IMMIGRATION
Philipp Weißenburger is listed on the ship's manifest for the S.S. Chemnitz, sailing from Bremen on 14 Nov 1904 and arriving in New York on 2 Dec 1904. He was 23 years old, a farmer, with a last residence of Wilhelmsthal, Russia. His final destination was Eureka, SD, and he was in possesion of $2. He travelled with Philipp Koch, a 21year old farmer from Alexanderfeld, and they were going to join his brother, Johann Koch, in Eureka.

NATURALIZATION
Philipp received his Certificate of Naturalization on 4 Apr 1912. He was 31 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with gray eyes and brown hair. Also listed on the certificate are his wife, Friedricka, and the following children: Katie, age 5; Anna, age 3; and Henry, age 1. All resided in Hellwig, ND, at the time. In his Petition for Naturalization, dated 8 Dec 1911, Philipp stated that he was a carpenter and that he had lived in North Dakota since 13 Mar 1907.

HOMESTEAD
On 23 Nov 1907 Philipp Weisenburger filed his application for homestead of 160 acres in Section 14 of Township 131 [Hellwig], Range 68 in North Dakota. Those witnessing his Notice of Intention to Make Proof on 21 Jun 1912 were John Rott, Bernhard C. Hellwig (age 35 years), Adam Gohring (22 years old, Philipp's brother-in-law), and Carl Gohring. Adam Gohring stated that he had known both the land and the claimant for 4 years. Bernhard Hellwig had known the claimant about 5 years and the land 15 years. Philipp's Final Proof was filed on 5 Sep 1912. At that time he was residing on the land with his wife and 4 children. They had a 12 x 14 foot frame house with a 12 x12 foot lean-to, an 18 x 24 foot frame barn with a 12 x 18 foot shed, an 8 x 8 foot frame chicken house, a 150 foot well, and had fenced 20 acres of the land--all improvements valued at about $1000. Most of the land could not be cultivated and a claim was filed to reduce the required area of cultivation. In it Philipp stated: "SW 1/4 NE1/4 this tract is covered by an alakli lake bed, except about six acres in the northwest corner, and that portion that is not in the lake bed is covered with rocks and not suitable to cultivation. The soil in the lake bed is composed of alakli and gumbo and covered with bunch grass and weeds." [Note: gumbo is a fine, silty soil of the Western prairies which becomes sticky and nonporous when wet.] The other three tracts were similar, with two of them being completely under water in the spring of the year. In one tract "there is possibly eight acres...situated outside of the lake bed, and of this amount I have broken and placed in crop about six acres." This statement went on to describe the land: "The altitude of the land is about 1500 feet above the of the sea, precipitation possibly from fifteen to twenty inches per annum." Finally, Philipp stated: "when I first moved upon the land I caused about one half acre to be cultivated, and in this I had a garden each year since 1908. I believed that this was all of the land that could be cultivated on the entire tract, but this year after some considerable effort I succeeded in breaking about six acres more, which is planted to flax." A special agent inspected the land and recommended that "the regular requirements as to cultivation be waived". This was granted on 21 Feb 1913. Philipp's Homestead Certificate was granted on 27 Mar 1913.
[NOTE: Philipp and his family must not have remained in Hellwig for too long after obtaining his homestead patent, for in April 1914 his son John was born in Bismarck.]

HELLWIG, ND
According to North Dakota Place Names by Douglas A. Wick, a rural post office was established on 6 Dec 1900 in the home of Ludwig Hellwig in SW 1/4 Section 19-131-67, McIntosh county, Antelope Township, about 14 miles NE of Ashley, ND. The post office was closed 15 Oct 1920 with mail going to Kulm, ND. Another source, Origins of North Dakota Place Names, says that it was a small village on SE 1/4 Section 25-131-68, about 20 miles NE of Ashley. That book also says that a Bernard Hellwig owned and operated a general store and blacksmithy until the store was destroyed by fire in 1917.

BISMARCK CITY DIRECTORIES
Philip and Frieda Weisenburger appear in the 1914-15, 1916-17, 1919-20, 1928-29, 1932-33, 1938-39, and 1940-41 city directories at 400-11th (the house that Philip built). Philip's occupation was listed as carpenter. In 1928-29 Annie and Kathryn, both students, also appear.

CENSUS
The US Census for Bismarck (ED#8-7, Sheet 14A-14B) taken on 17 Apr 1930 shows that Philip owned his own home, valued at $6200. He was a house building carpenter. "Freda" was a servant for a private family; Henry was a presser at a dry cleaners. The family was listed as follows:
Phillip 49 (age 26 at marriage)
Freda 46 (age 23 at marriage)
Kathryn 22
Anna 21
Henry 19
John 15
Harry 14
Freda 12
Arthur 8
George 6
Marcella 5

OCCUPATION
Carpenter and building contractor

CAUSE OF DEATH
Stomach cancer

OBITUARY
"RESIDENT FOR 28 YEARS DIES HERE
---Funeral Services Will Be Held Tuesday at the First Baptist Church---
Philip Weisenburger, 59, 400 Eleventh St., died at 11:35 p.m. Friday at his home.
Funeral arrangements have been set for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist church in Bismarck. Rev. Karl Gieser will officiate and Rev. A. W. Weynrauch of Jamestown and Rev. Marvin Miller of the Gospel Tabernacle will assist.
Mr. Weisenburger had been a resident of Bismarck for 28 years. He homesteaded in McIntosh county after coming from Germany 35 years ago.
His occupation was that of a building contractor and he was employed at the Web funeral home until last May.
The body will be at the Webb chapel for a short time and then will lie in state at home until the funeral Tuesday.
Mr. Weisenburger married Frieda Schweigert Feb. 26, 1907, at Eureka, S.D. In addition to his wife he leaves two daughters, Mrs. Kathryn Rintoul, Great Falls, Mont., and Marcella, 15, living at home and five sons, John and Harry of San Jose, Calif., and Henry, Arthur and George, all of Bismarck. He also leaves three grandchildren."

FAMILY HISTORY
At the time of their father's death, John and Harry Weisenburger were living in San Jose, CA. John was not yet married, but Harry was married with two sons, Paul, 2 years, and John, 1 year old. John, Harry, Erna, Paul and baby John all drove from California to North Dakota in John's Ford coupe. It had just the single bench seat. Paul rode in his parents' laps, while young John got to sleep on the 'shelf' behind the seat. They had to take plenty of cans of motor oil along because the car seemed to consume almost as much oil as gasoline. What a trip that must have been!

• Married: 26 FEB 1907 in Eureka,McPherson,SD ⁴
• Note: Pastor: Aug. Heringer

1. Kathryn Edith WEISENBURGER b: 21 NOV 1907 in Eureka,McPherson,SD
2. Anna L. WEISENBURGER b: 12 JAN 1909 in Hellwig,McIntosh,ND
3. Henry WEISENBURGER b: 30 MAY 1910 in Hellwig,McIntosh,ND c: 27 MAR 1937 in St. Joseph's,Mandan,ND
4. Emma WEISENBURGER b: 2 MAR 1912 in Hellwig,McIntosh,ND
5. John WEISENBURGER b: 20 APR 1914 in Bismarck,Burleigh,ND
6. Living
7. (Twin) WEISENBURGER b: 25 SEP 1915 in Bismarck,Burleigh,ND
8. Frieda WEISENBURGER b: 1 DEC 1917 in Tuttle,Kidder,ND
9. Edna WEISENBURGER b: 1 JUL 1919 in Bismarck,Burleigh,ND
10. Arthur WEISENBURGER b: 22 JUL 1921 in Bismarck,Burleigh,ND
11. Oscar George WEISENBURGER b: 20 APR 1923 in Bismarck,Burleigh,ND
12. Living

1. Title: Weisenburger Family Bible
   Abbrev: Weisenburger Family Bible
2. Title: St. Petersburg Church Books, 1833-1885
   Author: Evangelische Kirche, Konsistorium Petersburg (Rußland)
   Abbrev: St. Petersburg Church Books, 1833-1885
   Page: Film #1897593/2 Page 767
3. Title: Ship's Manifest
   Abbrev: Ship's Manifest
   Page: FHL Film #1399202
4. Title: Marriage license & certificate
   Author: McPherson County, SD, Circuit Court
   Abbrev: Marriage license & certificate