52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #2 - Wilhelm Eggelsmann

This is #2 in a Genealogy Blog Challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow over on her blog "No Story Too Small." The challenge is to write 52 blog posts on 52 ancestors throughout 2014.

Wilhelm Eggelsmann
ca. 1870-1880

Wilhelm Eggelsmann was born in Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany.  He was born on EITHER 23 December 1855 OR 10 Dec 1856.  (Two different "official" documents with two different birthdays!) He arrived in 1860 and quickly settled in Chicago where he married Rosa Hutterau (or Gutteran) on the 17th of July in 1882.

Wilhelm Eggelsmann
ca. 1930s

4 months later, his daughter Ida was born. Ida was quickly followed by Elena in 1884, Lizette in 1886, and Gertrude in 1887.  By 1888, Wilhelm and his family was living on Mowhawk Ave between Clybourn and North Ave in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood (as it is currently known).

In 1886, Wilhelm filed his Declaration of Intent to become a citizen.  By 1890, he took his Final Oath and became a citizen of the United States. This act gave his wife citizenship also. 

Newspaper clipping from 1932
Newspaper unknown

Twelve years later, in 1900, Wilhelm, Rosa and their daughters Elena and Lizette were living on Christiana Ave, just north of Diversey in the Logan Square neighborhood. Coincidentally, Wilhelm's daughter Ida and her husband were living next door, with some other in-laws living just down the street.

Wilhelm and Rosa remained in Chicago for another 20 years living near their daughters and their families until Ida and her husband moved to Flossmoor, IL.  Wilhelm and Rosa packed up house, moved to the "country" and lived along the Dixie Highway. 

Wilhelm and Rosa celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in style, even having a small feature in a local paper in 1932. Their celebrations were short lived though, as Rosa passed away that same year.

Wilhelm continued to live with his daughter Ida and her family in Flossmoor, IL. He was a loving grandfather, as evidenced by the photos that have been handed down through the family.

Wilhelm passed away on the 21st of January 1937.  He is buried in St. Lucas Cemetery in Chicago next to his wife.

Wilhelm is one of my 3rd great-grandfather on my mother's side.

Wilhelm Eggelsmann with three of his grand-daughters
(Left to Right) Florence Genotte, Violet Reiner,
Rose Marie Genotte  (Photo ca. 1905-1906)