A Gordon family from Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland

Rose Ann Raml¹

Person ID #2976, (1927 - )

Last Edited

9 Mar 2008

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	17 Jun 1927	0	Rose Ann Raml was born on 17 Jun 1927 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United StatesG.
Marriage Richard Arthur (Rich) Gordon	10 Jul 1948	21	She married Richard Arthur (Rich) Gordon, son of Richard Marion Gordon and Gertrude Ann Maltzahn, on 10 Jul 1948 at Saint Peter Claver Catholic Church in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States.¹

Children with: Richard Arthur (Rich) Gordon (1928 - 2007)

Son	Richard Bernard Gordon (1949 - )
Son	Jeffrey L. (Jeff) Gordon (ca. 1954 - )

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Judith Rose (Judie) Pfister¹

Person ID #2977, (1939 - 2008)

Last Edited

19 Aug 2016

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	14 Mar 1939	0	Judith Rose (Judie) Pfister was born on 14 Mar 1939 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United StatesG.
Marriage Donald James Gordon	29 Aug 1959	20	She married Donald James Gordon, son of Richard Marion Gordon and Gertrude Ann Maltzahn, on 29 Aug 1959.¹
Death	30 Jun 2008	69	Judith died on 30 Jun 2008 in United StatesG at age 69.²
Obituary	2008	~69	Obituary of Judith Rose Pfister Judith Rose Gordon, 69, passed away at Unity Residence. She was born on March 14th, 1939. She married Donald Gordon on August 29th, 1959. She was a graduate of Central Sheboygan High School in 1957. After graduation she attended the Colorado School of Floral Design. Later she taught floral classes for NWTC for 13 years and enjoyed seeing the creativity coming out of her students. She worked at several floral shops in Sheboygan, Oshkosh and Green Bay and took pleasure in the last few years with her friends at Homestead Decor. She loved spending time with her wonderful grandchildren Ryan, Tyler, McKenna, Lexi, Brinley and the new babies Madison Rose and Amanda Reese. Judie will be remembered as a thoughtful, caring person who loved to dance, paint and sing with her church choir. Judith is survived by four sons. Michael (Jane), Oshkosh, Robert (Michele) Oshkosh, Dr Steven (Stephanie) WhiteFish, MT., Mark (Kalen) Eagan, MN. Her husband Donald Gordon preceded her in death. She is survived by her mother Bernadine Pfister and her brother Larry (Lois) Pfister, McFarland, WI and her sister Jane (Gene) Mathes, Sheboygan, WI.
Burial	Jul 2008	69	She was buried in Jul 2008 in Riverside Cemetery at Oshkosh, Winnebago, Wisconsin. Find A Grave Memorial Link.²

Children with: Donald James Gordon (1938 - 2001)

Son	Michael Gordon
Son	Robert Gordon
Son	Dr. Steven K. Gordon ND
Son	Mark Gordon

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.
[S281] Find A Grave Website, online http://www.findagrave.com, Find A Grave Memorial# 158018773. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.

Carol Ann Runtas¹

Person ID #2978, (1939 - )

Last Edited

9 Sep 1999

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	29 Jun 1939	0	Carol Ann Runtas was born on 29 Jun 1939 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United StatesG.
Marriage David Ervin Gordon	11 Jul 1964	25	She married David Ervin Gordon, son of Richard Marion Gordon and Gertrude Ann Maltzahn, on 11 Jul 1964.¹

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Judith Ruehl¹

Person ID #2979, (1944 - )

Last Edited

23 Oct 2018

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	23 Aug 1944	0	Judith Ruehl was born on 23 Aug 1944 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United StatesG.
Marriage William Frederick Gordon	30 Jul 1966	21	She married William Frederick Gordon, son of Richard Marion Gordon and Gertrude Ann Maltzahn, on 30 Jul 1966.¹

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Ruth Ann Kasparson¹

Person ID #2980, (1930 - 1931)

Last Edited

21 Oct 1994

4th cousin 1 time removed of Warren McKean (Sandy) Gordon III (17 Jun 1947 - )

Gordon Lineage

Mary Elizabeth Gordon⁶, James Peter Gordon⁵, Alexander Heron Gordon⁴, Peter Gordon³, James Gordon², Samuel Gordon¹

Parents

Father	Mauritz Kasparson (1898 - Bef 1982)
Mother	Mary Elizabeth Gordon (1906 - 1976)

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Descendants of Samuel Gordon

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	15 Oct 1930	0	Ruth Ann Kasparson was born on 15 Oct 1930.
Death	22 Feb 1931	0	Ruth died on 22 Feb 1931 at age 0.

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Gordon Theodore Kasparson¹

Person ID #2981, (1932 - )

Last Edited

15 Sep 2014

4th cousin 1 time removed of Warren McKean (Sandy) Gordon III (17 Jun 1947 - )

Gordon Lineage

Mary Elizabeth Gordon⁶, James Peter Gordon⁵, Alexander Heron Gordon⁴, Peter Gordon³, James Gordon², Samuel Gordon¹

Parents

Father	Mauritz Kasparson (1898 - Bef 1982)
Mother	Mary Elizabeth Gordon (1906 - 1976)

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	18 Nov 1932	0	Gordon Theodore Kasparson was born on 18 Nov 1932.
Marriage Joyce Hellery	9 Sep 1959	26	He married Joyce Hellery on 9 Sep 1959.¹

Census and Residence

Census Type	Date	Age	Census and Residences
Residence	Ca. 1965		Gordon lived in Abilene, Dickinson, Kansas, United StatesG, ca. 1965.

Occupations

Date	Occupation and location
	Florist

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Charles Richard Kasparson¹

Person ID #2982, (1938 - 2000)

Last Edited

25 May 2015

4th cousin 1 time removed of Warren McKean (Sandy) Gordon III (17 Jun 1947 - )

Gordon Lineage

Mary Elizabeth Gordon⁶, James Peter Gordon⁵, Alexander Heron Gordon⁴, Peter Gordon³, James Gordon², Samuel Gordon¹

Parents

Father	Mauritz Kasparson (1898 - Bef 1982)
Mother	Mary Elizabeth Gordon (1906 - 1976)

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Descendants of Samuel Gordon

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	11 Jul 1938	0	Charles Richard Kasparson was born on 11 Jul 1938 in Trenton, Grundy, Missouri, United StatesG.²
Marriage Carol Sue Campbell	26 Dec 1959	21	He married Carol Sue Campbell on 26 Dec 1959.¹
Divorce Carol Sue Campbell	1963	~25	He was divorced from Carol Sue Campbell in 1963.
Marriage Marion Wood	22 Jun 1969	30	He married Marion Wood on 22 Jun 1969 in Spickard, Grundy, Missouri, United States.¹
Death	11 Jun 2000	61	Charles died on 11 Jun 2000 in Trenton, Grundy, Missouri, United StatesG, at age 61.²
Obituary	13 Jun 2000	61	Obituary of Charles Richard Kasparson St. Joseph MO News-Press, June 13, 2000, Page B2 Richard Kasparson, 61, of Trenton, Mo., passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2000, at his residence following a lengthy battle with cancer. Mr. Kasparson was employed by the Missouri Public Service (UtiliCorp United) in Clinton, Mo., and Trenton for 33 years until retiring in January of 2000. For many years, he owned and operated Kasparson's Flower Shop and Greenhouse. Born in Trenton on July 11, 1938, he lived in Clinton from 1968 until moving to Trenton in 1973. Mr. Kasparson was a graduate of Trenton High School, and attended Iowa State University in Ames and the University of Missouri in Columbia. He was a member of the Grand River Lodge No. 521, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. On Jun 22, 1968, he married Marian Wood in Spickard, Mo. She survives of the home. Mr. Kasparson was preceded in death by his parents, Mauritz and Mary E.; and a sister, Ruth A. Additional survivors: a son, James, Gulf Shores, Ala.; three daughters, Julie Lindsey, Lawson, Mo., Laura Rosson, Trenton, and Kristine Kasparson, Excelsior Springs, Mo.; a brother, Gordon, Salina, Kan.; and four grandchildren. Services were held on Thursday, June 15, 2000, at Resthaven Mortuary, Trenton, Mo. Burial: Roselawn Cemetery, Trenton, Mo.²
Burial	15 Jun 2000	61	He was buried on 15 Jun 2000 in Roselawn Cemetery at Trenton, Grundy, Missouri. Find A Grave Memorial Link.²

Census and Residence

Census Type	Date	Age	Census and Residences
Residence	Ca. 1970		Charles lived in Trenton, Grundy, Missouri, United StatesG, ca. 1970.

Occupations

Date	Occupation and location
	Owner and operator of Kaspsarson's Flower Shop and Greenhouse at Missouri, United StatesG

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.
[S281] Find A Grave Website, online http://www.findagrave.com, Find A Grave Memorial# 142543412. Hereinafter cited as Find A Grave.

Joyce Hellery¹

Person ID #2983, (1936 - )

Last Edited

9 Sep 1999

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	28 Oct 1936	0	Joyce Hellery was born on 28 Oct 1936 in Warsaw, Kosciusko, Indiana, United StatesG.
Marriage Gordon Theodore Kasparson	9 Sep 1959	22	She married Gordon Theodore Kasparson, son of Mauritz Kasparson and Mary Elizabeth Gordon, on 9 Sep 1959.¹

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Carol Sue Campbell¹

Person ID #2984

Last Edited

26 Mar 2004

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Marriage Charles Richard Kasparson	26 Dec 1959	Carol Sue Campbell married Charles Richard Kasparson, son of Mauritz Kasparson and Mary Elizabeth Gordon, on 26 Dec 1959.¹
Divorce Charles Richard Kasparson	1963	She was divorced from Charles Richard Kasparson in 1963.
Death		Carol died.

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Marion Wood¹

Person ID #2985

Last Edited

25 May 2015

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Marriage Charles Richard Kasparson	22 Jun 1969		Marion Wood married Charles Richard Kasparson, son of Mauritz Kasparson and Mary Elizabeth Gordon, on 22 Jun 1969 in Spickard, Grundy, Missouri, United States.¹
Death			Marion died.

Citations

[S76] John McCornack, The Andrew McCornack Family of Knox County Illinois (unknown publisher address: Sherwin/Dodge, Second Edition, 1984). Hereinafter cited as The Andrew McCornack Family.

Marc Fortin

Person ID #2993

Last Edited

7 Nov 2014

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth			Marc Fortin was born in St-Malo, Bretagne (Brittany), Bretagne (Brittany), FranceG.
Marriage Françoise DeRuis			He married Françoise DeRuis.
Death			Marc died.

Children with: Françoise DeRuis

Son	François Fortin dit Plermel (1645 - 1690)

Françoise DeRuis

Person ID #2994

Last Edited

7 Jul 2017

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth			Françoise DeRuis was born in St-Malo, Bretagne (Brittany), Bretagne (Brittany), FranceG.
Marriage Marc Fortin			She married Marc Fortin.
Death			Françoise died.

Children with: Marc Fortin

Son	François Fortin dit Plermel (1645 - 1690)

Jacques (Jacob) Girouard

Person ID #2995

Last Edited

6 Nov 2014

Parents

Father	François Girouard (ca. 1621 - )
Mother	Jeanne Aucoin

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Iranaeus Frederic Baraga

Person ID #2996, (1797 - 1868)

Last Edited

17 Nov 2014

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Father Frederic Baraga (1797-1868)

Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	29 Jun 1797	0	Iranaeus Frederic Baraga was born on 29 Jun 1797 in Malavas, Carniola, AustriaG.
Baptism Julia Elizabeth Cadotte	2 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Julia Elizabeth Cadotte on 2 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Michel Dufault	2 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Michel Dufault on 2 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Caroline Cadotte	9 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Caroline Cadotte on 9 Aug 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Jean-Baptiste (Meshons) Cadotte	23 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Jean-Baptiste (Meshons) Cadotte on 23 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Marie Suzanne (Susan) Cadotte	23 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Marie Suzanne (Susan) Cadotte on 23 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Edmond Fiske Warren	31 Aug 1835	38	He baptized Edmond Fiske Warren on 31 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism George Parsons Warren	31 Aug 1835	38	He baptized George Parsons Warren on 31 Aug 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Mathilda Aitkin	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Mathilda Aitkin on 13 Sep 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Antoine Cadotte	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Antoine Cadotte on 13 Sep 1835 in Saint Joseph's Chapel, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Magdeleine Pay-shah-quod-oquay	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Magdeleine Pay-shah-quod-oquay on 13 Sep 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Anna (Nancy) Aitkin	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Anna (Nancy) Aitkin on 13 Sep 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Maxima Aitkin	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Maxima Aitkin on 13 Sep 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Anna Aitkin	13 Sep 1835	38	He baptized Anna Aitkin on 13 Sep 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Mary (Maria) Cadotte Warren	3 Oct 1835	38	He baptized Mary (Maria) Cadotte Warren on 3 Oct 1835 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Michael Cadotte	7 Feb 1836	38	He baptized Michael Cadotte on 7 Feb 1836 in La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Andre (Andrew) Cadotte	17 Jul 1836	39	He baptized Andre (Andrew) Cadotte on 17 Jul 1836 in Indian Mission, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism François Cadotte	21 Aug 1836	39	He baptized François Cadotte on 21 Aug 1836 in Indian Mission, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Julia Ann Warren	30 Aug 1836	39	He baptized Julia Ann Warren on 30 Aug 1836 in Indian Mission, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Baptism Charlotte (Caroline) W. Warren	30 Aug 1836	39	He baptized Charlotte (Caroline) W. Warren on 30 Aug 1836 in Indian Mission, La Pointe, Ashland, Wisconsin, United StatesG.¹
Death	19 Jan 1868	70	Iranaeus died on 19 Jan 1868 at age 70.
Biography			The Snowshoe Priest By Walter Thomas Camier In June 29, 1797, Frederic Baraga, the fourth of five children, was born in Malavas in the Austrian dukedom of Carniola. His parents had him baptized as Irenaeus Frederic that very day in the parish church of Dobernice. From his earliest days, Frederic’s parents were concerned not simply with his academic education but with his spiritual and moral formation. Warning her son of the need to fight temptation, his godly mother admonished him, “Be strong, trust in the Lord, and in the end you will know victory.” Even while young, Frederic’s faith was sorely tested. He saw the family estate impoverished because of the Napoleonic wars in the region and, worse, his mother died in 1808, and his father in 1812. He often recalled his mother’s wise counsel: “Look to your Heavenly Father for the graces necessary to live a good life.” For the next four years, Frederic attended a school in Ljubljana, where he lived in the home of Dr. George Dolinar, a lay professor at the diocesan seminary. He continued his education, studying law at the University of Vienna. It was in Vienna that Frederic met the Austrian priest Fr. Clement Maria Hofbauer, who had been inspired by the writings of Saint Alfonso de Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists. Frederic’s friendship with Father Hofbauer awakened his vocation to the priesthood, and he devoted himself more intensely to his prayers and the sacraments, kindling the flame now burning in his soul — ardent desire to serve God as a priest. During the summers, Frederic walked throughout the Vienna countryside and neighboring countries. These walking tours helped build the stamina he would find indispensable in his later missionary life. Frederic graduated from law school in 1821 and was ordained a priest by the bishop of Ljubljana on September 21, 1823. He was assigned to Saint Martin’s parish near Krainberg. Counteracting the abominable heresy of Jansenism, which held a debased view of man and denigrated the spiritual benefits conferred by the sacraments, Father Baraga encouraged frequent confessions and wrote devotional works to inspire the laity to live lives of prayer and holiness. As for himself, he embraced the cross through the practice of penance, poverty, and service to the poor. After Father Baraga created a Sodality of the Sacred Heart even though such associations were forbidden at the time by the emperor, his bishop banished him to a neglected parish in Metlika in Lower Carniola as the last among three assistant priests. Father Baraga remained steadfast in his resolve to serve the forgotten faithful, but his pastor and brother curates opposed him at every step. Arbre Croche Frederic Baraga's childhood home While praying for divine guidance, Father Baraga learned of the need for missionary priests in America. Bishop Edward Fenwick of Cincinnati had sent an emissary to convince the Austrian Emperor, Francis I, to support a missionary society to help spread the Gospel in the United States. The emperor agreed and the new society was named the Leopoldine Foundation after his late daughter, Leopoldina, who had been Empress of Brazil. The American emissary granted Father Baraga’s request to work in the Indian missions, and the bishop approved his transfer. On October 29, 1830, he left his homeland to spend the remainder of his life as a missionary among American Indians. Arriving in New York on December 31, 1830, Father Baraga journeyed to Cincinnati, which he reached on January 18, 1831. There he served the German Catholics residing in that area while beginning his studies of the Ottawa language under the instruction of the son of an Ottawa chief, who was attending the Cincinnati seminary. On May 28, 1831, Father Baraga arrived in his first Indian mission, Arbre Croche, (near present-day Harbor Springs, Michigan), where the faithful, who had been converted by the Jesuit missionary Fr. Peter Dejean, welcomed Bishop Fenwick and their new pastor with great affection. During his four-day stay, the bishop confirmed thirty Ottawas. On his departure, Bishop Fenwick confided to Father Baraga, “I would gladly exchange my residence in Cincinnati for a small hut and the happy lot of a missionary among these good Indians.” In later years, Father Baraga would echo these words. The “happy lot” of the missionary was not an easy one. A rough log cabin with a birch roof served as Father Baraga’s home. He had just one coat to protect himself against the frigid winter winds, during which he often had to warm the wine and water before offering his morning Mass. One of the first articles Fr. Baraga and the other missionaries acquired was a bell he used to call his congregation to prayer. In this painting Bishop Baraga has just rung the bell and is welcoming a family of Indians. Father Baraga was devoted to serving the souls entrusted to his care. In 1831 alone, he baptized eighty-seven Ottawa adults and forty-four children. During the two years and four months he would serve in Arbre Croche, he would baptize 547 Ottawas. He strove to better the condition of these poor souls not only spiritually but physically as well. The woodland Indians had lived a nomadic life, hunting, fishing, and gathering sap and berries. Feast and famine alternated. Under his direction, the converts at Arbre Croche began turning to agriculture and stored their harvest to last the long winter. Seeing that these Indians were adept in mechanical skills, he also established blacksmithing, carpentry, and book-binding shops for them. Missionary journeys Neither snow, wind, nor rain could stop this intrepid missionary from his apostolic labors, as he set out to evangelize the neighboring Indian tribes. He first focused his attention across Lake Michigan to Beaver Island, but the Indians there were hostile to the faith, so he turned to Indian Lake on Lake Michigan’s north shore where the Indians were more receptive. All but one were baptized, and a church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin was built. Father Baraga then journeyed to Detroit to proofread Animie-Misinaigan, his prayer book in the Ottawa language, returning to Arbre Croche with 2,000 bound copies. Father Baraga often traveled many miles alone in the desolate wilderness and, finding nowhere to stay, he would lay down in the snow, pull his coat over himself, and fall asleep. More than once, he awoke to brush several inches of snow off himself before continuing his journey. Despite such hardships, he ate very little — perhaps, a small piece of bread with some water. His energy came not from food, but from his love of God and of the souls He entrusted to his care. In the spring of 1832, Father Baraga and his Indian companions set out for Little Detroit Island on Green Bay, 30 miles across Lake Michigan. The Indians would never have embarked on such a long journey in a small canoe, save for their trust in the priest’s faith and prayers. During their voyage a storm arose, tossing the canoe in its wake. As the Indians looked to the missionary, he encouraged them to confide in God. The storm passed and they reached Detroit Island, where Father Baraga taught and baptized for eight days, and selected a site on which to build a church. Low on supplies, the small mission band then traversed the north shore. The Indians admired Father Baraga’s willingness to sacrifice the little he had for others, but what would happen when the supplies ran out? After rising and praying in the early morning hours, he pressed on. Toward nightfall, a flock of birds drew their canoe to shore where Father Baraga and his companions gathered 130 eggs. Grand River Rather than returning to Arbre Croche, Father Baraga, at the urging of the Indians, spent the winter 300 miles south at Grand River (now Grand Rapids, Michigan). In a building owned by the Catholic fur trader Louis Campall, he offered Mass and instructed converts. Because his report to his new bishop in Detroit, John B. Purcell, noted eighty-six converts and the potential for more among the 900 Ottawa natives, the Bishop directed him to transfer to Grand River. A Redemptorist priest and two brothers were sent to serve the mission at Arbre Croche. Father Baraga built a church and school. He also confronted the fur traders, who exchanged cheap whiskey for the valuable furs the Indians had trapped; he challenged them for making their bellies their god. The furious traders threatened his life and even went to his home to burn it down. It was only a visit of the sheriff — in response, no doubt, to his unceasing prayers — that saved the day. The Indians renewed their faith, abandoning their drunkenness to return to the sacraments to nourish their souls. They found joy in their servant, Father Baraga. His speech was kind and his approach gentle, and an air of reverence pervaded all that he did. His conduct induced the Indians to trust him and believe in the Faith he professed. After the new church was dedicated, other Catholics joined the native Catholics from up and down the river. La Pointe In July 1835, Bishop Purcell sent Father Baraga to La Pointe (near Bayfield, Wisconsin). This came about through the intrigues of a government agent angered that the saintly priest had used his legal training to aid Indians whom the government had treated unjustly. Suffering his own injustice with heroic virtue, Father Baraga prayed for even greater suffering so that he might offer it for the conversion of the Ojibway Indians living near Lake Superior. Both aspects of his prayers were answered. When the boat that was to have brought his winter clothing failed to arrive, he was left to spend the fierce winter with just summer clothing. The suffering bore its fruit: Our Lord’s servant baptized twenty adults and two children on Christmas Day. Father Baraga later traveled to Fond du Lac, where he worked with a pious Catholic trader, Pierre Cotte. There he baptized another fifty-one members of the Ojibway tribe. In 1836, Father Baraga returned to Europe to seek priests and funds for the missionary work. While there, he printed a prayer book and a life of Christ in the Ojibway and Ottawa languages. He was also received in audience by Pope Pius IX, who listened intently to his account of the American missions. Returning to La Pointe, Father Baraga found his converts steadfastly practicing their faith. What joy filled his soul as a second, larger church and a school took shape. In 1838, the church was dedicated, and the bishop confirmed 112 adults. L’Anse Always seeking new souls to save, Father Baraga was asked by Pierre Crebassa, another Catholic fur trader, to come to L’Anse, on the shore of Keweenaw Bay off Lake Superior, to set up a mission for the Indians living there. He arrived in 1843 to find the village in drunken revelry. Nevertheless, he saw excellent grounds in which to plant the seeds of faith. He converted many souls and helped them build a church and log homes for their families. During the winter and through the next summer, Father Baraga visited the missions he had founded, encouraging the faithful to persevere in the faith. He was pleased to see that, thanks to their hard work and sober living, the Indians were better prepared to endure the harsh winters. Continuing his solitary missionary treks in the winter of 1845, he traveled some 600 miles in just five weeks. “We will be saved” As evident from his life, Father Baraga had absolute confidence in divine Providence. Once he had to make a journey from Sand Island, off the Wisconsin shore, to Grand Portage, in present Minnesota. Rather than travel 200 miles along the coast, he insisted on canoeing across the open waters of Lake Superior. A storm arose, and Father Baraga and his Indian companion Lewis found themselves buffeted by the wind and waves. Turning to the priest, the Indian found him praying calmly. Father Baraga looked up to his friend and assured him, “We will be saved, go straight ahead.” Soon they saw a small, calm river, where they disembarked, erecting a large cross in gratitude to God and His Blessed Mother for their deliverance. To this day, the river is known as Cross River. In the spring of 1850, Father Baraga traveled from La Pointe to Ontonagon. His companions became alarmed when the ice they were walking on broke apart and they were set adrift on an ice floe that moved farther and farther from shore. Seeing their alarm, Father Baraga comforted them. Scarcely had he spoken the words, “We will be safe,” when the wind shifted, driving them directly to the safety of the shore — close to their destination. As they left the floe, Father Baraga said with a gentle smile, “See, we have traveled a great distance, yet we have worked little.” Heir of the Apostles In May 1852, the First Council of Baltimore petitioned Pope Pius IX for a bishop to serve the upper peninsula of Michigan and adjacent areas of Lake Superior. That fall, Father Baraga completed his 1,700-page dictionary of the Ojibway language, a labor of twenty years. On November 1, 1853, Father Baraga was preparing to leave for Europe to beg for priests and funds when he received word of his appointment as bishop of the diocese of Sault Sainte Marie. Arriving in Europe, Father Baraga was greeted by crowds who had read of his missionary endeavors. They were moved by the penitential life written into every line of the tanned and weathered face of the small and frail priest. During his year in Europe, five priests had promised to come to his diocese, but only two actually did so. Bishop Baraga resided in Sault Sainte Marie for the next twelve years. He regularly visited the outlying missions of his diocese, traveling by horse, sleigh, steamer, and on foot. “Take up thy cross and follow Me.” In 1855, Bishop Baraga lost his hearing due to an illness. It was a cross to be unable to hear the confessions of the Indians he loved so much, but he bore it heroically. Eventually, Deo gratias, his hearing returned. When ungenerous souls denigrated him for “spoiling” his Indian converts with too many kindnesses, he suffered their calumnies with his customary patience and charity. In 1857, the stamina of Bishop Baraga, now sixty, began to fail. Despite the crippling pain he silently bore, he continued to bring the consolation of the sacraments — and of his presence — to the far-flung Indian missions, even in the midst of winter. On one such journey, Bishop Baraga was so wracked with fever that he could scarcely keep up with his Indian companions, but Divine Providence and his perseverance saw him safely to his destination. Saved by the Cross In 1865, Father Baraga’s episcopal seat was moved from Sault Sainte Marie to Marquette, Michigan. The following year, the Second Council of Baltimore required his attendance. As he was preparing to depart, he suffered a stroke. Nevertheless, he felt obliged to attend and traveled three long and grueling weeks, reaching Baltimore in seriously weakened health. While attending the Council, he suffered another stroke and fell down a flight of stairs. Miraculously, divine Providence intervened through the instrumentality of the bishop’s pectoral cross, which punctured his chest and caused bleeding that relieved the blood pressure within his head. While his brother bishops urged him to stay, Bishop Baraga quietly left the Council to return to his diocese of Marquette to live his final days in the company of the Indians for whom he had given his life. For the next three years, despite the increasing burdens imposed by his failing health, he continued his labors. On January 19, 1868, after thirty-seven years of sacrificial apostolate, Bishop Frederic Baraga died, trusting in God to his dying breath. How many of the converts this lover of souls led to Christ are now with him, God alone knows, but who can doubt that those who remained faithful are with their beloved snowshoe priest in the celestial cathedral we call heaven? As for us here below in the ranks of the Church Militant, the cause for Bishop Baraga’s canonization having been approved by Rome, we ardently long for the day that Holy Mother Church will solemnly elevate this noble son to the lofty altars of Her saints. Testimony regarding preservation of Bishop Baraga’s bodyBishop Baraga’s body was originally buried in the ground beneath a chapel in the old Bishop’s residence in Marquette. From there it was translated to the cathedral, at which time the casket was opened for inspection. Msgr. Antoine Rezek, who was among those present, related what he had observed to Msgr. Zryd of Bishop Baraga Association Headquarters. Msgr. Rezek found the body still quite intact at that time. While the body had naturally decomposed, the bones were intact and the skin and features were still recognizable. It had been buried in a purple cope that still held together. Msgrs. Rezek and Hager were able to move the remains into the new casket by lifting the cope. His remains were transferred to a new crypt. The coffin was again opened and Msgr. Zryd, then present, provided an eye-witness account. He said that the body was found as previously described by Msgr. Rezek, that is, still dressed in the purple cope and having the skull still intact and with sufficient patches of dry skin and hair to make the Bishop’s features recognizable in comparison with photographs taken during his life. Why Snowshoes? In this connection I will explain how a missionary has to travel during winter in this Indian country. In winter a person cannot travel otherwise than on foot. As the snow is generally deep and there are no traveled roads, the only way to travel is on snowshoes. The snowshoes are from four to five feet long and one foot wide and are tied to one’s feet. With them a man can travel even in the deepest snow without sinking in very much. But this style of walking is very tiresome, especially for Europeans, who are not accustomed to it. When the person must walk upon such snowshoes all day long, and for that many days in succession, especially in these trackless North American forests, he cannot travel without extreme fatigue and almost total exhaustion. Another hardship is sleeping in the open air in a northern winter, for there are no huts in which to stay overnight. Generally speaking, a man may travel four or five days in this extensive and thinly settled country before coming to another Indian settlement. It is true, a large fire is made but this soon goes out, for the Indian guide who accompanies us sleeps the whole night as if he were in a feather-bed, and then a person suffers much from the cold. It is especially hard to pass the night in such a way when it storms and snows all night and in the morning a person is covered all over with snow. But all these hardships the missionary joyfully endures if thereby he can, through God’s help and grace, save even one soul. This winter I have to make a far longer journey, that is, from L’Anse to La Pointe and Fond du Lac and return, a distance of about 690 miles! I will begin this journey, please God, on the 4th of February, and hope to be back here again before the end of March. I am going to Fond du Lac, Minnesota, to make arrangements for the building of a church there. I think, thereafter, I will not go there anymore, as now a missionary has arrived for my assistance, namely Rev. Father Otto Skolla, who spends this winter at La Pointe, where I have been for eight years."

Citations

[S24] Father Iraneus Frederic Baraga (Extracted from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin microfilm reel P82-2352 by John L. Schade), "Baptismal Records, 1835-1887, Kept at LaPointe and Bayfield Indian Missions", Lost In Canada? Canadian-American Genealogical Journal Volumes 16 and 17 (Fall and Winter 1992). Hereinafter cited as "La Pointe Baptismal Records, 1835-1887".

Katherine Heck

Person ID #2997, (1927 - )

Last Edited

17 Jan 2011

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	24 Nov 1927	0	Katherine Heck was born on 24 Nov 1927 in North Dakota, United StatesG.
Marriage George D. Fisher	3 Jun 1950	22	She married George D. Fisher, son of Hindrich (Henry) Fisher and Mildred Barta, on 3 Jun 1950 in Hettinger, Adams, North Dakota, United States.
Divorce			She was divorced from.

Children with: George D. Fisher (1928 - 2001)

Daughter	Janet Fisher (1951 - )
Son	Thomas Fisher (1953 - 2000)
Daughter	Connie Fisher (1954 - )
Daughter	Linda Fisher (1955 - )
Son	Kenneth Fisher (1956 - )
Daughter	Debora Fisher (1957 - )
Daughter	Sharon Fisher (1962 - )

Ralph Koch

Person ID #2998, (1927 - 1984)

Last Edited

4 Jan 2015

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	26 Oct 1927	0	Ralph Koch was born on 26 Oct 1927 in Wapato, Yakima, Washington, United StatesG.¹
Marriage Vivian Rose Fisher	23 Jun 1962	34	He married Vivian Rose Fisher, daughter of Hindrich (Henry) Fisher and Mildred Barta, on 23 Jun 1962 in Seattle, King, Washington, United States.
Death	6 Jul 1984	56	Ralph died on 6 Jul 1984 in Washington, United StatesG, at age 56.¹
Note			They had no children.

Citations

[S23] Social Security Records, Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, (Washington D.C.: Social Security Administration, 1935-2014). Hereinafter cited as Social Security Death Index.

Virginia Bledsoe

Person ID #2999, (1946 - )

Last Edited

14 Jan 2011

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	15 Mar 1946	0	Virginia Bledsoe was born on 15 Mar 1946 in Washington, United StatesG.
Marriage Gordon Henry Fisher	20 Jul 1973	27	She married Gordon Henry Fisher, son of Hindrich (Henry) Fisher and Mildred Barta, on 20 Jul 1973 in Kent, King, Washington, United States.

Children with: Gordon Henry Fisher (1935 - 1998)

Daughter	Mary Kathleen Fisher (ca. 1978 - )
Son	Patrick J. (PJ) Fisher (1980 - )

Mary Kathleen Fisher

Person ID #3000, (ca. 1978 - )

Last Edited

1 Sep 2011

Sister of Susan Kae Fisher (5 Nov 1964 - )

Parents

Father	Gordon Henry Fisher (1935 - 1998)
Mother	Virginia Bledsoe (1946 - )

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Events and Notes

Event	Date	Age	Location and Additional Notes or Comments
Birth	Ca. 1978		Mary Kathleen Fisher was born ca. 1978 in Seattle, King, Washington, United StatesG.