Catherine (Hebenstreit) Bausman was my gg-grandmother. She was born December 23, 1863, in Shullsburg, Wisconsin to Vitus and Bertha (Schafer) Hebenstreit. She had four siblings, two  identified: Andrew and Anna Caroline.  I assume her other siblings died in infancy.  Until reading Vitus Hebenstreit’s obituary, I was unaware of these children.

Catherine married Nicholas Bausman Jr on January 26, 1886, at St. Matthew’s Parsonage in Shullsburg, Wisconsin.

She spent her married life in Scales Mound, Illinois, and they raised five children: Gertrude, Clement, Pearl, Viola, and Hazel.  Clement died in infancy.  In Nicholas’ biography Clement is referred to as Clarence.  Since the inscription on his tombstone is “Clement”, the biography is either mistaken or it’s his middle name.

I’ve been looking for Catherine’s obituary for quite some time.  So it was a happy discovery to find this at Grandma Davis’.   Catherine died on July 21, 1943, in Scales Mound, Illinois.  She’s buried in Scales Mound Township Cemetery.

The citation for her obituary is unknown.

Transcription of obituary:

Mrs. Catherine Bausman passed away last Wednesday evening, July 21, 1943, at her home after a short illness. The funeral was held Saturday a.m., July 24, at Holy Trinity church, Rev. Father Voet officiated. Her daughter and husband Mr. and Mrs. Lester Schoenhard of Presho, S. Dakota, arrived shortly after she had pased [sic] away. She is survived by two other daughters, Mrs. J.H. Hesselbacher (Pearl) and Mrs. Viola Davis, both of Scales Mound, Ill., twelve grand-children and seventeen great grand children.

The following relatives and friends were her to attend the funeral of Mrs. Catherine Bausman on Saturday: Mr.  and Mrs. Lester Schoenhard, Presho, S. Dakota; Mr. Andrew Hebenstreit of Wampun, Wis., Mr. Anton Stephan, Chicago, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Henry Parks, Byron, Minn., Mrs. Jas. Williams, Minneapolis, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Otto Alexander, Davenport, Iowa, Mrs. Henry Bausman, Mr. John Bausman, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Pansing, and Mrs. Rachel Bausman of Warren, Ill., Mrs. and Mrs. Dillion, Cuba City, Wis., Colleta Hesselbacher R.N., Lena, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Frank Krizanic, Hanover, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Roth, Loretta Davis, Mrs. Eva Hebenstreit and Mrs. Julia Beckwith, Shullsburg, Wis., Mrs. Bray and Mrs. Estella Brew of Galena, Ill.