November 1 1886 - July 18, 1956

Wilhelm Jacob Adolph Fleischer

William was the second child of John and Anna Fleischer born in Grand Island Nebraska. At the time John and Anna  lived on 4th Street.  Right down the street were the train tracks for the Union Pacific Railroad - quite possibly William was fascinated by those trains.

In 1906 William started working for that very same railroad and he did so for the next 42 years.

William met a young lady in Grand Island - Annabelle Griffin. They lived fairly close to each other and I assume they probably went to the same schools - or maybe they met at church.  Regardless in 1907 William and Annabelle were married in Omaha Nebraska on September 17th.

Shortly after their marriage William's job took him to San Bernadino California and on Apr 14th they had their first child - Kenneth William.  Shortly after Kenneth's birth - family matters took the family back to Grand Island.  William's father's health was failing him and William went back home to help his Mother.  In 1911, the Fleischer family became 4 when on Dec 6 1911 their son Leonard was born.

Here in a later picture is William with his two sons and grandson Len J 

Grand Island would remain William and Belle's home for the rest of his railroad career - with an exception of some time they spent in Schnectady New York - where William was working on a 'secret' locomotive that would haul heavy loads from the east coast to the west coast over the mountains.  They built 25 such Big Boy's this is the 4012

When William retired from the Union Pacific, he and Belle decided to move to Columbus Nebraska where all of his famil was located.  I am certain he took great pride in the accomplishments of his two boys.

      In 1956 William died and he is buried in the Grand Island City Cemetery in the Griffin Plot.

Sylvester Griffin was born on 28 Sep 1800 in New Haven, Addison, Vermont, USA as the fourth child of Asahel Griffin and Polly Loyal. He had six siblings, namely: Loyal, Worden, Sarah, Abigail, Leicester, and Joseph.

When he was 20, he married Matilda Austin,daughter of Peleg Austin and Abiah Knapp, in 1821 in Milton, Chittenden Co., Vermont, USA. They had 9 children.

Ashley Griffin was born on 10 Mar 1822 in Moira, Franklin, New York, United States. He died on 04 Feb 1896 in Independence, Buchanan, Iowa, USA. He married Naomia C Hadley on 23 Feb 1846 in Perry Twp., Jackson Co., Iowa, USA.
Ira Griffin was born on 24 Jul 1824 in Moira, Franklin, New York, United States. He died on 08 Jun 1907 in Jasper, Jasper, Missouri, USA. He married Julia Ann Fowler on 17 Jun 1850 in , Delaware, Iowa, USA.
Lucinda Sarah Griffin was born on 24 Aug 1825 in Moira, Franklin, New York, United States. She died on 17 Nov 1903 in Independence, Buchanan, Iowa, USA. She married Harvey Foster Grover on 23 Mar 1842.
Edward Edwin Griffin was born on 24 Sep 1828 in Moira, Franklin, New York, USA. He died on 01 May 1904 in Shelton, Buffalo, Nebraska, USA. He married Harriett Lewis on 05 Nov 1849 in , Dubuque Co., Iowa, USA. He married Mary Ann Kelly on 15 Oct 1888. He married Frances Marion Hyde on 28 Feb 1858.
David Sylvester Griffin was born on 04 Sep 1830 in Moira, Franklin, New York, USA. He died on 10 Apr 1853 in Andrew, Jackson, Iowa, USA,. He married Elizabeth Hawkins on 04 Sep 1850 in ,Jackson, Iowa, USA.
Julia Griffin was born in 1832 in Ohio. She died in 1903 in New York.
Emily Griffin was born on 08 Feb 1832 in Moira, Franklin, New York, United States. She died on 04 Jan 1865. She married William Thompson on 19 Jan 1848 in , Dubuque Co., Iowa, USA.
Lucy Abiah Griffin was born on 01 Jul 1834 in Tiffin, Seneca, Ohio, USA. She died on 15 Nov 1852 in Andrew, Jackson, Iowa, USA. She married Philip Patton on 07 May 1850 in Perry Twp., Jackson Co., Iowa, USA.
Asel G Griffin was born on 07 Feb 1839 in Tiffin, Seneca, Ohio, USA. He died on 02 Jan 1908 in Ogden, Riley, Kansas, USA. He married Ellen Jane Whitter on 10 Oct 1866 in Delhi, Delaware, Iowa, USA.

When he was 57, he married Lucinda Hunt on 07 Feb 1858 in Dubuque, Dubuque Co., Iowa - they did not have any children.

Sylvester along with two of his sons, joined the US Army to fight in the Mexican War in 1847. While serving in the Army he heard reports of Gold in California and upon conclusion of that war he headed west to find his fortune.  Along the way he worked for Brigham Young for a few weeks.

Not finding gold he went back to Iowa where he went back to farming.  In 1860, lying about his age he joined Company F 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry and fought in the Civil War. On 06 Apr 1862 in Battle of Shiloh (Sylvester, aged 62, was wounded the first day of the battle Wounded at the Battle of Shiloh (shot through hand and lung); he died of his wounds on 26 May 1862 in Jefferson  Barracks, St Louis, Missouri.

He was buried on 08 Jun 1862 in Andrew Cemetery, Jackson Co, Iowa, United States

                                                    Edward Edwin Griffin (1828 - 1904)

Edward born in Moira New York - he was one of 9 children of Sylvester and Matilda Austin Griffin. His family moved west during the mid 1800's living in both Iowa and Missouri.

In 1847 Edward, along with his brother Ira, joined the US Army to serve in the Mexican War - it is quite likely that his motivation was the land that was promised to Army Veterans.

Upon his return in 1849 he married his first wife Harriet Lewis - they had 4 children.  Harriet died in 1857 and as was customary in those days Edward married Frances Marion Hyde soon after.

Frances and Edward had 9 children - one of which was Ira who carried down the Griffin name.

 Pictured is Edward and 11 of his children - two having died prior to this picture being taken - the 12th person is a nephew of Edward's.

Edward's wife Frances died in 1878 and Edward subsequently married twice after Frances died - neither of those last two marriages produced any children.

While visiting sons in Grand Island Nebraska, Edward died in 1904  - He is buried in Grand Island City Cemetery

Annabelle Griffin was born on this date in 1887 in St Paul Nebraska - the middle child of three of Ira and Myra (Davis) Griffin.  Ira and Myra had been living in Jackson Missouri according to the 1880 US Census. At some point in the '80's they moved to Nebraska, probably with his older half brother Lewis.

By 1903 Anna and her parents and siblings had moved to Grand Island living at 1401 N. 1st.  By this time Anna's mother had died (1891) and her father Ira had married Sarah Nicholas and their home must have been quite active as now, the 1890's version of the "Brady Bunch" consisted of Sarah's three children and Ira's three children.

The Griffin's moved again in 1904 - this time on W. 1st Street and the City Directory showed Anna working at the Nebraska Mercantile Company - she was 17.

On Sep 17, 1907 Annabelle Griffin married Wilhelm Jacob Adolph Fleischer - an employee of the Union Pacific Railroad.  Anna and William were married in Omaha Nebraska.  Shortly after their marriage they moved to San Bernadino California, where their son Kenneth was born.

William's father, John was experiencing difficult health issues and William and Anna moved back to Nebraska to help his mother Anna.  In 1911 their second child - Leonard was born. They remained in Grand Island until they moved to Columbus Nebraska.  Briefly they lived in Schenectady NY where William was working on a heavy locomotive for the Union Pacific.

Pershing Road must have been a busy place for Grandma and Grandpa Fleischer - they lived right between their two sons and all their grandchildren.  

Grandma Belle died in 1964 and is buried in Grand Island Nebraska at the Grand Island City Cemetery.

On July 5 1782 Abiah Knapp was born to Reverend Eleazer and Statira Knapp, in Whiting Vermont.  Abiah had a couple of sisters - Abigail and Ruth.

Abiah's father Eleazer served in the Revolutionary War - serving with the Connecticut Continental Line.

Abiah and her husband Peleg Austin were the Great Great Grandparents of Annabelle Fleischer Griffin.

The following is something I found on Ancestry.com - it is a write up about Abiah and the man who would become her husband:

 "Abiah was in love with Dr. Wyman in his younger days when he was a medical       student and a bold and adventurous youth who could swear and shoot and had no    money but plenty of brains. Abiah's father was a clergyman and Abiah broke off   the affair as she was instructed to do. As time went on, the parents feared she  would become an old maid. Their hints became too persistent and her quick        temper rose and she said she would marry the first man to ask for her hand.

 That man was Peleg who was described as homely enough to stop a clock,
 uneducated and rough and 8 years older than her, but he had land, some money, 
 and was religious and upright, honest and a hard worker and quite dependable. 
 So the dainty little Abiah, cultured, refined and beautiful married him and 
 bore him 11 or 12 children-pioneered with him from Constable to a new frontier, 
 which is now the northern end of Moira Township. They built a log cabin 
 and then a substantial stone house. Indians came daily to their door and often 
 stole whatever they wanted. The hardships and terror of this life was too much   for Abiah, together with a broken heart, for she never loved Peleg, caused her   to become mentally unbalanced in a mild harmless way. Three of her children were born after this happened. She lived to the age of 86 and died at the home of 
 daughter Ruth McNall and is buried next to Peleg in the old cemetery at Moira."

Fleischer Roots

The earliest verifiable information we have on the Fleischer family goes to Johannes Claudius Fleischer who arrived in the United States on May 15 1875 aboard the SS Westphalia - he was 15.  John was born in Hemme, Schlesweig-Holstein on Jul 15, 1857 - at the time of his birth this city may have been in Denmark - European borders changed with the winds of war.  

John may have settled briefly in Chicago Illinois, where he may have had brother and a sister.  Eventually (1880) he was living in Western Iowa working as a farm hand.  It may have been here where he met his wife to be Anna Pehrsmann.  

By 1884 John and Anna were living in Grand Island Nebraska as they married on Sep 16, 1884.  John worked as a bartender in a few establishments in Grand Island - most notably the Koehler Hotel.  John was a member of a few fraternal organizations - The Sons of Herman, The Liederkranz and the Fraternal Order of the Eagles.

In 1905 John applied for US Citizenship but we do not know the exact date of his acquiring citizenship.  

John and Anna 5 children - Lillian, William, Tony, Ernest and Harry.  John died on Nov 5, 1909 and is buried in the Grand Island Cemetery.

Anna Margaretha Pehrsmann is as much of enigma as her husband as we are unable to find solid verifiable proof her past.  Family history indicates that she came to the United States after her parents died during her youth - we however have an indication that her father was Jacob and that he lived until 1891 in Davenport Iowa.  

The Family bible indicates that she was born in Itzehoe, Schlesweig-Holstein, Germany on Dec 22, 1860 and immigrated to the USA, also aboard the SS Westphalia leaving Hamburg on Aug 30, 1882.

For most of Anna's life in Grand Island she lived at 910 W 3rd Street - shortly before her death she moved to Omaha to be closer to her son Ernest. 

Anna died on Jan 6, 1934 in Omaha Nebraska and is buried next to her husband John in the Grand Island Cemetery.