This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.wisconsin.counties.dane/3137.1.1.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Agnes Fischenick's parents were Bernard and Anna Marie Schwanen. Of the 12 Fischenick children I know of, four married Esser siblings. Agnes married John Esser, son of Theodore and Sibilla (Kremer)Esser. John Esser was born 21 December, 1837 and died 28 September, 1900 (see Dane County Death, volume 2, page 360). John and Agnes had fourteen children that I have been able to document. Those that did not die in Dane County, died in either Brown, Steele, or Blue Earth County, Minnesota. I am missing the death dates and locations on two. The families did move back and forth between Wisconsin and Minnesota, so it is a little difficult, when you try to track them. Gertrude Fischenick married Ferdinand Esser in Union Hill, Minnesota. Ferdinand is a brother to John/son of Theodore and Sibilla. Bernard Fischenick married Juliana Mary Esser. Bernhard Esser is a brother to John/son of Theodore and Sibilla. Juliana was the daughter of Bernhard and Ursula (Grass) Esser. Ursula Grass Esser is the daughter of Lorenz Grass and Anna Marie Lapper, from whom I am descended, six generations later. The Grass siblings married into the following families: Essers, Pauli, Schifferle, Diebold, and Carpenter. The families all go back to arrivals in Dane County in the early 1850's to 1860's. Some settled in other states, prior to coming to Wisconsin. Others appear to have come directly to Wisconsin. They were all pretty much large farm families who married into other large farm families such as Statz, Brabender, Wipperfurth, Acker, Dresen, Virnig, Endres, Frey, Breunig, Hoffman, Wermuth, Faber, Schmelzer, and Kalscheurs to name the larger ones. As you do research, you will find the families intertwined. For instance, John Esser, son of John and Agnes (Fischenick) Esser marr! ied Anna Esser, daughter of Bernhard and Ursula (Grass) Esser. The families also liked common first names like John, Joseph, Catherine, Maria/Mary, Anna, etc. It is common to see several of the same name in the same generation, sometimes less than a year apart in age. If you do go thru the census records, also expect that John Anton in one census, may be Anton J or Anthony in another. The earlier you go back in the census records, the higher the incidence of misspelled last names. For instance, I have found Fischenick spelled Fishnick, Frischnich, and Frischenich. If you search already indexed Census records, you may not get a hit on the name you enter. I have found that sometimes, the person entering the indexed name has misread a letter. For instance, a T may have been read as an F, J, L, or S. Sometimes you just have to go through page by page and look at it yourself. You will find most of the Essers in the Towns of Springfield, Berry, Cross Plains, and Westport, in addition to the city of Madison. Depending upon which family you want to search for, other townships to look at are Roxbury, Burke, Perry, Vienna, and Bristol. Depending upon the census, you may also run into the Towns of Fitchburg, Verona, Madison, and Middleton. The eastern and southeastern most townships in Dane County, have few of the above mentioned families until you get more into the 1900's. It makes for a lot of fun! I finally started putting information down on anyone I came across, because I sooner or later trip across someone else related. If you go to the Dane County Historical Society (www.danenet.org/dchs) they have a wonderful 1873 Dane County Plat Map on line. The plat map is divided into townships. Click on a township you want to look at. The township is divided into quarters. You can click on a quarter and blow it up large enough to read the names. You will find many Essers on it. For instance, a Bernard Esser and a Bernard Fishenich are in the lower right hand corner of the southwest quarter of Springfield Township. When you are looking for obituaries, many of the older ones are in the German newspapers. I have found records in the early 1900's still in German. (I found names and had to get most of the document translated.) Churches that may be of help to you are St. Peter's in Ashton, St. Martin's in Martinsville, St. Francis Xavier in Cross Plains, and Holy Redeemer in Madison. St. Raphael's should also have documentation, but, they have not yet let me research their records by myself, as the others do. Kathy