Johann Bernard Anton Winner (1833-1919)

I've been told the more you write the easier it becomes. I am not sure about that. Once you have been writing for a while all the easy stuff is used up and you have to look harder to find something to write about. Like I said earlier, "I am glad February is a short month." Any longer and I might have to start making things up about people (jk). I have decided to work on some uncles for a while so I chose Johann Bernard Anton Winner. He is my 3rd great grand uncle and my 1st cousin 5 times removed.  I chose him because my Ancestral Quest program lists a variety of relations between me and his children. Four of his sons are great grand uncles because they married four Bruns sisters who were already my great grand aunts. In addition to that relation, all of his children are also my 1st cousin 4 times removed and my 2nd cousin 4 times removed. Now on to the story of Johann Bernard Anton Winner, or as he is otherwise known, Anthony Winner.

Anthony Winner was born on 8 October 1833, in Neuenkirchen, near Voerden, in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Germany. His parents were Francis Joseph (1804-1835) and Mary Catherine Husmen Winner (1808-1877). He was baptized on 10 October 1833, at St. Bonifatius Church in Neuenkirchen. Records from St. Bonifatius Church list his sponsors as Johan Bernard Schnoterbord, Maria Elisabeth Westerhaus nee Winner and Antonius Brandewie. Anthony was the youngest of the children in Germany. At the age of three he immigrated to the United States with his family. The family settled in the community of Minster, Ohio, where his sister was born in 1836 and died a year later in 1837.

Carolina & Anthony Winner

On 28 October 1856, at the age of 23, Anthony married Carolina Rebecca Hoyng (1838-1909). Carolina was 19 years old when they married. Their union resulted in the birth of nine children: Charles Henry (1857-1936), Frederick William (1859-1945), Henry Joseph (1861-1942), Catherine (1863-1944), Clemens (1872-1958), Mary (1869-1941), Anton (1875-1879) and Anthony (1884-1957).

The 1870 census lists the value of Anthony's land holdings as $4,500 and his personal property as $1,100. He is living on his farm with his wife Caroline (age 26), and children Charles (age 12), Frederick (age 10), Henry (age 8), Catherine (age 6), Joseph (age 4) and Mary (age 11 months). All of the children except Joseph and Mary are attending school.

The 1880 census lists Anton (age 46), Caroline (age 39), Charles (age 22), Frederick (age 20), Henry (age 18), Catherina (age 16), Joseph (age 14), Mary (age 9) and Clemens (age 6). Joseph, Mary and Clemens are attending school. Catherina is listed as a servant. The older boys, Henry, Frederick and Charles, are working on the farm.

The 1900 census is a little confusing. The birth dates and ages don't match with the other records that I have. For example  Anthony is listed as being born October 1844 and age 55, while his wife is 61 years old and was born July 1838. Two children, Anthony and Mary are listed as living at home in this census. However, Mary is listed as being born May 1872.

In the 1910 census Mary is living at home with her father.

Anthony and Caroline raised their family on the farm located southwest of Egypt, Auglaize County, Ohio. His wife, Caroline, died on 15 January 1909 Anthony farmed this land all his life until October 1918 when he moved to Ft. Loramie to live with his daughter, Mary. Anthony died on 19 June 1909, after a month of suffering "lung fever" (broncho-pneumonia), the last week of which he was restricted to his bed. He was 85 years, 8 months and 11 days old at the time of his death.