Lishen Family Generation 1

Lishen Family

Descendants of Charles Leisgen

Generation No. 1

1. Charles¹ (Karl) Leisgen, Sr was born 27 Sep 1826 in Prussia or Southern Germany¹, and died 07 Dec 1913 in Culver, Ottawa Co. KS². He married (1) Mary Sawyer Bef. 1852^3,4. She was born Abt. 1827 in Prussia⁵, and died Mar 1872 in Warsaw IL^6,7,8. He married (2) Barbara Stoffer⁹ 21 Sep 1872 in Hancock County, IL⁹.

Notes for Charles Leisgen, Sr:

(The following was sent to me by LaRie Youngdahl, granddaughter of Charles' son, Henry Lishen. Typed as written)

LEISGEN

FAMILY HISTORY AS IT STARTS IN

1855

As told to me by my Grandfather Henry Christorph 9leisgen) Lishen, at Culver, Ottawa County, Kansas, in September 1936, how his Perants, came to America, from Prussa, Southern Germany.

Karl Leisgen (Charles Lishen)
& Mary Sawyer were married in 1855 in Germany.
Not known when the name spelling was changed
They had one Child Annie was about two years old when they left Germany, in 1857.

In 1857 Karl had to sign up for Military Service, He did not want to go Service or War. So he broke his trigger finger, before he went to sign up. The Goverment did not like that. So they gave him just hours to leave the country. He was now the same as a man without a Country. They had little money, only enough to pay Mary's way. They had a Child (Annie), They could take what they could carry on board Ship, so they rolled the Child (Annie), up in the Feather Tick (Bed), and carried it aborad, Karl worked as a deck hand to Pay his passage. At night they would unroll the Father Tick (Bed), and let her out, but once they got to open sea, they unrolled the Feather Tick (Bed) hand let Annie out and she traveled the rest of the way as a Stow away.

That's how they got to America. Karl did not known what the name of the Ship they were on, or what Port they docked at. Family settled in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinios, raised their Family."

(End)

15 Feb. 1873, Charles Leisgen of the County of Hancock and State of Illinois, signed a quit claim deed in consideration of one hundred dollers to Charles Leisgen Jr., George Leisgen, Albert Leisgen, Henry Leisgen and Louis Leisgen of the same County and State "Lot numbered two (2) in Block Number Twenty six (26) in the subdivision of Section Number Sixteen in Township Number four (4) North of the Base line of Range Number Nine (9) West of the fourth Principle Meridian, and situated in the City of Warsaw in the County of Hancock and State of Illinois." Recorded 6 Mar. 1873 at 4:00pm in Vol. 85, pg. 382 of the Deed record.

1880 Census, Hancock Co., IL, City of Warsaw, page 6, dwelling #56, family #57, enumerated on 3 June 1880, lists:

Charles Leysgen, 51, divorced, laborer, born Prussia, as were parents, and sons parents

Charles, 21, butcher, born Illinois

Edward, 16, laborer, born Illinois

Albert, 14, at school, born Illinois

Henry, 11, at school, born Illinois

[note Edward is listed on 1880 census in Saline Co. KS as per his life story. Charles is on the 1880 census in Breckinridge Co. KY.]

page 7 of the same census, enumerated on June 3rd and 4th 1880, lists:

Louis Leysgen, age 9, at school, born Illinois, parents from Prussia, living in the family of John Harold, 61, wife Gertrude, 48, (both born in Prussia), and daughter Kate, 15, born in Illinois.

1880, Census, Hancock Co., IL, Wythe Twp, enumerated on 11 June 1880, by Edmund P. Denton, page 10, dwelling #85, family #85 is:

Albert Leigen, age 14, farm hand, born in IL, parents born in Prussia. He is with family of Wallace S. Bride,

1900 Census, Hancock Co. Montebelle Township, Hamilton City

County Road

Charles Lishen living alone, b. Sept 1832, age 67, born Germany, parents Germany, immigrated 1860, Naturalized, can't read write (English?), speaks English

(obituary)

Culver Record, Culver Kansas, Dec. 11, 1913.

"Charles Lishen was born in Southern Germany September 27, 1832 and died at the home of his son, Ed Lishen, Sunday, December 7, 1913 age 81 years, 3 months and 10 days. He was married to Mary Sawyer in 1855 and to this union was born two daughters and six sons. His wife proceeded him 41 yeas ago and one daughter and three sons have also passed on before him.

Charles Lishen and his wife came to America in 1857. He has been a good citizen and a faithful father. He was baptized and confirmed in the German Lutheran faith to which he clung, holding his membership in the German Lutheran Church in Warsaw Iill [IL].

He leaves three sons, Henry Lishen and Ed Lishen of Culver, Lewis Lishen of Peoria, ILL, and Mrs Annie May of Cloverport, Ky, with 10 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren to mourn his loss. The funeral service was held at 8 am. Tuesday at the Ed Lishen home conducted by Rev. J.F. Johnson who read the 90 and a part of the 91 Psalm and spoke kindly to friends and relatives. The body was taken to the depot and shipped to Warsaw ILL. to be buried beside his wife. The corpse was accompanied by Ed Lishen and daughter, Anna and Henry Lishen and daughter, Maud."

Notes from diary of Maud Lishen on trip back to Ill with body of grandfather, Charles Leisgen, Sr.

- "We left Culver Kans 10 Dec. 1913 in the morning on the No 9-27 train called the Lincoln Branch to Salina and took the main line."

- They arrived in Burlington at 3 o'clock Wed. morning [must have been Thursday because Dec 10 was Wed.], had a lay over until 4:30, "Uncle Louis" met them there. They reached Hamilton about 5:15 and took the 5:45 trolley to Warsaw arriving about 6am. "Cousin Albert" came down from Peoria.

- On tour of dam in Keokuk, IA, they met a man, "Aunt Halley's uncle" who was their guide to dam.

-After tours of a button and a shoe factory, [following is typed as written except some periods have been added] "From here we went to Stumptownour farthers old home. It is a small part of warsaw sit a part from the rest of the main part of town. It get it name because of being full of stump. we look around grandpa place awhile. The place was about 3 lots faceing the [north?] with a old shackly house on it the house it face the north with two large soft maple trees in front of it and an old borad walk leading from the picket fence to the door. The door was open and the window were broken out. we entered the front door to get a look at the inside. the west room was about 16 by 14 feet. the plastering was partly off and the floor was broken and split. in this room was two window and a door. one window in the north and one in the South. the next room had a window in the South east and west and door in the west. [some unreadable about trying to get out that door] we made out the way we came in. we went around the house. their was a celler under part of the house and we raised the celler door. it was so old and rotten it almost broke with it own weight. we walk a round to the sistern then out to the barn and back to and old apple tree, and look a round a little bit longer and papa to talk to an old dutch man and we went over to the old school house were they used to go to school and look around and came back and papa was still talking." We returned to Aunt Katies and we where all hungry and tired from the days tramp."

-Cemetery seemed to have an American and German section. She commented on the beauty with blue grass and green ? trained up high with white tombstones and gravel walks. "It look like a place of rest, all right."

More About Charles Leisgen, Sr:

Burial: 11 Dec 1913, Warsaw, Hancock Co, IL¹⁰

Immigration: 1857-1860^11,12

Notes for Mary Sawyer:

Death certificate of Annie Lishen May lists Mary's last name as Shaffer. Henry Lishen, in his life story says her name was Mary Sawyer. Card in file of Concordia Lutheran Church, Warsaw, IL for Louis Leisgen also lists her name as Mary Sawyer.

Marriage Notes for Charles Leisgen and Mary Sawyer:

Henry Lishen in his life story, and obiturary of Charles Leisgen Sr., says Karl Leisgen (Charles Lishen) and Mary Sawyer were married in 1855 in Germany. They had one child when coming to America. Annie's birthdate has consistently been given as 1852.

Marriage Notes for Charles Leisgen and Barbara Stoffer:

There are very few references to a second wife for Charles however it appears that he did marry again.

A Charles Leisgan and Miss Barbara Stoffer were married on September 21, 1872 in Hancock Co. by Phil Hammam? The affidavit states that Charles is over 21 and Barbara over 18 so this could not be a marriage of Charles Jr who would be just 6 years old. The signature on the marriage Affidavit is different than the one on the above quit claim deed, however the quit claim deed signature appears to be in the same handwriting as the rest of the document.

Edna Lishen Potter, daughter of Edward, wrote in a letter postmarked Sept. 8, 1979, that "my grandfather Lishen came to Kansas to live with us after his 2nd wife died . . . "

Have no explanation for the 1880 census listing Charles as "divorced"

Children of Charles Leisgen and Mary Sawyer are:

+     2                   i.           Annie² Lishen, born 24 Aug 1852 in Germany; died 25 May 1938 in Cloverport, Breckinridge, KY.

+       3                  ii.           Charles Lishen, born 11 Oct 1858 in Germany; died 14 Feb 1901 in Cloverport, Breckinridge, KY.

         4                 iii.           George Lishen, born 1863¹³; died 1871 in Warsaw, Hancock Co, IL¹⁴.

Notes for George Lishen:

Drowned in Mississippi River

+       5                iv.           Edward Lishen, born 02 Jan 1865 in Warsaw, Hancock Co, IL; died 06 Dec 1942 in Culver, Saline Co., KS.

+       6                 v.           Albert Christian Lishen, born 16 Aug 1866; died 28 Jan 1908.

+       7                vi.           Henry Lishen, born 28 Mar 1869 in Warsaw, Hancock Co, IL; died 29 Oct 1938 in Culver, Ottawa Co. KS.

+       8               vii.           Louis Lishen, born Feb 1871 in Hancock Co., IL.

         9              viii.           daughter Lishen.

(Generation 2) (Generation 3)

Endnotes

1. Concordia Lutheran Church, Warsaw, IL, records (xerox copy) sent by La Rie Youngdahl.

2. Culver Record, Culver Kansas, Obitluary, Dec 11, 1913.

3. Edward Lishen life story. Copy in files..

4. 1870 Hancock Co. Federal Census, Warsaw, pg. 8.

5. 1870 Hancock Co. Federal Census, Warsaw, pg.8.

6. Edward Lishen life story. Copy in files..

7. Culver Record, Culver Kansas, Dec. 11, 1913 - obituary of Charles Leisgen, Sr..

8. Family Group sheets of Edward Lishen from LaRie Youngdahl.

9. Marriage License of Charles Leisgen and Barbars Stoffeer.

10. Concordia Lutheran Church, Warsaw, IL, records (xerox copy) sent by La Rie Youngdahl.

11. Obituary of Charles Leisgen (Sr) in Culver Record, Culver Kansas, Dec. 11, 1913.

12. 1900 Federal Census, Hancock Co. IL.

13. Personal correspondance with Russell Lishen, letter 29 Sept. 1997.

14. Edward Lishen life story. Copy in files..

(Generation 2) (Generation 3)

Please contact me at sclover@acsalaska.net if you have any information about, or are a descendent of these families. I would love to share with you.