Notes:

Cordavee "Blees" Heupel, Sturgis, South Dakota
Ancestral villages: Landau, Rastadt and Speyer [Beresan District]; Kassel [Glückstal District]; Beresina, Kulm, Leipzig and Tarutino [Bessarabia]

"I was born in Bowman, North Dkaota, to Roszella (Mosbrucker) Blees and John Blees. I lived and attended school in Bowman. Then I attended X-Ray Technological Training in Bismarck, in 1957-1959, when I married Ray Heupel, a South Dakota native. Ray's parents are Nora (Rattei) Heupel and Alfred Heupel. My mother's parents immigrated from South Russia, while my father's parents came from Luxembourg to Minnesota. My mother's parents homesteaded in Slope County, North Dakota, along with my grandfather's parents. My husband's families all came from South Russia to North Dakota.

"After marriage, we lived in Mobridge, South Dakota, for four years before we moved to Pipestone, MN. We lived there until 1968 when we moved to Bowman, to my parents farm. We raised five children there and then moved to South Dakota in 1979.

"I got my interest into genealogy when I was in high school, writing down all the new babies in the family as they were born. Sad part is: I never visited with my grandmother about her family and where they lived in Russia. She passed away in 1959. I got back into genealogy again in the late sixties, when I attended my first workshop in Rapid City. I researched many books and libraries, etc., traveling as much as my finances would allow for a hobby at that time.

"By adding my husband's genealogy to mine, I kept attending workshops to learn more about the country, where my ancestors came from. I would be all 'gung ho' until I hit a dead end, when research would get put away again until someone would write or ask about someone. Then I would dig again. Several times I was fortunate enough to find someone else who had done knowledgeable research, such as Phylis Feser or Gwen Pritzkau. They came to my rescue and helped me get on track again.

"My X-ray training has fallen by the wayside, while banking became my job in Mobridge, Bowman, and now again in Sturgis. My husband has always been an auctioneer and seems to end up working in livestock barns, besides his love for horses and cattle which he raises.

"Our children were raised beyond North Dakota and South Dakota. The oldest, Colin and his wife Debbie are team truckers out of Denver, Colorado Our oldest daughter, living with us at this time, is going to school part-time for a degree in Elementary Education. She already has a degree in Agriculture Education, but has a tight job market. Our other daughter is a counselor in a group home in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She is wanting to get her masters degree.

"The middle son spent this summer working for the world's largest hot air balloon company, traveling the USA by balloons. Then he returns to Big Sky Country of Montana, to work on Big Mountain making snow for the skiers, for the last eight years. Our youngest son lives in Frederick, Maryland, with his wife. He works for FEMA doing all their TV programs and filming disasters. This is pretty much the history of our family."

Cordavee married Raymond G. Heupel on 28 Dec 1959 in Bowman, Bowman County, North Dakota, USA. Raymond (son of Alfred Heupel and Nora Helen Rattei) was born on 28 Nov 1939 in Bison, Perkins County, South Dakota, USA; died on 4 Jun 2009 in Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota, USA; was buried on 8 Jun 2009 in St. Aloysius Cemetery, Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Heupel
2. Heupel
3. Heupel
4. Heupel
5. Heupel

John married Roszella Mosbrucker on 23 Aug 1938 in North Dakota, USA. Roszella (daughter of Raphael Mosbrücker Mosbrucker and Suzanna Hirsch) was born on 16 Jan 1910 in North Dakota, USA; died on 12 Sep 1986 in Bowman, Bowman County, North Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Raphael married Suzanna Hirsch on 23 Nov 1898 in Odessa, Ukrayina. Suzanna (daughter of Jakob Hirsch and Katherina Matz) was born on 23 Sep 1878 in Rastadt, Odessa, Ukrayina; died on 20 Sep 1959 in Bowman, Bowman County, North Dakota, USA; was buried on 23 Sep 1959 in St. Charles Cemetery, Bowman, Bowman County, North Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Notes for George Mosbrucker:

Editorial found in book titled Hertz/Schantz/Mosbrucker written by Phyllis Hertz Feser.....George Mosbrucker the oldest known child of Christian Mosbrucker and Marianna Hoff, came to the U.S. from Russia in 1900. They lived in NY for about a year before coming to Bowman, ND on June 11, 1902. With them were their sons, John and Raphael and his wife Suzanna Hirsch. George Mosbrucker had been a Bookbinder and teacher in Russia. Following is some information taken from a biography by Raphael Mosbrucker, written in 1939, which was on file at the ND State Historical Society. In this Raphael gives the manes, birth and or death dates of his wife, Suzanna Hirsch, her parents and his parents. He also states that his brothers, Christ and Nickolai came to the U.S. in 1893 and live at Glen Ullin, ND and another brother John lives sw of Amidon, ND. Suzannas' brothers in the U>S> are Casper at Dickinson and John at Bowman, also a sister Genevieve at New England, ND. Raphael marriage to Suzanna Hirsch was performed by FR.R. Schaffer in Russia on Nov 23, 1899. He gives the names and birth dates of their children and states that he was in the Russian Army for 1 month in 1897. Their first home, which he built in 1902, he states was made of sod and timer, 50 x 12 feet, with 6 windows, and 3 doors and was in use for 5 years. They used kerosene lights, Tin plates, china cups, a home made table and apple box chairs and benches. Most of the items they bought were from Montgomery Ward at Dickinson, ND.. Some were coat and overalls, 5$. 100# flour 2$, 100# salt .75 coffee .12 a lb. sugar 100# 4.50 and etc. FO the township (star), Raphael states that his Daughter Elizabeth was the first white child born there and that they were the first settlers. Other neighbors were John Schmate, Mr. Avery, and James MacCully. The first school had 20 pupils and was taught by Mrs. Wm. Beckman who was paid 35 a year. The first school house was built in 1908 at $1000.00 it was 32 x 20 feet with 8 windows, 2 doors, a heater, some desks and chairs. This was used till 1917 when additions were built upon it.
History by Cordavee Blees Heupel

Georg married Lucia Hörner in 1871 in Speyer, Odessa, Ukrayina. Lucia (daughter of Christian Hörner and Magdalena Schwab) was born on 13 Dec 1852 in Speyer, Odessa, Ukrayina; died in in North Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jakob married Katherina Matz. Katherina died in in Rastadt, Odessa, Ukrayina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]