Looking for ancestors or current relatives.

Margaret Michel, my great-grandmother was born on 24 Nov 1877 (this may not be an exact date)

Margaret married Peter Preisach from Kleinsiedel* (a village north of Timisoara) and by 1906 they had six children.  They came to America in 1906.

Margaret had a sister, Barbara.  I think Barbara was older than Margaret.  She came to America (Philadelphia) as a single women sometime before 1906.

I know that Margaret also had an older brother named Anton.  A letter (post) was sent to my great-grandmother Margaret from one of Anton's children - I do not know the exact date of this letter - perhaps late 1940's, the letter reads:

"Dear Aunt,

My father is buried on the same cemetery Timisoara Mehala where his first wife lays and his three children.  In the same cemetery also his parents are buried, they still have the big stone cross, and the graves are still kept in good condition as before.  I have still my stepmother in Romania, so alone I am left to come to that grave."

He closes by writing this about his father:  "Anton Michel  died 1944, March 24   72 years old.  Peace to his soul."

From this letter, I am guessing that Anton was born around 1872.  I have wondered if the death of Anton in 1944  and the deaths of his first wife or children were war related?

Because the child of Anton writes:  he is buried in the same cemetery where also his parents are buried... Perhaps this is where Anton, Barbara and Michel were born. (note: this could be the grave to the left)

We also have an address for Anton that was among my great-grandmothers things:  Dragos Voda #40, Temesvar, Mehala, Romania.  I do not know the date for this address.

All I know for sure is that Margaret, Barbara, and Anton Michel were brother and sisters - I do not know the names of their parents or if they had other sisters or brothers -

>From the Ellis Island Web site - there is a Johann Michel, age 24 from Orzydorf who came to America on October 23, 1906 to join his sister, Barbara Michel in Philadelphia.    I do not know if this is the same Barbara Michel who was the sister to Margaret Michel Preisach.  However, we do know that our Barbara Michel also lived in Philadelphia.  (There may be no connection here)

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated

Sincerely,

Julie Preisach Agne

Note from Marie Marmon Secosan (Jody's cousin and resident of Mehala):
I remember about two Michel-families in Mehala.  Helen Michel was with my mother (Anna) in Russia.  Helen has (had) a sister.  Another Michel-women, Michel Kato(?) was in the same school with my mother.  Anna took the headstone photo to the left, early 2005).

  Preisach from Kleinsiedel

* Kleinsiedel (German | Kistelep (Hungarian) | Colonia Micã (part of Gelu) (Official/Romania)

Kleinsiedel http://www.ketfel.de/

25 Preisach Anton W

26 Preisach Hans W

27 Preisach Peter W
 

  Immigration

Regarding the Michel family I can tell you that in the cemetery of Mehala there is only one grave where "Michels" are buried.  There are buried Peter and Barbara Michel , both of them born about 1885 - 1890. Both died about 1940- 1942. There is also another person buried there but it was not
possible to read the name because of the snow. This grave was visited by relatives from Germany in November. My mother got this first information from the man who takes care of the cemetery.
(Renate Formann - 05 March 2005)     

Michels Family Grave
in Mehala, 2005.
Johann 1910-1986;
Barbara; Adalbert

Peter Preisach Family

click images to enlarge