Kirsch

The John and Mary Kirsch Family

Standing: Left to Right: Amelia Kirsch Root, Henry Kirsch, Martha Kirsch, Emmanuel Kirsch, Leo Kirsch. Aloyisius Kirsch

Seated: Left to Right: Margaret Kirsch Root, Theresa Kirsch Whelan, Mary Smith Kirsch (mother - holding Clare Kirsch Turo), Bernard (Sam) Kirsch, John Kirsch (father), Michael (Gene) Kirsch, Ann Kirsch Werner.

More Pictures

Connection to Mattydale

The earliest record for the Kirsch family was the 1856 purchase by Michael Kirsch of 20 acres in Lot 4 in the far northeast corner of the Town of Salina.

St. Margaret's Church

The following is from Martha Kirsch Roberts:

"The new St Margaret's church is lovely. Sam Kirsch was instrumental in persuading the parishioners to raze the old church and to build a new one. His parents had sold the farm land to the diocese for the original church for one dollar. It was quite a feat for Sam to lead the movement in the 90's, after all, so much of the original church was the product of Kirsch influence.

 

St Margaret's was the cornerstone of the Kirsch family. They razed the old church, which was too small, and started the new church from scratch, with Sam as the "push" behind the whole process. The large stained glass window, the main focal point behind the altar, was dedicated to John and Mary Kirsch as well as Michael and Magdelena Kirsch. Sam and his two remaining sisters were responsible for reinstallation in the new church of that stained glass window from the old church.

  

Sam, and his two remaining sisters, rededicated the large stained glass window after it was moved from the old church and installed in the new church. The original window was donated in memory of his paternal grandparents. When they had the window rededicated, besides those grandparents, the words "deceased members of the Kirsch Family" were added. In addition to that window, my siblings dedicated a window to my mother and father (Marion and Bernard (Sam) Kirsch). The stained glass window shows a picture of the original church, which is really quite endearing. Whenever I return to Syracuse for a visit, I attend mass at St Margaret's. It was the cornerstone of the Kirsch family and faith. Once a year, we have a mass for deceased members of the Kirsch Family (it is on April 29 this year [2007]). We try to get it as close to May 1st as possible as that was my grandmother/grandfather wedding anniversary."

 

The Original St. Margaret's Church

The John Kirsch family was also instrumental in getting the first church constructed. [1929-06-23]; [1929-06-24] The first marriage performed in the old church was a Kirsch wedding: Michael J. Kirsch to Helen Agnes Naegele. [1930-05-01a]; [1930-05-01b]

Matty - Kirsch Interaction

The following is from Martha Kirsch Roberts:

"Frank Matty played a pivotal role in Mattydale (obviously). Matty "owned" the other half of the town and was highly political which was much different than my grandfather, John Kirsch. My mother, Marion, was a school teacher in the Mattydale system. She met her future husband, Sam, at one of the barn dances in Mattydale. As a young teacher in Mattydale, she had to live by Frank's laws or ELSE. She recalled how Frank would knock on the door of her classroom and hand her a voting ballot, which had already been marked by Frank, himself. She dare not question Frank - he was THE BOSS."

In 1939 Leo Kirsch was appointed to replace the late Frank Matty on the District No. School Board. [1939-04-30]

Family History

Where did they originally come from

The Assumption Church records contained the record of the marriage of Michael Kirsch to Magdalena Eckert. From my experience it was unusual to find the name of the parents listed in the church records but Assumption seemed to do it that way.  

Groom: Michael KIRSCH of Rheno-Borussia, son of Michael KIRSCH and Margaret THIERRE. Married 23 April 1866. Rev. Norbert Stoller, O.M.C. officiated. Bride: Magdalena ECKERT of Baden, daughter of Philip ECKERT, deceased, and Ursula ECKERT. Witnesses were Michael Kohles and Maria Bix.

Where did they initially settle

The following is from Martha Kirsch Roberts:

"My grandfather was JOHN Michael Kirsch, he married Mary Smith in Mohawk Hill, NY in 1895. John's father was MICHAEL John Kirsch (thus, the confusion). John and Mary had 12 children (Sam was #11). It was Michael who lived on Sand Rd. John built the house on Brewerton Rd."

Family connections

The Kirsch Families have connections to many of the other local families: Mautz, Rhinschmidt, Whelan and Root times three.

From Paul E. Root:

"The 'Root' that was a justice of the peace was my great-uncle - Fred Root. He was married to my great-aunt Amelia Kirsch. Not to confuse you, but three siblings of the Root family (which were from the North Syracuse/Mattydale area and whose farm land was sold to the Hancock Air Base) married three siblings of the Kirsch family."

Property History

The earliest record for the Kirsch family was the 1856 purchase by Michael Kirsch of 20 acres in Lot 4 in the far northeast corner of the Town of Salina.

Notable Facts or Events

A large new barn on the Kirsch farm burned down in 1927 [1927-08-01]

The following is from Martha Kirsch Roberts:

"Sam (my father) told the story about what happened to the cows. When he was a young boy, the cow barn burned down. They walked the cows from the farm, down Salina St. to Onondaga Hill. Those cows remained with a farmer in that area. They did not have their own cows after that. The area farmers brought their milk to the Kirsch Dairy on Route 11and there the milk was pasteurized, homogenized and bottled in Kirsch Dairy bottles. Once the practice of bottling milk went by the wayside and waxed cardboard became the IN thing, small independent dairies (such as Kirsch Dairy) could not compete. The dairy store closed in the 60's and the land was sold to TOPS Grocery Store. Sam's brother had a small dairy store in North Syracuse and that place was sold to a McDonalds or Burger King."

NOTES:

[1927-08-01] - The Syracuse Journal, Syracuse, NY, Monday, August 1, 1927

[1929-06-23] - "Will Dedicate Church Today," The Syracuse American, Syracuse, NY, Sunday, June 23, 1929.

[1929-06-24] - St. Margaret's Dedication, The Syracuse Journal, Syracuse, NY, Monday, June 24, 1929

[1930-05-01a] - "Principals at Mattydale Nuptials," The Syracuse Journal, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, May 1, 1930 - Picture

[1930-05-01b] - "First Wedding Officiated," The Syracuse Journal, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, May 1, 1930

[1939-04-30] - The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY, Sunday, April, 30, 1939.