Memories of the Wolfgang and Anna Sebold Family

By Ruth Behrens Spigarelli

My grandparents on my father’s side were Wolfgang Sebold and Anna Skerbeck Sebold.

Wolfgang, my grandfather, was born 17 Aug 1856 in Germany – Eisenstein, Bavaria, according to his marriage certificate. He came to America in 1880 with his mother, Anna Mary Derigel (or maybe Duiriegl) Sebold Buehner and step-father, Frank Buehner. His own father, also named Wolfgang Sebold, had died when he was a young child. He and my grandmother were married 5 Nov 1890. Grandpa died 3 Aug 1945 in Mayville Township, Clark County, Wisconsin. He and Grandma Sebold are buried in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery. A biography of my grandfather, written in 1918 when I was three years old, is online.  Anna Skerbeck Sebold, my grandmother, was born in October 1870, and she emigrated with her parents to the United States in 1881. Her birthplace in Bohemia looks something like Mirtland or Mortland on the registration of her marriage to Wolfgang Sebold, according to Kay Scholtz, the researcher in Clark County, WI, but the script on the record was very difficult to read. Anna Skerbeck Sebold died in 1954. Her parents were Frank Skerbeck, Jr. and Maria Dille or Thilla. They and their older children were circus performers in Europe. They bought a farm in Dorchester, and they started a family circus that became well known in the Midwestern United States. One newspaper article stated that all their children took part in the circus and began their training by the age of 5. My grandmother, Anna, is never mentioned by name, but her sister Antoinette was mentioned often in articles about the circus, and her other brothers and sisters were well-known, too. A display about the Skerbeck Circus is featured at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin. In 1914 the circus was sold, and the family started a carnival. Later generations still have a flourishing carnival business as Skerbeck Brothers.

I have many happy memories of visiting my grandparents at their farm in Dorchester. I remember that they were both small in stature. Grandpa wore a beard, and he never got a gray hair. It was always coal black. I thought his name, Wolfgang, was funny. I told my mother that, and she scolded me. My grandmother never walked – she always ran. I remember her scattering corn to the chickens on the run, and I asked my mother, "Why does Grandmother always run?" and my mother said it was because she was so busy she had no time to walk. When we went to Dorchester, I also enjoyed visiting my Uncle Joe and his wife, Aunt Ida, who had taken over the carnival. I loved riding on the carousel. It seems to me that my grandmother was not fond of show business. One article said that some family members would stay in Dorchester to keep the farm running, and I suspect that my grandmother might have been one of those who stayed at home. She seemed to prefer farming to the circus life.

The children of Wolfgang and Anna Sebold were Mary (my mother), Ann, Tilly, Joseph, Helen, Amanda, Louis, Edith, Max, Herman and Leo.

Mary, my mother, was the first in her family to be born in the USA. She was always prim and proper and quite firm. I have a picture of her as a young woman when she was visiting my father at his lumber camp. The two of them are standing in the woods in the snow. My mother was a very devout Catholic. She went to church almost every day until my father became ill, and then she stayed home to be with him. On Sundays, I would come over to stay with my dad while she went to church. I remember my father telling me, "It’s not that she doesn’t want to be with me, but your mother HAS to go to church." And she did. It was important to her. My mother lived the last few years of her life at Hulst Manor, a senior citizen apartment building in Iron Mountain, Michigan.

Ann had left the farm by the time I can remember. She was married and lived in Oshkosh. She had twin daughters who were quite a bit younger than me. Aunt Ann seldom let them play with other children. They lived a rather reclusive life. In their later years, after their parents were gone, the twins lived in their old house and were fearful of anyone who came around. They kept everything locked up. They both died fairly young, as I remember.

Tilly also lived in Oshkosh with her family. She was a lot of fun. I think her husband’s name was Guy, and it seems they had a couple of boys.

Joseph lived in Abbotsford, not far from Dorchester, with his wife Laura. I always had fun at their house. Uncle Joe had a garage. Aunt Laura was always baking for us. I don’t remember them having any children. However, Joseph and Laura are buried in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery, and their headstone says Mother and Father.

Helen was a telephone operator, and she said, "Hello!" very fast when she was checking the lines. It sounded like "Yaddo" to me. One time I begged to talk on the phone, and I said, "Yaddo! Yaddo!" It made her mad. She said if I was going to talk on the telephone I would have to be polite and say, "Hello." Aunt Helen was married, but I can’t remember her husband’s name. They had children, one named Jimmy. I think they had at least one girl. I visited Aunt Helen after I had my own kids. I think she was happy in her life.

Amanda became Sister Mary Theodine. She was Superior of nuns at Veterbo College, LaCrosse, Wisconsin. I called her Aunt Sister Theodine. She would come and stay with Mother after I was married. At first, she had to always travel with another nun, but later that restriction was lifted and she was allowed to travel on her own. Even after I was a grown woman, she would say, "Ruth, let’s run through the hayloft!" And she would pick up her long skirts and run through the hay, just like a child. I asked her if she minded wearing a uniform and living with so many restrictions, but she said, "We don’t wear uniforms, we wear robes!" And she said she was happy being a nun and didn’t mind following the rules.

Louis had left the farm by the time I was a child. He was married, but I don’t remember much about him at all.

Edith died young, while living with Aunt Tilly in Oshkosh, attending college. She was studying to be a teacher. That was her life’s ambition, to be a teacher. I don’t know if she graduated and starting teaching or if she was still in school. She is buried in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

Max worked all his life on the farm. He married Aunt Lavina a little late in life, it seems. I remember everyone being surprised when he said he was getting married. Max was found dead in the yard by the farmhouse. He is buried in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

Herman was only a few years older than me. His wife was my Aunt Lucille, and she was a lovely person. I remember when she died, it was so sad. Some time after her death, Uncle Herman remarried. I heard a rumor that he had died, but I don’t know that for sure. He would be in his late 80s now, if he was still alive.

The last one of the family was Leo, and he died in infancy. He was always referred to as Little Leo, or Baby Leo.

 

 


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