Peter
Joseph Kurz, Jr. Family


Peter Joseph Kurz
1870 - 1934
Parents of
Peter Joseph Kurz Jr.
Peter Joseph
Kurz Sr.
Born: November 2, 1820 in Scharen, Kr. Kastellaun, Rheinland
Married: January 27, 1856 in Green Bay, Brown County,
Wisconsin
Died: October 1, 1898 in Town of How, Oconto County, Wisconsin
Catherine
Bibelhausen - wife
Born: November 25, 1835 in Valwig, Rheinland
Died: June 22, 1915 in Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wisconsin
Peter Joseph
Kurz Jr. - son
Born February 8, 1870 in New Denmark, Brown County,
Wisconsin
Married: February 20, 1900 in Shawano County, Wisconsin
Died: October 24, 1934 Argyle, Marshall County,
Minnesota
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TOP HAT
Photo taken from a
tintype of Peter Joseph
Kurz Jr. as groom's man for the wedding of his sister Veronica Kurz to
John
Holl in Shawano, Wisconsin, 1885
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Peter Joseph
Kurz Jr. at age 30. Photograph
taken at the time of his wedding in 1900
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Peter Joseph Kurz
Jr. was born in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, according to his birth
certificate.
He was the seventh child born to Peter Joseph and Catherine Bibelhausen
Kurz Sr. on February 8, 1870. The family farm was in nearby New
Denmark,
Brown County, Wisconsin. By 1800 the family had moved to a farm in Red
Springs Township in Shawano County, Wisconsin, having sold the original
farm in the early 1870's.
Peter grew up
among many Bibelhausen relatives of his mother Katherine. His
grandparents
John and Katherine Kenali Bibelhausen were pioneers twice, having moved
to unsettled Shawano County in 1852 from their original 1844 wilderness
homestead near Pine Grove, De Pere, Brown County, Wisconsin. As a young
man in the 1890's, Peter followed in the family tradition, homesteading
near Argyle, in Eastern Minnesota, not far north of where his brother
John
had settled a few years earlier in Warren, Minnesota.
This is the 1880
Federal Census entry for
the Peter Joseph Kurz Senior family on the Red Springs,
township
of Belle Plaine, Shawano County, Wisconsin farm. Peter Junior
is
age 10, with oldest brothers Philipp "Joe" and John already
homesteading
in the wilderness of western Minnesota. Oldest sister Katherine is also
not living on the farm. The census was taken in June and youngest
brother
Vincent is not listed,. He was born the next month.
Rita Neustifter Collection |
On February
20, 1900, in Shawano, Wisconsin,
he married Rose Muskavich just after his 30th
birthday. His
bride was age 24. Rose Muskavich was born July 03, 1875 in Behle,
Prussia
the daughter of Christ Muskavich and his wife Magdalen Trinka. They had
immigrated to Bella Plaine, Shawano County, Wisconsin in 1878 and were
neighbors of the Kurz family there. Rose was the oldest of 6 children.
She and her oldest brother were born in Europe and the rest of her
siblings
in Wisconsin.
The young
Kurz couple settled at their
homestead farm in Boxville Township, Minnesota, near Argyle, Minnesota.
Their first born, Margaret Catherine Kurz joined the family November
13,
1901. She was followed by Anna Josephine, Francis Peter (Frank), Clara
Martha, Clarence Bernard and Alice Agatha, all born in Boxville
Township,
Marshal County, Minnesota.
Mary Ferm Collection
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Beeley Collection |
Wedding - February 20, 1900
Rose Muskovich - bride
Peter Joseph Kurz - groom
witnesses
Josephine Kurz - sister of the groom
Joseph Muskovich - brother of the bride
Descendants
of Peter Joseph Kurz
Peter
Joseph Kurz
b: February 08, 1870
in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
d: October 24, 1934 Argyle, Minnesota.
+Rose Muskavitch/Muscavich
b:
July 03, 1875 in Behle,
Prussia
d: August 02, 1960 Argyle Minnesota m: February 20, 1900 in Shawano, Shawano, Wisconsin
Children of
Peter and Rose:
........ Margaret
Catherine Kurz b: November
13, 1901
........ Anna
Josephine Kurz b: August 18,
1903
........ Francis
Peter (Frank) Kurz b: April
26, 1905
........ Clara Martha
Kurz b: May 23, 1907
........ Clarence
Bernard Kurz b: January
24, 1911
........ Alice Agatha
Kurz b: November 25,
1912
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On the
Farm
in
Argyle Minnesota
c:1912
Left to
right:
Anna, Frank, little
Clarence and Clara Kurz.
Children of Peter and Rose Muskavich Kurz.
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C
Like most of
the Kurz offspring, the children
of Peter and Rose were blond and fair as small children with their hair
turning darker as they grew older.
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Children of Peter Joseph and Rose
Muskavich Kurz
Left to Right:
Frank, Clarence, Margaret, Alice, Anna, Clara Kurz
Henry Kurz Collection
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This is the 1930
Federal Census entry for
Peter and Rosa Kurz in Minnesota. The two youngest children,
Clarence,
19, and Alice, 17, were single and living with their
parents.
Peter was age 60 and Rose was age 54. The census also indicates that at
the time they were married Peter was age 30 and Rose was 24.
Rita Neustifter Collection |

Three Kurz Brothers
Visit
Left to right:
John, Jake, Pete
Ron Kurz Collection |
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Died October 24, 1934
Ron Kurz Collection |
P. J.
and Rose Kurz
Peter died there
on October 24, 1934. Rose
lived among a large number of descendants
in Minnesota, and followed
Peter on August
2, 1960. They are buried in Argyle, Minnesota.
Funeral Rites
Held Saturday For (Peter Joseph)
P.J. Kurz
Many Attend Services For Prominent
Argyle Farmer and Former
Warren Resident
Funeral rites were conducted at St. Mary's
Catholic church in Argyle
Saturday morning for P. J. Kurz, prominent Argyle farmer who died last
Wednesday after a prolonged Illness of heart disease and other
complications.
Mr. Kurz came to Marshall county in l89l coming
first to Warren,
but later purchased a farm on the outskirts of Argyle which he has
steadily
improved, making it one of county's many fine farmsteads.
Born in Germany on Feb. 8, 1870, Mr. Kurz came
to the United States
with his parents when a boy. (Peter
Joseph Kurz was
actually born in New Denmark, Brown County, Wisconsin. His parents met
and married in Wisconsin after immigrating separately from parts of
Germany).
He was married on Feb. 20, 1900 to Miss Rose Muskovich at Shawauo,
Wisconsin.
His wife, together with the following children and other
relatives,
survive his passing: Margaret Frank, at home; Mrs. Arthur Nelson,
Argyle;
Mrs. Gerald Eagan, Oslo; Mrs. Anne Skeie and Clarence, Minnesota;
brothers
Jacob and Anton in Kansas; Vincent and Henry and a sister, Mrs. John
Hall
(Holl)
in Wisconsin.
A large host of friends and relatives of the
Warren and Argyle communities
attended the funeral services held for the pioneer Saturday morning.
Arrangements
for the rites were made by Carlson Funeral Home of this city. Honorary
pallbearers were Charles Cheney, Charles Johnson., J.S. MacArthur,
Chas.
Wittensten, A.W. Headrich, Henry Keye, E. Amundgaard and Dr. J.E.
Borsseau.
Actual pallbearers were Joe Coninx, Walter Crummy, Leo Fitzimmons, Ed
Erickson,
Emil Petersson and Fred Diedrich.
Those attending the funeral services from a
distance included Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Muskovitch, Minot N. Dak., Mrs. Anne Skele and Clarence
Kurz, Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kurz, Miss Lillie Kurz and Fred
Kurz of Warren, al of whom are relatives.
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Margaret Kurz
Henry Kurz Collection
Eagan Collection
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Margaret Kurz
69, Is Interred
At Argyle Mon.
Services for Margaret Kurz, long-time
housekeeper for Rev. John Merth,
were held Monday morning from Holy Trinity Catholic Church at Tabor.
Burial
was made at St. Rose Cemetery at Argyle. She died Thursday at Park
Rapids,
where she was serving as Father Merth's housekeeper.
Pallbearers were Frank Brda, Robert Pribula,
Frank Novak, Amos Gust,
George W. Gust and Amos Kotrba. Rev. John Merth officiated.
She was born Nov. 13, 1901 near Warren. She had
served for more than
20 years as housekeeper for Father Merth, first at Tabor and then at
Park
Rapids.
Surviving are two brothers, Clarence of
Caledonia, and Frank Kurz
of Argyle: and three sisters, Mrs. Anne Skeie of Minneapolis, Mrs.
Alice
Nelson of Bottineau, N. D., and Mrs Clara Eggen (Eagan)
if Warren.
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Eagan Collection
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Anna Kurz
Henry Kurz Collection
Former Argyle
Resident Passes
Former Argyle resident, Anne Kurz Skeie, passed
away March 9, 1977,
in Minneapolis. The Mass of Christian Burial was conducted by the
Reverend
Harold Fuchs at the Gearty-Johnson-Delmore Chapel; in Robbinsdale,
Minnesota,
on Thursday, March 10, at 11 a.m.
Mrs. Skeie, the daughter of Peter and Rose
Kurz, was born in Warren,
Minnesota, August 18, 1903. The family moved to Argyle in 1914. Anne
graduated
from Argyle High School and the Minnesota School of Business in
Minneapolis.
She worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis from 1927 until
her
retirement in 1968.
Anne Josephine Skeie is survived by two
brothers: Frank Kurz of Argyle,
Dr. C. B. Kurz of Caledonia; two sisters: Mrs. Gerald (Clara) Eagan,
Argyle,
and Mrs. Art (Alice) Nelson of Bottineau, North Dakota. Several nieces
and nephews also survive. Anne's parents and a sister Margaret,
preceded
her in death.
Interment will be in St. Rose of Lima Cemetery
at Argyle in spring.
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Obituary of Joyce Brosseau Kurz
Widow of Dr. Clarence Kurz
contributed by: Ron Kurz
Caledonia Argus
October 22, 2008
Joyce E. Kurz, of Caledonia, died Monday, October 20, 2008 at St. Joseph’s Rehab
Center, LaCrosse, WI. Joyce was born in Frankfort, S.D. to Dr. Jesse and
Elizabeth (Young) Brosseau. She graduated from Argyle High School, Argyle, Minn
and attended nurse’s training in Rochester, Minn. She married Dr. Clarence Kurz
on January 24, 1940 in Minneapolis and they were happily married for 62 years.
Clarence died July 9, 2002.
Joyce was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic
Church and its Council of Catholic Women.
She is survived by special
friends, Dr. Kemper and Nancy Cowgill, Dr. Mark and Joanne Zard, Father Clayton
Haberman and nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was
preceded in death by a sister, Blanche, and 2 brothers, Douglas and
Bert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will at 11:00 am, Friday, October 24, at
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Father Clayton Haberman and Father
Gregory Leif will concelebrate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia.
Friends may call from 10:30 am until 11:00 am Friday morning before the service
at the church.
McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia is assisting the family
with arrangements.
Joyce Kurz
CALEDONIA, Minn.
Joyce Kurz, formerly of Caledonia, died Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at St. Joseph
Rehab Center in La Crosse, Wis. McCormick Funeral Home of Caledonia is assisting
the family with arrangements.
The funeral will be
Friday, Oct. 24 at 11 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Caledonia. Visitation
will be from 10:30 - 11 AM that morning; burial will be in Caledonia following
the service. A noon meal will be served following the
service.
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Frank and Ruth
Kurz
Ron Kurz Collection |

Frank and
Ruth Kurz and on a visit to Oklahoma
and Kansas from their home in Warren
Ron Kurz Collection |
Ruth Storm Kurz
(Died December 25,
2006)
Ruth Kurz,
85, Argyle, MN, passed away on Monday
evening, December 25, 2006 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks,
ND.
Ruth Storm
was born on May 29, 1921 in Warren,
MN, the daughter of Sig and Amelia (Nelson) Storm. She was a life long
resident of the Argyle community where she graduated from high school.
On September 29, 1941, she was united in marriage to Frank Kurz. They
made
their home in Argyle where they farmed. Frank died on November 20,
1986.
She enjoyed
flowers and embroidering dish towels.
Ruth was proud to be a Gold Star Mother.
Left to
mourn her passing are her five children;
Evelyn (Rodney) Oja of Squaw Lake, MN, Helen (Paul) Anderson of Warren,
MN, Mary (Sherman) Loges of Renton, WA, David Kurz of Warren, MN and
Ilene
(Jon) Slusar of Warren, MN; ten grandchildren and eight
great-grandchildren.
She was
preceded in death by her parents, husband
and son, John Kurz.
FUNERAL
SERVICE: 2:00 PM on Friday, December
29, 2006 at the DuBore Funeral Home of Warren, MN. VISITATION: One hour
before services.
INTERMENT: St. Rose
Cemetery, Argyle, MN.
Evelyn Oja Collection
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John Peter Kurz
son of Frank and Ruth
Kurz
Grandson of Peter and
Rose Kurz

Eagan Collection
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Eagan Collection
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Obituary
Funeral services for John Peter
Kurz held on Tuesday
SP4 - Medic
Funeral
services for SP4 John Peter Kurz were
held Tuesday, Dec. 12, at St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Stephen.
Father
Henry Rousseau, Argyle officiated.
Mr. Kurz was
killed while in the performance
of his military duties. He was stationed in Vietnam. At the time of his
death, he was 23 years, seven months and 17 days of age.
John Peter
Kurz, the son of Frank and Ruth
Kurz, was born at Warren, April 12, 1944. He was a member of St. Rose
of
Lima Catholic Church, Argyle, a graduate of Argyle High School in 1962.
In May, 1966, he graduated from Bemidji State College with a major in
German,
minor in Biology.
He attended
a German Institute, Deutsche Sommerschule,
at Marlyhurst College, Marlyhurst, Ore., the summer of 1966. In July
1966,
he entered the United States Army. SP4 Kurz was killed in action in
Vietnam
on Nov. 29 1967.
Military
rites were conducted at the funeral
by the American Legion Post of Argyle. Active pallbearers were Bill
Robertson,
Kenneth Dufault, Melvin Ethier, Holland Brouillard, Charles Anderson
and
Emil Helberg. Honorary pallbearers were LeRoy Topeka, Steve Loranger,
Wm.
Riopelle, John Lubarski, Oscar Erickson and Evald Clausen.
Interment
was in St. Rose of Lima Cemetery,
Argyle. Arrangements were by the Colling Funeral Home of Argyle.
John Peter
Kurz is survived by his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kurz, of Argyle; one brother, David, Argyle; four
sisters:
Miss Evelyn Kurz, of Chisholm; Miss Ilene Kurz, Argyle; Mrs. Sherman
(Mary)
Loges, of Grand Forks, N. D.; and Mrs. Paul (Helen) Anderson, of
Warren;
his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Sig Storm, of Argyle; and several
nieces,
nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
The sympathy
of the whole community goes out
to the Frank Kurz family in the death of their son, John, Marshall
county's
fourth Vietnam death.
A death like
this is particularly hard for
everyone to take. John was a young man with so much promise. Again and
again I've heard people talk of his politeness, his good nature, his
high
intelligence and wonderful record in high school and college. There is
no doubt that this was a young man on the way up who would have
contributed
much to his country if he had lived. By his death, he gave his all to
his
country.
Even those
of us who did not personally know
John Kurz feel a sharp pang at the news of his death. Those parents who
had lost a child in previous wars, can not help but feel old wounds
open
as they remember, all too well, what the Kurz family is feeling. Those
parents whose sons have served in Vietnam certainly feel a deep
kindship
with the bereaved family. Just having a son, makes you feel a very
special
association with the Kurz's sadness.
May God be
with them now and in the days to
come.
Eagan Collection
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Gerald Eagan and Clara Kurz Eagan
celebrate their 50th Wedding
Anniversary with family and friends in Argyle, Minnesota, 1980.
Eagan Collection
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Clara
Kurz Eagan
Clara Eagan
passed way at the Marlene Zolton
Nursing Home at Morgantown, West Virginia on December 30, 1994, at the
age of 87.
Clara Kurz was born on
May 23, 1907 at Warren, Minnesota, the daughter of Peter and Rose Kurz.
She was a graduate of St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing at St.
Paul,
Minnesota and worked as a nurse at that institution prior to her
marriage
to Gerald V. Eagan on November 4, 1930. They made their home in Argyle,
Minnesota. Gerald died on December 16, 1986. Clara spent the last
couple
of years in Morgantown.
She was a member of the
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Argyle.
Left to mourn her passing
are a son, Gerald Eagan of Morgantown, West Virginia, brother, Clarence
Kurz of Caledonia, Minnesota, sister, Alice Nelson of Sidney, Montana,
son-in law, Joe Arends of Fargo, North Dakota, three granddaughters and
six greatgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death
by her parents, husband, daughter, Muriel Arends in 1991, two sisters,
Margaret Kurz and Anne Skeie and brother, Frank Kurz.
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Gerald Eagan
Gerald V.
Eagan was born on Dec. 2, 1904 at
Minto, N.D. He passed away at the Good Samaritan Center in East Grand
Forks,
Minn., on Dec. 16, 1986 at the age of 82.
He spent his early years
in the Oslo, Minn., area.
On Nov. 4, 1930 at Argyle,
Minn., he was united in marriage to Clara Kurz. They made their home in
the Argyle, Minn., area where they farmed. They moved into Argyle,
Minn.,
in 1977. Mr. Eagan also drove school bus for the Argyle School and was
employed at the Argyle Imp. Co.
Left to mourn his passing
are his wife, Clara, and one daughter and one son: Murial, Mrs. Joe
Arends
of Fargo, N.D., and Gerald Eagan Jr. of Morgan-town, W.V. Also
surviving
are three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and two sisters,
Mary and Dorothy Eagan of Minneapolis, Minn.
Eagan Collection
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Muriel Eagan Arends
Daughter of Gerald
Eagan and Clara Kurz Eagan

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