Title: Franz Joseph Ressler
Dates: 1910
Collection Number: 00187
Quantity: 8 items
Abstract: Portraits of Mr. Franz Joseph Ressler, his wife Mrs. Barbara Schloss Ressler, daughter Clementina, and son Theodore in front of and inside their home and farm and an image of the St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church that Mr. Ressler helped build in Little Heart (N.D.) that became St. Anthony (N.D.).
Provenance: Unknown. Sharon Silengo inventoried, scanned and added item level descriptions and wrote a finding aid for the collection on July 31, 2017.
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Biographical Sketch: Franz Joseph Ressler
Franz Joseph Ressler, son of Karl and Margareta Ressler, was born on February 2, 1848 in the German Colony of Katharinental in south Russia. Since his father died at an early age, it is believed he was adopted by an aunt and uncle. His first wife was a Steckler. From this marriage a daughter, Caroline was born. Later in life she married Erasmus Helbling and also settled in Morton County.
His second wife was Barbara Schloss. They lived for a time in the Colony of Steinberg and immigrated to America arriving in June of 1893 and settling in Little Heart now known as St. Anthony. Children born to the Ressler’s in Russia were sons, Martin, Nick, Luke, who died at the age of nine, Frank, John, Theodore, and a daughter, Clementina. Theodore, living in Sun City, Arizona and Clementina in Moscow, Idaho are the only ones living at this time.
The Ressler family homesteaded on land three miles northwest of St. Anthony. The first house was built out of logs, having a dirt floor. Later on a house built from lumber was erected on the home place. Being a Catholic and interested in his church, Ressler was very active in the early developments of the "Little Heart" parish. The story is told that when parish members got together to decide upon a name for the new church, Mr. Ressler spoke up and said that the first sun rise they had seen here was so beautiful and that it was on the Feast day of St. Anthony. The group agreed to call it St. Anthony. Mrs. Adam (Clara) Bullinger, who also settled in St. Anthony, was either a cousin or step-sister to Mr. Ressler.
Franz Joseph insisted that each of his children learn to play a musical instrument. He also insisted that his sons practice rifle shooting one hour a day, weather permitting. The rifle, a Remington Hepburn single shot, Plains Rifle, 40 Caliber by 2 1/2 inch brass, used for buffalo hunting, was patented in 1879. It is still in the Ressler family and is owned by Al J. Ressler, a grandson of Mr. Ressler. Mr. and Mrs. Ressler moved to Mandan in October of 1908 living at 209 1st Avenue NE.
Son Frank and his wife lived on the home place for a short time. The oldest son, Martin, purchased the place. Sometime during the 1930's the house burned. Today there are no buildings on the land and it is presently owned by Theodore C. Ressler, youngest son of Martin.
Franz Joseph Ressler always had candy for his grandchildren. Even while living in Mandan he could be seen pulling out "jelly beans" from his vest pockets and giving them to the children he would meet. He had a special love for children. On May 21, 1918 Frank Joseph Ressler died at the age of 70. Mrs. Ressler died a year later on June 8, 1919. They are buried in the Mandan Union Cemetery. His grandchildren, numbering about 40 have settled in many places throughout the United States. Many reside in Morton County.
Sources:
Morton Prairie Roots compiled and edited by Marion Plath Peterson for Mandan County Historical Society 1976 p.674.
Ancestry.com, U.S. Public Records, U.S. Social Security Index, U.S. Census Records, U.S. Public Records Index, Find-A-Grave.
PHOTOGRAPHSINVENTORY
00187-00001 Franz Joseph Ressler, one of the first settlers in the "Little Heart" country, showing construction of his first log buildings, St. Anthony (N.D.) 1910
00187-00002 Franz Joseph Ressler and wife Barbara Schloss Ressler in their house St. Anthony, (N.D.) 1910
00187-00003 Franz Joseph Ressler and wife Barbara Schloss Ressler, daughter Clementina, and son Theodore in front of their house, St. Anthony (N.D.) 1910
00187-00004 Franz Joseph Ressler's daughter Clementina hitching up big grey Norman stallion, St. Anthony County (N.D.) 1910
00187-00005 Horses by Franz Joseph Ressler's new barn after his daughter rounded them up, St. Anthony (N.D.) 1910
00187-00006 Franz Joseph Ressler with horse-drawn wagon, St. Anthony (N.D.) 1910
00187-00007 Franz Joseph Ressler home a typical German-Russian house modernized, St. Anthony (N.D.)
00187-00008 St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, St. Anthony (N.D.)
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