Anton Deiss

Full name : Anton Deiss
Alternate spellings, aliases :  Antony; Anthony; Deis; Dyce

Parents :
Father : Johann Deiss ?
Mother : Magdalena Nagel ?
note : Family tradition states that they died and were interred at sea in the Atlantic ocean, circa 1841; census records record his parents' birthplaces as Bayern.

Vitals :
Date of Birth : circa 1831 - 1838
Place of Birth : Pfalz, Bayern (Bavaria), German Confederation
Notes : Perhaps he did not really know how old he was?  His date of birth is a matter of conjecture; in 1860 he stated he was 23 years old, in 1870 he was 32 years old, in 1880 he was listed as 47 years old, on his death certificate issued in May 1898, it states that he was 67 years old.  On the death certificate the date of birth is left blank, as if the informant, presumably his wife, did not know his birthday.
[click here to see an image of Anton Deiss]

Spouse

Name : Catherine Cramer
Date of Marriage : 26 January 1862
Place of Marriage 1 : Independent Evangelical Protestant Church, St. Louis, Missouri
Place of Marriage 2 : Holy Trinity Church (Catholic), St. Louis, Missouri
Died : 4 October 1932
notes :  She was a mid-wife and delivered babies all over St. Louis, and also apparently in her own home.

Date of Death : 5 May 1898
Place of Death : 227 Douglass Street, St. Louis, Missouri
Cause of Death : hypertrophy of heart, certified by Dr. N. C. Washington
Burial Information : Calvary Cemetery, section 17, lot 456; interred 9 May 1898.  The undertaker was a man named John Deiss.  This man’s relationship to Anton Deiss is unclear, but it should be noted that he also was responsible for the embalming and burial of Anton’s son, Albert, in 1923.
Notes : source - St. Louis Public Library obituary index (in the issue of 7 May 1898, page 7); St. Louis City Death Records v36/p482
[click here to view an image of his death certificate]

Military Service : none known; in 2003 staff at the Missouri State Archives performed a search in their military records for a man by this name (and variants) and found no one with his name serving in the Missouri Militia, or any state organization during the Civil War period.

Religion : Roman Catholic 
Locations of Worship : Church of the Holy Trinity, St. Louis, Missouri

1860 Federal Census.  Florissant Postal District, St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis County, Missouri

Page, Dwelling/Family, Names, Age, Sex, Color, Occupation, Value, Born, Remark
45/44, W. L. Larrimore, 55, Male, White, Farmer, 80000/33000, Kentucky

45/44, Harriet Larrimore, 49, Female, White, na, na, Kentucky

45/44, John Larrimore, 23, Male, White, na, na, Kentucky

45/44, William Larrimore, 14, Male, White, na, na, Missouri, in school

45/44, Mary Larrimore, 18, Female, White, na, na, Kentucky, in school

45/44, Henry Linden, 23, Male, White, Workman, na, Germany

45/44, John Upton, 40, Male, White, Overseer, na, Virginia

45/44, Frank Stein, 25, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, John Slick, 24, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, Antony Dyce, 23, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, George Bone, 17, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, Charley, 37, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, Fred Wilkemen, 22, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, Dick Bowers, 21, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Germany

45/44, Nichol, 26, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Illinois

45/44, Charles Ryan, 22, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Ireland
45/44, Con Lavy, 27, Male, White, Work Hand, na, Ireland

1870 Federal Census.  City of St. Louis, Ward 12, SubDiv 22, St. Louis County, Missouri
Page, Dwelling/Family, Name, Age, Sex, Color, Occupation, Value (Real/Pers), Born

831, 312/415, Anton Deis, 32, Male, White, Laborer, na, Bavaria, foreign born parents

831, 312/415, Catrina Deis, 25, Female, White, Keeping House, na, Illinois, foreign born parents

831, 312/415, Kate Deis, 8, Female, White, na, na, Missouri, foreign born father, in school

831, 312/415, John Deis, 5, Male, White, na, na, Missouri, foreign born father

831, 312/415, Sophia Deis, 3, Female, White, na, na, Missouri, foreign born father

831, 312/415, Maggie Deis, 1, Female, White, na, na, Missouri, foreign born father

831, 312/415, Annie Deis, 13, Female, White, at school, na, Missouri, foreign born father, in school

1880 Federal Census.  City of St. Louis, Ward 8, Missouri (combined 1st & 2nd enumerations)
Page, Dwelling/Family, Name, Color, Sex, Age, Relation, Marital Stat, Occupation, School, Born, Father born, Mother born

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/102, Hugh McBey, White, Male, 44, Head, Married, Mabonial?? Facer, Ireland, Ireland, Ireland

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/102, Catherine McBey, White, Female, 50, Wife, Married, Keeping House, Chillss??, Ireland, Ireland, Ireland, illiterate

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/102, Sarah McBey, White, Female, 23, Daughter, Single, at home, Delaware, Ireland, Ireland

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/102, Thomas H. McBey, White, Male, 20, Son, Single, Working in Rolling Mill, Illinois, Ireland, Ireland

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Anton Deiss (Anthony Diess), White, Male, 47, Head, Married, Teamster, na, Bejern, Bejern, Bejern, (Germany, Germany, Germany)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Catherine Deiss, White, Female, 37, Wife, Married, Housekeeper, na, Missouri, Hesen, Hesen, (Missouri, Germany, Germany)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Catherine Deiss, White, Female, 18, Daughter, Single, at home, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, John Deiss, White, Male, 16, Son, Single, Working in Bristle Factory, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Sophia (Sophie) Deiss, White, Female, 13, Daughter, Single, in school, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Margaret (Maggie) Deiss, White, Female, 11, Daughter, Single, in school, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Peter Deiss, White, Male, 9, Son, Single, in school, Missouri, Bejerm, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Gertrude (Gertie) Deiss, White, Female, 5, Daughter, Single, in school, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, Magdelena Deiss, White, Female, 1, Daughter, Single, na, Missouri, Bejern, Missouri, (Missouri, Germany, Missouri)

4500 Bellfontaine, 72/103, George Stergeon, White, Male, 27, na, Single, Laborer, Missouri, (blank), (blank), ‘left city after 13 of June.’

Occupation(s) : According to family tradition, he was a farm laborer circa 1860 at the Moellerus Farm, Larimore, Missouri – this may be a result of transposition. I think he worked as a Farmhand at the Larrimore Farm in Florissant, Missouri, near old Saint Ferdinand (see 1860 Census above).   According to Scharf, History of St. Louis (1883) p1230, “W. L. Larimore had purchased a large tract of land in St. Louis County.  Being a man of unusual foresight, he predicted a bright future for himself and family, as he looked upon St. Louis as the coming metropolis of the Mississippi valley, although the population at the time was only about thirty-four thousand.  He at once set about opening up his large and magnificent farm. Which in 1864 took the premium offered by the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association for the most highly improved and best cultivated large farm, there being nearly one thousand acres, most of which was meadow land.  This farm was bought at from ten dollars to twenty-five dollars per acre, and was sold by him in 1865 in small farms for from one hundred and twenty-five dollars to two hundred dollars per acre, and was known as ‘The Model Farm’.”

 

In the 1870 Census Anton is listed as a Laborer, and the 1872 Edward’s Directory of St. Louis lists him on page 139 – ‘Deis Anthony, lab. R. 4124 Broadway’.  Around 1880 Anton started work as a teamster in St. Louis, an occupation he may have adopted from his father in law, Henry Cramer, who held the occupation of teamster in 1870 when enumerated in the federal census.  In 1880 he was listed as a Teamster in the census and in the 1890 St. Louis City Directory, he is also listed as a Teamster.  He must have owned a team of horses and a stables or worked for a livery service or shipping service.

Property :  In 1870 they lived in the City of St. Louis in what was known as Ward 12; ward boundaries changed frequently. In 1872 the family lived at 4124 Broadway in the City of St. Louis.  In 1880 they lived at 4500 Bellfontaine Road but in the years just prior had possibly lived on a plot of 5.79 acres in Township 44 North Range 6 East, known as Carondelet Common, just west of Jefferson Barracks.  This land probably belonged to a man named Alois Deiss.  The St. Louis City Death record indicate that a man by that name died 5 April 1871, and his address was on Corondolet Rock Road west of the Barracks (Jefferson Barracks).  This would be the land indicated on the map linked below, so it is not likely that this land was owned by Anton Deiss. 

By the late 1880’s the family had moved to the house left to Catherine Deiss’ sister Louise, by her father (deed signed 3 May 1889) at 227 Douglas Street, and at this time they also acquired the adjacent building facing on North Broadway, at the intersection with Douglas.  Douglas Street had not even existed as a city street until the early 1870’s, when land owned by the Bissell family, was subdivided and a plot purchased by Henry Cramer.  This land was in the northern part of the city, Township 46 North Range 7 East, on the Border with Ferdinand Township, just west of the old St. Louis waterworks, listed in the formal deed as Lot One in Block 2492 of the City of St. Louis, having a front of 45’ 9” on the east side of Broadway & by a depth of 140’ along the north line of Douglas Street to an alley on which said lot from 44’ 5 ¼”.  The deed states that it was purchased by Henry Cramer of Mary J. Bissell, 23 June 1873.  The Deiss family lived here until after the 1950’s; an interstate highway now runs nearby.  The property was sold to a trucking company and the house used as an office.  At one time the upper floor of the home had the top floor removed, and then was totally demolished.  Now the property probably served as a parking lot.
[click here to see a map of the Corondelet Common area with the Deiss property outlined in red]
 

Family :
 
Sister : Theresia
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth : 
Married : Ignatz Ullrich, 1866
Died : 

Brother(s) : three unknown brothers
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth : 
Married : 
Died : Minnesota, Indiana and North Dakota (?)

Daughter : Catherine Celestine 'Kate'
Date of Birth: 25 May 1862 
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : John G. Gross (1861-1909) 24 May 1893
Died : 15 January 1953 St. Louis, Missouri
notes : she was born in May '62 and her parents married in January '62... hmmmm.

Son : John William
Date of Birth : 24 September 1864
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Caddie Hays (1864-1903) 27 September 1888 St. Louis, Missouri
Died : 15 April 1908 St. Louis, Missouri
Notes : source - St. Louis Public Library obituary index.  In the 1889/90 St. Louis Directory he is listed as a laborer, residing at 227 Douglass.

Daughter : Catherine Mary Sophia 'Sophie'
Date of Birth: 21 January 1867
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : 
Died : 1 February 1959 St. Louis, Missouri

Daughter : Margaret Mary Sabine 'Maggie'
Date of Birth : 13 February 1869 
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Jospeh Hennsler (1867-1930) 28 April 1908
Died : 23 May 1961 St. Louis, Missouri

Son : Peter Anthony
Date of Birth: 18 July 1871
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Bertha Gremper 15 October 1902
Died : 10 March 1950 St. Louis, Missouri
Notes : He is listed in the 1889/90 St. Louis Directory as a Porter.  He sponsored the baptism of William John Deiss, November 1908

Daughter : Gertrude ' Gertie'
Date of Birth: 2 January 1875
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Edward J. Horst (1872-1904) 22 April 1903
Died : 22 March 1954 St. Louis, Missouri

Son : Anthony Joseph
Date of Birth : 11 August 1877
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : 
Died : prior to 1880, St. Louis, Missouri

Daughter : Magdalena Dorothea 'Lena'
Date of Birth : 7 January 1879
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Charles H. Kessler (1880-1916) 6 June 1905
Died : 16 January 1962 St. Louis, Missouri

Son : Albert Anthony 'Ollie'
Date of Birth : 16 March 1882
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Mary Thien (1882-1959) 16 April 1902 St. Louis, Missouri
Died : 20 May 1923 St. Louis, Missouri
Notes : buried Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri; children - Edna (1905-1986), Clara (died as infant), and William John (1908-1981)

Daughter : Anna Theresa
Date of Birth : 24 August 1884
Place of Birth : St. Louis, Missouri
Married : Peter Croumey (1888-1956) 11 June 1913 St. Louis, Missouri
Died : 23 March 1983 St. Louis, Missouri
Notes : If I remember correctly, she attended my grandfather's (William John Deiss 1908-1981) funeral in 1981, but I was too young to know who she was.

 

 

Sources, bibliography : 

Deiss, William A., Personal Communication, Falls Church and Alexandria, Virgina. 1980-1990. 

Deiss, William A., Personal Communication, Winchester, Virgina. 2001.

Durbin, Judith.  Correspondence with William Deiss.  Midwest City, Oklahoma. 1999.

Durbin, Judith.  Correspondence by email with Jonathan W. Deiss.  Midwest City, Oklahoma. 2003.

Kind gifts of documentary and photo evidence courtesy of William A. Deiss

 

 

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