A Little about Dominic Moes – Husband of Christina (Kauth) Klein...

Dominic Moes was born on January 13, 1834 in Hagen, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.  Dominic's obituary states that he died December 9, 1914.  Most of the census recordings point to his birth as being in 1834-1835 as well as the mention of him being 17 years of age when he arrived to the United States in 1851.

According to his funeral card (click HERE) he was 83 years of age on December 10, 1914 when he died placing his birth in 1831.  After reviewing all other evidence I believe whoever had the funeral card printed was mistaken about his true age.  Dominic was likely "80" years of age when he passed just before his 81st birthday.

Dominic left Luxembourg for the United States with his older brother, his brother's wife Margaret (nee Clemens), and their two young sons Peter and Bernard.  They arrived in the United States in 1851 according to census records.  Dominic's older brother, born in 1822, died in Belgium, Wisconsin around 1861 leaving his widow Margaret "Moos", and five children.  

According to the 1860 census (click HERE), Dominic was working as a farm laborer for Richard Rubert.

Sherman's men destroying
a railroad in Atlanta.

On August 9, 1862 Dominic enlisted with Company B, 104^th Illinois Infantry, for the Civil War.

Dominic was wounded (shot through his right shoulder) at the battle of Chickamauga (September 19-20, 1863), where the Union Army suffered defeat.  He later marched with General Sherman at the Atlanta campaign during the summer of 1864, and on to Sherman’s March to the Sea (Savannah Campaign).  The Savannah campaign ended on December 21, 1864 with the capture of the Port of Savannah.  

Dominic was discharged with his Company June 6, 1865.  They traveled from Washington and arrived in Chicago on June 10, 1865 where they were paid and sent home.  I found an online article listing all of his Regiments activities and you can read that by clicking HERE.  The Walgenbach family also sent my Dad a copy of a writing they produced with a few more details about Dominic's Civil War Service (from his personal diary?).  You can read the by clicking HERE. 

By this time, Conrad Martin Sr. and Christina were living in Wenona, Illinois.  Dominic was honorably discharged from the Civil War in Chicago and traveled to Wenona, Illinois there.

David Walgenbach, great-grandson of Dominic, told me on the phone that Dominic went to see his friend Martin Klein after the Civil War.  It’s possible that they, Dominic and Martin, traveled from Luxembourg together or that they knew each other from living in Illinois, or even Wisconsin.  There’s not much information concerning their acquaintance.   

I did find one record that stated almost all of the men in Company B, 104^th Illinois Infantry were from La Salle County, Illinois.  They were recruited at Ottawa, Illinois, NE of Wenona, Illinois and Hope Township where Dominic was living in 1860.  To see the 1860 Census click HERE.  

Dominic was a resident of Tonica Illinois when he enlisted and it’s likely the reason he returned to the area (Osage Township, east of Wenona, Illinois) after being discharged.

(Click to Enlarge)

Dominic farmed in Osage Township (just east of Wenona) for eight years after marrying the widowed Christina in 1867.  Conrad Martin Jr. was living with them on the 1870 Census (click HERE) as "Martin", "age 4".  The map to the left is the approximate area that they lived.

The 1870 census lists the households in order of visitation.  Starting with David Clark, then W.H. Compton, the next logical residence is shown at the bottom of the map as Dominic Moes.  I'm also taking into account the value of property listed on the census and the map from 1876 shown below.  

Dominic is not listed on the 1876 map because he was

1876 Map - Osage Twp
(Click to Enlarge)

likely farming on rented property.  The 1870 census lists his "Value of Real Estate" as zero and "Value of Personal Estate" as $450.00.  Judging from the census information and the 1876 map I find it safe to assume that Dominic was likely renting property from Peter Howe as he owned a lot of property in the area at that time.  Peter Howe was a wealthy banker in Wenona at the bank known as "Howe, Hodges & Kalson", later as "Howe & Son".  Peter Howe and his wife were murdered in their home during an attempted robbery in 1888.  You can read about that by clicking HERE.

Christina’s firstborn daughter (Christina Klein) must have died at a very young age as she is not listed on the 1870 census.  The only household children are Martin Klein (age 4) and Susanna Moes (age 1).

1876 Map - Osage Twp
(click to Enlarge)

I can find no information concerning Conrad Sr.’s grave.  There are no records of him, or his daughter (Christina), listed on the internet.  It's possible that Dominic and Christina may have buried both of them on their farm land as there were not many public cemeteries at the time.  The oldest cemetery, as far as I can tell, is Cumberland Cemetery, in Wenona.  

There is also an older cemetery on East 659th Road called "Wenona Community Cemetery" and it is noted on the 1876 map to the left.  The red square at the bottom of the map is where I believe Dominic Moes was farming in 1870.  The red square at the top is the Wenona Community Cemetery.  I would think that Senior and infant Christina were both buried there but neither are listed as being there online.  However, there were problems with missing/broken headstones.  I'll be taking a trip down there soon to walk around and see what I can find.

One of Dominic's nephews, Bernard Moes (mentioned above), later traveled to the Wenona area himself in 1878.  Bernard was the second eldest child.  It was shortly after this that Dominic headed for Iowa and Bernard followed.  Bernard's siblings and mother also moved to Sioux County Iowa shortly after and lived just south of Dominic in Granville.

1908 Map - Hospers Iowa
(Click to Enlarge)

In 1874 Dominic and family moved from Illinois to Iowa.  The map to the left shows Dominic's two properties.  You can see the town of Hospers just to the NW of section 11.  

The southernmost property is the original homestead as listed on the 1880 Census (click HERE).  The southern property is the farm that Junior worked with Dominic on.  There is an aerial photo of that farm, as it exists today, in another post written concerning Junior.  

The northern property is Dominic's second property.  There was a notice written in the Alton Democrat, December 11, 1885, that Dominic bought the northern property from W. H. Smith.  You can read that notice by clicking HERE.

After his death, the northern property was taken over by his first daughter Susan, who married John William Walgenbach.  The Walgenbach family still farm that property to this day.  Below is a snapshot of the Walgenbach farm as it appears from above on Google Maps.

Dominic Moes Property
Passed on to Walgenbach
(Click to Enlarge)

Below is a plot from 1923 and 1961 showing the same property in section 11, now being farmed by the Walgenbach family.  The southern parcel, section 23, had been sold.

1961 Map - Hospers Iowa
(Click to Enlarge)

1923 Map - Hospers Iowa
(Click to Enlarge)