Winker.net - Ferdinand and Antonette Borgmann


Borgmann crest Ferdinand B. (Fred) Borgmann Antonette Katherine Schurmann Married: 4 October 1855, Guttenburg, Iowa


Children:

Ferdinand B. Borgmann   \    | Antonette J.   B. 21 FEB 1857 / D. 27 SEP 1949 Sauk Centre MN
      &                  }---| Frances        B.  8 APR 1858 / D. 20 AUG 1937 Minot ND
Antonette Schurmann     /    | Louise         B.    DEC 1859 / D. 29 APR 1865 [buried in New Munich MN]
                             | George         B. about  1861 / D. about  1865
                             | Henry          B. about  1862 / D. 14 MAY 1873 Sauk Centre MN
                             | Amelia         B.  8 APR 1864 / D. 15 AUG 1922 Sauk Centre MN
                             | Mary           B. about  1866 / D.        18??          
                             | Ferdinand Jos. B.  8 APR 1869 / D.  2 JUL 1954 Sauk Centre MN
                             | Henry G.       B.  8 JUN 1873 / D. 13 AUG 1965 Sauk Centre MN
                             | Regina         B.  1 JUN 1876 / D.  8 MAY 1945 Minneapolis MN
                             | George Richard B. 16 AUG 1877 / D. 24 FEB 1932 Sauk Centre MN
                             | ?
According to family history, there were 12 children born to Ferdinand and Antonette. Five died in infancy or youth. Louise was listed on the 1860 census as 7 months old; the census was taken in July. Henry and Mary are on the 1870 census as ages 8 and 4 respectively. Louise and George are mentioned in a Borgmann family history as victims of a diptheria epidemic, and are not on the 1870 census.

Louisa Borgmann is buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in New Munich, MN. Her grave stone reads:
     BORGMANN Louise. 29 Apr 1865, Age 5 yr 5 mo, dau of F & A
New Munich had one of the first Catholic churches in that area, and was about 18 miles from the Borgmann farm.

The 1900 Federal census shows Antonette (listed as Katherine A. Borgman) as the mother of 11 children, 7 children still living. The 1910 Federal census shows her (listed as Antonette K.) as the mother of 12 children, 7 still living.


From The History of the Upper Mississippi Valley
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Company, 1881
Contents: The geology of the upper Mississippi and Saint Louis valleys by N.H. Winchell; Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota by Edward D. Neill; Outlines of the history of Minnesota by J. Fletcher Williams; State Education by Charles A. Bryant
Page 475
FERDINAND BORGMANN, one of the pioneers of the western part of Stearns County, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, on the 24th of May, 1825. He worked on a farm, when not attending school, until twenty-one years of age. In 1846, became a soldier in the Prussian army, serving through the war in Germany in 1848, by which Prussia became a constitutional state. In 1851, came to the United States, locating at Toledo, Ohio. After a few months, moved to Iowa, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for four years. In 1855, he visited Kansas and Nebraska with a desire to find a future home, but returned only to look in another direction. In 1856, he removed to Minnesota, locating in Lake George township, Stearns county, which was his home for eight years. In 1865, he came to his present farm in Sauk Centre township, where he now lives, having a well furnished farm and a comfortable home. He has another farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Ashley township. He has filled the office of Supervisor for seven terms. He was married to Miss Antoinette E. Sherman in 1854. They have eight living children.

Pages 463 & 464
  ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, CATHOLIC. -- The first services held here by this denomination, were by Father Mathias, at the house of Joseph Capser, in the fall of 1864.
  In 1870 Joseph Capser, Ferd. Borgmann, Joseph Ebensteiner, Henry Kalkmann, George Gruber and Anthony Miller bought a piece of ground on which to build a church. The sum of $475.00 was paid, Mr. Capser paying $300.00. A church was erected on the spot the next year and dedicated by Father Valentine on June 30, 1871.
  The first confirmation took place in September, 1875, by Bishop Seidenbusch....

From History of Stearns County, Minnesota
Author: William Bell Mitchell
Published 1915

Page 248
Church of St. Paul - One of the first settlers of Sauk Centre was Joseph Capser, who arrived in 1864, and was shortly followed by Anthony Miller, Frederick Borgmann, Joseph Ebensteiner, Henry Kalkmann and others. The first religious services were held at the house of Joseph Capser in the fall of 1864, by Father Matthew Stuerenberg, O. S. B., who was active in the Stearns county missions for a few years. He was followed by Rev. Joseph Buh, in 1865, and the Benedictine Fathers Anschar Frauendorfer, 1866; Anthony Capser, 1867-1868; Augustine Burns and Simplicius Wimmer.

Page 1326
The first German settler in Sauk Centre was Anthony Miller, who came in 1863. There came also in the two following years Joseph Capser, Fred Borgmann, Joseph Ebensteiner, Henry Kalkmann and George Gruber. That there was good physical stock in these early Germans is demonstrated by the fact that of that number there is still living Joseph Capser at the age of 82, Anthony Miller, aged 79, and Fred Borgmann, aged 90 years. These men are all in full possession of their faculties and present a vigorous protest to the years which have passed over their heads.

From the booklet BORGMANN
complied approx. 1980
by Evert C. Borgmann

Ferdinand Borgmann was born May 24, 1825, in Westphalia, Germany. In 1852 he emigrated to America. He was the only member of his family to do so. He first settled in Toledo, Ohio, where he worked on year in a sawmill. Not wanting to clear the land, he moved west. He located at Guttenburg, Iowa, and then to Lincoln, Nebraska. While there, he had a thrilling experience with Indians, who were preparing to attack a settlement. Through the persuasion of Mr. Borgmann and a bribe of sugar the land hunters were able to pull up stakes and depart. Mr. Borgmann returned to Guttenburg and married Antonette Schurmann on October 4, 1855.

Antonette Schurmann was born in Reclinhausen, Germany, on April 18, 1835. At the age of 18 she emigrated to America with her parents. The family settled near Guttenburg, Iowa. After Ferdinand and Antonette were married they lived in Guttenburg for two years and then to Lake George Township in Stearns County, Minnesota, where Antonette's sister, Mary Felling lived. Antonette gave birth to the first white baby in Stearns County. [NOTE: German settlement of Stearns County began in 1854. Since the Borgmanns did not arrive until 1856, and the first of the Borgmann children was born in 1857, it is unlikely that this statement is correct.] Five children were born to them at Lake George, where they remained until the Sioux uprising in 1862. Antonette helped Ferdinand hitch an ox team to a wagon to go to St. Cloud and safety. They returned to Lake George when the redskins were subdued.

In 1865 the Borgmanns again settled; this time to Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The first Catholic services were held in their home as there was no church in Sauk Centre at the time. [NOTE: According to the History of the Upper Mississippi Valley (1881), the first church services in Sauk Centre were held at the home of Joseph Capser in 1864. Mr. Borgmann did contribute to purchase land for the first Catholic Church in 1870.] Seven of their twelve children were born on this farm where all were reared. Five of the children died in infancy or youth.

Ferdinand and Antonette were married 60 years on October 4, 1915 about four months before Antonette passed away on February 25, 1916. Home, family and church with time always to give aid or help to the needy occupied the life of Mrs. Borgmann.

Mr. Borgmann declared he had no desire to live after Antonette was gone. He laid critically ill in an adjoining room when his wife died. Seven weeks later his wish to join his wife in the beyond was granted. Ferdinand Borgmann passed away on April 17, 1916 at the age of 90 years. He was always active in the upbuilding of the community. He served about 20 years as supervisor of the town, was one of the founders of St. Paul's Church and a true pioneer in every sense of the word. He served four years in the German army and saw service under arms during the revolution of 1848-1849.

More on the Borgmann family:
My Grandparents in Minnesota by Genevieve Lux (written about 1924)

The Borgmanns and several of their offspring are buried in the front row of St. Paul's Cemetery, just east of Sauk Centre.


60th Wedding Anniversary of Ferdinand and Antonette
1915 - 60th Wedding Anniversary of
Ferdinand and Antonette Borgmann

Seated in front

Standing from left to right:
Amelia Borgmann Lux Gaspard
Ferdinand J. Borgmann
Anna Schwartz Borgmann (wife of Ferdinand J.)
Henry G. Borgmann
Antonette Borgmann Minette
Frederick Schurmann (brother of Antonette)
Catherine Wimmer Borgmann (wife of Henry)
Regina Borgmann Thiers
Julia Schaefer Borgmann (wife of George)
George R. Borgmann

Ferdinand and Antonette Borgmann (date unknown) Ferdinand and Antonette Borgmann
(Date unknown)
Ferdinand, Henry and George Borgmann The three surviving sons:
Ferdinand J., Henry G., George R.
(date unknown, about 1900)


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