Obit: Esselman, Barbara (1873 - 1940)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: Esselman, Christman, Kilbourne, Andraska, Emerson, Scott

----Sources: The Loyal Tribune 30 May 1940

Esselman, Barbara (3 MAR 1873 - 18 MAY 1940)

Mrs. Esselman, nee Barbara Christman, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Balthasar Christman, was born at Hartford on March 3, 1873 and lived there and at Allenton and Hewett before the family came to Loyal in 1891.

Her education was obtained at Hartford and Wisconsin Rapids and she taught school at Hewett, Loyal and Dorchester before her marriage to Clemens B. Esselman on Oct. 12, 1897. Their married life was began on a farm three miles southwest of the village and this first home remained her home until her death which occurred Saturday morning May 18, at 6:45 o’clock, her death being the result of a heart attack suffered on the preceding Wednesday.

Mrs. Esselman was a devoted wife and mother and a helpful friend. She was interested in church and school activities. She was a charter member of the local branch of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin and was president of this society at the time of her death. She was also a member of the Ladies Altar Society.

Surviving are her husband and three children: Joseph, on the home farm; Sister M. Anna of Holy Trinity School, LaCrosse; and Dorothy, a registered nurse at Elgin, Ill. There are five grandchildren. Her family was all with her at the time of her death.

Mrs. Esselman was the oldest in a family of nine children and is survived by all of her brothers and sisters. Her four brothers are John, Tony, Peter, and Joseph, Loyal, and her four sisters are Mrs. Elizabeth Kilbourne and Mrs. Caroline Andraska, Loyal; Mrs. Catherine Emerson, Wisconsin Rapids; and Mrs. Anna Scott, Portland, Ore.

Funeral services for Mrs. Esselman consisted of a requiem high mass read Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock in St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. The Rev. Aloys Zinthefer had charge of the services and interment was in the parish cemetery.

Pallbearers were Albert Davel, Fred Stutte, George Weyhmiller, Paul Gravitter, Joe Becker, Sr., and Frank Rueth. Those in charge of the flowers were Mrs. E. Loos, Mrs. Fred Stutte, Mrs., Frank Rueth, Mrs. Ed. Rogstad, Mrs. P. J. Hannon, and Mrs. Ben Clouse.

The following are the out-of-town relatives attending the funeral of Mrs. Esselman; Sister M. Ann, La Crosse; Dorothy Esselman, Elgin, Ill.; Mrs. L. Emerson, John and Andrew Emerson, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Emerson, Mrs. Leonard Panzer, and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Andraska, Wisconsin Rapids; Miss Josie Esselman, Minneapolis.

Mrs. Sophie Leonard, Mrs. Art Bursie, and Miss Mary Esselman, Marshfield, Mrs. Anna McKimm and sons, Ernest and Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Dux, Neillsville; Mrs. Geo. Claridge and son, Charles, Reedsburg; H. B. Esselman, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Esselman and family, Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Esselman, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Esselman, and Miss Regina Geiser, Athens.

Joseph Herbst, Riverton, Minn.; Mrs. Agnes Held and sons, George and Bob, Cicero, Ill.; Mrs. Ben Sayles and children, Wausau; Mr. and Mrs. Phil Christman, Mr. and Mrs. John Hauser, Mrs. Nick Christman, Mrs. Joe Christman, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Andraska, and Miss Francis Hein, Tony.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Davey and Miss Ann Christman, Hartford; Mrs. Albert Vogel, Calvary; Charles Winterhalter, Allenton; Mrs. Fred Grasse, Cedarburg; Mrs. Henry Esselman, West Bend.