PETER MESSMER

Title

PETER MESSMER

Creator

5th Anniversary Book of Richardton

Coverage

TOWNSHIP 141N RANGE 91W

Text

PETER MESSMER
Peter and Magdalena (Winchell) Messmer and seven children came to Richardton, N.D. from Speir, Odessa Russia in November of 1900.

At first they lived with Jerome Dinius and family and in the spring of 1901, they moved out to Jos. Garecht farm where Mr. Messmer found work. They spent their first Christmas in America here. In the fall they moved back into town and moved into a little house (Jos. Dick now lives there) where Aggie and John were born. Mr. Messmer was then employed on the railroad.

In 1909 they took up a homestead 16 miles north of Richardton (Where Donald Hauck lives now). The children were Joe, who married Mary Friese. He passed away in 1946. Frances, who married John F. Zimmerman. She is still living at St. Luke's Nursing Home at Dickinson. Frank, married Amelia Zimmerman. He passed away in 1929 at the age of 43. Mary, married Jerry Boespflug. Died in 1965. They lived in Los Angeles, Calif. She passed away in 1964. Lucia, married John Erdle and she lives in Richardton. Steven married Madeline Friese at Tacoma, Wash. He passed away in Jan. 1962. George married Rose Keller. He passed away in 1955 and John and Aggie still live in Richardton, N.D.
The family remembers when they first arrived, how their father expecting to find a city, but saw only a few homes, asked a man on the depot platform where the city was. When he was told, “This is it” they were ready to turn back, but they stayed.

Taken From 75th Anniversary Book of Richardton,

Copied by Adeline Erdle