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William  Henry  Ochsner 

B: May 9, 1854 in Illion, Herkimer County, New York. He was known in the communities where he lived as "W.H." and by family and close friends as "Will."      
M: Lola Kathryn (Kate) Shontz (July 11, 1857 – February 26, 1943) on April 17, in Bear Valley, Richland County, Wisconsin.
(The original of their marriage certificate, now in the possession of the compiler of this material, bears the signature of the Rev. S. B. Loomis, pastor of the Brown Church for many years and known as a “fiery abolitionist” who was excommunicated by the Methodist Church for his views on slavery.)
D:  March 15, 1921 in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, Iowa.            
Bu:March  ?, 1921, Evergreen Cemetery, Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Children:
Una Lenore Ochsner (January 23, 1878 – January 28, 1955) who married Martin Ausland.
Louise Ochsner (  –  ), who never married.
Florence Josephine Ochsner (August 19, 1893 – September 24, 1971) who married Corning Erastus Stevens.
Hazel Ochsner (1891 -1929) who married Ernest Alvin Schenk.

The “Double Cousins:”
The children of Edward Philip Ochsner and Clara Leda Shontz Ochsner:
Nellie Elizabeth Ochsner (September 12, 1877 – ?) who married Walter Orcutt.
Edna Pearl Ochsner (October 14, 1897 – ?) who married Burton Colby.
Mable Clare Ochsner (February 3, 1883 – March 17, 1887).
Genevieve May Ochsner (September 5, 1884 – ?) who married Fred Willard Griswold.
Margurite Clarissa Ochsner (July 27, 1889 – October 15, 1978), who married Frank Herman Huelsmann.
Edward William Alton Ochsner (May 4, 1896 – September 24, 1981), who married Isabel Kathryn Lockwood.                              

Education:
In the Bear Valley district school and nearby (Lone Rock?) high school.

Migration: 
In 1880, after the birth of Una, Will and Kate moved to Brule County, South Dakota, where they homesteaded near Kimball with his brother Edward.  In 1883 they moved to Carthage, South Dakota, where Will engaged in the hardware business with another brother Benjamin.  Then, in 1895, they moved back to Brule County, where Will developed an extensive cattle ranch on the west side of the Missouri River.  When the rigors of ranching were too much for Will’s health, they moved into Chamberlain, the county seat of Brule County, where Will became postmaster in 1913.  As his health deteriorated, they moved to Emmetsburg, Iowa, with Louise, to be near their oldest daughter Una, and where their son-in-law, Martin Ausland, purchased a home for their use at 2207 W. 8th Street in Emmetsburg. 

Occupation:
Rancher, merchant, postmaster.

Other Activities:
From family photos, and from essays written by Kathryn Ausland, it was clear that Will took great pleasure in his family and especially his grandchildren.  He carried a pocket watch in which he had glued a photo of his first granddaughter.

Wife’s parents:
John Alexander Shontz (January 25, 1828 – November 20, 1913) and Rebecca Keziah McFadden (November 2, 1832 – March 24, 1904), of Crawford County, Pennsylvania and Bear Valley, Richland County, Wisconsin.

 

William Henry Ochsner was the son of
Joseph Phillip Ochsner (1817 – 1893) and
Mary Ann Rothmund Ochsner (1821 – 1906).