Franz and Rosalie Schmeiser Scheberle[1]
Franz Scheberle was born February 2,1831 in Ober Johnsdorf 67, Kingdom of Bohemia, Austrian Empire. He is the eldest son of Franz Scheberle of Ober Johnsdorf 67 and Theresia Schmeiser of Ober Johnsdorf 102. His godfather was Anton Pitterle.
On November 22, 1852, Franz, Junior married Rosalie Schmeiser, born March 31, 1829, the daughter of Franz Schmeiser of Nieder Johnsdorf 56 and Anna Marie Langer of Nieder Johnsdorf 95.
Although Franz, Junior was the eldest son, he did not take over the family property. Rather, it was taken over by the second oldest son, Johann. Franz and his family moved to Ober Johnsdorf 109, which, ironically, was the home of Johann Pitterle and family prior to their emigration to America in 1854. Johann Pitterle sold this postage-stamped sized property of approximately .14 acres to Franz Scheberle in 1854 for 500 gulden who in turn sold it in 1864 for 600 gulden. It is likely that Franz, Junior also received additional funds from his parents before he left for America.
The Scheberles emigrated to the Watertown, Wisconsin area in 1864 with their children Anna, born 1852 (married Edward Kunz), Rosalie, born 1854 (married Ferdinand Pitterle), Franz, born 1856, Victoria (Dora) born 1857 (married Michael Arndorfer), Franz Josef, born 1862 (married Louise S.), and Josef, born 1863 (married Sophia V.). Family lore was that they left because of the frequent wars fought by the Austrian Empire and the resultant military draft. At the time they left, Austria was engaged in a war against Denmark. (The Second Schleswig War.) They entered the port of Baltimore in September 1864 on the Norma. Also onboard the Norma, were Franz and Rosalie Motl and their son Franz. The Norma had left from the port of Bremen in modern-day Germany.
They bought a 55-acre farm in Section 13 of Shields Township, Dodge County, Wisconsin, just outside the village of Richwood. This farm was adjacent to the farm of Johann Roller of Ober Johnsdorf, who had arrived in America in 1854. After the Scheberles arrived in America, they had the following additional children: John, born 1866, Emil, born 1868 (married Emma Schliem), Mary, born 1869 (married Frank Sheblak) and Amelia born 1872 (married William Burke).
In 1878, Anna and her husband Edward Kunz moved to Wesley, Iowa paying $5.50 an acre for farmland. Victoria (Dora) and her husband followed them to Iowa.
Franz was naturalized in 1879.
Franz died on Sunday, January 4, 1882, in a Arunaway accident@ per the Watertown Gazette. Since this is a Sunday in winter, it is unlikely that Franz would have been using the horse in farm operations. It is likely the accident related to going to Sunday Mass in Richwood, which was less than a mile away. He was buried in St. Henry=s cemetery in Watertown, Wisconsin. The family farm was taken over by his son Johann.
Rosalie started dating another Ober Johnsdorf native, Johann Pitterle, shortly after Johann=s wife Johanna died on November 26, 1888. In addition to knowing each other in the old country, the Scheberle and Pitterle families were also connected by marriage in America since their children had married: Rosalie Scheberle married Ferdinand Pitterle on October 5, 1875.
Rosalie Scheberle married Johann Pitterle at St. Henry= Church in Watertown, Wisconsin on November 21, 1889. Sadly, the marriage fell apart and Rosalie moved to Wesley, Iowa to live with the Kunzes. At some point, Johann Pitterle moved in with his son Ferdinand and his wife Rosalie who was both his daughter-in-law and his stepdaughter and lived with them until his death in 1910.
Rosalie died July 1, 1904, and is buried in Wesley, Iowa.
[1]Scheberle is the spelling used by most of the family in America. The actual name is Schöberle (Schoeberle without the umlaut). When he was naturalized, he signed his name as Frank Scheberle.
