Karl Hübel was born on October 29, 1869 at Thomigsdorf 174, the son of Franz Hübel and Anna Paar. Franz was a cottager (a Häusler). Number 174 had .6 hectares. (One hectare is 2.47105 acres.) (The sizes of the property holdings are found in the Chronik der Germeinde Thomigsdorf von Viktor Arzt (Schönhengster Heimatbund 1965). Number 174 had two residences. For much of this period, the second residence was occupied by the Fischer family.
Karl’s grandfather Anton Hübel of Rudelsdorf 114 and his grandmother was Theresia Strohfuss. Theresia was the daughter of Josef Strohfuss of Rudelsdorf 86.
On February 12, 1867, Franz married Anna Paar. Anna was the illegitimate daughter of Veronika Paar. Anna’s grandfather was Anton Paar of Thomigsdorf 135. He was a farmer (Bauer) with a farm of 5 hectares. Anna’s grandmother was Margaretha Zandler, the daughter of Johann Zandler. The Zandlers lived at Thomigsdorf 94 which had 14.67 hectares.
The Chronik states that there was a Paar owning number 135 in 1718. (Chronik, page 18). In 1945, the name was extinct.
The siblings of Karl Hübel include:
Mathilde Hübel, born on November 11, 1871;
Christine Hübel, born on January 5, 1874. She died a few months later, apparently on June 24, 1876;
Adolf Hübel, born on September 20, 1875. It appears he died on the September 22, 1875; and
Vincenz Hübel born on June 21, 1877.
Karl arrived in America on May 17, 1892, aboard the Aller.
On November 8, 1897, Karl he married Viktoria Schmied of Dittersbach number 52 at St. Henry’s Church in Watertown, Wisconsin. At that time, Karl was living in Jefferson and Viktoria in Clyman. The witnesses were Julia Klecker and Frank Smith.
There are two possible places where Viktoria was living in Clyman. The first was with her aunt Barbara Schmied Langer who was caring for her young grandson, Albanium Bernard Zeiner, born February 26, 1896, whose mother had died in childbirth. Alternately, she could have been living with her first cousin Anna Langer Klecker who had children born in 1888, 1890, 1893 and 1896.
It has not been determined where Karl was living. It is likely he was working as a hired hand with a family that had roots in Thomigsdorf or Rudelsdorf. There were Huebls from Thomigsdorf who are probably related.