The following was written by Audrey Miller

Weihs Genealogy

Joseph Weihs was born to George and Anna Schafer Weihs in Jenenible, Austria on Dec. 12, 1856.  He had 1 sister, Clara, and 2 brothers, Tony and Frank.  At age 15, Joe’s parents told him to “Go to America so you don’t have to go to war.”  The country of Germany was in turmoil at that time.  It is unknown if his brothers Tony and Frank came to America at that time too, as they also came to America.  His sister stayed in Germany with her parents.  Joe often told the story of having 25 cents in his picket when he stepped foot in New York Harbor and being only 15 years old.  He know “no-one” and some people (reportedly rich) befriended him and took him “under their wing.”  These people had friends in Shannon, Illinois, and sent Joe there.  (Age at this time unknown).  He worked for these people doing whatever jobs they had.

There, he met Theresa Schiltz who was born Dec. 21, 1859 to Joannes Schiltz and Maria  Mert Schiltz.  Theresa joined 1 brother and later 3 sisters and 3 brothers were born (1 was adopted).

Theresa and Joe were married Feb. 24, 1881.  They moved to Iowa in 1883 and purchased the Escher farm in Lincoln Township.  (it is now Schinger Seed Co.)  To this union, 12 children were born:

Frank               Jan. 4, 1882
George             Dec. 20, 1883
Joseph              May 8, 1886
Anna                April 10, 1887
Emma               April 8, 1889
Anthony           May 18, 1891
Rose Marie      June 4, 1894
Mamie              Aug. 18, 1895
Clara                Sept. 1, 1898
Joe                   Dec. 5, 1900
Un-named        Mar. 30, 1904
Isabel               March 13, 1906

They came to Iowa on a train.  “All I had to start farming was a team of blind horses and a broken down wagon.”  They came to Iowa with Hodapp & Wagermann families as a group and settled in a colony called “Westphalia” which was just sprouting up.  They lived in a 1 room house with ground floors.  “The first winter was so cold, we had to gather manure and place it around the foundation so we wouldn’t freeze to death.”  As years went on, they kept adding rooms to the house and put in wood floors.  Joe told of stories of Indians in tribes coming across the land in wagons and “sleds” and taking animals for food.  “With so many of them and only a hand-full of us, we let them take what-ever they wanted so they would leave.”  He also told of Gypsies coming during the night and stealing anything they could.  “When we heard Gypsies were around… we would hide everything we had.”

Entertainment was gathering with neighbors and the men would play cards and drink home-made wine while the women would cook the meals and take care of the children.  The women would act as mid-wives for each other as the Doctor was usually so far away, he wouldn’t get there in time for the delivery.

In 1914, Joe & Theresa moved to the town of Defiance, after selling their farm.  Theresa died Nov. 27, 1940 following a stroke she suffered two days before.  She was buried in Westphalia, Iowa.

Joe became known as the “Noodle King”, as he LOVED home-made noodles.  He walked uptown every day till age 92.  He hand-spaded his garden till age 86.  Joe died May 23, 1950 of old age and pneumonia on a Sunday afternoon.  All his children were home.

The preceding was submitted by niece, Marie Gubbels who took care of Joe 10 years before he died.