lucille

. Otto (who died as a young man)

. Joe Duschl married Nora ______?

 Had no children

. Rudolph G. Duschl married Nona Agnes lackey (12/24/1919)

 Robert Lowis Duschl

 Margaret Ann Duschl

 Frederick Duschl

. Fred ?

o Progressive farmer in Union County, Illnois

o Became the President of the Southern Illinois Fair, Anna, Illinois

o Suffered a paralytic stroke in 1915 and was completely paralyzed on the left side until his death which came on his 78th birthday, 2/7/1919.

 Joseph M. Duschl, Jr., married Malinda Cole (9/10/1876) o On 9/10/1876, in Alexander county, Illinois, he married Malinda Cole (step-father was named Kelley). To this union one child was born. She was named Ida Malinda. When Ida was four years old, her mother died on November 6, 1882. She is buried beside Joseph M. Duschl, Sr. and Theresa Duschl in the Jonesboro, Illinois Cemetery. About 2.5 years later her father sold his farm in Union county, Illinois and took her and moved to Lexington, Arkansas where he homesteaded 160 acres of timberland. One day he was cutting timber when an Irish family (the Mankers) who had some sons and one daughter stopped their wagons, hopping to trade horses. As it turned out Joseph M. Duschl, Jr., had talked them into staying on awhile. He hired them to help him clear and cut timber. The Manker family were all over 6’3’’ and were large-framed and very strong people. When they decided to move on, Joseph M. Duschl asked for the hand in marriage to the 14 year old daughter, Laura, in marriage. o Joseph M. Duschl, Jr 2nd marriage Laura Manker (1886)

. They had 9 children (and the change of the Duschl name---for reasons I still don’t know why)

 Joey Duschell married Myrtle Cook

o Had 12 children

. Lillie Duschell

. George Roma Duschell

. Joe Thomas Duschell

. Harry Raymond Duschell

. William Garland Duschell (deceased)

. Opal Duschell

. Loyd Leo Duschell

. Alice Means Duschell

. Willa Lois Duschell

. Delice Duschell (deceased)

. Lenora Duschell (deceased)

. Harry Duschell (yes there were two of them because one died)

 Clara Duschell

 Lillie Duschl

 John Sidney Duschell

 Minnie Duschell

 Oscar Otto Duschel

 Emaline Duschel

 Cora Duschel

 Carles Chester Duschel 

Joseph M. Duschl, Sr.’s second marriage was to Theresa RoseAnn Fuerthbauer Heistbeinan (2/1/1854)

Children from this marriage (2):

 Franziska Duschl married John Adam Bernhard (4/13/1875)

o Marie Theresa

o John

o Hugo

o Louise

o Egbert

o Fred

o Leo

 John Eben Duschl married Sarah Louise Adair (6/11/1891)

o Two children

. Clara Mae Duschl

. John Adair Duschl

o John Eben Duschl was born on the farm 2.5 miles southwest of Jonesboro, Illinois in the Kornthal German Lutheran community. As a young man, he decided he wanted to learn the trade of watchmaking. He moved to Chicago where he obtained more knowledge about it. His first job was in Galesburg, Illinois, a town east of Peoria. In 1883, he went to Mapleton, Iowa (at the time the Chicago Northwestern Railroad had been built as far as Mapleton). His first job there was with Scott bros. General Store in charge of the jewelry department. A few years later he bought out a furniture and undertaking establishment. He installed a jewelry department and carried on the three businesses.

o In 1891 he married Sarah Adair at Dakota City, Nebraska.

o President of the Mapleton, Iowa Gas Company 20 years

o Lifelong member of the Community Club and Methodist Church, Royal Arch Masons, Knights Templar, Shrine and Eastern Star.

o Member of the Masonic lodge for more than 50 years.

Franziska Duschl, “Aunt Fanny” as we will refer to her, was born to Joesph M. Duschl Sr. and Theresa Fuerthbauer Heistbeinan Duschl on December 23, 1854 on the farm 2.5 miles southwest of Jonesboro, Illinois. She was a lifetime member of St. Paul’s German Lutheran Church (Kornthal) where as an infant was christened, as a young girl, confirmed, and as a young woman united in marriage to John Adam Bernhard on April 13, 1874.

[Story by Otto Duschl]: Aunt Fanny was a devout Christian. Her entire life was one of concern, not only for her family but for all people. She was more like a mother to me (Otto Duschl) when I made my home with her and Uncle Adam for about 2 years when I farmed with their son, John. Some of the memories I recall about this time were the long team and wagon rides morning and evening which was about 3 miles away each way. We were farming land adjoining Grandpa’s farm (Joseph M. Duschl, Sr.) on Dutch Creek. The evenings were the most enjoyable specially after putting in a hard day’s labor. Then on the way home we would wind up the long, Bernhard “holler” as we referred to it then. The drive was beautiful with the winding road lined with timber. We enjoyed “fording” the creek several times that flowed the entire length of the hollow. We would see wild game crossing ahead of us many times. When John and I arrived at the barn, our first chore was to unharness the horses – generally 4-6 head. They would roll in the dust. Then they would head for a large, concrete vat filled with ice-cold spring water. All these thing mentioned took place in the mid- 1920’s and I shall always cherish them as long as I live. Aunt Fanny departed this life peacefully on Sunday evening at 11:40pm, February 25, 1939 at her home in Jonesboro. Her funeral was held at Kornthal and she was laid to rest in the Jonesboro Cemetery.