The ancestor we have in common with Eileen is Georg Valentin Janson (1773), who, with his wife Eva Reissfelder (1781) were the parents of Valentine (1812), below, and younger brother Johannes (1803). This Johannes was my great great grandfather (mom, Anton, Joseph, Johannes).
I suspect that there were many letters sent back to Balzfeld about what America had to offer.
Here's the first part of what Eileen sent. I messed with it a little for clarity ☺
"As with the Minnesota Jansons, the Janson family that immigrated to Pennsylvania were also from Horrenberg/Balzfeld, Germany.
Johann Valentin Janson (“Valentine”) was born May 26, 1812 in Horrenberg. He married Katharina Duerk (“Catherine”) on April 27, 1845 in Balzfeld. Valentine was the son of Georgius Valentinus Janson and Eva Catharina Reissfelder. Catherine was the daughter of Johann Valentin Durk and Maria Franziska Sauer. Valentine and Catherine had four children while they lived in Germany: Gertraud Janson, Katharina (“Catherine”), Maria Eva Janson and Joseph Janson.
Valentine Janson immigrated by himself to the United States in 1853.
In October 1854 the rest of Valentine’s family immigrated to the United States. Catherine Duerk Janson traveled aboard the SS William Tell with her daughters Gertraud, Catherine and Maria Eva and son Joseph. They departed from LeHavre, France and arrived in at Castle Garden, New York on October 23, 1854. Ellis Island was not open yet but the immigration record is on the Castle Garden website.
According to the 1880 United States Census Valentine Janson was a laborer/farmer. Lancaster County in the 1850’s would have had a lot more farmland than it does today so it would make a good location. It is situated along the Susquehanna River so it would be easy to transport crops/goods. Columbia was also a transportation center with a number of mills: steel, lace, silk, and other products.
After arriving in the United States, Valentine and Catherine Janson had three more children: Frank Janson, Valentine Janson, and Martha Mary Janson.
Valentine Janson died on October 9, 1881 in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery (Tenth and Manor Streets) in Columbia. Upon his death, Catherine Durek Janson lived with her daughter Catherine Janson Kasel and her family until her death on January 20,
1904. She was laid to rest alongside her husband Valentine at Holy Trinity Cemetery.
While the Minnesota Jansons settled there because of Father Pierz, I believe that the Pennsylvania Jansons may have chosen Columbia in part because of Father William Pieper. Father Pieper hailed from Germany also and was the Priest at the German Catholic Church in Columbia, (Holy Trinity). The other Catholic Church was St. Peter’s. St. Peter parishioners were primarily Irish. My Dad’s side of the family went to St. Peter’s, my Mom’s went to Holy Trinity. Father Pieper was the second Priest at Holy Trinity. He was responsible for purchasing land for its cemetery.
Prior to 1865, all Catholics were buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Klinesville, just outside of Columbia. Father Pieper also saw a need for a parochial school. Holy Trinity School opened in 1865.
Valentine and Catherine Janson’s oldest daughter was Gertraud (“Gertrude”) Janson. She was born on March 1, 1846 in Horrenberg. She died in 1868 in Pennsylvania (probably Columbia). I am still trying to get information about her. Death Certificates were not required statewide in Pennsylvania until 1906.
For that reason, it is more challenging to research people who passed away before 1906.
Maria Eva Janson was the third daughter of Valentine and Catherine. She was born on October 6, 1849 in Horrenberg. She died on August 6, 1914 from "heart exhaustion". Contributory cause of death was cancer of the uterus, bladder and intestines.
Katharina (“Catherine”) Janson was the second daughter of Valentine and Catherine Janson. She was born on February 20, 1848 in Horrenberg. This is my 2X Great Grandmother. Catherine married Frank P. Kasel from Prussia at Holy Trinity Church on October 22, 1870. Frank immigrated to the United States in
1866. Father Pieper performed the ceremony.
Frank and Catherine Janson Kasel had eight children: Mary Catherine Kasel, Joseph Kasel, Edward Kasel, Frank Valentine Kasel, Edmund Joseph Kasel, Catherine A. Kasel, William Charles Kasel, and Ada Genevieve (“Genevieve) Kasel.
Mary Catherine Kasel was the oldest of the Kasel children. She was my maternal Great Grandmother. Mary Catherine was born on Christmas Day 1871. She was married to William Pieper Weisser (Pieper after Father Pieper I think) on October 26, 1898 at Holy Trinity. The Weisser family originated in Talheim, Germany. Mary Catherine and William had six children: Catherine A. Weisser Watson, William Bartholomew Weisser, Edmund Joseph Weisser, Mary Elizabeth Weisser Charles, Swidbert E. Weisser, Sr. and Gertrude Weisser. Gertrude Weisser became Sister Mary Bernard, O. S. F. when she took her vows. My Uncle Bernard Weisser was named in her honor.
Mary Catherine Kasel Weisser passed away on February 16, 1936 in Columbia. She was buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery. She died of endo______ malignancy. I could not decipher the Doctor’s writing on her Death Certificate. Secondary cause of death was listed as abdominal tumor.
The youngest of the Kasel children was Ada A. Genevieve Kasel (they called her Genevieve). She was born on August 14, 1892 in Columbia. She died on February 7, 1919 from influenza. This was at the time of the influenza pandemic. She was buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery on February 10, 1919.
Tragically, Catherine Kasel Janson died on February 10, 1919. The VERY day that her youngest daughter Genevieve was laid to rest. She died of vascular disease of the heart according to her death certificate. I feel as though she was grieving so much that her heart just gave out. She did have a previous history of heart disease. (Tragically, her husband) Frank P. Kasel also died in 1919. Before I read the Death Certificates for Catherine, Frank and Genevieve I had already felt a sense of tragedy involved. Frank died on March 31, 1919. His cause of death is also listed as vascular disease of the heart. I feel that his condition probably deteriorated after the death of his youngest daughter and that of his wife of more than 40 years".
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