The Brielmaier family tree has gradually spread its branches to various sections of the country. In view of the fact that time had almost obliterated the links connecting the various branches, the present compilation has been made to preserve data and details from complete oblivion. The work is necessarily incomplete but may serve as a basis for further information and eventually develop into a fairly exhaustive account of the Brielmaier Family and its collateral lines.

The above is the introduction to the Brielmaier Genealogy Book as compiled by Reverend Sylvester Brielmaier O.M. Cap., J.C.D. and his uncle, Bernard A. Brielmaier (now deceased) a Milwaukee architect, in 1937. The only copy of this book in the Joseph Brielmaier' family is in the possession of Adelle and Anna Brielmaier. This book contains records of the name Brielmaier dating back to 1650 and has records of many families of Brielmaiers in many states including Ohio, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Tennessee.

While Father Sylvester and Bernard, have a complete record of their own ancestors and families, they have found no link to connect the family of Herman Brielmaier, our earliest known ancestor, with any of the families known to them.

The Herman Brielmaier branch originated from Obermeckenbeuren, which belongs to Tettnang, but politically to Meckenbeuren, Wuertemburg.

The pastor of Meckenbeuren, Pfarrer Schmitt, writes under date of April 1934, that there is still a family named Brielmaier in Obermeckenbeuren, which came originally from the Parish of Obereschach near Ravensbnrg. Members of this family have no recollections or traditions of any of their relatives going to America. The people of this district, write the pastor, are not so permanently resident on their farms as they are in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). One seldom finds estates which belonged to the same family for several generations. The pastor at Neufra has taken great pains to follow up the clue at Obereschach - but without success.

Reverend Otto Brielmaier, a priest of the diocese of Rottenburg, Wuertemburg in 1934, was assistant pastor at Schwaebish Gmuend Muenster Platz 5, Wuertemberg, Germany. He feels certain that the several families of Brielmaiers are related to one another since the name spelled in this way is by no means common. He understands English well and correspondence with him is easily facilitated. He gives the following account of the derivation of the name:

The only satisfactory explanation of the origin of the name Brielmaier is - at Wangen in Allgaeu Wuerternburg, Germany there is a spa or mineral spring Briel (Bad Briel). Up to about the year 1300 this property belonged to the Benedictine Abbey at St. Gallen, Switzerland and constituted a Fronhof or Socage Farm (i.e. an estate centrally located from which other farms and possessions were administered). The administrator or supervisor of a Fronhof was called the Majordomus.

The name Brielmaier (that is Briel-Malor) can be traced to this particular place.

Mr. August Brielmaier, father of Reverend Otto Brielmaier and Postal Inspector in Wangen in Aligaen Wuertemburg, is well acquainted with all the place names in Wuertemburg. He says there are two other sites in Wuertemburg bearing the name Briel, but at neither of those places was there a Fronhof subject to a Major Domus. When the Benedictines lost control of this "Brielhof" and in consequence the office of a supervisor became unnecessary, the name Brielmaier had already become definitely established. Members of the family eventually settled in various parts of Wuertemburg, where they are still to be found. It is probable also that some of them moved to Switzerland and were enabled to settle there by virtue of their connection with the Benedictines at St. Gallen. In fact, it is said there are people named Brielmaier living in Switzerland.

The preceding are all exerpts from the Brielmaier Genealogy Book by Father Sylvester Brielmaier and Bernard A. Brielmaier, his uncle.

Herman Brielmaier, the earliest known ancestor of the Franz Joseph Brielmaier family was born the latter part of the 18th Century. He married Crescentia Birkie and two sons were born to this union. (If more, not known).

1. Franz Joseph Brielmaier
2. John Brielmaier

Franz Joseph Brielmaier born March 26, 1825, at Obermeckenbeuren, Oberarnt Tettnang, Oberschwaben, Wuertemburg, Germany. This is about 50 miles southeast of Neufra, midway between Ravensburg and Friedrichshaven am Badensee. He emigrated to America in 1854 with a family named Probst, and settled near New Athens, Illinois. The Probst family had two sons, Isfried and Benedict, and two daughters, Mina (later Mrs. Miller of East. St. Louis, Illinois) and the other later married a man named Sprintz and lived on a farm near New Athens, Illinois. Mr. Probst died apparently only a short time after his arrival in America. After his death, Franz Joseph Brielmaier married the widow Mary Ann Weitzenecker Probst. Their son, Joseph, was born March 24, 1858. Joseph was an only child of this union.

There is no recorded information on the ancestors of the Herman Brielmaier Family. Franz Joseph Brielmaiet spent all of his time (after coming to America) in or near New Athens, Illinois. It appears he was known as Joseph Brielmaier, rather than Franz Joseph. This deduction was reached because there is in hand a warranty deed, dated l864, on the purchase of the farm, known later as the Joseph Brielmaier Farm, until that family sold it in 1950. Joseph, the son of Franz Joseph, was born March 24, 1858, and was only six years old when this land was purchased.

Franz Joseph lived with his son, Joseph, on this farm even after his son's marriage to Margaret Nehring and, also, after his marriage to Mary Seliwnegel. He apparently lived only a year or so after Joseph's second marriage in 1889. Mary Brielrnaier often said, "He was a very fine man, working hard and helpful around the house". His death resulted from an injury cutting his leg on a plow share getting along very nicely, but unable to work. One day, according to Mary and against her advice, he drove to New Athens. While there he had a "beer or two" and that, she said, caused an infection, that she called blood poisoning. She did not like beer anyway.

The farm then owned by Joseph Brielinnier was added to by the purchase of forty acres adjoining the existing farm from the Schuerger family in 1898. These two parcels one hundred and forty-four (144) acres were the Brielmaier Homestead until August 1919, when the family moved to 416 Walnut Street, Belleville, Illinois. The farm was occupied thereafter by tenant farmers until sold. The house on this farm was built in 1899 and was the first house in the area with a basement furnace. A large barn was built in 1897 and other buildings added later. The house and barn are still in use at this writing (1970). An item of interest is that in 1950 the farm was sold to Anseim Kreher and Appolonia Neff Kreher, his wife. After the death of Mr. Kreher in 1958 and that of his wife in 1964, the farm was received as an inheritance by Peter Neff, a brother of Mrs. Kreher and the husband of Cecelia Brielmaier Neff, who own it as of today. His son is living there and operating the farm.

The original certificate for the emigration of Franz Joseph Briel-rnaier written by his pastor, Pastor Link in German script on January 29, 1854, is still in the hands of Adelle and Anna Brielmaier. A translation was made by the St. Louis Bi-State Chapter of American Red Cross - it follows:

"Age and Birth Record from the Family Register. In the year 1825 the 26th day of March was born Franz Joseph Brielmaier legitimate son of Herman Brielmaier and Crescentia Birkie of the Catholic Faith.

The truth of this record was certified at Weissenan the 29th day of January, 1854.

Catholic Rectory,

Signed/Pastor Link"

1. Franz Joseph Brielmaier
   Married Mary Ann Weitzenecker Probat (widow of Mr. Probst) see preceding page for details.
   To this union was born one child:
   
   • Joseph Brielmaier born March 24, 1858 (Details of this family follow.)

2. John Brielmaier
   Emigrated to America several years after his older brother, married and lived in Freeburg, Illinois.
   
   • Herman Brielmaier (only child) a shoe cobbler, unmarried, died in Freeburg, Illinois about 1900.

JOSEPH BRIELMAIER - Born March 24, 1858 at New Athens, Illinois. Lived on the farm until 1919, when he moved to 416 Walnut Street, Belleville, Illinois, until his death March 25, 1934. Buried from St. Luke's Church, Belleville, Illinois. Burial in Old -New Athens Cemetery.

Married May 30, 1882 at St. John's Church, Smithton, Illinois to Margaret Nehring, daughter of Joseph and Mary Maserang Nehring. Mary died of erysipelas July 22, .1888. Buried on the Probst Lot, New Athens Cemetery.

To this union were born the following children:

I. Herman Joseph - born April 27, 1883. Married February 28, 1911 at St. Peter and Paul Church, St. Louis, Missouri to Caroline Englerth, daughter of Carl and Walburga (Bross) Englerth.

Died september 8, 1958 and buried from Our Lady of Sorrows Church to Resurrection Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

Address: 5609 Rosa Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63109

To this union were born the following children:

a) Margaret Walburga born February 18, 1912; Married July 12, 1942 at St. PiusV church to Walter Kurtz, son of Leonard L. and Emma H. (Ellqrman) Kurtz of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Address: 5620 Goethe Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63109

To this union were born the following children:

1) Carolyn Ann born October 10, 1946. Married to Dennis Patton, son of Elmer and Irma (Prediger) Patton, St. Louis, Missouri at Our Lady of Sorrows Church on June 9, 1967.

Address: 3415 Lowe Elm Drive, St.Louis, Mo.

2) Donald Paul born July 9, 1950

b) Genevieve Mary born October 14, 1913

1) Paul Adam born March 31, 1916. Married to Hermina Margaret Bohnerstingel, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Koch) Bohnenstingel at St. Pius Church, St. Louis, Missouri on January 13, 1951.

Address: 9116 Sioux Drive,St. Louis, Missouri.63123

To this union were born the following children:

2) Janice Ruth born July 29, 1952

3) James Gregory born November 25, 1954

4) Sharon Kaye born February 10, 1957

5) Lisa Ann born May 10, 1960

6) Carl Joseph born Feburary 6, 1962

c) John Peter born August 15, 1919. Married to. Jeanette Marie Fresenburg, daughter of Bernard C. and Cecelia E. (Kohlberg) Fresenburg at Church of the Resurrection, St. Louis, Missouri on June 18, 1960.

Address: 7039 Aliceton, St. Louis, Missouri 63123

To this union were born the following children:

1) JoAnn Carol born January 9, 1962

2) Jean Marie born December 14, 1962

3) Patricia Marie born March 15, 1965

d) Hortense Cecelia born September 12, 1917. Married to Henry Wadsworth Bierrum, son of Peter B. and Mary (Filirnan) Bierrurn of Francesville, Indiana at St. Didicus Church, San Diego, California on May 7, 1965.

Address: 2116 30th Street, San Diego, California 92104

e) Edward Richard born June-27, 1921. Married to Mary E. McGuire, daughter of James T. and Mary (Mccoof) McGuire at St. Pius V Church, St. Louis, Missouri on January 20, 1951.

Address: . . . St Louis, Missouri . . .

To this union were born the following children:

1) Robert Charles born January 9, 1952

2) Elizabeth Ann born November 5, 1953

3) Margaret Mary born July 30, 1955

f) Ruth Elizabeth born October 28, 1924. Entered Maryknoll Sisters in 1943 at Maryknoll, New York as Sister Ann Carol.

Address: 123 Blue Pool Road Hong Kong

g) Charles Roy born June 10, 1927. Married to Kaye Trainor, daughter of Leo J. and Josephine (Geptord) Trainor of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan at St. Louis Cathedral (New) on November 8, 1958. Profession: M.D.

Address: 1535 Woodlawn, St. Louis, Missouri 63122

To this union were born the following children:

1) Mary Kathleen born February 23, 1961

II. Augusta born April 7, 1885. Married to Julius Armbruster, son of Charles and Frances (Fleming) Anribruster at St. Agatha's Church, New Athens, Illinois on June 9, 1914. Julius died September 2, 1960 and Augusta died November 22, 1963. Funerals were from St. John the Baptist Church, Smithton, Illinois with burial in the Hecker, Illinois Catholic Cemetery.

To this union were born the following children:

a) Gertrude Mary born February 15, 1915 Died October 9, 1924

b) Carl Edwin born September 4, 1916. Married to Marian Sisko

To this union were born the following children:

1) Susan born January 11, 1943

2) Robert Joseph born July 16, 1945

Carl divorced from Marian Sisko and married to Gladys Springer, daughter of Earl and Margaret (Evans) Springer July 26, 1968.

Address: 1800 Davis Avenue Whiting, Indiana 46394

c) Robert Joseph born March 4, 1916 Died August 16, 1925

d) Peter born October 13, 1919. Married to Virginia wiktorski, daughter of Steve and Josephine (Talentowski) Wiktorski in Chicago, Illinois on November 21, 1948.

Address: 7757 S Aedzie Apt 2c, Chicago, Illinois 60652

To this union were born the following children:

1) Carol Ann born December 8, 1953

e) Paul Benjamin born July 27, 1922 Died August 8, 1922

f) William Benjamin born April 6, 1924 Married to Josephine Rakoezy, daughter of Andrew and Violet (Kalenda) Rakoezy in Chicago, Illinois on October 29, 1945.

Address: 10136 South Lawrence Court Oak Lawn, Illinois 60453

To this union were born the following children:

1) Thomas William born March 22, 1957

2) Brenda Joyce born July 30, 1960

g) Erwin Clements born July 11, 1927. Married to Barbara Joan McElheney, daughter of Roger and Mary Elizabeth (Crossman) McElheney in Chicago, Illinois on September 13, 1952.

Address: 13016 S Oak Ct, Palos Hts, Illinois 60463

To this union were born the following children:

1) Barry Allen born March 21, 1956

2) Laura Ann born November 22, 1962

h) Cornelia Verneta born February 15, 1929 Married to Jerbme (Jerry) Lang, son of Fred and Elizabeth (Mosbacher) Lang at Smithton, Illinois on May 31, 1958.

Address: Rural Route #1 Freeburg, Illinois 62243

To this union were born the following children:

1) Cris Julius born September 11, 1961

2) John Edward born June 9, 1963

III. Mary Ann born February 14, 1888 - Died August 22, 1888

Joseph Brielmaier, married (second time) February 26, 1889 at St. Michael's Church, Paderborn (near Millstadt, Illinois) to Mary Schwaegel, born April 5, 1862, near Smithton, Illinois, daughter of Carl and Regina (Reinhardt) Schwaegel.

Note: Joseph died March 25, 1934

Mary died May 30, 1948.

Both buried in Old New Athens Cemetery, New Athens, Illinois

To this union were born the following children (all at New Athens):

I. Carl Ludwig born January 4, 1890 Died April 22, 1890. Buried Paderborn Cemetery

II. Robert Benedict born December 7, 1890. Married to Mary Ellen (Nell) Donovan, daughter of Dennis and Johanna (Connally) Donovan at NotraDame Church, r' \i\' Mitchell, South Dakota on December 28, 1920.

Address: 1203 North Broad Street Mankato, Minnesota

To this union the following children were born:

a) Donald Francis born October 23, 1922. Married to Elsie Wild daughter of Nicholas and Susan (Angeli) Wild at St. Pius V Church, St. Louis, Missouri on August 21, 1948.

Address: 1023 Mulberry Street Nankato, Minnesota 56001

To this union were born the following children:

1) Robert Nicholas born October 19, 1949

2) Ellen Elizabeth born August 31, 1952

3) Steven Matthew born February 26, 1966

b) Mary Joan born January 7, 1925 Married to Fred Harold Tschirley, son of William and Emma (Struck) Tschirley on December 28, 1948 at SS. Peter and Paul Church, Mankato, Minnesota.

Address:

To this union were born the following children:

1) Ann Elizabeth born October 16, 1949

2) Jon Dennis born January 5, 1951

3) Jeffery Bernard born November 6, 1953

4) David.Lflurance born March 22; 1958

5) Adele Marie born August 22, 1960

c) William Anthony born July 6, 1931 Married to Carol Blakeslee, daughter of Carlyn Perry and Eisa Margaret (Petterson) Blakeslee at 55. Peter and Paul Church, Mankato, Minnesota on September 3, 1955.

Address: 1620 North 4th Street Mankato, Minnesota 56001

To this union were born the following children:

1) Mark Dennis born June 7, 1956

2) Paul Andrew born July 8, 1957

3) Thomas Daniel born October 14, 1961

d) Jeanette Luan born October 24, 1939 Married to Philip Kormann son of Philip and Marie (Tschannerl) Kormann at St. Mary's Church, St. Paul, Minnesota on November 23, 1967.

Address: 1756 East Shore Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota 55109

To this union were born the following children:

1) David Philip born October 11, 1968

2) Mary Elizabeth born November 1, 1969

3) Matthew Phillip born November 18, 1971

III. Edwin Carl born May 8, 1892 - Died January 16, 1933 at Fitzsirnrnons Hospital, Denver, Colorado. Buried from St. Lul{e's Church, Belleville, Illinois to New Athens (Old) Cemetery.

IV. Cecelia Louise born November 21, 1893, Married Peter E. Neff, son of Adam and Kathryn (Fleckenstein) Neff of Paderborn, Illinois on August 19, 1919 at St. Agatha's Church, New Athens, Illinois.

Address: Srnithton, Illinois 62285

To this union were born the following children:

a) Herbert Joseph born May 19, 1920, Married to Helen Faust, daughter of William and Margaret (Thorna) Faust of Columbia, Illinois on September 4, 1947 at Immaculate Conception Church, Columbia, Illinois.

Address: Smithton, Illinois 62285

To this union were born the following children:

1) Judith Ann born July 12, 1948

2) Gary Joseph born December 2, 1955

3) Donald James born April 15, 1959

b) Loraine John born August 9, 1923, Married to Helen E. Brutto, daughter of Walter and Cecelia (Wagner) Brutto at St. John the Baptist Church, Smithton, Illinois on November 30, 1944.

Address: Route #2, New Athens,, Illinois 62264

To this union were born the following children:

1) Daniel Walter born October 5, 1946 (Twin) Married Mary Ann Nadler daughter of Fred and Verna (Keil) Nadler of New Athens, Illinois at St. Agatha's Church, New Athens, Illinois on November 25, 1967.

2) David Peter born October 5, 1946 (Twin)

3) Elaine Louise born September 17, 1952

c) Anthony Victor born August 25, 1926, Married to Arlene Speichinger, daughter of Mathias and Cecelia (Jacobi) Speichinger of Millstadt, Illinois at St. Jame's Church, Millstadt, Illinois on November 21,

Address: R. R. #1, Belleville, Illinois

To this union bere born the following children:

1) Michael Allen born September 29, 1954

2) Kathleen Marie born November 5, 1955

3) Stephen Robert born November 26, 1957

4) Richard Anthony born January 22, 1960

5) Gerald William born November 2, 1964

d) Rita Ann born August 23, 1928, Married to Sylvester (Pete) zoeller, son of Peter and Helen (Frierdich) Zoeller.of Columkia, Illinois at St. John the Baptist Church, Smithton, Illinois on September 9, 1948.

Address: 224 Coodhaven Drive, Columbia, Illinois 62236

To this union were born the following children:

1) Mary Kay born February 9, 1951

2) Linda Ann born March 30, 1953

3) Robert Steven born May 6, 1954

4) John Paul born July 27, 1958

e) Cyril Anseim born November 12, 1931, Married Janet Reeb, daughter of Conrad and Dorothy (Schmidt) Reeb of Belleville, Illinois at St. Mary's Church, Belleville, Illinois on June 17, 1958.

Address: 22 Westbury, Belleville, Illinois 62221

To this union were born the following children:

1) Alan Lee born January 31, 1959

2) Carol Jean born August 23, 1961

3) Debra Ann born October 20, 1963

V. Clarence Jacob born February 26, 1895 - Died August 28, 1895 Buried in New Athens (Old) Cemetery, Illinois.

VI. Clernents Ignatius born July 18, 1896 (Twin) Married to Adele E. Grossman, daughter of Charles and Charlotte (Ohiendort) Grossman of Smithton, Illinois at St. Luke's church, flelleville, Illinois on April 27, 1920. Address was: 27 North 40th Street Belleville, Illinois Adele died July 12, 1961. Clements died September 29, 1966 and buried from St. Henry's Church, Belleville, Illinois. Both buried in Franklin Cemetery, Srnithton, Illinois.

VII. Benjamin George born July 18, 1896 (Twin) Married to Eliza Germain, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Bergman) Cermain of Belleville, Illinois at St.. Luke's Church on October 26, 1921. Eliza died June 26, 1937 Benjamin died October 29, 1957 Both buried from St. Agatha's Church, New Athens, Illinois to New Athens, Illinois Catholic Cemetery.

Address: New Athens, Illinois

To this union was born one child:

a) Marie Elizabeth born August 29, 1924 Married to Arkel Wilderman, son of Loring and Viola (Bretsch Wilderman of Freeburg, Illinois in St. Louis on January 12,

Address: New Athens, Illinois, 62264

1) Robert Ben born October 19, 1939 Married to Patricia Bruno, daughter of James and Ella (Blanke) Bruno of New Athens, Illinois at Shawneetown, Illinois on April 16, 1963.

Address.: New Athens, Illinois

To this union were born the following children:

a) Tina Louise born July 20, 1966

b) Sheri Lynn born July 23, 1968

c) Juli born August 11, 1973

d) Arkel James born August 10, 1975

2) Thomas Loring born March 11, 1942.

3) Margaret Lynn born September 28, 1943 Married to Gerald (Chuck) Kessler, son of Leo and Elsie (Zeilmann) Kessler of Freeburg, Illinois on August 25, 1961 at St. Agatha's Church, New Athens, Illinois.

Address: 105 South West Street, Freeburg, Illinois 62243

To this union were born the following children:

a) Sondra Sue born February 19, 1962

b) Robyn Lynn born April 20, 1965

c) Penny Kay born December 28, 1968

4) James Leroy born July 5, 1947 - Died July 13, 1948 Buried Catholic Cemetery, New Athens, Illinois

5) William Joseph born October 19, 1948

6) Gertrude Ann born October 19, 1952

7) Timothy Lee born September 26, 1956

8) Deborah Kay born November 20, 1957

9) Joseph James born October 20, 1959

10) Judith Marie born March 7, 1962

VIII. Addle Regina born April 6, 1898, Profession: R.N.

Address: 3631 Chippewa Street St. Louis, Missouri 63116

IX. Edna Phillipina born December 23, 1899, Died February 15, 1920 and buried from St. Luke's Church, Belleville, Illinois to New Athens Cemetery (old).

X. Victor Frank born October 6, 1901, Married to Verneta Gutwein, daughter of Phillip and Minnie (Voss) Gutwein of Belleville, Illinois at St. Luke's Church, Belleville, Illinois on August 28, 1928. Victor died September 4, 1966 and buried from SS.Peter and Paul Church, Mankato, Minnesota to Catholic Cenietery, Mankato, Minnesota.

Address: 1114 North 6th Street Mankato, Minnesota 56001,

To this union were born the following children:

a) Joseph Phillip born February 18, 1936, Married to Evelyn Zuehike, daughter of Henry and Ida Zuehllc of Good Thunder, Minnesota at 55. Peter and Paul Church, Mankato, Minnesota on April14, 1959.

Address: Joe in United States Navy and at present living in Spain. (1979)

To this union were born the following children:

1) Lynn Allen born December 24, 1959

2) Jeffery Aaron born July 4, 1961

b) Helen Luann born August 27, 1940.

Address: Boulder, Colorado

c) James Robert born December 18, 1942

Address: At present in United States Navy (1970).

XI. Lucinda Johanna born July 24, 1903. Died September 25, 1929 and buried from St. Luke's Church, Belleville, Illinois to New Athens (Old) Cemetery, Illinois. Profesajon Wag: K.N.

XII. Anna Theresa born March 3, 1905 Profession: R.N.

Address: 3631 Chippewa Street St. Louis, Missouri 63116