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| Phillip and Katherine Willems |
Phillip and Katherine's oldest daughter still at home, Mary Willems, was about eighteen years old when she married the German born Nicolaus John Glabus who was 6 years her senior. The wedding took place in 1906 at St. Ann's church. Nick's farm was two miles north of her father's farm so Mary still saw her family often.
Frank and Mary Louise family was growing. When they'd arrived in Canada they had only baby Emma to care for. Then on February 21, 1908 Eleanor Katherine Willems arrived. A big name for a little babe. The following year they were blessed with a son. Baby Frank arrived on September 9, 1909.
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| part of Phillip Willems claim near Annaheim |
Alois Willems and his younger sister Katie were dating two Loeffler siblings. They looked forward to seeing each other at the community barn dances where Alois played the violin. Twenty one year old Alois courted seventeen year old Elizabeth Loeffler, while eighteen year old Katie Willems was woed by Elizabeth's older brother Ignatius Loeffler, Jr. who was 24 when they married on October 26, 1909. The wedding held at St. Ann's Church in Annaheim, Saskatchewan was a joyful affair. It was a double wedding ceremony that joined two children of each family together. (The photos below were submitted by the families for publication in a now out of print book called "A Cross in the Clearing". This book is available for viewing online at http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=8658. It contains a wealth of historical information in addition to biographies submitted by local families. The book was published in 1980 so keep in mind that some of the biographies were written by descendants many decades after their ancestors were deceased.)
Not everyone in the Willems family was happy living in Canada. The long winters were filled with short days and some years snow seemed to stay on the ground forever. Winters were much colder than they'd been in Arkansas necessitating having an enormous woodpile, or going the more expensive route and purchasing coal to heat the house. Joseph and his older brother Frank probably called it quits about the same time in 1910. Frank sold his claim to Joe Lersch, packed up and headed for Winnipeg, Canada with Mary Louise and their three children. They crossed the border in October 21, 1910.
The family are listed on a manifest as:
Frank X. Willems, age 27, a farmer, able to read and write, Canadian of German ancestry, Annaheim was his last permanent address.
Louise, his wife, was listed next. She was a 28 year old housewife. M. Louise was also literate.
Next was Eleanora, age 2, and her little brother Frank, age 1.
Listed as the person he was closest related to in Canada is his father Philip Willems of Annaheim. The family's destination was Marysville, Kansas. Frank had purchased train fare to Kansas, and had $22 left. His last time in the USA was May 1907. They all answered "no" to the questions of whether they were polygamists or anarchists. (Those answering "yes" to those questions were denied admittance.)
Frank and the two children were listed to be in good health, and Louise, the document reported, was 3 months pregnant. Frank was described as 5'7 1/2" and fair complected with brown hair and blue eyes.
Louise was listed as fair complected, 5'3" tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Eleanore and young Frank also were reported to have brown hair and eyes. Frank's birthplace was listed as "Niedervampach" Germany, and Louise's as Hagnau, Germany. Both adults reported they initially came to the USA through the port of NY, though neither knew the name of the ship that brought them. Frank stated he'd arrived from Europe in 1883, and Louise in 1885.
Their daughter Emma was omitted from the manifest since she was born in the United States. They headed to Kansas. When he was a young man Frank X. Willems worked selling cast iron stoves. He journeyed through the prairies and farms selling them from the back of a wagon. To protect himself from robbers he carried a handgun. Frank was awarded an engraved watch for his salesmanship.
There is no record of Joseph's return from Canada as he also had been born in the United States. Joseph Earnest Willems was mentally ill. Anne Wagner Willems, a fine family historian who helped spark my interest in genealogy, once said she thought he was bipolar. Whatever his illness, he, at least during part of his life, was able to hold a job and be productive. He settled in Missouri.
The 1911 Canada Census
When the census was enumerated in 1911 only Phillip and Katherine were living on the original homestead that he farmed. "Philip" , born February 1859, so was 52 years old, and Katherine, born October 1851, was 59. Both were enumerated as being of German origin and Canadian nationality, having been naturalized in 1908. The census listed them plus all their neighbors as being Roman Catholic. They most commonly spoke German and English.
Next door, Alois and Elizabeth farmed their homestead. The 1911 census revealed:
Alois Willems, born in April, 1888, was 23, his wife Elizabeth, born in April 1892, was 19, and daughter Mary had been born September of 1910 so was 8 month old. They, too, were of German origin and Canadian nationality, speaking German and English, and were Roman Catholic.
Ignatius and Katherine (Willems) Loeffler were enumerated as follows:
Ignatius was 25, born September 1985, a farmer; Katherina, age 19, born August 1892.
They are Roman Catholic though there were some on the same page listed as Protestants or Methodists. They have English speaking neighbors of English origin so Ignatius and Katherine also most commonly spoke English. They were literate.
Nick and Mary (Willems) Glabus were enumerated on their homestead as:
Nicolaus Glabus, born July 1884, age 27. He arrived in Canada in 1903 and was naturalized in 1908. He was a farmer. The common language was German and English. His wife Maria Glabus, April 1890, age 21, was naturalized, and baby Marcella Glabus, born January 1910, age 1. They were Roman Catholic of German origin and Canadian nationality. The adults were literate.
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