"Joseph and Margaret (Margarethe) were marred on July 9th, 1864 in Birkenau. Of their 12 children, Gussie said several were deaf mutes. Her claim that 8 died in Germany is supported by the fact that they came to America with only four children and the church records we subsequently obtained. She also said the trans-Atlantic passage to America was not possible until after three of the children died of diphtheria within the span of one week, a misfortune that allowed them to afford passage. Catholic Church records have the eldest child, Johan, dying in 1872 at the age of 10. His younger sister, Maria, had died five years earlier in 1867, followed by Margaretha the following year. They evidently liked the name Margaretha. Two other children were also christened with this name after the loss of the first. One died as an infant and the other survived to make the voyage to America. January 1880 was a tragic month for the Joests. On January 2, four year old Johann died. He was followed four days later by 2 year old Maria. Michael, 5, died on the 9th. If this were not enough, another was lost in childbirth that August. This substantiates Gussie's story."
