TSGS Cruiser Blog

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Paddling Back Up-River - Article Follow-Up

This is a follow-up of the Actor Frank Vincent Kiefer article. Nora Smith was one of the genealogical researchers, besides Brenda Jerome, to answer the challenge to learn more about this mysterious local actor. Nora sent me a lot of data with references, although some was from other people's research that did not have all of the sources listed. I will attempt here to briefly summarize what she sent me... with the hope others will help to unravel the mystery further.

Frank Kiefer is found in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census as being born in May 1874 (Indiana) living in Pigeon Township of Evansville, Indiana. By 1910, he was living with his brother-in-law's family (Edward Rabin) where he was listed as an Actor (age 38, single, both parents born in Germany). Then in 1920 U.S. Census, he was 44 with spouse Mary (Mary Josephine Haag, dau. of Peter Haag). Mary Haag Kiefer 1872-1948. There is another Kiefer that was an actor also.

Nora said she could not find a Frank Vincent Kiefer in Ancestry.com, but did find a Vincent Kiefer in 1880, Mt. Vernon, Indiana born about 1872.

The Frank that died in 1955 and buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville was the one that was married to Mary Haag (and listed as "Frank W.") and apparently not the same one with tombstone at Oak Hill Cemetery that died in 1833! So, who is he in relation to our actor Frank? From a scrapbook of Anna Thomas Loehrlein, there is newspaper clipping "Aged Man Kills Self with Gun: Health Blamed." What the clipping says is not available at this time!

According to Ancestry.com "One World Tree:" Mary Josephine Haag (wife of Frank W. Kiefer) is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery & had 3 children - one William Kiefer owned Terry's Steak House. Some information from the Browning Database.

- Submitted by Nora Smith... Compiled & edited by JGWest

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