Kusler-Grosz Family Collection
Kusler Family Photographs
Family Histories:
1. Kusler, Walter M. The Kuslers and their descendents.
Kulm, ND: W. Kusler, 1983. *Germans
from Russia CS71.K969 1983.
2. Piatz, Lorraine Leier. Family history of Joseph Leier &
Caroline (Grosz) Leier & Clara (Grosz) Leier. Napoleon,
ND: Napoleon Homestead, 1996. *Germans
from Russia CS71.L525 1996.
Town & County Histories:
1. Flegel, Zona. The origin of Kulm. np: np, nd. *Institute
for Regional Studies Small Collection 425.
2. Freeman, Mike. Menno, the first 100 years, 1879-1979.
Menno, SD: the City of Menno, 1979. *Germans
from Russia F659.M46F73 1979.
3. Hutchinson County, South Dakota 1880 census. Lakewood,
Ohio: R. J. Seibert, 1980. *Germans
from Russia F657.H85H87.
4. Kulm centennial, 1892-1992. np: The Centennial Book
Committee, 1992. *Institute
for Regional Studies F644.K85K86 1992.
5 . Kulm diamond jubilee, Kulm, North Dakota: June 26 &
27, 1967. Kulm, ND: J. E. Peters, 1967. *Institute
for Regional Studies F644.K85K85 1967.
6. Kulm, N. Dak., 1892 to 1957. Kulm, ND: The Committee,
1957. *Institute
for Regional Studies F644.K85K85 1957.
7 . Parkston, South Dakota, centennial history. Parkston,
SD: Joan M. Hafner and the Parkston Commercial Club, 1985. *Germans
from Russia F659.P37P37 1985.
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_01:
Circa 1892 portrait of Anna “Maria” Schäfer
born (1810 in Baden Germany) married Valentin Schäfer (born
in Bavarian Palatinate, 1807: west of Rhine River) in the Beresan
district village of Worms, Cherson, South Russia. They are great-great
grandparents to Adeline Kusler. (Family “Bodenteppich”
striped rug is in photo). The circa 1892 photo is by Gibson
Photo of Scotland, South Dakota. Anna “Maria” and
Valentin Schäfer immigrated in 1872 to Sandusky, Ohio,
with her daughter (guardian), Christina Schäfer Kusler
(Mrs. Johann Kusler, Senior) to Lesterville, Dakota Territory
(Hutchinson County). “Maria” lived to be 90 years
old after 1900 U. S. Census was completed in Christina’s
home. (Christina later moved in 1902 to rural post office Picardsville,
North Dakota, [eight miles west of McClusky] after Maria’s
death). Valentin Schäfer died between 1883-1900. Valentin
and “Maria” Schäfer were buried in old pioneer
graveyard of Odessa Reformed Church on northeast quarter of
Section 31, on homestead land (south of Scotland village) originally
owned by John Kusler, Senior and later owned by Karl Schaefer.
“Maria” was born in 1810 in Baden, Germany according
to 1880 U.S. Census records. She immigrated in the “second
group” to America in 1872 to wait in Sandusky, Ohio,
while sending out land survey/scouts to Yankton, Dakota. She
was the mother of seven children, with three children still
living in 1900. Her son, Heinrich Schaefer is also buried
at Odessa Reformed Cemetery, under a large tree whose leafy
canopy covered three graves on either side of his burial place.
However, Heinrich’s wife, Magdalena (Eissinger) Schaefer
is buried at Petersburg Church cemetery.
Great-great grandfather Valentin Schäfer was born in
1807. The 1880 U. S. Census gives his birthplace as “Bavaria,”
but actually “Bavarian Palatinate;” located west
of the Rhine river or “Pfalz,” to be later known
as the “Rhineland-Pfalz” or “Rhine Palatinate.”
The historic Kusler family also originated from the Rhineland
Palatinate. “Maria” Schäfer’s seven
children have only two siblings yet identified: Walter Kusler’s
grandmother, Christina Schaefer (Mrs. John Kusler, Senior)
and Gordon Auch’s great-grandfather Heinrich Schaefer.
Possible third sibling is Katherina Schaefer who married Jacob
Kusler. Upon being widowed after 1902 at Picardsville, North
Dakota, she remarried to a Mr. Heitzmann, of a Leibenthaler
German family from neighboring McClusky and Denhoff (Sheridan
County), before moving to Minot, North Dakota.
[Katherina Schaefer Kusler probably remarried to a Heitzmann
cousin of Frederich “Fred” Junior, (three generations
of the same name), and his brothers Benjamin, Herbert, and
Adam at McClusky and Denhoff, North Dakota.] [This source
from Lena Heitzmann Paris who was too young to know name of
older cousin.] Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_02:
Sixtieth wedding anniversary portrait of Johann Kusler, Senior
(1846-1921) and Christina Schaefer Kusler in 1920 at Fredonia,
North Dakota. Johann was born in Worms, Beresan district, Kherson,
and married Christina Schaefer, also of Worms village, in 1860.
Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy.
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_03:
Family portrait of Johann Kusler, Senior (1846-1921) and Christina
Schaefer Kusler (1847-1928), circa 1902, with surviving son
Willie (not Wilhelm), Martha, and August, circa 1892, by photographer
Gibbon, at Scotland, South Dakota. From their ancestral village
of Worms, Beresan district, Cherson (north of city of Odessa),
Johann Kusler and Christina Schaefer immigrated as the “second
group” to America in 1871, via Sandusky, Ohio, to Lesterville,
South Dakota. (Notice vividly colored stripes of “Bodenteppich,”
hand-woven floor rug.) Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy.
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_04:
Family portrait of Johann Kusler, Senior (1846-1921) and Christina
Schaefer Kusler (1847-1928) circa 1902, with younger siblings.
After Anna “Maria” Schäfer’s death, they
traveled to visit family relatives in Sandusky, Ohio region
as documented by this photography of Stanton Photo Novelty Company,
Springfield, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_05:
Johann Kusler, Senior’s brother Walter Kusler with his
children, circa 1900, with photography by Kolbs (historic German
family from South Russia), Scotland, South Dakota. Photo courtesy
of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_06:
Walter Kusler, brother of Johann Kusler, Senior, had this photograph
of his four children, circa 1904, from Orth’s Studio,
Scotland, South Dakota. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_07:
Johann Kusler, Junior of Scotland, South Dakota, was married
on 2 January 1894, at Scotland, South Dakota, to Magdalena Grosz
of Parkston, South Dakota. Photographer was A. Gibbon, Parkston,
South Dakota. Magdalena wears large grosgrain silk ribbon bow
in her hair “pug” with streamers cascading down
her bodice, while traditional white “Liebsband”
silk waist sash cascades to her skirt hem. Johann wears groom’s
boutonniere with narrow ribbons in the groom’s fashion
of Beresan district. (Note traditional woolen “Bodenteppich,”
floor rug.) Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_08:
Older children of Johann Kusler, Junior, and Magdalena Grosz
Kusler were Edward Kusler (right) and sister Emma (left) (later
Mrs. John Doering) at Parkston, South Dakota, circa 1899 photo.
Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_09:
Family portrait of Johann Kusler, Junior, and Magdalena Grosz
Kusler at Kulm, North Dakota circa 1914. (Back, left to right)
Edward Kusler, Emma Kusler Doering, Edmond Kusler, Clara Kusler
Mayer, Willie Kusler; (Front, left to right) Alitha Kusler Fireoved,
Magdalena (mother), Emilia Kusler Miller (center), Selma Kusler
Skoglund Maskie, John (father), and Ida Kusler Grosz. Photo
courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_10:
Emil Kusler, brother of Johann Kusler, Junior, with his mother
Christina Schaefer Kusler, 1894, at Lynch, Nebraska. The Kusler
family moved back to Oak Hollow township, Hutchinson county,
near Scotland, South Dakota before the U. S. Census, which was
dated 7 June 1900. Christina was daughter, care-giver for elderly
Anna “Maria” Schäfer, in 1900 census but died
before the Johann Kusler, Senior, family further moved and homesteaded
in 1902 near Fredonia (originally Dennowitz), North Dakota.
Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_12:
Johann Kusler, Junior and Magdalena Grosz Kusler celebrated
their sixtieth wedding anniversary on January 2, 1954 at Kulm,
North Dakota. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_13:
Photo portrait of 17-year-old Gottlieb, brother of Johann Kusler,
Junior with J. Orth Photography at Scotland, South Dakota. Photo
courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_15:
Rare depiction of Beresaner German owner’s wood-frame
farm house being erected in Antelope Township, McIntosh County
(south of Kulm, North Dakota), circa 1916, for John Kusler,
Junior (and wife Magdalena Grosz Kusler). Two Kusler sons at
ground level with family dog are (left) Edward Kusler, (center)
Willie Kusler, and (right) father John Kusler, Junior. The four
men on the roof and scaffolding are unidentified. Adeline Kusler,
youngest daughter, was born in this farm house, before living
in a town house in Kulm during 1920s. Photo courtesy of Adeline
Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_16:
A rare photo of church district conference of over fifty people
hosted at Gnadenfeld Congregational Church [oldest "classis"
church in North Dakota, circa 1940s, south of Kulm, in Antelope
Township (R67W:T131N), McIntosh County. The wood-frame structure
was later reused as a granary at Robert (Bobbie) Hollan’s
farm. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_17:
Unidentified church on Bulkeley Street in Edgeley, North Dakota,
circa 1910, as a postcard photo by Ravely Photography Studio
at Edgeley. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_18:
“Tea-Totaler”
pranksters spoof, circa 1920, due to North Dakota’s Prohibition
Laws from 1889 statehood to national repeal during 1933. (Left)
Emmanual Rasch (born at Kulm, North Dakota, and descendant of
Alt-Elft and Arciz villages in Bessarabia) and (right) Edmund
Kusler (born 1901 south of Kulm), older brother to Adeline Kusler.
Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_20:
Justina Kusler is only identified person (seated front row center)
at national-level German Congregational Church convention, which
was held during June 1912 at Kulm, North Dakota (page ninety
in the Kulm Centennial history book). Justina Dietrich Kusler
(born 6 August 1849 in Beresina, Bessarabia) mother of Magdalena
Grosz Kusler, is photographed circa 1923 or 1924. Mrs. Johann
Grosz, Senior, died in 1928 in Parkston, South Dakota. Photo
courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_70:
Newspaper photograph of handsomely seated pose of Salomon Wenslaff,
who became editor in 1874 of the Dakota Freie Presse, in Aberdeen,
South Dakota, which photo clippings (after 1902) were kept by
Magdalena Grosz Kusler. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_71:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from the Dakota Freie Presse,
identifying Johann Weber, wife and eleven children, Cleveland,
North Dakota, arrived at Yankton, (South Dakota) in 1873 from
Worms village, Beresan district, with same origins as the Kusler
and Schaefer families. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_72:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from the Dakota Freie Presse,
identifying young couple, nee Weber, at Cleveland North Dakota,
with origins from Worms village, Beresan district. Photo courtesy
of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_73:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler; J.H. Kaufmann family portrait from
Ruth Center, Kansas, with eight adult children. Photo courtesy
of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_74:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler: seated family portrait of Jacob Baumann
with wife and young daughter, Parkston, South Dakota. Photo
courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_75:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler: School teacher Rev. Klose with wife
and young son. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_76:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler: A. Reimann, Parkston, South Dakota,
brother to John Reimann who was photographer at Parkston before
relocating in 1892 to Kulm, North Dakota. Photo courtesy of
Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_77:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler: John Pietz, Eureka, South Dakota.
Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_78:
Newspaper photograph (after 1902) from Dakota Freie Presse kept
by Magdalena Grosz Kusler: Conrad Berreth and wife, Parkston,
South Dakota. Photo courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_79:
There is no actual photo for #79, as it helps with the numerical
counting of the collection of photos. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_80:
Five youngest daughters of Johann Kusler, Junior, and Magdalena
(Maggie) Grosz Kusler, all born at family farm south of Kulm,
North Dakota (top to bottom):
*Adeline McCloy (1919-_____), photo donator and historian;
*Selma Skoglund Maskie (1915-2000), family curator/ “keeper”;
*Alitha Fireoved (1913-2001);
*Ida Grosz (1910-1997);
*Emilia Miller (1907-______).
This photo was taken at last family reunion, 12 February
1997. Photo is courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_81:
Portrait photo of Adeline Kusler McCloy, Cambridge, Minnesota
on 8 October 2001. Adeline is displaying a folded portion of
her "Blachte"/ Kanapee woolen shawl, which she inherited
from her grandmother, Justina Dietrich Grosz, Parkston, South
Dakota. Photo is courtesy of Jay Gage, GRHC curator. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_82:
Full-length photo of Adeline Kusler McCloy, Cambridge, Minnesota
on 8 October 2001. Photo is courtesy of Jay Gage, GRHC curator. |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_84: |
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GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_86: |
GRHC_Photo_Kulm_ND_83-86:
Bunte Blachte (Plachte)/ woolen kanapee shawl/ "paradies-decken"
from Justina Dietrich Grosz of Paris, Bessarabia to her granddaughter,
Adeline, during April 2002.
**This Kusler-Grosz Photographic collection has a total of
eighty-three photographic images. The only exception is photo
#64A, which is not in regular numerical sequence (especially
significant for textile history).
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Textiles used for Evangelical-Lutheran worship
traditions: Donated to GRHC on 8 December 2001 by Adeline
Kusler McCloy, a native of Kulm, North Dakota, formerly living
in Cambridge, Minnesota.
Textiles are provenance of Magdalena Grosz Kusler and her
mother Justina Dietrich Grosz to the ownership of Justina’s
Dietrich parents of Beresina village in Bessarabia. Justina’s
mother was related with the Bader family in Paris village
in Bessarabia. Although these textiles could have been inherited
through Daniel Grosz’s parents, concensus favors the
Dietrich family, who immigrated to Neuberg village circa 1810
in the Liebental Am Baraboi district situated west of city
of Odessa, before they resettled in Bessarabia. |
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GRHC_Textile_Kulm_ND_01:
EPRHCC#________:
Associated with a wealthy elderly man, this man’s satin
silk neck-warmer was worn during winter worship in the unheated
church sanctuary. Common people usually wore woolen neck-warmers.
This silk neck-warmer is lined and quilted for further comfort.
Courtesy of Adeline Kusler McCloy. |
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GRHC_Textile_Kulm_ND_02: EPRHCC#________:
With continuous loop-knitted black-woolen hand-covering for
widows to cover their hands during prayer in church meeting.
Widows also wore this round cloth on their head during home
devotions and prayer during specified hours/ “stunden”
in their domestic household. Younger women and girls had either
white or brightly embroidered prayer cloths. Courtesy of Adeline
Kusler McCloy. |
Our appreciation is extended to Adeline Kusler McCloy
for use of these photographs.
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