Daniel Ebert was born the 5th of May, 1812 in Metz, France according to information written on the back of his photo. However, the census records do not support this and are not consistent. His year of birth is calculated to be 1814, 1818, 1820, and May 1822 on various census records. In his 1905 South Dakota State Census card, Daniel gave his age as 83, parents' places of births as Schwizenberg, France and his place of birth as Schweizenberg, France. He said he had lived in the U.S. for 71 years. I can not locate Schwizenberg/Schweizenberg, France.
According to family oral history he was the son of (General) Charles Ebert. General Ebert supposedly fought for Napoleon. When he realized the defeat of Napoleon was imminent he sent his wife and son, some say two sons out of France to safety. He was a wealthy man and placed a large sum of money in the Bank of England for his family's use. The oral family history was that General Ebert was beheaded. There is speculation the family name was originally Hebert but was changed to Ebert upon arrival in America. (None of this information is proved. Napoleon was defeated in June 1815 and lived only another six years in captivity. Unless Daniel lived in England for quite a few years the family folklore appears totally inaccurate.)
Daniel and his mother, her name may have been Hannah, escaped from France with a pass signed by Napoleon. (The 1900 and 1905 census records list his birth year as 1822 and immigration as 1834. The 1910 census record estimates his birth year as 1814 and immigration as 1827.) As an adult, Daniel kept this pass and correspondence he had with the Bank of England in a trunk. He tried to claim the money from the Bank of England but had no success. He forbid anyone to touch the trunk. One time Paul Abner Ebert, Daniel's grandson, took the papers to town and had a French barber translate them. He then returned them to the trunk without his grandfather's knowledge. The barber's translations verified Daniel's story. Later the family found Daniel burning all his papers.
After arriving in America Daniel was placed in a Catholic School. After losing track of his mother he took his sack of gold coins and ran away from school to search for her. He searched for three months, traveling at night and sleeping during the day. Some in the family say he walked from Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Daniel married Catharine (possibly Reiley) who was born about 1828 in Bavaria, Germany. Daniel and Catherine had at least eight children. (Their birth dates are from a hand written list found in the belongings of Paul Abner Ebert, son of John Ebert. Their accuracy is unknown.)
Fredrick b. July 3, 1850 in Wisconsin
Daniel P., b. August 11, 1851 in Dodge County, Wisconsin
Henry H. b. May 24, 1853 Dodge County, Wisconsin
Katherine b. July 29, 1855 Wisconsin
John b. September 8, 1858 Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
George b. September 2, 1860 Wisconsin
Mary b. January 8, 1866 Minnesota
William b. January 8, 1868 Minnesota
Daniel and Catherine lived in Dodge County, Wisconsin and then Winona County, Wisconsin before moving their family to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Later, Daniel had a feed mill in Graceville, Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Catherine died in 1897 according to a telegram sent to John Ebert from Daniel Ebert. The telegram says, "If you want to see mother alive come quick or answer." It is dated the 9th of February, 1897. In his later years Daniel lived with his son John in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to Evelyn Vold, "He was a very short man and became known as "Little John." He died the 25th of February, 1912 in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to a paper found in Arthur Ebert's possessions, Daniel died the 26th of February, 1912 but the South Dakota Death Index lists his death as the 25th of February, 1912. He is buried in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota."
Researched and written by Susan Kimes Burgess 1999 and edited and updated February 2022.
According to family oral history he was the son of (General) Charles Ebert. General Ebert supposedly fought for Napoleon. When he realized the defeat of Napoleon was imminent he sent his wife and son, some say two sons out of France to safety. He was a wealthy man and placed a large sum of money in the Bank of England for his family's use. The oral family history was that General Ebert was beheaded. There is speculation the family name was originally Hebert but was changed to Ebert upon arrival in America. (None of this information is proved. Napoleon was defeated in June 1815 and lived only another six years in captivity. Unless Daniel lived in England for quite a few years the family folklore appears totally inaccurate.)
Daniel and his mother, her name may have been Hannah, escaped from France with a pass signed by Napoleon. (The 1900 and 1905 census records list his birth year as 1822 and immigration as 1834. The 1910 census record estimates his birth year as 1814 and immigration as 1827.) As an adult, Daniel kept this pass and correspondence he had with the Bank of England in a trunk. He tried to claim the money from the Bank of England but had no success. He forbid anyone to touch the trunk. One time Paul Abner Ebert, Daniel's grandson, took the papers to town and had a French barber translate them. He then returned them to the trunk without his grandfather's knowledge. The barber's translations verified Daniel's story. Later the family found Daniel burning all his papers.
After arriving in America Daniel was placed in a Catholic School. After losing track of his mother he took his sack of gold coins and ran away from school to search for her. He searched for three months, traveling at night and sleeping during the day. Some in the family say he walked from Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Daniel married Catharine (possibly Reiley) who was born about 1828 in Bavaria, Germany. Daniel and Catherine had at least eight children. (Their birth dates are from a hand written list found in the belongings of Paul Abner Ebert, son of John Ebert. Their accuracy is unknown.)
Fredrick b. July 3, 1850 in Wisconsin
Daniel P., b. August 11, 1851 in Dodge County, Wisconsin
Henry H. b. May 24, 1853 Dodge County, Wisconsin
Katherine b. July 29, 1855 Wisconsin
John b. September 8, 1858 Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
George b. September 2, 1860 Wisconsin
Mary b. January 8, 1866 Minnesota
William b. January 8, 1868 Minnesota
Daniel and Catherine lived in Dodge County, Wisconsin and then Winona County, Wisconsin before moving their family to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Later, Daniel had a feed mill in Graceville, Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Catherine died in 1897 according to a telegram sent to John Ebert from Daniel Ebert. The telegram says, "If you want to see mother alive come quick or answer." It is dated the 9th of February, 1897. In his later years Daniel lived with his son John in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to Evelyn Vold, "He was a very short man and became known as "Little John." He died the 25th of February, 1912 in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to a paper found in Arthur Ebert's possessions, Daniel died the 26th of February, 1912 but the South Dakota Death Index lists his death as the 25th of February, 1912. He is buried in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota."
Researched and written by Susan Kimes Burgess 1999 and edited and updated February 2022.
Daniel Ebert was born the 5th of May, 1812 in Metz, France according to information written on the back of his photo. However, the census records do not support this and are not consistent. His year of birth is calculated to be 1814, 1818, 1820, and May 1822 on various census records. In his 1905 South Dakota State Census card, Daniel gave his age as 83, parents' places of births as Schwizenberg, France and his place of birth as Schweizenberg, France. He said he had lived in the U.S. for 71 years. I can not locate Schwizenberg/Schweizenberg, France.
According to family oral history he was the son of (General) Charles Ebert. General Ebert supposedly fought for Napoleon. When he realized the defeat of Napoleon was imminent he sent his wife and son, some say two sons out of France to safety. He was a wealthy man and placed a large sum of money in the Bank of England for his family's use. The oral family history was that General Ebert was beheaded. There is speculation the family name was originally Hebert but was changed to Ebert upon arrival in America. (None of this information is proved. Napoleon was defeated in June 1815 and lived only another six years in captivity. Unless Daniel lived in England for quite a few years the family folklore appears totally inaccurate.)
Daniel and his mother, her name may have been Hannah, escaped from France with a pass signed by Napoleon. (The 1900 and 1905 census records list his birth year as 1822 and immigration as 1834. The 1910 census record estimates his birth year as 1814 and immigration as 1827.) As an adult, Daniel kept this pass and correspondence he had with the Bank of England in a trunk. He tried to claim the money from the Bank of England but had no success. He forbid anyone to touch the trunk. One time Paul Abner Ebert, Daniel's grandson, took the papers to town and had a French barber translate them. He then returned them to the trunk without his grandfather's knowledge. The barber's translations verified Daniel's story. Later the family found Daniel burning all his papers.
After arriving in America Daniel was placed in a Catholic School. After losing track of his mother he took his sack of gold coins and ran away from school to search for her. He searched for three months, traveling at night and sleeping during the day. Some in the family say he walked from Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Daniel married Catharine (possibly Reiley) who was born about 1828 in Bavaria, Germany. Daniel and Catherine had at least eight children. (Their birth dates are from a hand written list found in the belongings of Paul Abner Ebert, son of John Ebert. Their accuracy is unknown.)
Fredrick b. July 3, 1850 in Wisconsin
Daniel P., b. August 11, 1851 in Dodge County, Wisconsin
Henry H. b. May 24, 1853 Dodge County, Wisconsin
Katherine b. July 29, 1855 Wisconsin
John b. September 8, 1858 Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
George b. September 2, 1860 Wisconsin
Mary b. January 8, 1866 Minnesota
William b. January 8, 1868 Minnesota
Daniel and Catherine lived in Dodge County, Wisconsin and then Winona County, Wisconsin before moving their family to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Later, Daniel had a feed mill in Graceville, Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Catherine died in 1897 according to a telegram sent to John Ebert from Daniel Ebert. The telegram says, "If you want to see mother alive come quick or answer." It is dated the 9th of February, 1897. In his later years Daniel lived with his son John in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to Evelyn Vold, "He was a very short man and became known as "Little John." He died the 25th of February, 1912 in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to a paper found in Arthur Ebert's possessions, Daniel died the 26th of February, 1912 but the South Dakota Death Index lists his death as the 25th of February, 1912. He is buried in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota."
Researched and written by Susan Kimes Burgess 1999 and edited and updated February 2022.
According to family oral history he was the son of (General) Charles Ebert. General Ebert supposedly fought for Napoleon. When he realized the defeat of Napoleon was imminent he sent his wife and son, some say two sons out of France to safety. He was a wealthy man and placed a large sum of money in the Bank of England for his family's use. The oral family history was that General Ebert was beheaded. There is speculation the family name was originally Hebert but was changed to Ebert upon arrival in America. (None of this information is proved. Napoleon was defeated in June 1815 and lived only another six years in captivity. Unless Daniel lived in England for quite a few years the family folklore appears totally inaccurate.)
Daniel and his mother, her name may have been Hannah, escaped from France with a pass signed by Napoleon. (The 1900 and 1905 census records list his birth year as 1822 and immigration as 1834. The 1910 census record estimates his birth year as 1814 and immigration as 1827.) As an adult, Daniel kept this pass and correspondence he had with the Bank of England in a trunk. He tried to claim the money from the Bank of England but had no success. He forbid anyone to touch the trunk. One time Paul Abner Ebert, Daniel's grandson, took the papers to town and had a French barber translate them. He then returned them to the trunk without his grandfather's knowledge. The barber's translations verified Daniel's story. Later the family found Daniel burning all his papers.
After arriving in America Daniel was placed in a Catholic School. After losing track of his mother he took his sack of gold coins and ran away from school to search for her. He searched for three months, traveling at night and sleeping during the day. Some in the family say he walked from Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Daniel married Catharine (possibly Reiley) who was born about 1828 in Bavaria, Germany. Daniel and Catherine had at least eight children. (Their birth dates are from a hand written list found in the belongings of Paul Abner Ebert, son of John Ebert. Their accuracy is unknown.)
Fredrick b. July 3, 1850 in Wisconsin
Daniel P., b. August 11, 1851 in Dodge County, Wisconsin
Henry H. b. May 24, 1853 Dodge County, Wisconsin
Katherine b. July 29, 1855 Wisconsin
John b. September 8, 1858 Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
George b. September 2, 1860 Wisconsin
Mary b. January 8, 1866 Minnesota
William b. January 8, 1868 Minnesota
Daniel and Catherine lived in Dodge County, Wisconsin and then Winona County, Wisconsin before moving their family to Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Later, Daniel had a feed mill in Graceville, Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Catherine died in 1897 according to a telegram sent to John Ebert from Daniel Ebert. The telegram says, "If you want to see mother alive come quick or answer." It is dated the 9th of February, 1897. In his later years Daniel lived with his son John in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to Evelyn Vold, "He was a very short man and became known as "Little John." He died the 25th of February, 1912 in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota. According to a paper found in Arthur Ebert's possessions, Daniel died the 26th of February, 1912 but the South Dakota Death Index lists his death as the 25th of February, 1912. He is buried in Britton, Marshall County, South Dakota."
Researched and written by Susan Kimes Burgess 1999 and edited and updated February 2022.
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