Alexander Müller alias Muller

  Notiz:

In Switzerland family name written "Müller", changed in USA into "Muller"
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Alex Muller, born 1849 in Reckingen, Switzerland. In the parish registries is remarked "died in America". In a record of emigrants from Reckingen, record established in the year 1890, it reads Muller Alexander, sun of Severin and Waldburga Biderbost, born 1849, profession farmer worke, born and living in Reckingen, emigrated 17 april 1873 to North America.

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Came to America and landed in New York on 01 MAR 1873.
Went to Triona, TEXAS on 08/03/1909. Returned to Springfield 08/18/1909.
Moved to Hillsboro, ND on 09/03/1909. On 09/07/1909, bought 160 acres for
$62.50 per acre. Closing sale in Springfield was 01/06/1910.

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Cemetery Record: Calvary Cemetery, Springfield, IL
Blk L, Lot 21, Range 1, Grave 3
Died 1935 July 11
Age: 85 years, 9 mos., 19 days
Undertaker: Ellinger & Kunz

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Portrait & Biographical Album of Sangamon County, Illinois
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1891, Page 324
Alex Muller: The dairy interests of Sangamon county are worthily represented by the subject of this biographical review who is the proprietor of the well-known Walnut Grove Dairy, and whose headquarters are at his present homestead on section 16, Woodside Township. There he is ably conducting a large and flourishing business and accumulating acompetency for his declining years. His fine farm comprises one hundred and twenty-two acres of good land pleasantly located and thoroughly cultivated and improved. The residence is a commodious structure conveniently arranged, while the various outbuildings necessary to the successful operation of his business are substantial and extensive.

The gentlemen who is at the head of this business is a native of Switzerland, and in that land which has given the world so many able men he was born September 22, 1849. He is at the present writing in the prime of life and has before him the prospect of an old age of honor and comfort. He passed the years of childhood and youth in his native country and there remained until he was about twenty-four years of age. Having resolved to seek the land across the ocean he left Switzerland and in 1873 crossed the broad Atlantic, finally anchoring at New York City and proceeding directly to Chicago.

During the year following his arrival in America our subject was variously engaged, and in 1874 came to Sangamon County, where he has sinceresided. Although poor when he came here, his industry and persistent toil did not fail of their reward, and he gradually became independent in his resources. In the fall of 1888 he was enabled to invest the accumulated savings of years in his present estate of one hundred and twenty-two acres, and here he has since continued to live, devotinghis time to the dairy business, in which he embarked in 1873.

The subject of this sketch was united in marriage September 6, 1875, in Sangamon County, Ill., with Miss Bertha, daughter of John and Kate Zimmerman. Mrs. Muller was born in Bellevue, Ill., December 10, 1855,and was there reared to womanhood, receiving the advantages of a common-school education. she is a most estimable lady and is highly esteemed by a large circle of friends. To her and her husband eight children have been born, who are named as follows: Rose, Henry, John, Emma,Anna, Mathias, Maria and Bertha. The children are bright and intelligent and will in due time receive the best educational advantages, as they are now being carefully trained at home for future positions of trust and honor.

In their religous faith Mr and Mrs. Muller are in sympathy with the teachings of the SS. Peter and Paul Church, and are ever ready to aid, by word or deed, those who stand in need of help. Politically Mr. Muller votes the Democratic ticket, believing the principles of that party to be most nearly correct. However, he is so engrossed with the duties of his occupation that he does not care to accept public office and give up the duties of his dairy for the more exciting cares of public position. He has on his farm sixty or seventy cows and sells the milk in the city of Springfield. Through the medium of his busniess, as well as in other ways, he has become well known and is universally esteemed.

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Sketches of the Life of Alexander Muller Family (by Bertha Muller Pulskamp)

At the age of 24, Alexander came to Americag from Switzerland, landing in New York March 1, 1873. He travelled on to Chicago, Ill., arriving there pennyless and unable to speak English. He got a job washing dishes in a restaurant until he was able to find work in a taylor shop, a trade he leared in Switzerland. On May 9, 1875, he went toSpringfield, Ill. where he continued in the taylor business. There he met and married Bertha Zimmerman, September 6, 1876.

Bertha Zimmerman was born at Belleville, Ill. to John and Catherine Zimmerman on December 10, 1855. They later moved to Springfield, whereshe met Alexander Muller.

Alexander Muller continued his taylor business until the family beganto grow. Then he rented land west of Springfield, Ill. where, with afew cows, he started a dairy. After seven children were born, he bought 1200 acres of good land 4 miles south of Springfield at $20.00 an acre. The land had no buildings, so he began by building the house and barns for the cattle and horses. He planted fruit trees: apples of all varieties, peaches, pears, cherries, blackberries and grapes. The dairy herd grew until the Walnut Grove Dairy became a flourishing business with 4 routes daily: 2 each morning and 2 each evening.

Thirteen children were born to Alexander and Bertha. "Dad" Muller always said he wanted a "baker's dozen"! Until the children were old enough to help milk the cows, men were hired to help. Two of these stayed with Alexander for many years: Adolh Hensy and Ben Lederle. Therewere close to 100 cows to be milked. Rose and Bertha milked 18 each morning starting at 4:30 and each evening at 4:30, seven days a week.After Bertha graduated from the 8th grade, she and Rose would wash the milking utensils when the dairy wagon came home until 10:00 pm. singing while washing the cans and coolers helped to make the time go faster.

The family also sold fruit: peaches, pears, cherries and blackberries, and made wine of the grapes and cider of the apples. After the children started getting married and help was short, "Dad" sold the cattle and started to look for a climate that would agree with Mother's health, taking her to Denver, CO., where Uncle Theodore lived (Uncle Theodore had been a Swiss guard for the Pope while in Switzerland). FromDenver they went to Texas, but Mother did not like it there, so they came back to Springfield. Dad wanted Mother to go to North Dakota. Urged by the Brown Danskin Co., he went alone to N.D. and bought 160 acres of land on the Ridge. He was impressed by the climate and the soil. So in 1910, Dad with August, Matt, Mary and Joe, came to North Dakota, shipping horses, cattle, and some household goods by box-car. Mother, Bertha and the younger children remained for awhile in Springfield. In 1911, Bertha and a neighbor girl, Agnes Fuhrman, came to NorthDakota August 2 to visit for six weeks. The fare by train was $30.00round trip. Bertha picked enough cherries to pay her fare both ways,but the fall came and Dad wanted her to stay and help pick the potatoes. He always planted 20 or 30 acres and they were picked by hand, sofall ran into winter. The winters were severe in those years and theold homestead was cold.

The children came to North Dakota, and finally Mother came in 1912. The (Springfield) farm was sold to Henry Muller, the oldest son. He did not stay on the famr long after he married the second time. His first wife, Carrie Brunner, dies in childbirth with her fourth child. Grandma Brunner raised the child.

There was a small Catholic Church in Hillsboro on the corner where the rectory was built. There was no resident priest at the time, so there was Mass only once or twice a month, and always on a week day as the Priest lived in Reynolds and had his Masses there on Sunday. Father Kohlman was then the pastor. He used to go to Caledonia on weekdays and have Mass in the large Vettel home; he also went to Mayville for Mass. In 1914 the new church was begun and was finished in 1915. It was called St. Rose of Lima. Bertha Muller and Jacob Pulskamp werethe first couple to be married in the new Church, November 10, 1915.

Alexander continued farming with his boys west of Hillsboro until thedeath of his wife, April 25, 1918. He then turned his farming interest over to the boys, August and Alphonse, and returned to Springfield where he spent his last years with his eldest daughter, Mrs. Louis (Rose) Gietl. He died there July 11, 1935, at the age of 86, after a stroke.

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OBITURARY:
ALEX MULLER, PROMINENT AS DAIRYMAN, DIES
Operated Alnut Grove Dairy 25 Years; Was Ill Six Weeks.

Alexander Muller, for more than twenty-five years one of the leading dairymen of Springfield, died at 11:15 a.m. yesterday (11 July 1935) at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Louis Gietl, 944 North First street,at the age of 86 years.

Mr. Muller had enjoyed good health until six weeks ago, when he suffered a stroke of paralysis. He is survived by five sons, seven daughters, sixty-one grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, two sisters andone brothers.

A native of Switzerland, Mr. Muller came to this country when he was 24 years old. He settled in Sangamon County and engaged in the dairy business. For more than a quarter of a century he operated the WlanutGrove dairy, three miles south of the city (Springfield).

Mr. Muller retired from active business fifteen years ago. Since thedeath of his wife he made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Gietl. Hewas a member of SS. Peter and Paul's church and a member of the ThirdOrder of St. Francis.

The remains were removed to the funeral home of Ellinger & Kunz, and will be taken tomorrow to the residence, where funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. monday and at 9 a.m. at SS Peter and Paul's church. Rev. L.G. Kipping will officiate. The interment will be made in Calvary Cemetery.

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Source: Flesch

Alexander Muller came to America around age 27, landed in Chicago andgot a job washing dishes. He did not speak English. Then went to Dixie, Illinois and worked as a tailor. He then went to Springfield, Illinois, where he met and married Bertha (Zimmerman), having met her atthe Zimmerman's boarding house at 5th & Jefferson.

Regarding John and Catherine (Ramstetter) Zimmerman, it is believed that Catherine's parents were wealthy and did not want her to marry John Zimmerman so they came to America in 1854 and they married in America.

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Alexander heiratete Bertha Zimmerman, Tochter von John Zimmerman und Catharina Ramstetter, am 6. Sep. 1876 in Illinois. (Bertha Zimmerman wurde geboren am 10. Dez. 1855 in Belleville, St Clair, Illinois, starb am 25. Apr. 1918 in Hillsboro, Traill, North Dakota und wurde bestattet am 30. Apr. 1918 in Illinois.)