Elias Norbert Motschenbacher ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

  General Notes:

German: variant of Mutschenbäcker or Mutzenbäcker, an occupational name for a baker, from Middle High German mutze, mutsche(l) 'bread roll', 'loaf of white bread' + bäcker (agent noun from backen 'to bake').
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The Eli Motschenbacher family moved to Onalaska in July of 1937, where Eli was the C&NW Railroad Depot Agent until his retirement in July 1961, after 48 years with the C&NW. The family lived at 606 2nd Ave. South until 1961 when Eli and his wife Mattie moved to Trempealeau. Eli died in 1971, and is buried in Trempealeau. Mattie now lives in Marinuka Manor, Galesville. Their sons; Norman, who lives in Trempealeau, and Harold, who lives in Onalaska, were in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 and 1946 respectively, serving in the European theatre of operation. Both are now retired.

Harold worked for the city of Onalaska as the weekend Police Officer from 1956 to 1960, taught at W.W.T.I. from 1956 to 1960, was a La Crosse County Traffic Officer from 1960 to 1967, then Director of Placement at W.W.T.I. until his retirement in 1984. Harold and his wife Theresia had three children: Sieglinda, Rita, and Eric. Rita married Russ Peterson, they have two children, Marshal and Nicholas. They live in Stoddard, Wisconsin. Eric married Betsy Page, they presently live on the Schnick farm north of Onalaska.

Submitted by Betsy (Page) Motschenbacher
(approximately 1985)
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Name:E N Motschenbacher
Also Known As Name: E N Motschenbacher
Residence Date: 01 Nov 1997-01 Dec 2005
Residence Place: Trempealeau, Wisconsin, United States
Address: 24224 7th
Address Continued: Trempealeau, Wisconsin 54661
2nd Address: R391 E 7th
2nd Address Continued: Trempealeau, Wisconsin 54661
2nd Address Date: 01 Nov 1995

Citing this Record:
"United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJDB-SB3W : accessed 16 Nov 2014), E N Motschenbacher, Residence, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
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  Death Notes:

Name: Eli Motschenbach
Given Name: Eli
Surname: Motschenbach
Event Type: Death
Event Date: Dec 1970
Event Place: Trempealeau, Trempealeau, Wisconsin
Event Place (Original): Trempealeau, Trempealeau, Wisconsin
Age: 74
Birth Date: 10 Mar 1896

Citing this Record
"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JT8V-KZC : 4 December 2020), Eli Motschenbach, Dec 1970; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
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  Noted events in his life were:

• On 5 June 1917, he registered for the World War I Draft at Trempealeau, WI.

Name: Eli N Motschenbacher
Birth Date: 10 Mar 1896
. ¹⁰

• He appeared on the 1920 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on January 1920. ¹

1920 US Census
Sheet 3A, Roll 2018, District 219, Household 72
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
House rented
Eli Motschenbacher..Head..23..WI..Telegrapher, C&NW Railroad
(Living with wife and son.)
.

• He appeared on the 1930 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 2 May 1930. ²

1930 US Census
Sheet 4B, Roll 2614, District 61-24, Household 106
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
House rented, $10
Eli Motschenbacher..Head..34..WI..Agent, Railroad Station
(Living with wife and 2 sons.)
.

• He appeared on the 1940 US Census in Onalaska, WI on 5 April 1940. ³

1940 US Census
Sheet 2A, Roll 4491, District 32-41, Family 26
Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin
26 South Second Street; rent $25
Residence in 1935: West Salem, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Elin Motschenbacher..Head..44..WI..12th grade..Agent, RR..earned $2111 in 1939
(Living with wife and 2 sons.)
.

• His occupation in 1942 was a Telegraph Operator for Chicago & Northwestern RR in Trempealeau, WI. ⁶

• Elias Norbert Motschenbacher registered for WW II Draft: 1942, Onalaska, WI.

⁶ Name: Eli Norbert Motschenbacher
Birth Date: 10 Mar 1896
.

• His obituary was published in the Winona Daily News on 17 December 1970 in Winona Township, Winona County, MN.

¹¹ Eli N. Motschenbacher, 74, Trempealeau, died Wednesday afternoon at a La Crosse hospital.

He was born March 10, 1896, in Loyal, Wis., to Mr. and Mrs. Chris Motschenbacher. He married Martha Hanson on May 5, 1917. A past member of the Trempealeau Masonic Lodge, he was a depot agent and telegrapher for the Chicago and North Western Railroad for 47 years before retiring in 1961 at Onalaska, Wis., and moving to Trempealeau.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Harold, Onalaska, and Norman, Trempealeau; two grandchildren; two brothers, Val, Sparta, Wis., and Chris, Owatonna, Minn., and three sisters, Mrs. Gay (Sophia) Uthie, White Pigeon, Mich., Mrs. Cordula Coleman, Decatur, Mich., and Mrs. Garland (Margaret) Culveyhouse, Elkhart, Ind. Two sisters and a brother have died.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Trempealeau Methodist Church, the Rev. Wesley Schirmer officiating. Burial will be in the Trempealeau cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Smith Mortuary, Galesville, Wis., and at the church after 12:30 p.m. A Masonic service will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

(Source: Winona Daily News, Winona, MN, 17 Dec 1970, page 17)
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.

• He was buried on 19 December 1970 in the Trempealeau Cemetery in Trempealeau, WI.

Find A Grave Memorial #138849865. ⁹

Elias married Martha Louise Hanson, daughter of Lars Syversen Hanson and Helena Catherine Kramer, on 5 May 1917 in , Trempealeau County, WI.^{1 2 3} (Martha Louise Hanson was born on 21 March 1897 in Trempealeau, WI,^{1 2 3 12 13} died on 2 October 1986 in Galesville, WI ^{14 15} and was cremated on 5 October 1986 in Trempealeau Cemetery, Trempealeau, WI ¹⁶.). The cause of her death was Acute Bronchopneumonia.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on January 1920. ¹

1920 US Census
Sheet 3A, Roll 2018, District 219, Household 72
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
House rented
Eli Motschenbacher...Head..23..WI..Telegrapher, C&NW Railroad
Mattie Motschenbacher...Wife..22..WI
Norman Motschenbacher...Son..1y 6m..WI
.

• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 2 May 1930. ²

1930 US Census
Sheet 4B, Roll 2614, District 61-24, Household 106
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
House rented, $10
Eli Motschenbacher..Head..34..WI..Agent, Railraod Station
Martha Motschenbacher..Wife..33..WI
Norman Motschenbacher..Son..11..WI
Harold Motschenbacher..Son..8..WI
.

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Onalaska, WI on 5 April 1940. ³

1940 US Census
Sheet 2A, Roll 4491, District 32-41, Family 26
Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin
26 South Second Street; rent $25
Residence in 1935: West Salem, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Elin Motschenbacher..Head..44..WI..12th grade..Agent, RR..earned $2111 in 1939
Martha L. Motschenbacher..Wife..43..WI..12th grade
Norman M. Motschenbacher..Son..21..WI..12th grade..Developer, Photo Shop
Harold A. Motschenbacher..Son..18..WI..12th grade..Auto Service Station Attendant
.

• They resided at 606 2nd Avenue South in 1950 in La Crosse, WI.
1950 La Crosse, WI City Directory
Eli N. Motschenbacher (Martha L.), Station Agent, CNW, Res: 606 2nd Ave ., South.

• They resided at 606 2nd Avenue South in 1959 in La Crosse, WI.
1959 La Crosse, WI City Directory
Eli N. Motschenbacher (Martha L.), Station Agent, CNW, Res: 606 2nd Ave ., South.

  Marriage Notes:

Judge Robert E. Looby united in marriage Eli Motschenbacher and Martha Hanson, both of Trempealeau.

(Source: Winona Republican-Herald, Winona, MN, May 7, 1917, page 3)
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