Joseph Koch Descendants

Richard Koch

2009-03-01T15:11:00.005-06:00

Richard was born 2/6/37 and was killed in Iowa 9/16/64 of a motorcycle accident.

Richard was raised by his aunt Josephine after his mother died when he was just a few months old.

Grandpa Joseph Peter and Richard.

Maureen, Eloi, and Richard

Maureen Koch Rattray

2009-03-01T15:09:00.003-06:00

Maureen died of cancer in 1967. Her husband was Richard Rattray. They had the following children:
William
Neil
Murry: died of colon cancer
Denise (Geary) Meyer: Webster City, IA Children: Angie and Mathew

Rita A. Koch Raymond

2009-03-01T15:02:00.005-06:00

Rita was born on 6/30/31 and died in 1976 of colon cancer in Farmington, MN. She is buried at Fort Snelling (her husband - Robert Raymond Sr. - was in the service. All her children have blue eyes.

Robert Jr. (Satch): Born 10/10/53 in Tracy, MN. Wife Patty. Lives now in Farmington, MN
Children: Jessie, Corie, Josh
Rebecca: 1955-2004 Died of Cushings Disease and adrenal cancer. Never married.
Randy (div): Daughter Jenny lives in Chippewa Falls, WI
Rory (Judy): Born 1/27/61. Children Travis 4/14/87 and Ashley 8/24/89. Lives in Chippewa Falls, WI
Robin Mikaska (div): Children Chad and Debbie. Lives in Arkansas.
Rodney (Tip): Wife Anne. Lives in Farmington, MN No children
Rena: Not married, lives in Arkansas

Donald Michael Koch

2009-03-01T15:00:00.002-06:00

Donald lives in Elk River, MN with his wife Ruth Raymond Koch. They have the following children:
Thomas (Sue): Elk River 3 children, 7 grandchildren
Donald Mark: Died at age 47 of a ruptured colon
Kathryn: Lives with her parents in Elk River
Kevin: Lives in Zimmerman, MN with 10 children
William: Lives in Zimmerman, MN with 1 son
Robert: Lives in Florida with 5 children

Betty Koch

2009-03-01T14:59:00.005-06:00

Betty was born in 1928. She never married and now lives in Sioux City, Iowa, where she sold school supplies for over 42 years.

Edward Theodore Koch

2009-03-01T14:49:00.008-06:00

Eddie was born 7/6/26 in Ghent, Minnesota, and died of an automobile accident 8/28/73. He married Betty McCabe and they lived the majority of their married life in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Eddie was a pouty child and not well behaved. One cousin remembers visiting when Kate was laying in bed dying, and Eddie was under the table kicking at it and scratching it, being naughty and mischievous. When he was asked to stop, he said, "I can do whatever I want. She can't stop me anyway."

He lived for a short time after his mom died with his uncle John's family on their farm but was an angry, bitter, unhappy child. He later was sent to St. Joseph's Orphanage in St. Paul, MN where he lived about a year, along with his brother Donald. At the age of 14, Mr. Malensky from LeCenter took him from the orphanage to work on his farm. He met his wife Betty there. He later worked at the LeSueur foundry, was a night cartaker at Spoors in St. Peter, and then as a painter with Reichel & Sons. Betty claims he refused to talk about his family and his military service, so she knows very little about either. He was short tempered and rather selfish. Eddie loved to hunt and fish, and did so at every opportunity, while his family sat home with no transportation and were very poor.

Children:
Dennis Edward ME: Married first to Judy Nelson, current wife Sharon Winge Lund Koch
Brian (Nicole): Rifle, CO Children: Ricky, Casi, Josh, Sierra
Mark (div): Mankato, MN Children: Miranda and Ali
Tanya Hagen (div): Henderson, MN Children: Katelyn and Alanna
Erik: not married, Kasota, MN
Greg (div): Mankato, MN Children: Marie, Jon, Susie, Laurie
Gary (div): Mankato, MN Sons Hunter and Tanner
Cheryl Jeff) Peters: Homan, Wisconsin Son Travis John.
Danny (div): Mankato, MN Daughter: Lena

Cheryl in picture, Gary, Danny, Dennis, Greg

Dennis's kids
Mark, Tanya, Erik
(Brian missing here)

Eloi Peter Koch

2009-03-01T14:45:00.006-06:00

Eloi was born 10/27/24 and died 6/28/54 of a tractor accident. He married Gloria and had the following children:
Stephen (Kathy): 1834 170th Ave, Slayton 56172
Children: Kristen
Stanley: 1642 Thunderbird, Marshall 56258
Allan (Eve Thompson):
Bobby: Died in a motorcycle accident

Allan, Stan, Steve and wives

Grandchildren of Eloi

Family of Joseph Peter and Katherine Dirckx (Kate)

2009-03-01T14:28:00.004-06:00

Eloi Peter: 10/27/24 - 6/28/54
Edward Theodore: 7/6/26 - 8/28/73
Betty: 1928
Donald Michael:
Rita: 6/03/31 - 1976
Maureen: Died 1976
Richard: 2/6/37 - 9/16/64

See Joseph Peter Koch under the February blog for more general information on this family. Information on each of these siblings follows under this month of March heading.

Bliesbrucken Map

2009-02-24T15:25:00.003-06:00

Before WW1 (1900) this town was known as Bliesbrucken

District of Lothringen, Province of Elsas-Lothringen, Germany

After the war, it became Bliesbruck, Province of Mosele, France

Saarbrucken, where Josephine was born, is only 12 miles NW

Rita Koch Wiltgen

2009-02-19T18:34:00.013-06:00

Rita was born in Alton, Iowa in 1904. She died in 1993 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery in LeMars, Iowa. She married Pete Wiltgen, a mortician in LeMars. I found references to the Wiltgen Funeral Home but no further information. Rita did not have any children.

Dirckx Family

2009-02-19T17:39:00.004-06:00

This is the family of Katherine, wife to Joseph Peter. Katherine's dad was Constant Dirckx and mother was Mary Catherine Stassen. Kate's oldest brother Jules was born in Belgium and came to U.S. with Constant and Mary in 1891. Many other members of the Stassen family came at the same time.

Kate's siblings were Jules, Theodore, Leo, Michael, Joseph, John, Lewis, Mary Blake, and Elizabeth. Both Kate and Mary went blind.

Jules and Theodore fought in WWI - Theodore was killed. The government furnished a grave stone for him, which is now used to mark the family plot in Ghent, Minnesota. Kate is buried here. Jules and his wife Sophie are baptismal sponsors for Betty Koch, oldest daughter of Joseph and Kate.

This family is very well known at the Mayo Clinic as most of them have developed colon polyps (cancer).

Kate's sister Mary married Don Blake (Marshall, MN). Don remarried Lucille after Mary died. Mary had one daughter Rosemary (1942-1968) who married Henry Goblish. They had 4 children who were raised by Mary and Don after Rosemary died. They also raised Eloi Koch. Edward and Betty Koch lived with them for awhile after they got married and their son Dennis was born.

Our contact for the family is Lucille Blake (Don's second wife) and Edwin Dirckx who is the oldest son of Jules (Born in 1926). He lives at 715 Neuse Lane in Marshall MN.

Joseph Peter Koch 8/28/02-11/23/55

2009-02-18T18:37:00.013-06:00

This is Dennis' grandfather and youngest son of Joseph and Elizabeth. Joe married Katherine Dirckx (Kate) on 5/21/24. Joe worked at various jobs including bartender, roofer, farmer, restaurant cook. He is remember as not being very ambitious and was not liked very much by Katherine's family.

Joe died in Worthington, Minnesota (Nobles County) at a tuberculosis sanitorium where he had been for 4 months before his death. He was a heavy smoker and hadn't been well for many years. He is remembered as always having a box of soda handy for his indigestion.

Katherine: 5/15/05 - 11/15/37 died of liver and colon cancer at approximately age 30. She also went blind. She is buried in the Dirckx family burial plot in Ghent, Minnesota and her name on the gravestone is spelled Catherine. See the Dirckx Family entry for more information.

After Kate died, Joe was unable to care for his children and they were sent to live with other family members:
*Eloi went to Mary and Don Blake (Katherine's sister)
*Maureen and Betty went to Joseph's sister Rita Wiltgen
*Richard went to Josephine Ahlers
*Edward and *Donald went to John Koch's for a short time, then to St. Joseph's Orphanage in St. Paul, MN
*Rita went first to Josephine Ahlers for a few months, then Joe took her to Jules and Sophie Dirckx where she stayed approx. 1 year. She was then raised by Grandma Ziegler (Grandma Ziggy) in St. Paul - possibly an orphanage.

Joe lived on his brother John's farm for a time after Kate died and helped him with farm chores. John's daughter Felicia remembers that time well, and says Joe liked her and helped her with her many chores, such as cleaning out the milking machines. He also picked up a candy bar for her when he'd go to town and slip it to her when no one was looking.

All of Joseph and Elizabeth's children except Betty, who may be the lady in front, and the oldest of the grandchildren.

Leona Koch Sanford 1893-1953

2009-02-18T18:19:00.003-06:00

Leona is the little girl sitting on Joseph's lap. She was born in France/Germany.She was 13 when her mother died. Leona married Bennett Sanford and lived most of her life in Fort Dodge, Iowa. They had one son, Virgil, who died about the age of 2. I have no more information on Leona, except that she is the bridesmaid in the picture of Josephine and Herman Ahlers' (her sister) wedding.

Peter Koch 1990-1975

2009-02-18T18:17:00.008-06:00

Peter is the oldest son of Joseph and Elizabeth. He was born in France/Germany and looks about 4 years old in the picture. He was 16 when his mother died. Peter never married. He went to Lyon County, Minnesota, with John and bought a farm at Canby, but returned to Iowa when John got married. He then moved to Martinez, California, where he worked for Shell Oil company until he retired. He then moved back to LeMars, Iowa, to help his sister Rita take care of her invalid husband. Peter is buried in St. Mary's cemetery in Alton, Iowa.

Peter is at left and Otto at right

Otto Koch 1900-1954

2009-02-18T18:15:00.005-06:00

Otto was born in Alton, Iowa. He never married. He was living in Marshall, MN in 1929, then went with with Pete to Martinez, California, in 1938, where they worked at Shell Oil company. Otto is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Alton, Iowa. He died after a long illness.

Nickolas (Nick) Koch 1901-1941

2009-02-18T18:14:00.007-06:00

Nick was born in Alton, Iowa. He was a toddler when his mother died and went to live with his grandfather Schneider in Alton for 5 years. In 1910 they brought him to live with his father Joseph in Minnesota.

In 1918 he was serving in the army. He worked on his uncle John Schneider's farm and at the age of 17 was driving a manure spreader and fell on the spikes, which entered one leg beneath the kneecap. His father Joseph came to visit him in the hospital. Family members report he was "handicapped."

In 1921 he was operated on for appendicitis in Sioux City where he was a shoe repairman and had a shop in the basement of the Eggink store.

Nick was never married. He is buried in St. Mary's cemetery in Alton, Iowa.

John Paul Koch 1895-1989

2009-02-18T18:02:00.009-06:00

John is the baby on Elizabeth's lap. He was the youngest of the family as they came to America. John was 11 when his mother died.

John and his brother Pete came to Ghent in Lyon County, Minnesota, from Alton, Iowa to farm. John married Ann Sanders on 4/14/25. After John's wedding, Pete returned to Iowa.

Many of John's descendants have sleep apnea and need machines to regulate their nighttime breathing. Several also suffer from deteriorating back problems.

John and Ann's children:
Audrey (Lawrence) Kloos: Porter, MN
Felicia Dhaene: St. Peter, MN (Mark, John, David, Suzanne, Patrick, William, Lisa, Mary Jane)
Helen (Robert) Anderson
LaVonne (Ronald) Rauchman
Lois (Paul) Schmidt
John (Jack) - wife Elaine: Eagle Lake, MN

Josephine Koch Ahlers 1887-1956

2009-02-14T13:30:00.027-06:00

Josephine was born in 1887 in Saarbrucken, Germany. She is the oldest child of Joseph and Elizabeth. She was 19 when her mother died.

Josephine married Herman Ahlers on May 13, 1913, and they lived in Granville, Iowa, where she is buried in the Ahlers family cemetery plot. Their wedding picture is to the left. The bridesmaid is her sister Leona and the best man is Herman's brother.

Josephine is Herman's second wife. His first wife was Elizabeth Wieskercher who bore him 2 girls. One is Mrs. Mike Steffes of Lamoure, ND and the other Agatha Steffes (I haven't figured out why the names are the same).

Herman farmed south of Granville and also worked and helped manage the J.L. Wieskercher and Co. general merchandise store.

In honor of Josephine, her family donated the Westminster Chimes to St. Joseph Catholic Church of Granville. In her obituary she was called a devoted mother and kind neighbor.

Josephine and Herman had the following children:
Herman Joseph Jr. 1915 - 2006 (WWII vet - 90th Div Infantry under General George Patten. Won Purple Heart in Normandy Invasion. Never married.
Clarence 1919 - wife: Norma
Children:
David (Linda Langel) 10/14/45 children: Michael, Erin, Nicole, Jeremy
Daniel: 4/2/48 Not married
Margaret Mary (David Tucker - divorced): 7/31/49 Children: Holly and Douglas
Christine Norma (Scott Nielsen): 5/21/51 Children: Justin and Christopher
Barbara (Dennis Henrick): 3/31/54 Children: Noelle
Philip (Teryl Conover): 9/5/58 Children: Derek
Vincent Peter: 1917 WWII Army - mechanic in Iran. Never married.
Helen: 1929 - 1934
Bernard John: 1918-2006 Never married
Edward Michael: 1927 Never married
Rita (Reynold Theisen) of Canby, MN (she had 13 children) see below
Arnold Peter: 1916 Never married
Raymond N. 1921-2006 Never married
Urban John : 1920 WWII Air Corps . Never married
Clara Catherine: 4984 Marsh Ave, Granville 712-727-3281

Herman Ahlers and sons Arnold, Richard Koch, Urban, Edward, Ray

Back: Vincent, Arnold, Urban holding Gary Theisen
Middle: Richard Koch, Clara, Josephine, Rita holding Jim
Front: Mary Ann Theisen and Ken Theisen

Josephine's family

Rita Ahlers Theisen's family

Carol Norton, daughter of Rita, is my contact.

Life in Alton Iowa (Sioux County) in 1800s

2009-02-12T08:52:00.006-06:00

Excerpts from Sioux County Herald newspaper in 1879 (15 years before Joseph and Elizabeth arrived here):

However fertile the soil,or however industrious the toiler, the trials, hardships, and difficulties of the first settlers are many. The first cause of their trials was the poverty of the people. Many had nothing to begin with save their health and courage and those family jewels that are the "pledges of love" and the "consumers of bread." Here they came in a vast rich and beautiful prairie country, but where not a house or store could anywhere be seen or found, where not a piece of bread could anywhere be obtained, or the flour to make it. The nearest market place of any consequence was at Sioux City, a distance of 45 miles. Crossing a trackless prairie for 45 miles for a sack of four or a letter can hardly be called "excellent facilities." In such a new country, flour and feed is dear. A year and half the first settlers have to live from "hand to mouth." After the prairie is broken it has to lie idle one year for the sod to rot. The next season it is ready to be sown. For a poor people to work for a year and a half without receiving remuneration or reaping any fruits of their labor is very trying and difficult, to say the least. With the severest economy and the most patient toil there was no way during the first year and a halt of the settlement to earn a cent of money.

Many lived for weeks and months in their covered wagon boxes. There was no time to build houses. The prairie must be broken in order that they may be able to sow and plant something the following year. One man shared with this author that he had plowed the first year for 3 weeks without seeing a human being save the members of his own housefold who lived in this wagon box. From morning to night he saw nothing but his oxen and the vast expanse of prairie.

After the "breaking season" was over, which lasts until July, they then made ready to build houses, which was by no means an easy task in a country where there is no building material. All the lumber, nails, etc. had to be hauled from Le Mars, a distance of 20 miles, or from Sioux City. Many had only an ox team to do this work. Buildnig under such circumstances is hard and very difficult work. The houses built were mostly small and inconvenient. But this band of hardy pioneers had the energy, faith, and spirit of endurance to pave the way and create a heritage of wealth, prosperity, and happiness for those who came after them.

All the trials and hardships of those early days are now past. A few acres of improved land can be rented almost anywhere for one year. The railroad company and real estate agents, as well as large land owners, have a number of acres broken on every section, so that newcomers can commence to sow and plant immediately and raise a good crop of wheat and corn the first year. Lumber, too, can now be had very cheap right here at the station in East Orange, where there are two large lumber yards. Stores can be found at nearly every street corner and filled with choicest goods. Only one thing is very much needed, the want of which is felt every day and is felt more and more as the colony grows and the resources of our rich and fertile soil are being developed, and that is a steam fouring mill to make into flour the thousands of bushels of wheat that we raise here every year.

In 1972 the Sioux City and St. Paul railroad was completed, running from south to north through the colony. This road opened up the great lumber markets of Minnesota and Wisconsin and the coal fields of Iowa, giving us a good home market for our wheat and every kind of produce.

Following the wake of the settler was the army of money usurers, who stood ready to take advantage of the poor and industrious people. With these usurers came the host of agents for different agricultural implements. But the people were poor and had no money to buy. But the agents must sell, at 10 percent interest. Notes are given, secured by chattel mortgage. Nearly all get in debt and are ignorant of the law, with many being easily led astray. These notes and the debt thereby created has been the greatest source of all the trials and difficulties of the early settlers. The agents are smooth-tongued and know how to trap the innocent farmer.

Many who came here 8 years ago with nothing but a yoke of oxen, a wagon, and a plow, a bed, and a stove would not sell out today for four thousand dollars. Improved farms cannot be bought here anywhere now, a fact that proves that the people, even under the greatest disadvantages of poverty and trails that attend every new settlement, did accumulate wealth.

Amid all the disadvantages and trials of a poor people, this colony has grown, advanced, and improved in the nine years of its history to the wonder of everyone who comes here, whether to visit or make it their home. Looking at the beautiful groves and improved farms that can be seen in every direction, one can hardly believe that all this, nine years ago, was one vast prairie. The Rev. O.J. Squires, state agent for the American Bible Society, who travels all over the state, said: "You have here the best of Iowa. For beauty of location and richness of soil, I know no place to equal this."

Whatever trials and privations the people have been obliged to endure, they have aways had enought to eat and to spare. In 1877, which was a grasshopper year, 140,000 bushes of No. 1 were sold here at East Orange. At least 280,000 bushes of wheat was raised, along with much flax seed, rye, and oats. Last year was the worst of any since the settlement of the colony. The wheat was blighted by the copious rains that followed the intense heat so that it was damaged for the market. Yet this "rejected" wheat made excellent flour, so that there was an abundance of bread.

It is a great mistake to depend upon one kind of farm produce for the support of the family. There should be a diversification of crops. There is too great a passion for immense tracts and great wheat farms. A wiser course is to look to many sources for profit rather than to one. There is no better county than Sioux County for the raising of stock. Good water and grazing is in abundance. Disease of any kind among cattle is unknown here. Our climate has healthy and invigorating influence upon cattle and upon all livestock generally. Our wool, beef, butter, and cheese are unsurpassed. At the Inter State Fair held in Minneapolis, we were awarded the premium for our dairy products. There is no reason why every farmer should not have from 50-100 head of cattle. Pasturage costs nothing. Hay costs only the expense of cutting and stacking. The immense quantity of corn should be fed to hogs. Hog cholera has never been known here. Diversified agriculture is the most sure and profitable in every respect and at all times. The more extensively any given crop is cultivated to the exclusion of other crops, the more often will it meet with disappointment and failure, and will eventually exhaust the soil.

Joseph and Elisabeth

2009-02-11T10:28:00.033-06:00

Joseph Koch: May 1, 1861-December 1924
Marie Elisabeth Schneider Koch: 7/2/1864 - 03/01/06
Joseph born at Saarensmingen. Father is Jean Koch and mother is Catherine Eidesheim.
Marriage: 1886 at Saarensmingen, Lorraine
Arrived at Ellis Island, New York, on 12/04/1893
Settled in Alton, Iowa

Children: Back - Josephine
Front: Leona, Peter, John

Children born in Lorraine (Lothringen) France: Josephine, Pierre (Peter), and Leonie (Leona). Another child, Paul, died shortly after birth.
Children born in Alton: John, Nick, Otto, Joseph Peter, Rita

Joseph (5'8") died in Alton, Iowa, at the age of 63 from stomach and liver cancer. He and Elisabeth are both buried in St. Mary's cemetery in Alton. Elizabeth died after "many months of suffering" according to the Alton newspaper. They report her as an exceptionally industrious woman.

Joseph and Elisabeth came from Sarreinsming in Lorraine (Lothringen in German), a territory of the German Empire following the Franco-Prussian War, later becoming known as Reichsland. French troops entered this area in 1918 and it reverted to France at the Treaty of Versailles. It was again annexed by Nazi Germany in 1940, but reverted again to France in 1945 at the end of World War II. It is located in the upper reaches of the Meuse and Moselle rivers, bounded in the north by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. Nearby Bliesbrucken is heavily wooded, mountainous, and the site of major battles in WW II.

The family traveled from the port of Hamburg in Germany on the ship Suevia. The passenger list shows Elisabeth's name as Marie. Her name is most likely Marie Elisabeth, as it is common to go by the middle name and the first name is usually the name of their baptismal sponsor. Both Peter and Leona had their names Americanized. They traveled with a young woman Emilie Koch, age 27, born approximately 1866. The ship's passenger list says she is married and from Elberfeld, Rheinprovinz. The Hamburg departure list shows she traveled with 2 children - Adelheid age 2 and Emma age 11.

Joseph was a farmer in Germany, and was a laborer and did odd jobs for a living after coming to America. His first job in America was at the mill in Alton, Iowa. Most of this family is Catholic, particularly the first 3 generations starting with Joseph and Elisabeth.

Picture of the ship Suevia and
passenger list.

The ship was built by Caird & Company in 1874. 3609 gross tons, 360' long, 41' wide. Compound enginers, twin screw. Speed 13 knots. Carried 770 passengers, 100 in first class, 70 in second class, 600 in third class.

It was built for Hamburg-American Line, German flag and serviced Hamburg to New York. It was scrapped in France in 1898.

This is Saareinsming, the village Joseph and Elisabeth came from:
Joseph went to Belgium, France, and Holland in 1921 to visit his brother and sisters. He was 60.

Greetings

2009-02-10T13:02:00.004-06:00

This blog was created as a link for descendants of Joseph and Elisabeth Koch to find family information and see pictures of ancestors and cousins. It has not been a close family, and has experienced early death of mothers on several occasions, causing children to be separated and raised in various homes. Very few individuals know more than a very small amount of information, so gathering and putting together a history has been extremely difficult.

Joseph and Elisabeth came to America with 3 children - Josephine (Ahlers), Peter, and Leona (Sanford). Five more children were born in Alton, Iowa - John, Nick, Otto, Joseph Peter, and Rita (Wiltgen).

Joseph Peter married Katherine (Kate) Dirckx and their children were: Eloi Peter, Edward Theodore, Betty, Donald Michael, Rita (Raymond), Maureen (Rattray), and Richard.

I am Sharon Koch, married to Dennis, son of Edward Theodore Koch. My research has taken me to all the branches of this family to try to find someone who has another piece of this puzzle. This is a work in progress as those puzzle pieces are discovered.

You can respond to this post with your information, questions, references, etc. I would be most happy to receive them.

Koch Name Meaning and History
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from Middle High German koch, German Koch ‘cook’ (cognate with Latin coquus). The name in this sense is widespread throughout eastern and central Europe, and is also well established in Denmark.

Top Occupations for Koch in 1880
Compiled from the 1880 U.S. Federal Census records

Farmer 22%

Laborer 7%

Housekeeper 5%

Carpenter 3%

Tailor 2%

Shoemaker 2%