Emil Kiesel Family
Germany, Hawaii & Washington

Emil Albert Franz Kiezel

b. 2 Sep 1868 Breman, Germany
d. 19 Jan 1943 Portland, Oregon
buried: Old Tacoma Cem., Tacoma, WA

m. Emma Rosalia Shock
b. 30 Mar 1869 Danzig, Germany
d. 5 Dec 1923 Tacoma, WA
buried: Old Tacoma Cem., Tacoma, WA
her father: Gust Fred Michael Schock
her mother: Rosalie Rich
his father: Karl Friedrich A Kiesel
his mother: Frieda Augusta Charlotte Dorothee Funne
Children
Fred "Fritz" T. C. Kiesel b. Sep 1891 Tacoma, WA d. 4 Jun 1947 Tacoma, WA m. Myrtle ?
Rudolph "Rudy" Johann Emil Kiesel b. 14 Sep 1893 Tacoma, WA d. 4 Aug 1942 Seattle, WA m. 1915 Maude Ella "Shirley" Marshall
(they had 3 children)
William Kiesel b. May 1895 Honolulu, Hawaii d . 1903 Tacoma, WA m.
Edward August Kiesel b. 12 Oct 1896 Tacoma, WA d. 14 Nov 1953 Tacoma, WA m. 1923 Jennie Roller
(they had 11 children)
Else "Elsie" Mathilde Johanna Kiesel b. 9 Jun 1899 Tacoma, WA d. 12 Dec 1992 Tacoma, WA m. Clayton Edison Marshall 7 Dec 1915 Tacoma, WA
2m: Robert "Bob" Gillen 23 Apr 1974
Lillian Rosella Kiesel b. 10 Nov 1903 Tacoma, WA d .2 Oct 1970 Tacoma, WA m. William Buechler
(two children)
Erlene Clara Kiesel b. 7 Apr 1911 Tacoma, WA d. ?
m. Kenneth "Bus" Bennington
(b. 16 Jan 1908 Tacoma, WA d. 11 Sep 1991 Richland, WA) 3 children


Emil Kiesel's father, Karl, was apparently a shoemaker in Brandenburg, Germany when Emil born in 1868. Karl died in California but his ashes were brought up to Tacoma buried with his wife, Frieda, in 1-B8 #141. [church records of Old Tacoma Cem. , Tacoma, WA]

We don't know why the Kiesels decided to go the Hawaii of all places but they had to be very determined even to attempt such as arduous voyage. H.H. Hackfield was the Hawaiian agent was sent to Germany to recruit help for the plantations. He must have been quite a salesman with his two foot long white beard. The bark ship "Cedar" must have also instilled a great deal of faith with its painted sides and brass fittings. It left Bremen, Germany in January of 1881 for the long voyage around Cape Magellan to Hawaii. The voyage through the straits was most ardous with several weeks encountering severe storms which kept most of the ship's passengers confined below decks for a month and a half with extreme sea sickness. They lost a mast and several sails. Jensen Blackstad doesn't confirm if they stopped and refitted the ship for a broken mast and take on new supplies in Valparaiso, Chili but it was the route. The ship's captain, G. ? Rohlfe, apparently nearly starved the ship in order to sell the saved 15 barrels of meat, 15 hams and 1.5 barrels of crackers to support a German mistress in Hawaii. The families arrived in Honolulu on June 18, 1881 but the Germans were not allowed to disembark because of a smallpox epidemic on Oahu. They were instead transferred to the vessel "James Makee" which journeyed on to Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii. The entire voyage taking six months. [immigration records of Bremen, Germany and immigration records to Hawaii after 1860] [letter of Jensen Blackstad]

Karl Kiesel was probably indentured to the sugarcane plantations on Kauai to pay for their passage to Kauai from Germany. See the history of the Sugar Plantation on Kuaii, Hawaii. Emil was a healthy 13 years of age when they arrived in 1881. Emil probably worked on the plantation until at least 1887 to pay off his families debts and saving what money he could to make passage to the United States.

1887 Emil claims to have immigrated to the United States. [1900 Census, Tacoma WA and immigation application papers]

after Jan 1889 - Emil meets Emma Schock who had immigrated in 1889 from Danzig, Germany. [1910 census, Tacoma, WA]

1891- They marry in Tacoma Washington. Emil and Emma lived in Hawaii for about three years between late 1893 and late 1897 at which time their son William was born.

Emil eventually finds a steady job working for the Northern Pacific railroad Here he found a job as a hostler at the Northern Pacific shops at 23rd and Bay St. in Tacoma. In the round-house he helped to refit and send out the locomotives.

They apparently made several trips back to Hawaii perhaps to see their relatives and perhaps to make plans for the immigration of other family members. They eventually bring his whole family, including his father and mother to Tacoma. Although we have less information on the Schock family it seems that they also had first immigrated to Hawaii but came in a couple of years afterward. [interview with Elsie Kiesel Marshall by Marlene Marshall Grubb and census records 1900]

1899, Oct. 6. - Else Mathilde Johanna Kiesel, their daughter, is baptised in Tacoma, Washington in an evangelical German Lutheran church by F. N. Wolf, pastor. In witness to the baptism is Johanna Augustin Mathilde Shock. She is apparently the wife of Gustave Shock, previously Mathilda Gubbe, the sister-in-law of Emma (Shock) Kiesel. [photocopy in possession of Cheryl Grubb] 1900 Pierce Co, WA Census lists Emil's birthplace as Brandenburg, Germany and shows he immigrated from Hawaii in 1887; This means he would have been 19 years old. Emma states her immigration date as 1889 from Danzig, Germany
Census records show them living at 222 1/2 E. 25th Street, in Tacoma, WA. [US census, Pierce Co., WA]

1910- Census shows them renting a home at 901 South "J" Street, Tacoma, WA. Emil Kiesel is head of the family (age 41, GER, immigrated in 1887, a hostler in the roundhouse), Emma is wife (41, GER, immigrated in 1889). The children here are Fred (son, 18 yrs, WA, steamfitter), Rudolph (son, 16, WA, painter in bed factory), Eddie (son, 13, WA), Elsie (dau, 10, WA), and Lily (dau, 7, WA). William doesn't show up in the family and has apparently moved out on his own. [US Census T624 roll 1665, enum. 20 p. 8]

US Census, Washington, Pierce Co., Tacoma. Series: T624  Roll: 1665  Page: 99

Kiesel   ,  Emil           head        m  w   41  m   19yr                 Germany             Berlin, Ger      Berlin, Ger    Hustler   Roundhouse
"             ,  Emma         wife        f   w   41  m   
19yr   6/5        Germany             Germany          Germany
"             ,  Fred             son        m  w  18 s                                 Washington        Germany         Germany        Steamfitter   General
"             ,  Rudolph      son       m  w  16  s                               
Washington        Germany         Germany        Painter         Bedfactory
"             ,  Eddie           son     
m   w   13 s                                Washington        Germany         Germany
"             , Elsie              dau       f   w   10  s                               
Washington        Germany         Germany
"             , Lily               dau        f   w     7 s                                
Washington        Germany         Germany

1920- US Census, Washington, Pierce Co., Tacoma. Series: T625  Roll: 1937  Page: 23 shows them owning a home at 9238 South Park St. in Tacoma, WA. They are living next to the Clayton Edison Marshall family. "Aimel" is (51 yrs, Ger.,) He lists the place of birth of his mother and father as Berlin, Germany, his occupation is a Hostler for the railroad. His wife, Emma, is here (50 yrs, Ger) and the children, Eddie (23 yrs, a lumber grader) and Erline ( 8 yrs ).

US Census, Washington,  82-WD, Tacoma. Series: T625  Roll: 1937  Page: 62

Kiesel   ,  Fred                head      m  w   29  m           Washington              Germany         Germany        Boilermaker      Boilermaker
"             ,  Mytle            wife        f   w   28  m            California                 Wisconsin       Wisonsin
"             ,  Doris             dau         f    w   5    s             Washingtion            Washington    California

US Census, Washington, Pierce Co., Tacoma. Series: T625  Roll: 1937  Page: 23

Marshall,  Clay E.       head      m  w   23 m              Oklahoma            United States      Texas           upholster  Furniture Co. 
"               , Elise  H.     wife       f    w   21 m             Washington          Germany            Germany 
"               , Ralph  L.    son       m   w     3   s             Washington         Oklahoma          Washington
"               , Thomas E.  son       m   w  1/5 s              Washington         Oklahoma          Washington
(next door)
Kiesel   ,  Aimel           head      m  w   51  m           Germany             Berlin, Ger          Berlin, Ger
"             ,  Emma          wife        f   w   50  m           
Germany              Germany             Germany
"             ,  Eddie            son        m  w  23 s              Washington        Germany             Germany
"             ,  Erlene           dau        f    w    8  s            
Washington        Germany             Germany

US Census, Washington, Pierce Co., Tacoma.  Series: T625  Roll: 1937  Page: 118

Kiesel,  Rudolph  J.        head   m  w   26m         Washington     Germany          Germany    checker  shipyard
     "    ,  Maude  E.           wife    f    w  24 m             Arkansas       Arkansas          Texas      
     "    ,  Dorothy D.         dau.    f    w  3  5/12      Washington     Washington    Arkansas
     "    ,  Virginia  P.         dau.    f    w  1  1/12      Washington     Washington    Arkansas

1923, 5 Dec - Emma Schock Kiesel, Emil's wife, dies in Tacoma, Washington of chronic nephritis (kidney disease). She is cremated and buried in the Old Tacoma Cem. Tacoma, WA in 1B8#141 [death certificate Pierce Co., WA]

c Sep 1939 - He retired from his job with the Northern Pacific Railroad when he was 70 years old.

1942, 7 Oct. -  Obituary probably from the Tacoma Herald Tribune. 

" Funeral services for Rudy Kiesel, aged 49 years, were held Wednesday, Oct 7, 1942 at Mittlestadt's Funeral Parlors with burial at Wash. Memorial Park.

Mr. Kiesel passed away suddenly Sunday, Oct. 4 Suviving are his wife, Sirley  Daughters, Virginia Kiesel and Dorthy Lang, and son, Kenneth and granddaughter, Particia Lang.  He also leaves two sisters and two brothers in Tacoma, Mrs. Elsie Marshall and Mrs. Lilliam Buechler; Fred Kiesel and Edward Kiesel, and a sister and father in Portland, Mrs. Erlene Bennington and Emil Kiesel.  Mr. Kiesel was a member of the Painters Union Local 300. " 

1943, 19 Jan - Emil Kiesel dies at age 74 in Portland, Oregon where he may have been living with a daughter. He was cremated and his ashes buried in the Old Tacoma Cem., Tacoma, WA next to his wife, Emma. [church records of Old Tacoma Cem. , Tacoma, WA]

From the Diary of Emil Kiesel JR.:

Marriage Certificate of Elsie Kiesel and Clayton Edison Marshall, Tacoma WA also shows witness to be Augusta Gubbe or Grubbe and T. Kiesel. Could be Theodore Kiesel (Emil's brother)

1947, 4 Jun - Tacoma News Tribune, Obituary

"Fred T. C. Kiesel, 5609 So. Sheridan, died Wednesday in a local hospital.  He was born in Tacoma and was a sw filer employed by the Dickman Lumber Co., He was a member of Tacoma Aerie No. 33, Eagles.  Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Myrtle Kiesel: a daughter, Mrs. Doris Alberta Miles, Graham; a son, Haarold L. Kiesel, Tacoma; a brother, Edward Kiesel, Tacoma; three sisters, Mrs. William Bencher (Buechler) and Mrs. Clay Marshall, both of Tacoma, and Mrs. Erline Bennington, Portland, and one grandson.  Services will be held from Meellinger's funeral church Friday at 3pm.; Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery. "

sources:

 Blackstad's Voyage to Hawaii | German Immigration to Kauai

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