Brickwalls
Can you help us break them down?

Clemens Feist

Born May 3, 1856 - Strassburg, South Russia

Died sometime after 1938 somewhere in Canada???

Clemens arrived in New York City on April 12, 1884 along with his wife, Mariana and their children. What I don't know and have had no success in finding is the ship he arrived on, nor the port of entry. I've checked the two ships arriving both before and after April 12th and read every name on the manifests. Not listed.

Between 1910 and 1914 he left New York for Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. He may have stopped in North Dakota to visit his brother Johannes. I found an obituary from 1914 that places him in Granlea, Alberta, Canada. While the death date given for Mariana Feist is incorrect, it does state that Clemens Feist survives.

There is also a letter written in 1938 that says he is living in Canada with Anthony Feist's son. I've been trying for years to find out who Anthony Feist's son is and where he died.

Sophia Headley, Alice Leddy
or Alice Leahey
(A lady with 3 names)

Born about 1860 in New York

A search of every birth certificate issued in New York City during 1881 produced one certificate listing Michael Ryan as the father with a male child born on May 25, 1881. James Ryan, whose father was Michael Ryan was born on this day. His mothers name on the birth certificate is listed as Sophia Headley. In 1936, when James Ryan applied for a social secutity number, he listed his mothers name as Alice Leddy. When James died in 1953 his mothers name is given as Alice Leahy.

Sophia (or Alice) was a Mohawk Indian and was said to have been
from the Mohawk Valley. I started my search for my roots by looking for information about her.

To this day she remains a mystery.

August Feist

Born 1882 in Kurtchurgan region of Russia

Found his name as a witness to Franz Feist and Barbara Folks marriage. According to older family members in the Grand Forks, ND area August was a cousin to the younger Feist's that immigrated to the states in early 1900's. Married to a Elizabeth Heller and later Clementine Pfau(l?). Known children are Balzar born Jan 9, 1910, Mike, and Mary (Mrs. Peter Schue). Only other info known is he was a school teacher in Selfridge, ND at one time and in later years worked for an Anton Feist in the Selfridge, ND Area. Mentioned in a few paragraphs and has a family photo in the Selfridge ND, Diamond Anniversary, 1911-1986 commemorative book.

Lauingers
(Any information)

What we do know is reflected in our trees and records, Anton, Catherine, and their children came to the United States about 1903 by way of the Great Lakes and settled in the Devils Lake, ND area until about 1918 when Anton and family (minus Elizabeth who had married Ludwig Feist in 1909) moved out to the area of Great Falls, MT. Other than that their descendents and ancestors are pretty invisible. Names associated with this family may be Bartle, White, Burkhardt(?), and possibly some others we are unaware of.

Back to Records and Documents