NOTES UPON THE DEATH OF FRANK GOTTSACKER SR.
--by son William Gottsacker
The following was written in English by William Gottsacker, son of Frank Gottsacker, Sr.
Transcribed from written original. Misspellings are preserved. A reference of Margaret Gottsacker’s
death in 1941 indicates this was written after that date. My notes are in brackets.
--Jerry Gottsacker
Frank Gottsacker Sr.
(The following was written after my father’s death by Wm. Gottsacker)
Frank Gottsacker, son of William and Maria Gottsacker, was born on June 15, 1852, at Maishoss,
Koblenz County, Prussia, and came to America as a 3 year old child. After his school years he
learnt the printers trade, working in the printing office of the Sheboygan Zeitung. After
apprenticeship he work for 2 ½ years for the Milwaukee Herald and then returned to Sheboygan to
become foreman in the National Demokrat, October 8, 1870. His marriage to Anna Brand,
daughter of Andreas Brand and Georgina Brand, took place in Holy Name Church on October 25,
1875. The marriage was blessed with twelve children four of which died in infancy, namely Clara
Antonice, Clara Josephine, Clara Pauline, Hedwig Helena Wilhemina. The children living at the time
of this writing are William, Amalia, Fohn, Frank Jr, (Giles), Anna, Joseph, Peter, Antonice (Sr. M.
Franka). [Note: M. was ‘Mary’—jg]
Our father, Frank Gottsacker Sr., was well known in Sheboygan County and took a big interest in
community affairs and politics. He was one of the organizers of the Sheboygan Arbiter Verein and
was its president for 41 years. He was a member of the St. Boniface Society, being its president
for 26 years, and belonged to the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Knights, the Catholic Foresters,
the Evergreen City Guard Unit. In 1882 he was appointed Deputy Revenue Collector of the 3rd
district, resigned in September 1886 and he became editor and business manager of “National
Demokrat”. On May 6, 1884, the Democrat Printing Co. was organized and Frank Gottsacker
elected secretary and treasurer. In June 1913 he was appointed postmaster of Sheboygan by
Woodrow Wilson which was endorsed by the Senate a little later. He took over this position on
August 11, 1913 and held the position of postmaster until he died. From 1887 to 1896 he was a
school commissioner, representing the 8th ward. At the democratic state convention in 1890 he
was elected as a member of State Central Committee for the 5th district.
Our dear mother died on the 22nd of November 1900 and on April 30 1902 our father married
Margaret Gottsacker, who died on January 7, 1942.
Our father, Frank Gottsacker, took sick November 14, 1918; on November 14th he had to be
operated at St. Nicholas Hospital. He did not recover from his sickness and died on the 27th of
November, 1918, at 9 o’clock in the morning.
The burial took place on November 30, 1918, after a solemn requiem at Holy Name church, with
Rev. D.F. Thill as the celebrant. Rev. Charles Leuwald, Dickau, and Rev. Peter Hildebrand as
subdeacons. Maas’ Band and member of the Sheboygan (?) Arbiter Verein led the funeral
procession to Calvary Cemetary. On the cemetery, Rev. Peter Hildebrand, a nephew of our father,
officiated in the liturgical part of the funeral. Pallbearers were: Henry Fleischer from Post Office;
John Liebl of the Cath. Knights; Theo. Beaurardy of the Knights of Columbus, Nic. Weber of the
Cath. Foresters, Louis Sontag [sp?] of St. Boniface Society and Gottlieb Kleefish of the Arbiter
Verein.