Mary Meyer Kuck

Mary Meyer Kuck

My third great grandmother Mary Meyer was born in Switzerland on 7 Jan 1837 according to her gravestone and death notice in the local newspaper. But between that date and the day she got married in Galena, Illinois on 30 May 1860, her life is a big blank slate. Why she immigrated, when she immigrated, where she immigrated are all questions that I don't know the answer to along with who her parents were. It has been a mystery that I have spent too much time over the last two decades trying to solve.

The first record I have of Mary's life is her marriage certificate which has been no help in tracking down her parents. I have tried tracking down the pastor who married her to my 3rd great grandfather John Kuck but have never succeeded in tracking him down. I always thought that if I could track him down, I might be able to track down some sort of church record but that hasn't been the case. 

John Kuck    
Dealer in leather findings, saddles, hardware, buffalo robes, horse blankets, etc., Charles City, Ia., is a native of Germany, and was born near the city of Bremen, Prussia, Dec. 5, 1836. His parents were Henry and Anna (Gerken) Kuck, also natives of Germany. They had a family of eight children, seven sons and one daughter. John, subject of this sketch, was the third son, and the oldest now living. He attended school in Germany and farmed until sixteen, and then came alone to America; landed at Baltimore, Md., after being eight weeks at sea. He went to Wheeling, Va., and two months after to Marietta, Ohio, where he learned the harness maker's trade and resided until twenty, the went to Le Sure, Minn. He was partner in a store of general merchandise there one year, then sold out and went to Galena, Ill., and worked at his trade until 1860, when he opened a harness shop at Lansing, Ia., and engaged in business here until 1864, when he came to Charles City, Ia., and established his present business. Mr. Kuck married Mary Meyer at Galena, Ill., June 1, 1860. She was born in Switzerland. They are members of the M. E. church, and have had a family of seven children, two living, viz.; Henry L., born Dec. 1, 1862; George W., born Dec. 14, 1868. Both work with their father in the harness shop. The mother died May 30, 1879, and Mr. Kuck married Lizzie Brandon April 22, 1880, at Charles City. She was born in Cook County, Ill., and was a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Sibbel) Brandon. They have one daughter - Bertha A. C., born Feb. 10, 1881. Mr. Kuck, in politics, is a Republican. He is one of the oldest harness makers and business men of Floyd County and Charles City, having been identified with this city since July 1864. He was a member of the Council of Charles City one year from Second Ward. He was one of the first members of the German M. E. church, which is now the Charles City District, embracing many counties, which was one of the first to organize the church in this city. - History of Floyd County 1882 - Pages 754 & 755

 I know more about my 3rd great grandfather who had the above writeup in a county history book that were commonly compiled in the late 1800's. It does mention Mary in the middle but doesn't really provide much more detail. From it I know that after marriage, they moved to Lansing, Iowa to start a harness shop and then four years later in 1864, moved to Charles City, Iowa where he started over again in the harness business and was very successful. John and Mary would have seven children over the first 18 years of their marriage. But then tragedy strikes.

In the space of three months, five of John and Mary's children die of diphtheria and then Mary herself at the young age of 42 years. The five children and her are all buried in a row in Riverside Cemetery in Charles City, Iowa. 

Gravesite of John Kuck, 1rst wife Mary Meyer Kuck, 2nd wife Elizabeth Brandau Kuck and five children who died in a diphtheria epidemic.

Due to Mary's untimely death, I have been unable to track down her parents and she remains a brick wall along my family tree and also the shortest branch of my family tree. I suppose this is partly why I have spent so much time over the years trying to knock down that brick wall. The other reason is that I know so much about her husband and my third great grandfather John Kuck. I have lots of articles on him, lots of pictures and many details on his immigration, his parents and even back to his great grandparents in northern Germany. 

Recently, a genealogy site that I follow posted a question about Christmas wishes pertaining to genealogy and I said my wish was to locate the names of Mary's parents. A week later, I got notification that my wish, along with 29 others, was chosen for the collective community to attempt to solve. So to aid in solving, I gathered up information to provide their team and decided to also post that information on Blogger as well. I have spent so much time researching this topic, that I don't think a solution will be found even by a team of sleuths but that might be because my eyes are blinded by myself and can't see something that a fresh pair of eyes might easily spot. Maybe they will come through and be able to pull the proverbial rabbit from the hat and in which case, I will not only be surprised but will have a very Merry Christmas indeed. (Note, I am writing this in the week leading up to Christmas.)

So now I wait anxiously and see what if anything is turned up in the search for Mary Meyer's parents.