| His parents | Married 1830s | Her parents |
4GGF Johann Miesen |  Germany --> WI | 4GGM Maria Magdalena Weidum-Miesen |
| Ancestor 114 (1110010) 7/16/1808 - 3/01/1891 | Ancestor 115 (1110011) 5/02/1812 - 1/09/1880 |
Johann and Maria grew up and married in Bassenheim, Germany. They had four girls and two boys. One of the girls died young, and one son’s identity is unknown to me. The four children that I can identify are Elizabeth * (1834), Peter, Appollonia, and Anna Maria (1846).
The Miesen family came to the US in the mid-1850’s, when Johann and Maria were middle-aged and Elizabeth was a young adult. I wonder if maybe the unknown son remained in Germany. Johann’s 80-year-old father joined the migrant party as well! They settled in Calumetville / Johnsburg, Fond du Lac County, WI. The Miesens attended St. John’s Catholic Church, where Maria is buried. As a widower, Johann moved just a few miles north to Stockbridge. (Look for the pins closest to the east shore of Lake Winnebago). The last decade of his life was eventful. He spent two years back in Germany. He lost his daughter Elizabeth just a few years before he died.
We are lucky to have both of their obituaries, as posted to their FindAGrave profiles by Rose Mohnsam. I transcribe them below.
DIED. At her residence in the Town of Calumet, Fond du Lac county, on the 11th inst., (?) Mrs. Magdelona Miesen, wife of John Miesen, of that town, and mother of ex Sheriff Miesen of this county, aged 67 years. The deceased born in Bassenheim, Prussia, and with her husband and family came to this country in 1854 and located in Calumet where she resided until called home. She was the mother of six children — two boys and four girls — all of whom except one girl survive her, and are married and have families. The deceased was an affectionate wife, a fond parent, a true friend and obliging neighbor and her death is deeply deplored by all who knew her. She bore the sufferings of her late painful sickness, of four weeks duration, with the fortitude of a true Christian and died in the faith of the Mother Church of which she was an exemplary member. Her remains were interred in St. John’s cemetery near her late residence on Tuesday and were followed to their earthly resting place by a large procession of friends and neighbors.
At his home in Stockbridge, on Sunday March 1, 1891, John Meisen (sic). The deceased was born in Bassenheim, Regbez, Coblinz, Prussia, July 16, 1808, where he grew to manhood. He married, and raised a family of six children. In March, 1856, with his wife and family he came to America and located in the town of Calumet, Fond du Lac County, where he resided until 1883, when he moved to Stockbridge and made that his home to the time of his death, with the exception of two years, when he was visiting his old home in Germany. His wife died some ten years ago. He was a man loved and respected by his neighbors and fellow men. He leaves two sons and two daughters to mourn his death. The funeral took place on Wednesday the remains being buried in the cemetery at Stockbridge. — Chilton Times – March 7, 1891