This branch of the Austrian Hesch family is descended from Johann Hesch and his wife Marya (Schlinz) Hesch, who came to America from Oberschlagles, Bohemia with three sons: Paul, Mathias, and Anton. +++Johann & Marya settled in Buffalo County, Wisconsin but moved to Pierz, Mn in about 1885. .+++Mathias settled in Waumandee, Wisconsin and moved to Pierz in 1911. +++Anton never married but farmed with his dad in Agram Township, where he died in 1911.+++And Paul, my great grandfather, settled five miles away, in Buckman, Minnesota. He died there in 1900.

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Sunday, September 12, 2010

So, ARE we related?


YAY!  A new a comment left yesterday on THIS POST,  by Gerald Hesch from Vienna, Austria.  He is certainly related to Wilhelm Hesch, but sadly, I'm doubting if his family is connected to us: both lines share a "Johann" , but his honorific lines include Jakob and Friedrich, names that are NOT in our line.  (We had Johann, Martin, Paul, Mathias, and Anton).  Besides, I think our Heschs moved north from Austria, where Gerald's people moved south from Elbeteinitz (near Prague), to Vienna. 


"Hi Marlys, yes you´re right that's exactly the town the opera singer comes from. It is very possible that Vilém Heš (that was his name as long as he was singing in Prague and smaller cities in Bohemia, later he changed his name to Wilhelm Hesch when he was joining the opera in Vienna) is some kind of relative to me. And I´ve got a cd of him at home :-) there is even a street in a district in Vienna benamed to him -> heschgasse. So I can confirm there is a link between Heš and Hesch. see also   HERE and HERE.
Vienna was the biggest city in the monarchy and so as it was seen as the best chance to find a job or make a career. everyone who could make it was going down from the provinces. That was common. Concerning my family tree, I can give you some facts (I have to scan it first at work because it´s A3 size): family tree after investigations start at about 1700, where Hesch Johann was born, his son Hesch Jakob (born 1729, died 1801), his son Hesch Anton (born 1783, died 1854 - was married to Regina Neuhauser - could be that she was from Neuhaus !?), his son Hesch Anton (born 1809, died 1892), his son Hesch Friedrich (born 1860, died 1915), his son Hesch Friedrich (born 1887, died 1969), than there is my father Hesch Friedrich...that´s it so far". 


We've speculated that Hesch was originally Heš, but couldn't prove it, altho we discovered that it's pronounced hesch either way.  Damn!  I really wanted Wilhelm in the family ☺!


THANKS for writing, Gerald...
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BTW, Larry found THIS SITE where you can download recordings of Wilhelm Hesch  singing.  VERY COOL!

2 comments:

  1. Marlys,
    I am heartbroken too. It really would have been our claim to serious fame. Must go recover with a toast to the long-lost opera star never-was relative I had always hoped for.
    Deborah

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  2. I KNOW! Our collective 15 minutes, shot.
    On the other hand, you weren't aware of ANY of us 2 months ago...LOL
    (Remarkably, I sang bass in Sweet Adelines for years...and that was probably 15 years before I knew about Willie. Coincidence? I don't think so...!)
    Hugs and giggles,
    Marlys

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