Anna was born to Johann Roetger (1799-1877) and Anna Joanna Gertrude (Orthaus) Bessler (1809-1861) on the Bessler family farm Number 23, in the village of Alstaette, Ahaus, Westfalen, Prussia, Germany. The farm was located a mere 1/4 mile from the Dutch border. She was the tenth of eleven children--all boys but Anna and her sister Johanna. She was christened at Sankt Marien Catholic Church in Alstaette.
In 1871, Anna, her father and sister Johanna and her family all left Germany for America. They traveled together on the "Steamship Ohio" arriving in Baltimore, Maryland on 9 Jun 1871. From there they likely took a train to Cincinnati, Ohio where they were met by her brothers who had come over previously.
Anna stayed in Cincinnati for several years likely keeping house for her father and brothers. As they married and moved to their own homes, Anna got a job working as a servant. During this time she met her future husband, Gerhard Heinrich Wessling (1842-1886). About Jan 1879 she and her father moved to Millhousen, Decatur County, Indiana where she she married Gerhard on 6 Feb 1879 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
She and Gerhard made their home on a small cattle and dairy farm located in the hamlet of Jeffersonville which lay just outside the village of Millhousen. Her brothers Johannes, Gerhard and cousin Herman lived nearby with their families. Anna and Gerhard were the parents of five children of which four died between nine and eighteen months. Their only surviving son, Herman, was about two when Gerhard died in 1886.
Left to manage the farm, Anna continued to live there until she sold it for $475 in 1888 in preparation of her second marriage. In November of that same year, she married widower Heinrich Gerwing a neighbor from Alstatte who had traveled to America in 1871 with her on the "Steamship Ohio."
Heinrich had eight children, all boys, ranging in age from one to fourteen. Together with her son Herman, Anna had nine young children to look after plus take care of the household. Since most of her siblings were boys she was probably up for the challenge. After their marriage, Heinrich and Anna moved to Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota where Heinrich had been living. They remained there, adding two more boys to their family: Albert (1889-1955) and Gerhard (1891-1908).
In early 1903, Heinrich and Anna became aware of an opportunity that arose. Some Benedictine monks from Minnesota were organizing an emigration to an area of Saskatchewan, Canada called St. Peter's Colony. With their older boys looking for land to establish their own places, the Gerwings thought they should join the colony to take advantage of this. In 1903 the six oldest came to Lake Lenore with Bernhard bringing his wife. These seven, plus other young men looking for homesteads, built a two-story log house (which has been carefully preserved to this day)in November of 1903.
Anna and Heinrich joined them in 1904; sadly within a year she was a widow again. She was by his side when her husband, Heinrich, succumbed in 1905 to blood poisoning after accidentally cutting himself with a knife.
Lake Lenore was Anna's home for the rest of her life. She outlived six of her own children and one of her step-sons. Her youngest, Gerhard, died of pneumonia after a hunting trip. However, she saw two of her sons marry and have families. Albert Gerwing married Alice Johanna Lynch (1890-1967) on 3 Oct 1911 and had six children. Herman Wessling married Marie Schulte (1893-1931) on 4 Feb 1913 and had four children.
Anna was able to enjoy many years with her sons, step-sons, their wives and her many grandchildren and step-grandchildren before her death in 1936 at the age of 86. She is buried by Heinrich at St. Anthony's Cemetery.
From: Gerwing Family Tree and Bessler/Orthaus Family Tree
In 1871, Anna, her father and sister Johanna and her family all left Germany for America. They traveled together on the "Steamship Ohio" arriving in Baltimore, Maryland on 9 Jun 1871. From there they likely took a train to Cincinnati, Ohio where they were met by her brothers who had come over previously.
Anna stayed in Cincinnati for several years likely keeping house for her father and brothers. As they married and moved to their own homes, Anna got a job working as a servant. During this time she met her future husband, Gerhard Heinrich Wessling (1842-1886). About Jan 1879 she and her father moved to Millhousen, Decatur County, Indiana where she she married Gerhard on 6 Feb 1879 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
She and Gerhard made their home on a small cattle and dairy farm located in the hamlet of Jeffersonville which lay just outside the village of Millhousen. Her brothers Johannes, Gerhard and cousin Herman lived nearby with their families. Anna and Gerhard were the parents of five children of which four died between nine and eighteen months. Their only surviving son, Herman, was about two when Gerhard died in 1886.
Left to manage the farm, Anna continued to live there until she sold it for $475 in 1888 in preparation of her second marriage. In November of that same year, she married widower Heinrich Gerwing a neighbor from Alstatte who had traveled to America in 1871 with her on the "Steamship Ohio."
Heinrich had eight children, all boys, ranging in age from one to fourteen. Together with her son Herman, Anna had nine young children to look after plus take care of the household. Since most of her siblings were boys she was probably up for the challenge. After their marriage, Heinrich and Anna moved to Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota where Heinrich had been living. They remained there, adding two more boys to their family: Albert (1889-1955) and Gerhard (1891-1908).
In early 1903, Heinrich and Anna became aware of an opportunity that arose. Some Benedictine monks from Minnesota were organizing an emigration to an area of Saskatchewan, Canada called St. Peter's Colony. With their older boys looking for land to establish their own places, the Gerwings thought they should join the colony to take advantage of this. In 1903 the six oldest came to Lake Lenore with Bernhard bringing his wife. These seven, plus other young men looking for homesteads, built a two-story log house (which has been carefully preserved to this day)in November of 1903.
Anna and Heinrich joined them in 1904; sadly within a year she was a widow again. She was by his side when her husband, Heinrich, succumbed in 1905 to blood poisoning after accidentally cutting himself with a knife.
Lake Lenore was Anna's home for the rest of her life. She outlived six of her own children and one of her step-sons. Her youngest, Gerhard, died of pneumonia after a hunting trip. However, she saw two of her sons marry and have families. Albert Gerwing married Alice Johanna Lynch (1890-1967) on 3 Oct 1911 and had six children. Herman Wessling married Marie Schulte (1893-1931) on 4 Feb 1913 and had four children.
Anna was able to enjoy many years with her sons, step-sons, their wives and her many grandchildren and step-grandchildren before her death in 1936 at the age of 86. She is buried by Heinrich at St. Anthony's Cemetery.
From: Gerwing Family Tree and Bessler/Orthaus Family Tree
Anna was born to Johann Roetger (1799-1877) and Anna Joanna Gertrude (Orthaus) Bessler (1809-1861) on the Bessler family farm Number 23, in the village of Alstaette, Ahaus, Westfalen, Prussia, Germany. The farm was located a mere 1/4 mile from the Dutch border. She was the tenth of eleven children--all boys but Anna and her sister Johanna. She was christened at Sankt Marien Catholic Church in Alstaette.
In 1871, Anna, her father and sister Johanna and her family all left Germany for America. They traveled together on the "Steamship Ohio" arriving in Baltimore, Maryland on 9 Jun 1871. From there they likely took a train to Cincinnati, Ohio where they were met by her brothers who had come over previously.
Anna stayed in Cincinnati for several years likely keeping house for her father and brothers. As they married and moved to their own homes, Anna got a job working as a servant. During this time she met her future husband, Gerhard Heinrich Wessling (1842-1886). About Jan 1879 she and her father moved to Millhousen, Decatur County, Indiana where she she married Gerhard on 6 Feb 1879 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
She and Gerhard made their home on a small cattle and dairy farm located in the hamlet of Jeffersonville which lay just outside the village of Millhousen. Her brothers Johannes, Gerhard and cousin Herman lived nearby with their families. Anna and Gerhard were the parents of five children of which four died between nine and eighteen months. Their only surviving son, Herman, was about two when Gerhard died in 1886.
Left to manage the farm, Anna continued to live there until she sold it for $475 in 1888 in preparation of her second marriage. In November of that same year, she married widower Heinrich Gerwing a neighbor from Alstatte who had traveled to America in 1871 with her on the "Steamship Ohio."
Heinrich had eight children, all boys, ranging in age from one to fourteen. Together with her son Herman, Anna had nine young children to look after plus take care of the household. Since most of her siblings were boys she was probably up for the challenge. After their marriage, Heinrich and Anna moved to Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota where Heinrich had been living. They remained there, adding two more boys to their family: Albert (1889-1955) and Gerhard (1891-1908).
In early 1903, Heinrich and Anna became aware of an opportunity that arose. Some Benedictine monks from Minnesota were organizing an emigration to an area of Saskatchewan, Canada called St. Peter's Colony. With their older boys looking for land to establish their own places, the Gerwings thought they should join the colony to take advantage of this. In 1903 the six oldest came to Lake Lenore with Bernhard bringing his wife. These seven, plus other young men looking for homesteads, built a two-story log house (which has been carefully preserved to this day)in November of 1903.
Anna and Heinrich joined them in 1904; sadly within a year she was a widow again. She was by his side when her husband, Heinrich, succumbed in 1905 to blood poisoning after accidentally cutting himself with a knife.
Lake Lenore was Anna's home for the rest of her life. She outlived six of her own children and one of her step-sons. Her youngest, Gerhard, died of pneumonia after a hunting trip. However, she saw two of her sons marry and have families. Albert Gerwing married Alice Johanna Lynch (1890-1967) on 3 Oct 1911 and had six children. Herman Wessling married Marie Schulte (1893-1931) on 4 Feb 1913 and had four children.
Anna was able to enjoy many years with her sons, step-sons, their wives and her many grandchildren and step-grandchildren before her death in 1936 at the age of 86. She is buried by Heinrich at St. Anthony's Cemetery.
From: Gerwing Family Tree and Bessler/Orthaus Family Tree
In 1871, Anna, her father and sister Johanna and her family all left Germany for America. They traveled together on the "Steamship Ohio" arriving in Baltimore, Maryland on 9 Jun 1871. From there they likely took a train to Cincinnati, Ohio where they were met by her brothers who had come over previously.
Anna stayed in Cincinnati for several years likely keeping house for her father and brothers. As they married and moved to their own homes, Anna got a job working as a servant. During this time she met her future husband, Gerhard Heinrich Wessling (1842-1886). About Jan 1879 she and her father moved to Millhousen, Decatur County, Indiana where she she married Gerhard on 6 Feb 1879 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
She and Gerhard made their home on a small cattle and dairy farm located in the hamlet of Jeffersonville which lay just outside the village of Millhousen. Her brothers Johannes, Gerhard and cousin Herman lived nearby with their families. Anna and Gerhard were the parents of five children of which four died between nine and eighteen months. Their only surviving son, Herman, was about two when Gerhard died in 1886.
Left to manage the farm, Anna continued to live there until she sold it for $475 in 1888 in preparation of her second marriage. In November of that same year, she married widower Heinrich Gerwing a neighbor from Alstatte who had traveled to America in 1871 with her on the "Steamship Ohio."
Heinrich had eight children, all boys, ranging in age from one to fourteen. Together with her son Herman, Anna had nine young children to look after plus take care of the household. Since most of her siblings were boys she was probably up for the challenge. After their marriage, Heinrich and Anna moved to Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota where Heinrich had been living. They remained there, adding two more boys to their family: Albert (1889-1955) and Gerhard (1891-1908).
In early 1903, Heinrich and Anna became aware of an opportunity that arose. Some Benedictine monks from Minnesota were organizing an emigration to an area of Saskatchewan, Canada called St. Peter's Colony. With their older boys looking for land to establish their own places, the Gerwings thought they should join the colony to take advantage of this. In 1903 the six oldest came to Lake Lenore with Bernhard bringing his wife. These seven, plus other young men looking for homesteads, built a two-story log house (which has been carefully preserved to this day)in November of 1903.
Anna and Heinrich joined them in 1904; sadly within a year she was a widow again. She was by his side when her husband, Heinrich, succumbed in 1905 to blood poisoning after accidentally cutting himself with a knife.
Lake Lenore was Anna's home for the rest of her life. She outlived six of her own children and one of her step-sons. Her youngest, Gerhard, died of pneumonia after a hunting trip. However, she saw two of her sons marry and have families. Albert Gerwing married Alice Johanna Lynch (1890-1967) on 3 Oct 1911 and had six children. Herman Wessling married Marie Schulte (1893-1931) on 4 Feb 1913 and had four children.
Anna was able to enjoy many years with her sons, step-sons, their wives and her many grandchildren and step-grandchildren before her death in 1936 at the age of 86. She is buried by Heinrich at St. Anthony's Cemetery.
From: Gerwing Family Tree and Bessler/Orthaus Family Tree
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