Anton Brost Sr and Katherine Steimers Brost

Compiled by Jim Oehler (jimoehler3 at gmail.com)

Anton and Katherine are among the earliest settlers of Medford, WI. They are the grandparents of Louis Hirt and therefore the great great grandparents of my generation. They are both originally from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in the west-central part of Germany. More specifically, Anton was born in the town of Alflen while Katherine was born in Filz about four miles to the west.

[Click on any of the graphics below to enlarge]

Anton and Katherine Brost.  Date unknown.

Location of Alflen, Germany as indicted by the red tear drop.
Click here to explore the area in Google Maps.

Anton, also known as Antonius in German records, was born on May 23, 1835 to Elizabeth Thelen (aka Elisabetha), age 33, and Johann Adam Brost (aka Joanis), age 31. He was baptized the next day in the town's Catholic Church, perhaps Saint John the Baptist’s Parish Church, which is still an important part of the town. Anton was one of four siblings that included Johann (1838–1889), Anna Maria (1842–1924), and Johann Georg (1842–1842) who died at birth.

Saint John the Baptist Parish.  Photo from the Porteguese version of Wikipedia.

Katharine Stiemers, also known as Catharina in German records and Maria Katrina on her headstone, was born on September 8, 1836 to Mathias, age 34, and Maria Anna Thome, also age 34. Currently, no siblings are known. Katherine's father Mathias passed away sometime before 1863. The date of her mother's death is currently not known.

Anton and Katharine married on January 27, 1863 in the Catholic Church of Alflen. Anton was 27 years old, while Katherine was 26. Kids came along quickly with their first, Mary Ann (later to become Mary Ann Hirt, mother of Louis Hirt), being born December 25, 1863. She was followed by Peter (1865–1912; 47 years), Johann (1870 –1908; 38 years), Anton Jr (1872–1951; 78 years), and Joseph (1875–1886; 11 years). They had five children in 11 years.

Anton's parents passed away only a few years after his marriage to Katherine. His mother passed away on December 17, 1867, in Alflen, at the age of 66. His father passed away less than one year later, on September 3, 1868, at the age of 65.

Katherine and Anton immigrated to America, and more specifically to Medford, Wisconsin in 1883 (for some insight on why Medford, read the Joseph Gruny blog post). They were in their late 40s. They left Hamburg, Germany aboard the ship Rhaetia captained by a Vogelgesang on April 4 with all five kids in tow who ranged in age from 8-19. It was the ship's maiden voyage.  The trip across the Atlantic took 15 days. They arrived in New York on April 19 and were processed through the Port of New York. Very soon after they took to the roads or rails with Medford as their destination as Anton declared his intent to become a citizen of the United States on May 21, 1883 in Taylor County, WI. Medford is/was the county seat. That was just 32 days after arriving in New York. He became an official US citizen on January 23, 1889, almost six years later.  The 1920 federal census indicates Katherine became a US citizen in 1888.

Passenger list for the Rhaetia showing the Brost family, although misspelled as Borst.

The Rhaetia.  Picture courtesy of the Norway-Heritage website.

Anton Brost Sr, Declaration of Intention to become an American citizen.  

Anton Brost Sr. certificate of naturalization.
With its execution, Anton officially became a US citizen.

Sometime after arriving they were able to set up a farm on 40 acres east of Medford at the corner of present day Allman Ave and Crane Dr. An 1890 platt map shows the location of the farm. By 1900, the farm was taken over by their son, Anton Jr. who was in his late 20s.  By 1913, Anton Jr. added on another 40 acres, purchased from B. Shenoweth on the west side of Crane Drive. This farmstead has stayed in the Brost family for five generations. The platts show other Brosts as neighbors. Presumably they were all related but I don't know exactly how at the time of this writing. Perhaps J Brost is his brother, Johann.

1890 platt map showing the location of Anton's 40 acre farm.

1913 platt showing location of Anton Brost farm, now owned by Anton Brost Jr. his son.

1900 federal census showing Anton Jr as head of family at the age of 27. 
Anton Sr. and Katherine continued to live on the farm.

Katherine and Anton Sr. had their share of heart ache. Just three years after arriving in Medford, their youngest son Joseph passed away at the young age of 11. They also outlived their third oldest, Johann, who passed away in 1908 at the age of 38. Their second oldest, Peter, died three years after Anton Sr. in 1912 at the age 47. The causes of these deaths is unknown.

Anton Sr. passed away on June 4, 1909 at the age of 74 of “fatty degeneration of the heart.” He is buried in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Medford, WI (GPS: 45.14162, -90.32178) just one mile south of the farm that he settled. His brief obituary in the local paper, the “Star News,” celebrates him as one of Medford's pioneer settlers. Katharine lived for another 12 years, living at the farm with Anton Jr and his family throughout that time. She died on September 10, 1921 when she was 85 years old of "arterio sclerosis." She is interned next to Anton Sr. at Holy Rosary Cemetery.

Anton Brost Sr death certificate citing "fatty degeneration of the heart"
as the cause of death on June 4, 1909.

Anton Brost Sr obituary in Medford's "Star News."

Following are some interesting notices and ads from the 1909 Star News where Anton Sr's obituary appeared. The paper reported on both local, statewide, and national news.

1920 federal census showing Katherine still living on the farm, one year before her death.

Katharina Steimer Brost and Anna Maria Oberpriller Stauner in 1916.

Katherine's death certificate citing "arterio sclerosis due" and "old age" as cause of death.

Headstone of Anton Brost Sr. Source: Find A Grave.  Click here for more details on headstone locations.

Headstone of Katherine Brost. Source: Find A Grave. 
Click here for more details on headstone locations.

A stately elm on the west side of Crane Drive.  Perhaps it was just a sapling when
Anton Sr and Jr farmed the land on either side of this street. Photo taken June 2017.