Just found these items on the second husband of my husband's great grandmother, Julia BUERGEL PETERSEN BRUGMANN GEISON. . Henry and Julia had a daughter, Mildred Brugmann, who married Forrest GOECKE and lived in Chicago at the time of Julia's death in 1945. Mildred was my husband's grandfather's half-sister...(oh, these tangled relationships). Julia and Henry Brugmann divorced and Julia later married Frank Geison / Geisan. I am looking for anyone who may have information on the Buergel family and where they emigrated from in Germany (Prussia) or photos of the family.. Wilhelm Buergel was a shoemaker in Davenport c. 1870. Don't know if there are any BRUGMANNs out there, but... Daily Times Davenport, Scott, Iowa Aug 26, 1943 HENRY BRUGMANN IS KILLED WHEN STRUCK BY TRAIN Body Pinned Under Switch Engine for Nearly Two Hours Henry Brugmann, 74, of Cook's Point and formerly of Buffalo, was instantly killed when run over by a Rock Island Lines Diesel switch engine on a spur track in the rear of the Continental Grain Co., at the foot of Pine street, Davenport, at 10:50 p.m. Wednesday. An open verdict was returned by a coroner's jury at an inquest this morning. Asleep Between Rails Nine witnesses, including members of the crew, testified at the inquest, and according to the witnesses, the victim apparently was asleep between the rails when he was struck by the Diesel engine, engaged in switching operations. Nearly two hours were required in removing the body from under the engine. The body became wedged between the ties and the gear housing. Frank Drobot, better known as "Robinson Crusoe," who resides on an island in the quarry on Schmidt's road, south of the railroad tracks, crawled under the engine and released the badly mangled body. It was necessary for Drobot to sever part fo the elbow bone, the limb having become entangled in a cotter key. Before Drobot volunteered to crawl under the engine, arrangements were made by the train crew to raise the engine with jacks. Find Beer Bottles at Scene Members of the train crew testified at the inquest that the engine was traveling east and had rounded a curve when they observed the man apparently asleep between the tracks. They said it appeared that his head was elevated, indicating that he had been sleeping on a canvas bag containing two picnic size beer bottles, which were found about 15 feet from the body after the accident. When the train crew saw the victim, the engineer immediately applied the emergency brakes, but the engine traveled approximately six to eight feet after passing over the body. The engine was being operated in reverse at the speed of between five and six miles an hour. Members of the train crew were: W.H. Griffin, 312 Seventh street, Silivs, engineer; James Murphy, 1003 Charlotte avenue, Davenport, brakeman; William M. Murphy, 3614 Twelfth avenue, Rock Island, switchman; Harold Young, 3204 Sixteenth avenue, Rock Island, switchman, and Harry Beer, 150 Twelfth street, Silvis. Other witnesses who testified at the inquest were: Policeman Ray Harvey, Leo Cuervorst and Mert harsock, Capt. William P. Hennelly and Drobot. The body was taken to the Everson & Anderson mortuary. Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa Aug 26, 1943 pg 11 DAVENPORT MAN IS KILLED UNDER SWITCH ENGINE Victim Identified As Henry Brugmann of Cook's Point Henry Brugmann, 74, of Cook's Point, was instantly killed when he was run over by a Rock Island switch engine at the foot of Pine street at 10:50 p.m. Wednesday. An open verdict was returned by a coroner's jury at an inquest held Thursday morning. The victim was not identified until shortly before noon Thursday when a nephew, Elmer Brugmann, 2029 West Second street, gave the information to police, after he had viewed the body at the Everson & Anderson mortuary. Members of the engine crew testified at the inquest that Brugmann was apparently asleep on the tracks and that he was lying parallel with the rails when first seen. Every effort was made by the crew to stop the engine, which was traveling at a slow rate of speed, but a portion of the engine passed over the victim's body. Frank Drovot, who resides on the island south of Schmidt's road, crawled under the locomotive and removed the victim's body after an attempt by Davenport police officers had failed. Drovot revealed at the inquest that he had known the victim for the past 12 or 13 years. Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa Aug 27, 1943 THE BRUGMANN FUNERAL Services for Henry Brugmann, 74, who was killed by a Rock Island switch engine Wednesday night were held in the Everson & Anderson chapel at 4:30 p.m. Friday with the Rev. J.A. Miller officiating. Mr.s William Kniegge sang two hymns. Burial was in Pine Hill cemetery. Bearers were Richard Risley, Joe Valdez, H.B. Anderson, and Richard Carstens. CORONER'S INQUEST State of Iowa, Scott County, ss. An inquisition holden at Davenport, in Scott county on the 26th day of August, A.D., 1943, before Frank C. Keppy, coroner of the said county, upon the body of HENRY BRUGMANN, there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are subscribed. The said jurors upon their oath do day that the said Henry Brugmann came to his death about 10:50 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25, 1943, when he was struck by a Rock Island Diesel switch engine while he was lying between the rails of a spur track near the foot of Pine street in Davenport, Scott county, Iowa. In testimony whereof, the said jurors have hereunto set their hands, the day and year aforesaid. [signed] Henry H. Hoffman C.H. Woods, Herbert H. Bigeley, Frank C. Keppy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Descendants of Julia Ann Buergel (my husband's great grandmother) 1 Julia Ann Buergel b: Aug 31, 1877 in Davenport,Scott Co, Iowa d: Jun 4, 1945 in Davenport,Scott Co, Iowa Burial: Fairmount Cemetery, Davenport, Scott, Iowa . +James H. Petersen b: Jun 30, 1861 in Schleswig-Holstein,Germany d: Mar 16, 1936 in Rock Island,Illinois Burial: Fairmount Cemetery, Davenport, Scott, Iowa ........ 2 Ernest Petersen b: Sep 1894 ........ 2 William Petersen b: Aug 13, 1895 in Davenport,Scott Co.,Iowa d: Mar 27, 1939 in Buffalo,Scott Co.,Iowa src: PE-1 ............ +Celesta Leona Westendorf b: Dec 3, 1894 in Davenport,Scott Co.,Iowa m: Jan 5, 1921 in Davenport,Scott Co.,Iowa d: Aug 14, 1970 in Davenport,Scott Co.,Iowa ........ 2 Julia Margaret Petersen b: Nov 1897 ............ +Richard Risley b: Jul 28, 1898 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa src: Obit m: Apr 12, 1920 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa d: Apr 4, 1948 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa Burial: Cremated- ashes spread on arsenal island, Rock Island, Illinois *2nd Husband of Julia Ann Buergel: . +Henry Brugmann b: Abt. 1869 in Iowa m: Abt. 1901 d: Aug 26, 1943 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa Burial: Pine Hill Cemetery, Davenport, Scott, Iowa Source: Obit ........ 2 Mildred Brugmann ............ +Forrest Goecke *3rd Husband of Julia Ann Buergel: . +Frank Geison m: Aft. 1910 d: Bet. 1939 - 1940