First Generation  

1. Anton Vicentius Averkamp, son of Johann Melchior Neiteler and M. Catharina Averkamp, was born on 18 Mar 1827 in Osterwick, Coesfield, Westphalia, Germany, died on 18 May 1905 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 78, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Kieler, Grant, WI.

It was sometime in the 1850's that Anton Averkamp decided to leave the Europe and come to America. He was born in Osterwiech, Westphalia in 1827.
Anton, like many German immigrants came to the Mid-West hoping to acquire a farm, and like many immigrants, he had many problems on the way. The old family story is that Anton along with a friend traveled to Galena. They stayed at an inn in Galena. Late one night the two heard footsteps outside their door, so they hid behind the door and waited. Suddenly, the proprietor of the inn and his wife crept into the room with an axe. Anton and his friend jumped them and were able to subdue them. The police were summoned and they found several bodies in the cellar of the inn. The couple had been robbing and murdering the immigrant travelers who were coming to the area.
It was in Galena that Anton probably met future wife, Anna Maria Wilmes, born in Salzberger, Hannover in 1837. Her parents were Gerhard Wilmes and Adilbride Prepd and she also had a sister, Katherine, 2 years younger.
Anton bought a farm from William Horne a mile south of Kieler. Later had their first child, Katherine, and then George in 1863, Bernard in 1865, Margareta in 1867, Anna in 1870 (died 11 months later) and Gertrude in 1872. In February 1875 Anton sold the farm to Mike Gunderman and then bought Henry Montag's farm a mile north of Kieler. In 1876 Frank was born.


Heinrich and Anton had a father by the name of Johann Melchior Neiteler. It appears that Johann took the name of his wife M. Catharina Averkamp as did their children.

Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer.

• Immigration: 1854, New Orleans, LA.

• Citizenship: 17 Sep 1884, Grant, WI.

Anton married Anna Mary Wilmes, daughter of Gerhard Wilmes and Adelaide Piepel, in 1858. Anna was born on 11 Nov 1837 in Salzbeger, Hanover, Germany, died on 23 Feb 1921 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 83, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Kieler, Grant, WI.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 2 F    i. Catherine Averkamp was born on 22 Nov 1858 in Illinois, died in 1924 at age 66, and was buried in St. Joseph's, Sinsinawa, WI.

+ 3 M    ii. Gerhard (George) Averkamp was born on 2 Jan 1860 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI, died on 12 Mar 1945 in Cuba City, Grant, WI at age 85, and was buried in Dickeyville, Grant Cty, WI.

+ 4 F    iii. Mary Averkamp was born in 1863 in Wisconsin, died on 11 Sep 1935 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 72, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Kieler, Grant, WI.

+ 5 M    iv. Bernard (Ben) Averkamp was born on 18 Mar 1865 in Wisconsin, died on 22 Sep 1941 in Dickeyville, Grant Cty, WI at age 76, and was buried in Holy Ghost Cemetery, Dickeyville, WI.

   6 F    v. Margaret Anna Averkamp was born on 8 Sep 1867 in Wisconsin, died on 15 Feb 1948 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 80, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Kieler.

Cuba City News Herald
February 26, 1948
Kieler
Miss Margaret Averkamp
Departed from this life on February 15, 1848, at the residence of her brother, Frank Averkamp, at Kieler, Miss Margaret Averkamp, beloved sister of Frank Averkamp and large number of nephews and nieces. She was in her 80th year. Funeral services were held at the Immaculate Conception church at Kieler. The Rev. Goetzman officiated at the requiem high mass, also delivering the sermon and conducting the graveside prayers. Pall bearers were Vincent Timmerman, Gus Thor, Oscal Welter, Nich Schroeder, Joseph Terfruchte and Ray Widerholt.

   7 F    vi. Anna Averkamp was born in 1870 in Wisconsin and died in 1871 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 1.

   8 F    vii. Gertrude Averkamp was born in 1872 in Wisconsin, died in 1894 at age 22, and was buried in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI.

+ 9 M    viii. Frank Xavier Averkamp was born on 16 Mar 1876 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI, died on 1 Jan 1960 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 83, and was buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Kieler.

+ 10 M    ix. Henry Averkamp was born on 19 Sep 1878 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI, died on 23 Jan 1946 in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI at age 67, and was buried in Kieler, Grant Cty, WI.