This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: CHRISTIANSEN, EICKHOFF, KROPF, PECKHAM, REUSSER, ROTH, ROTTEN, RYDER, SCHMELCHER, SMELKER, THOMET Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kFB.2ACE/5678 Message Board Post: I recently acquired a postcard album at the Ruby (EICKHOFF) CHRISTIANSEN estate sale in Lowell, Kent Co., MI, that contains 22 photos pertaining to the REUSSER and Allied Families of the Lowell area. Ruby’s mother was a Reusser. This family once owned land in Vergennes Township, north of Lowell, at least a portion of which was donated to Fallasburg Park in 1955. Fallasburg Park is a jewel in the Kent County park system and contains one of the two remaining covered bridges in Kent County. This postcard album, about 20 postcards and 22 photos are currently available on eBay (Item #180033588311). The auction runs until the evening of Sunday, October 8, 2006. SURNAMES: CHRISTIANSEN, EICKHOFF, KROPF, PECKHAM, REUSSER, ROTH, ROTTEN, RYDER, SCHMELCHER, SMELKER, THOMET • NOTE: Names with a double asterisk ** before them appear in at least one photograph. There are 6 photographs with no identification and a photo of the Thomets without individual identification. The family history information was gleaned off Ancestry.com in order to provide a genealogical framework. • Samuel REUSSER, b. 30 March 1845, Switzerland, and d. 28 August 1898, Kent Co., MI, married **Rosina ROTH, b. 24 Sept. 1846, Switzerland, and d. 6 Sept. 1921, Lowell, Kent Co., MI. They were married 20 April 1870, in Langnan, Switzerland. Samuel and Rosina had 12 children: 1. Christian Reusser, b. 27 Sept. 1871, Switzerland, and d. 11 April 1895. 2. Samuel Reusser, b. 3 Feb. 1873, Switzerland, and d. 8 March 1893. 3. **Rosa Reusser, b. 5 July 1874, Switzerland, d. 11 March 1947. Married Albert THOMET, 31 December 1892, Lowell, MI. They had 6 children: -- 1. Dolly Thomet, b. 3 Nov. 1893 -- 2. Alfred Thomet, b. 27 Feb. 1895 -- 3. Bertha Thomet, b. 15 Sept. 1905 -- 4. Fred Thomet, b. 17 Sept. 1906 -- 5. **Beatrice Esther Thomet, b. 17 June 1912 --6. **Paul Thomet, b. ? 4. **Elsie Reusser, b. 19 Sept. 1875, Switzerland, and d. 30 Aug. 1956. Married John KROPF, 18 March 1893, Lowell, MI. They had 6 children: --1. Fanny Kropf, b. 1 July 1894 -- 2. **Freda Kropf, b. 26 Sept. 1895 -- 3. **Walter Kropf, b. 20 Feb. 1898 -- 4. **Rose Kropf, b. 3 July 1901 -- 5. **Olive Kropf, b. ? -- 6. **Anthony Kropf, b. ? 5. **Anna Reusser, 20 Apr. 1877, Switzerland, and d. 20 Aug. 1962, Lowell, MI. Married Frank RYDER, 24 May 1894, Lowell, Kent Co., MI. They had 11 children: --1. Edwin Ryder, b. 13 Apr. 1894, Lowell, MI --2. Matilda Ryder, b. 8 Mar. 1895, Lowell, MI --3. Frank Ryder, b. 1 March 1896, Lowell, MI --4. Fred Ryder, b. 7 Sept. 1897, Lowell, MI --5. George Ryder, b. 24 Dec. 1898, Lowell, MI --6. Samuel Ryder, b. 7 April 1900, Lowell, MI --7. **Lena Ryder, b. 23 Aug. 1901, Lowell, MI and d. Dec. 1992, Lowell, MI. Married William PECKHAM, 27 Sept. 1919, Lowell, MI. They had 9 children: ----- 1. **Ruth Peckham ----- 2. Hazel Peckham ----- 3. William Peckham ----- 4. Richard Peckham ----- 5. Wesley Peckham ----- 6. ______ Peckham ----- 7. ______ Peckham ----- 8. ______ Peckham ----- 9. ______ Peckham -- 8. Carl Ryder, b. 1903, Lowell, MI -- 9. Anna Mary Ryder, b. 25 May 1905, Lowell, MI -- 10. Louise Ryder, b. 9 Oct. 1906, Lowell, MI -- 11. **Cora Marie Ryder, b. 7 Oct 1911, Lowell, MI 6. **Mary Reusser, b. 8 Sept. 1878, Switzerland, and d. 12 Oct. 1944, Lowell, MI. She married Alfred THOMET, 30 July 1896, Lowell, MI. They had 14 children: -- 1. **Louise Thomet, b. 3 Nov. 1896 -- 2. William Thomet, b. 12 Dec. 1897 -- 3. Flora Lena Thomet, b. 12 Dec. 1898 -- 4. Alice Thomet, b. 24 Feb. 1901 -- 5. Arnold Thomet, b. 1902 -- 6. Coral Thomet, b. 27 Dec. 1903 -- 7. Viola Thomet, b. 15 Nov. 1905 -- 8. Alma Thomet, b. 10 July 1907 -- 9. Margaret Thomet, b. 12 Jan. 1910 -- 10. Robert Thomet, b. 11 April 1911 --11. Arlene Thomet, b. 28 Aug. 1915 --12. Zuma Thomet, b. 10 Nov. 1917 --13. Arlo Thomet, b. 2 May 1919 --14. Leo Thomet, b. 2 June 1920 7. Francis Reusser, b. 25 May 1880, Switzerland, and d. 26 Oct. 1951, Freeport, Barry Co., MI. She married Clarence Leroy SCHMELCHER, 12 March 1907, Lowell, MI. They had 3 children: --1. **Martha Smelker, b. 12 May 1909, Irving Twp., Barry Co., MI --2. Claudy Smelker, b. 1910 --3. **Dexter Robert Smelker, b. 10 May 1914, Freeport, MI 8. Frederick Reusser, b. 6 Oct. 1881, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI, and d. 5 January 1900. 9. **Lena Reusser, b. 11 Oct. 1883, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI, and d. 16 Oct. 1943, Lowell, MI. She married Eberhardt Martin EICKHOFF, 12 Oct. 1904, Lowell, MI. They had 9 children: -- 1. Harvey Martin Eickhoff, b. 30 Jan. 1907, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI -- 2. Thelma Anne Eickhoff, b. 20 Aug. 1908, Berlin, Ottawa Co., MI -- 3. Erhardt Fredrick Eickhoff, b. 18 Feb. 1910, Berlin, Ottawa Co., MI -- 4. Irma Catherine Eickhoff -- 5. Ruby May Eickhoff -- 6. Josephine Rosina Eickhoff -- 7. Roxie Arlene Eickhoff -- 8. Harry Bernard Eickhoff -- 9. Marie Elizabeth Eickhoff 10. **Emma Reusser, b. 19 Sept. 1885, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI, and d. 26 March 1915. 11. **Johann Reusser, b. 30 March 1887, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI, and d. 18 Dec. 1955. He married Marie ROTTEN, 18 Jan. 1918. They had 4 children: --1. Pearl Marie Reusser, b. 1 Oct. 1918 --2. Clara Reusser --3. Elsie Alice Reusser, b. 9 July 1922 --4. _______ Reusser 12.**Rudolf Reusser, b. 7 April 1890, Vergennes, Kent Co., MI, and d. 24 Nov. 1934. • In the 1900 U.S. Census for Vergennes, Kent Co., Michigan, Widow, Rosina Reusser, 53, a farmer, is shown living with her four youngest children, Lena, 16; Emma, 14; John, 13 and Rudolph, 10. It further states that Rosina had 12 children, 9 of whom are still living. • In the 1907 Atlas of Kent County, Mrs. Sam’l Reusser is shown owning land in Vergennes Township, Section 23, in which at least a portion is now part of Fallasburg Park. In fact, there is a photo of a boulder with a brass plaque stating, "This area donated as part of Fallasburg park in memory of LENA EICKHOFF, 1955." (See Scanned Photo) Lena (REUSSER) EICKHOFF was a daughter of Samuel and Rosina REUSSER. To see the boundaries of Fallasburg Park today, go to: http://www.accesskent.com/CultureLeisureAndTransit/Parks/fallasburg.htm • Samuel & Rosina are buried in the Alton Cemetery, Vergennes Township, Section 2, Lincoln Lake Road, Lowell, Michigan