The Palmer-Pelzl Story

PALMER'S BASEMENT
The basement, just about one block toward the hill from Reim's Camp, was once the location of Alois Palmer's home, a log cabin. Mr. Palmer's wife was a daughter of Johann Pelzl. Her name was Rosalie Pelzl. The Pelzl family lived on the upper level about 1 1/2 miles south. Alois Palmer and wife had one son, Otto, 17 months old at the time of the Indian Massacre in 1862.
Alois Palmer, living only about two blocks from the Minnesota River, worked the ferry across the Minnesota River, doing this besides his regular farming which was done on the upper fields, near his father-in-law's farm.
One Sunday afternoon, August 17, 1862, Mr. Palmer and Charles Pelzl, his brother-in-law were on the upper fields, making hay to be brought down later that evening. During that afternoon a call came from the direction of the river. Since the ferry was always on the south shore, the travelers must be taken over. So Mrs. Palmer took her son, walked down the trail to the river and then noticed there were four Indian boys (18-20 years) who wished to be taken across on the ferry. She hesitated at first and having her small son in the neighboring bushes, she proceeded down to the river and worked the
ferry to the other side. Having brought them over, she delayed her return, so she would not have the boys behind her. She also wanted a little distance between the Indians and herself. While crossing the river, the four boys were admiring and praising each other's hunting knife, especially the sharpness of each. They had just sharpened them at one of the settler's grinding stones.
The four proceeded up the trail which then either led up the ravine (the present road is the same location of the 1860 trail to the west or to Essig) or to the northwest along the Bottom Road adjoining the Minnesota River. (In the 1940s this road was continued and entered New Ulm by the so-called K. C. Road.) The “Bottom" refers to land below the hill and to the river.
When the four Indians reached the fork in the road, they argued, and finally split; two hiked up the hill and the other two went the Bottom Road, to the west. Mrs. Palmer again picked up her son Otto and returned to her home.
- The above was from notes of my father, John G. Pelzl, who had interviewed Mrs. Rosalie Palmer here in New Ulm around 1912. At the time she lived in the Witt House, 407 N. Minnesota Street.
From various notes I deducted, the Palmers received warning by the Indian to flee. They crossed the river by ferry into Nicollet County and fled to New Ulm. Charles Pelzl hurried home. He was worried about his parents, but some Indians spied him before he got to his home, and he also fled to down to the river, crossed the river and cut the ropes on the ferry, and made his way to New Ulm. Later on he enlisted for one year "to fight the Indians".
The cabin of the Palmers was burned to the ground as in most cases. The Palmers did not return to this location after the massacre. This basement was never disturbed until 1918. During all of these years, leaves, trees, ground and forces of nature almost obscured it form the sight of man.
In 1918 Theodore Pelzl, his brother Alfred and a friend, boys of about 15 years old, did a little artifact hunting, and so spent a number of days in this basement. Since that time, no one has disturbed the basement. July 15, 1966 (signed) Theo. J. Pelzl
Excerpts from: The Indians Revenge or Days of Horror, Some Appalling Events in the History of the Sioux By Rev. Alexander Berghold Ed, Edited by Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Edinborough Press Roseville, Minnesota; First Published; San Francisco: 1891:
Page 28
But when it came to the point of emigrating to distant Minnesota, many lost all courage, and among these where such as had been boldest in speech. Others tried to make fun of the whole affair. A few earnest and resolute men, however, prepared at once to leave Chicago and to take possession of the place and establish homes for themselves. Among these first immigrants were M. Wall-- Walser, the two brothers Henle, Dambach, the two brothers Haeberle, Ludwig Meyer,W. Winkelmann, Palmer, Kleinknecht, the two brothers Mack, C. Hermann and wife, Krahmer, Schwarz, Weiss, Elise Fink, afterwards married to A. Henle, Julius with wife and child. Thiele, Voehringer, Wiedemann, Massopust, Zettel with wife and child, J. Brandt, Koch and Drexler. Of the thirteen first named all still reside at New Ulm, except one of the brothers Mack and one of the brothers Haeberle. The latter was murdered by the Indians in 1862.
Page 30-31
Seven of the party returned to Travers. The remaining four, A. Henle, Ludwig Meyer, Fr.
Massopust and Alois Palmer wanted to prospect the district west of Swan Lake which appeared extremely inviting from a distance, and, at all hazards, find a place which would correspond to the description given in the statutes of the Land Company, that town-site should be covered with timber and located on the bank of a river, and also answer to the wishes of the members of the society.
After having spent a chilly night amid the prairie grass, and altogether unprepared for a further expedition, they wandered along the shores of the lake in a westerly direction, making their way through the tall and heavy grass with the greatest difficulty. Hunger and fatigue came upon them, when fortunately, they found a trail on which a company of soldiers were just then marching toward a newly-erected Fort Ridgely. A German soldier sympathized with his starving country men, who understood but very little English, and gave them a piece of bacon and a large potato. Soon after this frugal repast Alois Palmer drank of the water of a small creek, and, to the sincere regret of his companions, was taken sick with the fever.
But this did not prevent him from continuing his journey. At dusk they directed their steps toward a shanty, but found it vacant. It belonged to a half-breed who had deserted the hut and gone to the Sioux agency on business.
Page 34
Palmer, completely worn out, suggested a night's rest, Henle answered: "I have long legs; follow me who will."
Page 94
Florian Hartmann and on Rohner, a Swiss, who was working for him, were shot in the field on the same day. The mother of Carl Pelzl, the parts of Louis Thilling and one Haag, were also killed in the same neighborhood. Pelzl's father was seriously wounded and died later. All these families lived in the same district, six to eight miles northwest of New Ulm. Only a few from that settlement made their escape. Among these was Athansius Henle, who had received timely warning and fled with his wife and children on horseback through the woods and across the Minnesota River.
Page 128
In Pelzl's house I found the dead bodies of his father and of a woman. A short distance from the house I found the bodies of old Messmer and of a girl. In Anton Henle's house lay the body of one of his children. The air was everywhere filled with the stench of the corpses.
A Historical Account of Alois and Rosalie Palmer:
History indicates in 1884 an unsettled situation in Schwabenland, Wurttemberg, an area near present Ulm, Germany from whence many early settlers into West Newton and New Ulm, Minnesota, emigrated. An unsuccessful revolt against the monarchy of Prince Frederick in 1849 found many citizens leaving to escape continued troubles and further possible military activity and service in a cause that seemed to them, unjust. Many journeyed to New York where they were unenchanted with the large city environments for their family and continued on to Chicago to work and study the English Language for several months or even years.
When a cholera epidemic spread in Chicago during the summer of 1854, a group of German settlers followed the directions of the Chicago Land Association to journey 600 miles from Chicago by rail and steamship to St. Paul, Minnesota to seek prospective fertile farm land in Southern Minnesota.
History also indicated an uncertain situation in Luzern, the capital of the Canton of Luzern, Switzerland where Alois Palmer was born. The Sonderbund War of 1847 and perhaps other political disturbances in Switzerland could have stimulated Alois Palmer to journey to America and join the Chicago group from Erbach, Germany to St. Paul, Minnesota in the fall of 1854.
The New Ulm Review of Thursday, April 17, 1958; the 1958 Centennial History of St. George:
The Indians' Revenge, by Rev. Alexander Berghold; and A History of Brown County all record the journey of Alois Palmer to assist in the appraisal of different possible settlement sites for a colony of German speaking emigrants in the summer of 1854. By September a party of some thirty settlers arrived at Travers des Sioux, and important trading post about fourteen miles from LeSueur which they found unsuitable. By October of 1854 Alois Palmer was one of eleven volunteer scouts to appraise the LeSueur area and Swan Lake area as possible settlement sites.
After these areas were rejected and they decided to travel west toward Fort Ridgely, seven of the volunteers lost their resourcefulness and decided to return to their temporary headquarters at Traverse des Sioux. When discouragement among the volunteers was evident, Athanasius Henle, a member of the group said, "I'm going on; who will go along?" Alois Palmer, Ludwig Meyer, and Frank Massopust agreed to continue with him. They were now out five days from base camp and hunger and fatigue were heavily upon them. They progressed westward with great difficulty
In the tall and heavy grass when they came upon a trail on which a company of soldiers were traveling to newly constructed Fort Ridgely. A German speaking soldier gave the unfortunate party some food which carried them further westward.
Alois Palmer drank water from a small creek and to the regret of all, he was taken ill with a fever as they pushed westward. They rested for a short time. After receiving further directions they journeyed on. Late that night they came upon the fur trading home of Joseph LaFramboise at Little Rock on the Minnesota River. LaFramboise was a Canadian who had lived with the Indians for 19 years and was the first settler in western Nicollet County.
When the party knocked on the door in the middle of the night, LaFramboise asked who they were? It is recorded that Alois Palmer responded and so indicated. Because of many days travel over 34 miles on foot from Travers with few provisions, they eagerly accepted his hospitality for the night meal and lodging. The next day LaFramboise gave
the directions to the party where the Cottonwood River flowed into the Minnesota River, the area that they were seeking. On the following day, eight miles southeast of Little Rock on the Minnesota River, they located the site they were seeking and they were pleased with the area. They marked the location by taking a stick, tied grass around it and stuck it into the ground which indicated that the land was taken.
On their return to Traverse de Sioux the party joked because "Shorty" Palmer, who was only four feet-four inches tall, had to take three steps for every one taken by six foot-two inch Henle. The trip was another thirty miles by foot back to Traverse. Alois at four foot-four inches would give some good reason for the general shortness in stature of the Palmer progeny.
On October 7, 1854 Alois Palmer, part of a party of thirty, arrived at the grass tied to a stake at the junction of the Minnesota and Cottonwood Rivers. The area was a complete wilderness transported supplies could not satisfy the needs of hunger and shelter. They moved into nearby vacated smallpox infested Indian tepees and prepared for the winter. Some of the settlers contracted the disease, but none died. A log house sprang up but it burnt to the ground before the end of the first winter causing much discomfort. This first year was a troublesome year, but from these meager beginnings a new life for a German settlement began, a new town had its beginnings and Alois Palmer is recorded as one of the four founding fathers of New Ulm, Minnesota. Sometime during early 1858 Alois journeyed back to Chicago where in May of that year he married Rosalie Pelzl.
Reason would possible indicate that Alois had prearranged his first four years into southern Minnesota to seek and area to establish himself, return to Chicago to marry his prospective bride and again return to the banks of the Minnesota River with his father and mother-in-law in 1858. It can further reason that the very first home of Alois and Rosalie Palmer was in Milford Township across the Minnesota River from the settlement of West Newton at or near the Pelzel farmstead. It is recorded that Alois Palmer operated a ferry across the Minnesota River from 1859 until 1867 a short distance downstream from the Harkin Store in West Newton. The ferry was known as the "Palmer Ferry." Alois then delivered mail to Fort Ridgely, walking back and forth from New Ulm to the fort daily.
During the Indian Massacre of August, 1862, Alois and Rosalie Palmer somehow heeded the warnings friendly Indians that an uprising was evident. While many settlers journeyed to New Ulm for protection, Alois and Rosalie and their two children, Otto 1 1/2 years and Louis three years of age, escaped to St. Peter with many of the St. George settlers.
John G. Pelzl, a nephew of Alois Palmer, has written the following account of the experiences of his ancestors at the time of the Indian uprising and is recorded here because it is closely related to the Palmer family experiences of the time. His father, Charles Pelzl and a brother to Rosalie Palmer, then 22 years old, escaped to St. Peter and later served in the defense of New Ulm. It can be assumed that Charles journeyed to St. Peter with the Palmer family. His grandmother was killed and his grandfather died some months later as a result of wounds received from the Indians.
The New Ulm Daily Journal of August 16, 1947 carries the following account as written by John Pelzl:
It was Sunday, August 17, 1862 when John Junker with help of neighbors and friends was finishing his grain stacking. John Junker then owned a farm across the river in Nicollet County, about half mile south of Harken's General store--now owned by a descendant of the Mossapust family. The John Junker farm is now owned by Robert Palmer. Some-time during that Sunday while they were busy stacking a number of Indians came to Junker's place, and, as I assume, asked permission to grind their knives. John Junker was one of the few settlers who had a grindstone. In some of the workmen this act of the Indians created suspicion and fear, while others were not alarmed about it. After they finished sharpening their knives the Indians left in the direction of the river. There at the ferry they called over to be brought across to the south side of the river.
It just happened so at this time that my aunt, Mrs. Palmer and her 17-month-old boy Otto were the only ones at home. She hurriedly placed the boy behind a shrub and hastened down to the river and was entirely differently impressed that on previous occasions and she became frightened. I'll repeat the remark she made to me: "I never was afraid of the Indians but that day when I saw them on the other side I became frightened. I tried my best not to show my fear and tried to act as usual. I took them over and after they had landed I busied myself with things on the ferry in order to give them a fair lead ahead of me so I could watch better what they were up to. I then slowly followed. When they arrived at the intersection the New Ulm road and the one coming from the river and leading uphill, they stopped and argued about something. However, I was unable to determine what it was about. They finally parted, some going west and some uphill. I then took my little boy and went in to the house."
Monday, August 18, 1862. Neighbors and friends had arrived at Alois Palmer's, home for stacking. Alois Palmer, a son-in-law of Johann Pelzl, had his grain on the upper level and it had to be brought down and stacked near his home. Mr. Palmer had one team of horses, but these were roaming loose on the prairie; so they only had one Ox-team and wagon for haling the harvested grain down to the place for stacking. Since they were unable to get Mr. Palmer's horses, somebody suggested John Junker's ox-team. This they agreed upon and Mr. Junker and my father then went to get it.
However, before the men left, a neighbor, Mrs. Roener, happened to be at the Palmer home. When she heard about getting another team she offered to prepare the dinner for the family and the helpers but first intended to go to her home once more and get her little child dressed. When she had gone and the men had gone to Junker's for the other ox-team, something unexpected happened.
Some of the more westerly located settlers came along the bottom road to New Ulm, hurrying and warning everyone they met of the dangerous attack of the Indians on the white settlers. Those who were familiar with the experiences of the day before realized the situation at once, and prepared to flee.
Mr. Junkers and my father, when they came back with the ox-team and ground the dwelling vacant and not a soul on the premises, were at once aware that the suspicions expressed the day before at the Junker farm were not entirely unfounded. Not having any definite information as to the further actions of Mr. Junker and his ox-team, I am
unable to comment upon that; but in regard to my father, Charles Pelzl, I am able to give information which I received from my mother.
When my father realized the situation he thought of his parents who lived up on the level, and hurried up to see about them. When he got to the edge of the woods, he saw the Indians and heard the commotion and war-cries at Zettle's and also was aware that the Indians spied him, as they shot at him and even several followed him. He kept far enough ahead of the Indians so he was able to cross the ferry and although the
Indians were close behind, he succeeded in cutting the ropes of the ferry to prevent their following. He then took what was known as the Fort Road extending from Fort Ridgely to St. Peter. According to the records of his enlistment and discharge he seemed first to have been under Captain Nix in New Ulm's defense, so I assume that he probably was one of the relief group which was sent from St. Peter to New Ulm. He later enlisted and was a private in the Minnesota Mounted Rangers, and was stationed at Fort Ridgely.
Now back to the experiences of my grandparents, Johann and Brigitte Pelzl. It must have been about the middle of forenoon, when grandfather Johann Pelzl sat in front of his home, which faced east, sunning himself since he had rheumatic infirmities. A young Indian (Hippo-horse) came riding past the house, shouting, "Pakat schi Pakatschi nippo, nippo," meaning "Flee, get away. Indians murdering.”
After the Indian had passed, grandmother asked her husband what the Indian wanted and not suspecting any danger he answered in a cool and indifferent manner, "I guess the Indians are having war amongst themselves again." She went back into the house again but not long after they heard shots and war-cries from the direction of Zettle's home, about a block southwest.
Grandmother, seeing the Indians at Zettle's, remarked to her husband, "We better go over, maybe we can do something for them," and grabbing a fork which happened to lean against the house, hastened over, her husband following. When the Indians saw them, they started shooting. Grandfather signaled them not to shoot but they disregarded his signals. He saw his wife Brigitte drop. He, also having been wounded, fled into the near-by cornfield and from there into the adjoining woods where he existed for several weeks, sleeping in a hay stack and gathering berries, roots and nuts.
Accidentally, after a few weeks, he was discovered by some farmers who were making hay. Thinking there were Indians prowling again they supplied themselves with weapons and went to the area where they had seen him. They then took him
along and cared for him the best they could until they were able to get in contact with his unmarried daughter, Victoria, who was then in service at Fort Ridgely helping to care for the sick father's last few months.
Alois and Rosalie Palmer returned to the banks of the Minnesota River, purchased land along the north side of the river near the ferry crossing that carried his name. They farmed until 1891 when they retired and moved to New Ulm, Minnesota, the town he founded. They endured the hardships of the time, the hordes of blackbirds eating the crops from 1857 to 1859, the Indian Massacre of August 1862 in which nearly 1000 settlers lost their lives, the flash blizzard of January 7, 1873, the grasshopper invasion that darkened the skies of 1875 to 1877, the diphtheria epidemic of 1881, the worst cyclone to ever strike West Newton in 1881, a Civil War and others.
Religion played a major role in the early and contemporary activities of the Palmer family. The Centennial History of St. George Parish lists them as charter members in the formation of the parish in the year 1858, the year of their marriage. Direct descendants of Alois Palmer still reside within the present boundaries of the parish and took an active part in the 1958 centennial festivities.
Farming seems to be the predominant occupation of the family but agricultural related
occupations seem to be the more contemporary occupation. There is a generous dispersion of businessmen, tradesman, medical men, educators, attorneys, engineers etc. found in many states and Canada.
To this writer, a great grandson, there is no known recorded data available on the early European activities of Alois Palmer or of his parentage. Little is handed down by tradition or recorded of his immediate family. More research is welcomed. It is known that he was born in Luzen, Switzerland, on August 14, 1822, that he journeyed into southern Minnesota in 1854 and that he was married in Chicago in May of 1858 to Rosalie Pelzl. To them were born eight children, forty-seven grandchildren, 139 great-grandchildren and 408 great-great-grandchildren recorded here-in.
In conclusion it can be said, that the soil of early southern Minnesota has been good to the family, and that God has been most generous in extending His many blessings over the welfare and well-being of the family. May we as descendants of Alois and Rosalie Palmer be always grateful.
Respectfully, Francis H. Dummer
 
Our Immigrant Ancestor Family – Pelzl: Johann Pelzl 1798-1863
and Britta Losser 1798-1862
Theodore Pelzl, a son of the Charles Pelzl who played such a part in the tragedy of the Uprising, wrote, THE HISTORY OF THE PELZL FAMILY. This excellent family saga is the main source of the information I have. I quote: Johann Pelzl. born in 1798 in Sichelsdorf, Bohemia was the son of Wenzel Pelzl. He married Britta Losser, born in 1798 in Sichelsdorf also. They had three children: Rosalia, born September 1832; Charles, born April 8, 1840; Victoria, born July 01, 1842.
All were born in Sichelsorf, Bohemia, and baptized in the Catholic faith. Johann Pelzl and his family of five requested permission the Austrian kingdom to immigrate to the United State of "Mord Americka" in 1832. Johann gave as a reason for the request he wished not to serve in the military service. This permission was not granted until 7th October, 1856 at Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia. (No 49632 in their files.) They sailed for the United States, remained in Chicago for one year, and then moved on to Milford Township, Brown County Minnesota, where they took up a homestead. Farming was Johann's occupation in Bohemia, and so in Minnesota."
Theodore Pelzel wrote this family history in 1976. Please note how it is interlocked with the Palmers. Rosalie Pelzel married Alois Palmer on May 23, 1858. They built themselves a log cabin about 1 mile north of her parents' place, and about 300 feet from the Minnesota River.
During the Indian outbreak, their cabin was burned to the ground. However, they had fled to New Ulm for protection. They had one child, Otto, at that time.
This is the story as Theodore tells it. Charles at the time of the Indian Uprising was 22 years of age. He was helping his brother-in-law Alois, haul hay from near the Minnesota River. Then the Indian, John-Other-Day, friendly to the whites, notified the Palmers that the Indians were on the war path to kill every white regardless if any had befriended the Indian in the past. The Palmer, Alois, Rosalia, and child, took the ferry across the Minnesota River and fled to New Ulm.
After this incident occurred, Rosalia recalled an incident which happened the Sunday before. She was home alone with her child when during the afternoon there was a whooping sound from across the river, which was the regular signal for the Palmers to hurry to the river to pull the ferry across to bring the people to the other side. When she heard the sound, she hurried down to the river (about a block away). She had her child along, but when she saw the four Indian teenagers who wished to cross, she returned a little distance and hid the child under some bushes and then proceeded to the river. She pulled the ferry to the other side and the four stepped aboard.
While she was pulling the rope to get to the other side, she overheard their remarks about who had the sharpest knife. They had gone to the other side of the river, and had permission from some white man to sharpen their hunting knives on his grindstone. Only a few settlers owned such a grindstone. After they had reach the other side (the south shore), they seemed to linger a bit. So she did not hurry in the tying up the ferry, but made it last as long as possible. They finally got off the ferry and she followed slowly. As they came to the road which either went up the hill to the village of Milford, or turned westerly and followed somewhat the river bottom. Finally they split, two went up the hill, and the other two went West on the bottom road. In the meantime she picked up her child (Otto) and hurried back to her home.
After the Palmers went to the river, crossing it and hurrying to New Ulm, Charles was worried about his parents. He hurried up the ravines and trails to his parents' home to see whether they had been notified.
During this time this is what happened at the Johann Pelzl's house. As soon as the Indians had cast their decision to kill all of the whites, John-Other-Day, who had voted against this massacre, immediately jumped on his horse and galloped to inform all possible settlers of the Indians' decision.
John and Brigitta Pelzl at the time of the massacre, on August 18, 1862, were eating their noon lunch. When John-Other-Day kicked on the door from his horse, Brigitta gave her husband a loaf of bread and told him to go to the door, for most likely some Indians were in need of food. When he opened the door, he saw an Indian, excited, ignoring his load of bread and yelling "POKATSCHI, POKATSCHI, HIPPO, HIPPO", meaning flee, get away, killing, killing.
Johann, not very fluent in the Indian language returned to the table with the bread. Brigitta inquired why the Indian did not take the bread, and Johann remarked that the Indian sounded as though the Indians were going to kill, and all should flee. Brigitta could not believe that could be possible, since so many other whites were as the Palmers, when the Indian came for any need, they always supplied them. The Palmers never locked their house, As Brigitta always said, “If the Indian is in need, he will only take what he needs, even though there may become evil Indians, as there are evil whites.”
Since she didn't think that Johann had quite understood the Indians (Brigitta knew the Indian language rather well) she suggested she walk over to the Max and Lucretia Zittler house, neighbors who lived a little west toward the Indian Reservation. She had hardly walked 300 feet when Indians were galloping in her direction and shot her in cold blood. When Johann heard the shot, he went out to see, and when he saw her fall the Indians headed toward him. He quickly fled into the corn field which adjoined their cabin.
During the ensuing days and weeks, he remained under cover at day and went foraging for food at sunset and evening in anyone's garden. He did not build a fire for fear of being detected, so his meals, even potatoes are eaten raw.
Later, in September, he became careless, not seeing Indians anywhere, and he built a fire to cook a hot meal. It had been 5 weeks. When soldiers, who were moving freely throughout the area now, looking for any stray Indian, and to bury the dead, saw the column of smoke they crept up to the spot and almost killed Johann. He was weak and emaciated. He was taken to New Ulm where he died the following spring of 1963.
Strange as it may seem, the Pelzl's cabin was not burned down. They did, however, turn everything topsy-turvy, and throw everything out of the house. Among the items that were thrown out, was a Catholic Bible which they had brought from Bohemia. At the present time it is in the possession of Theo Pelzl (1976).
Now, back to Charles, who was on his way up the ravine to his parents' house. He was still some distance from the cabin and saw the mess the Indians had made of the personal belongings and no sign of his father or mother. So he likewise, as Rosalie and Alois, made his way to New Ulm.
When the Indians did come down to Palmer's cabin, they burned it to the ground. Nothing was ever recovered from the cellar after the massacre. However in the fall of 1918, three of us boys Alfred Pelzl, a neighbor, and myself (Theodore) excavated a little in the cellar. Various tools to make wooden shoes were found, very much glass molten together but indicating very many sheets, buttons, one leg of a stove, broken dishes, and the bowl of a pipestone pipe. This was found in the area of the fireplace, and may have been on the mantle. This bowl belonged to Charles, since his name was carved in the bottom of the bowl. This pipe is truly a souvenir of the 1862 massacre. I believe it is now in the possession of the Brown County Historical Society in New Ulm.
Charles enlisted in the Minnesota Mountain Rangers on November 9, 1862. He was honorably discharged on December 2, 1863. He then enlisted in the Union army until July 14, 1865 serving in Co. D. 17th Regiment, Wisconsin Veteran Infantry. He married Fredricka Mueller on September 16, 1866 and they returned to the farm of his parents in Milford. They farmed until 1878 when they moved to New Ulm because of poor health. He died October 21, 1878 of Tuberculosis. Fredericka died June 7, 1930. They are buried in the City Cemetery of New Ulm.
An interesting note is that Fredericka was a staunch Lutheran, hence the Lutheran faith was brought to the Pelzl family. I believe John G. was a Lutheran minister.
Victoria, a sister of Charles and Rosalia, and daughter of Johann and Britta married William Emmerich on November 27, 1859. She must have been living in New Ulm at the time, as she cared for her ailing father until his death. She also is reported to have helped at Fort Ridgely during the siege. She had six children William Jr., Emma (Kness), Frank, Charles, Lena (Filzen) and Ida. She died August 16, 1900 in New Ulm.
And so ends the story of Rosalie (Pelzl) Palmer's Family It's rather a sad ending to this brave little family who waited so many years for permission to come to America, and then to be killed in the war here.
Note: Spelling of Pelzel/Pelzl is used interchangeably in this fami