Kreiser and Miller (Mueller). Ancestors of Fritz.

Ya know, when tracing my Grandma Rita's ancestors, I quite often think about these little backwood villages in Germany and the Netherlands that they came from and don't think too much of them. They were poor farmers. BUT...then you come across Great-Grandpa Fritz's maternal Grandma, Helena Bendle Miller's birth place, and you're awestruck. Eguisheim, Alsace, France (at one time, Germany!) is probably the most beautiful, picturesque village I think I've ever seen. When you read Brothers Grimm fairy tales, your imagination quite often wanders to this make believe village in your mind, and then you discover that this make believe place really does exist...and it's Eguisheim. Hold on. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with Fritz and go from there.

Above are my Grandma Rita Youker's parents: Francis Rudolph Kreiser and Mary Louise Steinebach. Fritz and Louise to everybody else. Both born, raised, and buried at St. Mary's of Hannah. I call Hannah "The Little Rhineland" because 95% of it's founders were from Western Germany. Yes. There were Irish, Italian, and Polish in the mix but they were in the minority.  I'm lucky to have French and Dutch blood out of these two, as so many of the families married other Germans.

Behold! Beautiful Immaculate Conception in Ottoville, Ohio. Home parish of Fritz's mother.

Fritz was born January 23, 1900 to Ralph Kreiser and Mary Catherine Mueller (Miller). Ralph grew up at St. Mary's, New Salem (near Grand Rapids), and Mary was born and raised at Immaculate Conception parish, in Ottoville, Ohio. Many of the Germans in Hannah were in Grand Rapids prior to migrating north to Hannah, and those Grand Rapids Germans, many were in Ohio before coming to Grand Rapids. The Millers bypassed Grand Rapids all together, and came straight to Hannah.
Fritz was a very witty, upbeat guy. Loved his wife, children, and grandchildren. Enjoyed being the trickster, and telling jokes. He was the Grandpa that would have you pull his finger and then farted. No Kidding!

The only family photo I have of Ralph and Mary Kreiser!! 

Fritz spent his whole life farming, growing primarily potatoes. In fact, all of the rural, southern Grand Traverse County, Michigan kids got two weeks off every October to harvest potatoes. It was called "Potato Vacation"! Whoo-hoo! Sign me up! Ironically, the VanDyke side of this family, when they lived in the Netherlands, were also potato farmers.
Fritz and Louise married in June of 1923. They eloped to the Grand Traverse County Courthouse in Traverse City and were married before a Justice of the Peace. When the family was told, they were immediately drug before Father John Grinzinger at St. Mary's, Hannah who married them. Little harm done. They were young. Fritz 22 and Louise 17. Ralph Kreiser was not very fond of the situation. He apparently scowled through the entire church ceremony and afterwards, went off to plow a field, while the rest of the family members had refreshments.
Fritz and Louise were living with Ralph and Mary Kreiser afer they married. Little conversation passed between Louise and her inlaws, lots of slamming doors, and dirty looks. My Grandma, being a little girl remembers this. Not very nice memories for a child!
Both Fritz and Louise were practicing Catholics. Louise would take a close pin and string it full of holy medals and wear it attached to her bra. During severe storms she would burn blessed palm branches. Fritz made sure the family was in church a half hour or more before Mass started in order to get in five decades of the rosary.
 Back to Fritz's parents: Ralph Kreiser was apparently a very stubborn fellow. Grandma Rita said that her grandfather had relocated from Hannah to Grand Rapids (New Salem) after the death of his wife. He had a stroke, the entire family gathered around his death bed. He recooped and lived another decade. Grandma said he spent his golden years "peddling onions" and had a veggie stand. Her Grandma Mary was tall and skinny. Grandma Rita remembers her making delicious little cakes for the Grandkids, and when she attended Mass on Sundays as an old woman, she sat with her sister, Susan Bartz. Ironically, I have a picture of Susan but not one of my own Great-Great Grandmother. I assume they looked similar.
Fritz's sister, Anna had caught TB. Their mother, Mary nursed her back to health, caught TB herself and died shortly afterwards. When Anna caught TB her husband up and left her and the children. At the deaths of Anna and Grandma Mary Kreiser, Fritz's other sister, Lena took in and raised the children in Grand Rapids. With Mary's death, Ralph Kreiser eventually remarried, and in order to get the farm back, the Kreisers had to take their stepmother to court. Fritz and Louise ended up with house and property in the end.

Fritz's Aunt Susan Miller Bartz and family.

While Ralph Kreiser's parents, Mathias and Martha (VanDyke) Kreiser stayed in New Salem. Mary Kreiser's parents, Jacob and Helena (Bendle) Miller were at Hannah. I'm not sure if the couple lived with the family, or had their own place? Fritz was close with Grandma Helena and she was full of fairy tales, Bible Stories, stories of the "old country" etc.. Perhaps my Grandmother inherited this love of story telling from her?
Jacob was born in Gerhsheim, Saarland, Germany. If you've never heard of the Saarland, it's no big deal. It's Germany's smallest province and borders France. Gersheim was a part of the bigger, neighboring province of Bavaria at the time the Millers immigrated to Ohio. Jacob's parents, and Grandparents all immigrated together on the same boat. Jacob lost his leg in a farming accident. I'm not sure if this is before or after immigration. He did little jobs such as repairman, shoemaker, etc.. He ended up leaving Hannah and returning to Ohio (Not sure the specifics, possibly for work?) and after death, was buried at St. Mary's, Hannah. His wife, Helena also buried in Hannah cemetery but at the complete opposite end! Yikes.
Also, I never heard my Grandmother refer to this family ever as the Enlgish: Miller. She always pronounced it as the German: Mueller.

Obit and tombstone of Fritz's grandfather: Jacob Mueller/Miller.

Helena. Started life in Eguishheim and passed away in Hannah, south of Traverse City, Michigan. Here are some images of Eguisheim. Click on link for history of village: Wiki Info. on Eguisheim.

Not forgetting to mention, we have this unique traditional dress of Alsace.

See what I mean? Isn't that a charming village?! It's been voted most beautiful village in France, and for good reason. I'm amazed I have connections to such a place! Lucky me!

And I'm ending with a photo of Helena's grave. May she rest in peace. I'm sure wherever she is, she continues to tell stories.