Ancestor Biography – Ursula Eggert (1860-1946)

By Don Taylor

The mother of thirteen, Ursula Eggert Drexl immigrated from Germany with her husband and children in 1884. Her youngest child died on the ship during the crossing. She worked as a jeweler for a short time but primarily raised her children.

Drexl Project – Ancestor #13

List of Grandparents

• 6          Grandfather:                          Nicholas Edward Drexl
• 12       Great-grandmother:           Ursula Eggert
• 24       2^nd Great-grandfather:         Johann Baptist Eggert

Ursula Eggert (1860-1946)

Ursula was born in September 1860 to Johann Baptist and Ursula (Hohenadel) Eggert in Bavaria, Germany.

Childhood

Her father, Johann Baptist Eggert died when she was only nine years old, on 23 May 1870. It appears that her first child, Nicholas Edward Drexl, was born on 29 November 1880 in Bavaria, Germany, almost a year before her marriage to Frank Xaver Drexl.

Marriage

She married Frank Xaver Drexl on 25 October 1881 in Petzenhausen, Baveria, Germany.

Children of Frank Xaver and Ursula (Eggert) Drexl

Immigration

The young family, Frank and a very pregnant Ursula along with their three children immigrated to the United States in 1884. Their youngest, Edward died on the voyage and was buried at sea. The family located to Leavenworth, Kansas, where their son Franz Xaver was born on 29 April 1884.

1886 was a tough year. Ursula’s mother, Ursula, died on 11 February. Also, the death of two-year-old Franz in 1886 must have been devastating. The family moved from Leavenworth twenty-five miles NW to Atchison, Kansas that year. Francis Theresia was born on 4 August in Atchison, Kansas.

Minnesota

Sometime between 1888 and 1893 the family located to Minnesota.

In 1895, Frank and Ursula lived at 258 Custer Street, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota with 7 of their children, Nick, Christina, Francis, Katie, Mary, Joseph, and Charles.

In 1900, Frank and Ursula lived at 260 Custer Street, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota with 8 of their children, Nicholas, Christina, Francis, Katherine, Marie, Joseph, Charles, and Frank.  Ursula was working as a jeweler.

In 1905, Frank and Ursula lived at 46 Robie, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota. Francis, Catherine, Mary are shown in the 1905 census. The other children were apparently left off the census report

In 1910, Frank and Ursula lived at 26 Winifred Street, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota with six of their children, Francis, Kate, Joseph, Charles, Frank, and Anthony.

35 West Isabel (Oct 2016) per Google Maps

In 1920, Frank and Ursula lived at 35 W. Isabel, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota, with three of their children, Joseph, Frank, and Mari (now Gallagher) and Mari’s daughter, Catherine Gallagher.

Urusla’s husband, Frank Xaver Drexl died on 4 November 1929 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Saint Paul.

In 1930, Ursula sill was living at 35 W. Isabel, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota, however, now her son, Joseph, his wife Violet, and Ursula’s daughter Frances (now Wallace) were living with her.

In 1932, Ursula moved to 1576 Goodrich Ave, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota.

Ursula moved to 535 Hall Ave. Saint Paul, Ramsey County Minnesota sometime before 1944.

Death

Ursula died on 16 May 1946 in Ramsey County Minnesota. Her burial location is unknown.

Sources

• 1895 Minnesota State Census, 1895, Drexl, Frank – St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota.
• 1900 US Federal Census (FS), Frank Drexl – Head – Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota – Sheet 8.
• 1905 Minnesota State Census, Frank Drexl – Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, ED 27, Sheet 40 – #76.
• 1910 US Federal Census (FS) (n.p: NARA, n.d), Frank Drexl -Head – St Paul Ward 6, Ramsey, Minnesota, ED 84, Sheet 2B, Line 70        .
• 1920 US Federal Census (FS), Frank Drexel (Drexl) – Head- Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota.
• 1930 US Federal Census – Ursula Drexl – Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota – ED 62-67 – Sheet 11B – (AA), Line 53 – Ursula Drexl – Head.
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1928), ; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/13165605 ).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1929), Page 387, Drexl; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/14281703 ).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1931), Page 371, Drexl; digital img, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/14900466).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1932), Page 337, Drexl; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/14900466 ).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1934), Page 285, Drexl; digital img, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/14660986 ).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1935), Page 290, Drexl; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2469/15032341 ).
• U.S. City Directories, 1822­1995: Saint Paul, MN (N.p.: R. L. Polk & Co., 1944), Page 260, Drexel/Drexl; digital image, Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=USDirectories&h=803751586 ).
• Minnesota Births and Christenings, 1840-­1980, [Frank J] Drexl – 16 Sep 1899.
• Ancestry Family Trees, M A Heintz Family Tree – Owner: mavendegna.
• Family Search Family Trees – Ursula Eggert – KLX8-S2T https://familysearch.org/tree/person/KLX8-S2T