William Minch1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 17964, (1851 - 1903)
FatherJohn Minch1,4,5 (abt 2 Mar 1812 - 28 Sep 1889)
MotherCatharine Goembel1,4,5 (10 Apr 1813 - 14 Feb 1901)

Key Events:

Birth: 16 Feb 1851, Illinois6,7,8
Marriage: 15 Feb 1883, Peoria, Illinois, Margaret A. Oetzel (20 Jun 1860 - 4 Jan 1947)9,10,11
Divorce: about 1899, Margaret A. Oetzel (20 Jun 1860 - 4 Jan 1947)12,13
Death: 13 Mar 1903, Washington, Tazewell Co., Illinois14,15
ChartsSelected Descendants of Sebastian and Anna Eva Goembel

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     William Minch was born on 16 Feb 1851 in Illinois.6,7,8 He appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., Illinois, in the household of his parents, John Minch and Catharine Goembel.16 He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., Illinois, in the household of his parents.3
     He was a farm laborer, presumably on his father's farm, in 1870, at age 19.3
     William married Margaret A. Oetzel, daughter of George Oetzel and Anna Catharina Berck, on 15 Feb 1883 in Peoria, Illinois.9,10,11
     After their marriage, William and Margaret moved to a farm he owned in Roberts, Ford Co., about 1885.17 William and Margaret's relationship seems to have been difficult, as described by a newspaper article after his death:
He had drank for many years and, when drinking, affected cowboy ways, often flourishing a pistol and sometimes carrying a shotgun. He liked to fire at a mark and sometimes made boastful threats as to using a pistol or gun. Drinking ruined him, as it has other countless thousands, and his wife found living with him unbearable. She applied for a divorce, but reconsidered it on his promise to do better. He did not reform and she secured a divorce.18
     William and Margaret were divorced about 1899.12,13 After the divorce, William returned, about 1900, to Washington, doing teaming and other work. He deeply resented the divorce and blamed his wife, his brother-in-law Oetzel and his own brother Jacob.19,20
     William appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Washington, Tazewell Co., Illinois, enumerated 14 Jun 1900, reporting that he rented his home.21
     On the morning of 13 Mar 1903, William went to downtown Washington and got shaved, then took his horse from Berney’s livery stable, saying that he was going to ride in the country. He then went to the house of his sister Mollie, with whom he boarded, and told her the same story of going on a ride to the country, then left.18
     He arrived at the farm of Adam Oetzel, brother of his ex-wife, near Farmdale. It seems that he asked for feed for his horse, as they went into the barn and Adam climbed the stairs, apparently to throw down some hay. At this point William shot Adam in the back. Hearing the commotion, Adam's wife in the house sent her sons, Edward and Louis, to the barn. As they approached the barn William came out with his horse. He spoke pleasantly of the weather, asked as to their health and, getting through the gate, rode off. Edward ran into the barn, heard his father groan and found him voiceless and dying at the top of the stairs.22,23,24
     William then returned to Washington, and rode to the house of his ex-wife, Margaret. He forced his way into the house and attacked her with a knife, cutting off a portion of her right ear and cut her hand, then left. It appears he had intended to maim and not to kill her, as he was quoted as saying that he had marked her so that he would know her in heaven. He rode off at a gallop, and left his horse without tying him in an alley near Kelso’s stable. He walked south along the Santa Fe track some two hundred yards and shot himself in the pasture near the trestlework of the first bridge.18
     William died on 13 Mar 1903 in Washington, Tazewell Co., Illinois, at age 52.14,15

Children:
     Children with Margaret A. Oetzel:

  • Lillian Minch25 (abt 1883 - )
  • Augusta Minch25 (1885 - 29 Dec 1978)
  • Carl R. Minch26,25 (2 Jan 1888 - 8 Sep 1973)
  • Anna C. Minch27,25 (1 Feb 1892 - 17 Jan 1974)
  • Milton William Minch27,25 (1 Apr 1897 - 26 Jan 1975)
  • Emma E. Minch27,25 (May 1899 - )

Citations

  1. [S3526] Muller, histories of the Minch and Goembel Families.
  2. [S3533] John Minch household, 1860 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows name as Wm Minch.
  3. [S3534] John Minch household, 1870 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois.
  4. [S3533] John Minch household, 1860 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  5. [S3534] John Minch household, 1870 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  6. [S3526] Muller, histories of the Minch and Goembel Families, shows date.
  7. [S3534] John Minch household, 1870 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows age 19 and state.
  8. [S3542] William Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows month, year, age 49 and state.
  9. [S3545] "Mrs. Margaret Minch Dies in Washington," Metamora Herald, 1 Jan 1947, shows date, city, and state.
  10. [S3542] William Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows him as married 16 years, with his wife not present, but their oldest child was born about 1883.
  11. [S3539] Margaret Minch household, 1920 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows Amelia Minch as sister-in-law (Amelia was William's sister).
  12. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903, shows she obtained a divorce, and returned to Washington about 4 years ago.
  13. [S3536] Maggie A. Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows her as divorced.
  14. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903, shows means of death, location, and events happened "Friday afternoon."
  15. [S3526] Muller, histories of the Minch and Goembel Families, shows date, with year as 1905.
  16. [S3533] John Minch household, 1860 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois.
  17. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903, shows location, and "about 15 years ago."
  18. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903.
  19. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903, shows he returned to Washington a year after his ex-wife, describes resentment.
  20. [S3542] William Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows him as married, and occupation as teamster, but had been unemployed for eight months in the past year.
  21. [S3542] William Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois.
  22. [S3544] "William Minch Kills Adam Oetzel and Slays Himself," The Washington News, 19 Mar 1903, provides detailed account.
  23. [S3186] "Diabolism of Minch," Muskegon Daily Chronicle, 14 Mar 1903, provides briefer version, as does the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 15 Mar 1903, pg 35.
  24. [S54] Pound, Glabe Family, pg 29, shows murderer as "a fanatic named Minch," Oetzel was working in his barn, and that Minch was shot while trying to escape.
  25. [S3537] Margaret Minch household, 1910 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows the child's surname as Minch, and the mother as widowed.
  26. [S3543] Catherine Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows the boy as her grandson.
  27. [S3536] Maggie A. Minch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Tazewell Co., Illinois, shows the child with surname Minch.