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John Daniel Sauerassig

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John Daniel Sauerassig

Birth	:	Aug 1843 Germany
Death	:	7 Aug 1916 Big Stone City, Grant County, South Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Gridley-Biggs Cemetery, Gridley, Butte County, USA
Coordinate	:	39.3793983, -121.6877975
Inscription	:	Father
Description	:	John Daniel Sauerassig was born in Koblanz in 1843. He emigrated from Germany with the rest of the family in a sailboat when he was about nine months old. The family settled in southwestern Wisconsin. John married Anna (Gesner) Woel in 1867. Six children were born to this union, Anna (Joseph Noll), Hugo, Robert (Caroline Anderson), Ida (Jeremiah McFarland), Clara (James Selby), and Emily (Myron Redfield). John was a shoemaker by trade but took to wagon making when factory shoes began to supply the demand. In 1880 he sold his home and wagon shop in Wabasha, Minnesota, to come to Dakota... Read More	John Daniel Sauerassig was born in Koblanz in 1843. He emigrated from Germany with the rest of the family in a sailboat when he was about nine months old. The family settled in southwestern Wisconsin. John married Anna (Gesner) Woel in 1867. Six children were born to this union, Anna (Joseph Noll), Hugo, Robert (Caroline Anderson), Ida (Jeremiah McFarland), Clara (James Selby), and Emily (Myron Redfield). John was a shoemaker by trade but took to wagon making when factory shoes began to supply the demand. In 1880 he sold his home and wagon shop in Wabasha, Minnesota, to come to Dakota Territory. The family belongings, his shoemaking tools, several farm wagons, and a team of horses were loaded in an emigrant railroad car which brought them to Ortonville, the end of the railroad service at that time. The family rode in a coach with other emigrant families. They arrived in Dakota Territory in September 1880, after buying the pre-emption rights of his brother-in-law Peter Rheingans to the SW 1/4 of Section 30, Alban Township. Later he obtained the SE 1/4 of the same section as a Tree Claim by planting about twenty acres of trees. The pre-emption in Alban Township had a claim shanty without a floor. He traded his extra wagons for lumber in Ortonville to build a new house - 16 x 24, 1 1/2 stories high. As he was handy with tools, the home was rising rapidly when at daybreak October 16, 1880, he realized a blizzard was raging. The drizzle of rain from the day before had turned into a snow storm overnight and lasted for three days. The little dry wood in the shanty was enough to heat a little water, and the fresh bread that had been baked the day before satisfied the hunger. The children were kept in bed to keep warm. On the third day Mr. Sauerassig took his wife and family of six children to his brother Fred's homestead, the SW 1/4 of Section 32, Alban Township. He was afraid the shanty would blow away and believed that the dugout home of his brother's along the Yellow Bank River would be safer. They returned to the shanty and the new home was finished. The snow kept coming and the blizzards followed one after another. Then for five days between Christmas and New Years a blizzard raged. The two brothers decided that the dugout on the river bank was an unsafe place to live when the warm weather came and the snow melted. Fred moved his family in with John's, making thirteen in all. The snow lay deep on the prairie. Steps were cut in the drifts to get to the barn doors to feed the animals or to carry water to them. Some animals didn't see daylight for weeks. The animals were given lumps of snow to lick when water couldn't be had. Fuel was a problem. There was no coal in the towns to buy, and even if there had been, no team could haul even an empty sled through the snow. Fred's homestead had trees along the river bank. The brother's would cut down a tree in good weather and drag it a mile to John's home. The green wood burned, and the twigs were dried in the oven for kindling. Food was scarce. Mr. Root, a neighbor, had been there the summer before and sold the Sauerassig's corn, wheat, rutabagas, and potatoes. The men ground the wheat and corn in the coffee mills for the gruel and bread which was the main part of their diet. Wheat was also ground for coffee. There was no food in Milbank to buy, only yeast cakes and salt. The crop was small the first summer as only ten acres were under cultivation, but they had a large garden. The second winter John rented a workshop in Milbank and began making wagons for sale. He took his oldest daughter Anna with him to attend school. John believed strongly in education and he donated a piece of land for a school building. He helped with the carpentry and by the spring of 1884 the building was ready for schoo. Merton Aldrich, the pioneer brother of the late I. D. Aldrich, was the first teacher of the school (Alban 6) with twelve pupils. Mr. Sauerassig also helped with many buildings in the area. In 1896 Mr. Sauerassig bought the Valliant property in Big Stone City (in Block 30 - Tenney-Martelle Addition) along the lake, and moved to town in 1897. He later purchased forty acres in Section 20 of Big Stone Township. He sold this to his son-in-law Joseph Noll. In 1904, he purchased the "Brick House" on Elm Street in Big Stone City. This had been used as the courthouse of Grant County before Big Stone City was in danger of losing the county records. The basement of the house had been used as a cigar factory at one time. The Sauerassig's lived there until his death in August 1916. The half section in Alban Township was held in the family for about 95 years. Upon the death of the Sauerassig's, the land was purchased by the daughter and son-in-law, the Jeremiah McFarland's. Later the farm belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Walter McFarland. Then it was sold to Ronald Meister by Hubertina McFarland, the widow of Walter. Source: '100 Years in Grant County South Dakota' published by Grant County Historical Society

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John Daniel Sauerassig's memorial?
John Daniel Sauerassig's memorial is located at: Gridley-Biggs Cemetery, Gridley, Butte County, USA.
When did John Daniel Sauerassig death?
John Daniel Sauerassig death on 7 Aug 1916 in Big Stone City, Grant County, South Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John Daniel Sauerassig's memorial?
Latitude: 39.3793983
Longitude: -121.6877975

Family Members:

Spouse

Anna M. Gesner Woel Sauerassig

(1844 - 1917)

Children

Anna M. Sauerassig Noll

(1866 - 1941)

Ida Saueressig McFarland

(1868 - 1944)

Robert John Saueressig

(1876 - 1935)

Emily Caroline Augusta Saueressig Redfield

(1878 - 1963)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Gridley-Biggs Cemetery
Gridley, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3793983, -121.6877975

2. Hamilton Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4539440, -121.6473150

3. Muslim Cemetery of Northern California
Live Oak, Sutter County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2783620, -121.6799010

4. Live Oak Cemetery
Live Oak, Sutter County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2768784, -121.6790924

5. North Butte Cemetery
Sutter County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2924995, -121.8067017

6. Oroville Chinese Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4876700, -121.5742200

7. Memorial Park Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4777985, -121.5505981

8. Old Oroville Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4949989, -121.5718994

9. IOOF Cemetery
Thermalito, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5070992, -121.5800018

10. Oroville Jewish Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5031967, -121.5707016

11. Pugh Cemetery
Sutter County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2505989, -121.8086014

12. Honcut Cemetery
Honcut, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3410988, -121.4781036

13. Butte County Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5270100, -121.5724320

14. Brower Espy Gravesite
Bangor, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4077340, -121.4558840

15. Mound Cemetery
Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5026460, -121.8605080

16. John Cudney Burial Site
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4830420, -121.4932360

17. Wyandotte Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4579659, -121.4710007

18. Nelson Cemetery
Nelson, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5571410, -121.7694570

19. Pioneer Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5335999, -121.5457993

20. Thompson Flat Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5339012, -121.5453033

21. Androus Family Pioneer Cemetery
Iowa City, Yuba County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2936100, -121.4639800

22. Banner Mine Chapel - Smith Family Cemetery
Oroville, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.5480843, -121.5247726

23. Sutter Cemetery
Sutter, Sutter County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1697006, -121.7438965

24. Bangor Cemetery
Bangor, Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3841858, -121.4094391