Surnames: Gorsegner, Degner, Jacobson, Buss, Berthold

----Source: Thorpe Courier (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 06/??/1947

Gorsegner, William (16 JUNE 1871 - 16 JUNE 1947)

Title: WILLIAM GORSEGNER

Funeral services for William Gorsegner, who died on his 76th birthday, Monday, June 16th, 1947, of complications of ailments aggravated by old age at the home of his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Degner at Marshfield, were held at the Baxter and Ritger Funeral Home, Thursday afternoon at 1:30, the Rev. Raymond H. Browe, of Zion Evangelical United Brethren Church in charge. Burial was in Yolo cemetery at Chili.

William Gorsegner son of the late Ernest and Caroline Smith Gorsegner was born in Germany, June 16, 1871. He came to America when he was about 18 years old, lived in Milwaukee for two years and then lived at Chili until the death of his father in 1902. Since then and until going to Marshfield, two years ago, he had been farming near Thorp.

Surviving are three sisters, Mrs Henry (Johanna) Degner, Mrs. Anna Jacoboson, of Marshfield and Mrs. Louise Berthold, Willard. Pallbearers were: Bernard Buss and Nels Myrin, of Greenwood, Leon DeLeske, Clarence Jacobson, Alvin Jacobson, of Marshfield and Albert Buss, of Withee.

Those from this community, who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Herman Doege, Mr and Mrs Elmer Buss, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Buss and Ruby, Joe Melbinger, Gottlieb Isler and son Fred, Mrs. Herbert Roix, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Buss and Nels Myrin.

(Transcriber’s Notes) • The immediate cause of death: "Cardiac decompensation due to chronic valvular heart disease>" Decompensation occurs when the hear no longer compensates for a defect. (Original Certificate of Death) registered Jul 12, 1947 with Wisconsin State Board of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics.

• William’s father’s name is spelled Ernst on his gravestone and on the Weissensee 1871 list of inhabitants.

• William’s mother’s name is spelled Karoline on her gravestone. "Caroline Smith" is an Americanization of Karolina Schmidt (or Schmitt or Schmitz).

• The informant, Johanna Degner, is probably William’s sister Hanna. Noted on the death certificate that her address and the address given for William are the same. Ruby Buss, in a letter to Goldie Magee date 15 Sept 2003, says, "Hanna alived in Marshfield, only had one adopted daughter and she died of cancer after Hanna died. Hanna and her husband are buried in the Marshfield cemetery –not too far from our Grandma Gorsegner’s parents.

• Ernst and Karolina and their children William and Hanna emigrated from Weissensee, Germany/Poland (after 1945) town renamed Biale Bloto and was no bigger than Chili, Wisconsin. Anna and Louise were born in Wisconsin.

• Last given address was 411 E. Bakerville St. Marshfield, Wisconsin.