PHOTOS FROM GLASS NEGATIVES

MARGARETHA (ARENS) OESAU


Margaretha (Arens) Oesau

The first wife of Simon Henry Oesau. She died in the late 1860’s and this 
photo was likely reprinted by her son as a remembrance. The man to the 
left is likely Simon Henry Oesau.
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From Calumet county marriage records:
Henry Oesau and Margaretha Arens (v.1 p.30)
Henry is usually shown as “Simon Henry Oseau”
April 30, 1858 in civil ceremony, Town of New Holstein
Henry Oesau
Son of Claus and Margaretha Oesau [should be Jabe Christina Clausen]
Born Germany –farmer
Margaretha Arens 
Daughter of Henry Arens and Wiebke Arens
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From Calumet county marriage records:
Simon Henrich Oesau and Wiebke Catharina Langemack (v.2 p.4)
This is the second marriage for Simon Henrich Oesau
Nov. 14, 1869 in religious ceremony, Town of New Holstein
Simon Henrich Oesau
Son of Claus Oesau and Jabe Christina Clausen
Born Marue, Holstein, Germany
Wiebke Catharina Langemack
Daughter of Peter Langemack and Elise Langemack
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From Calumet county death records:
Simon Henry Oesau (v.6 p.626)
Feb. 14, 1833-April 27, 1917
Son of Claus Oesau, with mother unknown (both born Germany)
Born Germany –farmer 
Died from “arteriosclerosis, 4 years –senility”
Buried at New Holstein Cemetery
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.....Morning, Aged 84 Years (first part missing)
He live to be
"The last leaf on the tree"
In the death of Henry Oesau during the early hours of this morning,
the last link that united the New Holstein of today to the earliest
pioneer days of 1848, was severed. As a boy of 15, he was one of the
band of 65 who first came to what was then an unbroken wilderness, 
and with these pioneers he shared all the hardships and privations
of a pioneer community. But thanks to their toil and thrift, their
industry and fortitude, the wilderness was transformed into one of 
the graden spots of this state, with laughing prosperity abounding
on every hand.
Simon Henry Oesau was born in Sueder-Ditmarschen, duchy of Schleswig-
Holstein, February 4, 1833. In the memorable year of 1848, his parents
with their family of six children bid adieu to their native land, to
look under the Starry Banner for those conditions of individual liberty
which were largely denied them at home. The Oesaus were of a sturdy,
hardy stock. The family came at once to New Holstein, and located on
a farm a mile north of the present village.
Here the deceased grew to manhood and in 1859 was united in marriage
to Margaretha Arens. The young people at once moved on their farm two
miles south of the village. Four children were born to them, Gustav,
of Chilton; Mrs. Henry Steebock of Madison; Henry, of Chilton; (now
deceased) and Mrs. Wm. Kletzien of New Holstein. Mrs. Oesau died, 
March 21, 1868, and in 1869 Mr. Oesau entered a second marriage with
Wiebke Langemak, she survives her husband. One son, Theodore, now
one of the school principals of Milwaukee, was born of their union.
Mr. Oesau operated his farm for over forty years when the advent of
life's autumn and declining bodily vigor compelled him to retire.
Since then Mr. and Mrs. Oesau have resided in the village. The 
deceased enjoyed excellent health until this winter, and it was only
during the past month or six weeks that he was compelled to keep his
bed. But his trouble, arterial sclerosis, gradually made greater
inroads upon his strength, until this morning "he passed to where
beyond these voices there is peace."
(1917 handwritten on obit, no newspaper cited)
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From Calumet county marriage records:
Gustav F. Oesau and Wilhelmina Oesau (v.2 p.73)
Aug. 25, 1884 in civil ceremony, Town of New Holstein
Gustav F. Oesau
Son of Henry Simon Oesau [sic] and Margaretha Arens
Born Town of New Holstein –farmer 
Wilhelmina Oesau
Daughter of Claus Oesau and Mary Schoen
Witnesses Clems Oesau and Mary Oesau

MARIE (SCHOEN) OESAU


Marie (Schoen) Oesau and child

This older photo was re-worked by the Schuberts in the 1890's. This is a photo of 
Maria Schoen Oesau, who was the mother of William Oesau. Perhaps the baby scratched 
from the photo could be William - he was the eldest child. The photo would thus go 
back to about 1866.
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From Calumet county death records:
Marie Oesau nee Schoen (v.3 p.60)
Wife of Claus F. Oesau
March 19, 1839-Dec. 14, 1899
Daughter of Herman Schoen (born Prussia) and
Wilhelmine Moeller (born Coehn, Germany)
Born Farrentien, Mecklenburg, Germany
Died from “heart disease –heart failure, a few months”
Buried at the New Holstein Cemetery

WILLIAM OESAU


William Oesau

MATHILDA (WEBER) OESAU


Mathilda (Weber) Oesau

From Calumet county marriage records (v.3 p.117)
William Oesau and Mathilde Weber
William Oesau
b: Town of New Holstein –farmer
p: Claus F. Oesau and Mary Schoen
m: Nov. 28, 1891 in civil ceremony, Town of New Holstein
     Witnesses Louis Weber and Clara Oesau
to: Mathilde Weber
b: Town of New Holstein
p: Christoph Weber and Margaretha Pickel
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Note: Mathilde is buried in New Holstein cemetery. 
She died 13 Oct. 1892
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Following is the second marriage of William Oesau.
William Oesau and Minnie Voss (v.7 p.152)
Married April 11, 1901 in religious ceremony, Town of New Holstein
William Oesau
Son of Claus F. Oesau and Marie Schoen
Born Town of New Holstein –farmer in New Holstein
Minnie Voss
Daughter of John Voss and Katherine Weber
Born Town of Schleswig
Witnesses August Struck and Clara Struck
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Mrs. William Oesau Dies in Modesto, California
Relatives here received the sad news of the death of Mrs. William Oesau 
at her home in Modesto, California last week. She had reached the age 
of 85 years. The daughter of the late John and Catherine Weber Voss was 
born in the town of Schleswig, January 8, 1872, about one mile north of 
Kiel. She attended the Kiel grade and high school.
She married William Oesau and together they operated a farm for a number 
of years about one mile north of New Holstein. Then they moved to Chilton, 
later to New Holstein, and finally settled in Modesto, California. Her 
husband passed away 15 years ago. Others preceding her in death was a 
sister, Mrs. Martin Freeberg, Pomona, California, and two brothers, Theodore 
Voss of Schleswig and Dr. William Voss of Kiel.
Funeral services were held on March 5, 1957 at the Shannon Funeral Chapel 
at Modesto. The deceased is well-remembered here as the former Miss Minnie 
Voss. She leaves to mourn her death a nephew and six nieces, and her sister-
in-law, Mrs. William Voss. - March 1957 (No newspaper named)