Living DALCH Margaret DALCH Margaret Barbara BISSWANGER Alfonso Leonard BISSWANGER Joseph J BISSWANGER Louise BISSWANGER Helen HACKLETON Mini tree diagram
Leonard Alfons BISSWANGER

Leonard Alfons BISSWANGER1,2,7,3,8,9,10,4,5,11,6

also known as 5

14th Feb 18731,2,3,4,5,6 - 21st Dec 19347,8,9,10,6

Life History

14th Feb 1873

Born in Germany (Bavaria).1,2,3,4,5,6

16th Sep 1900

Married Margaret DALCH in Oklahoma.11,23

1902

Death of Margaret DALCH.23

22nd May 1904

Married Helen HACKLETON in Prairie County, Arkansas.1,4

20th Aug 1905

Birth of daughter Margaret Barbara BISSWANGER in Arkansas County, Arkansas.12,2,13,7,14,1

13th Jul 1907

Birth of son Alfonso Leonard BISSWANGER in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.2,3,7,1,15,16

about Apr 1909

Birth of son Joseph J BISSWANGER in Arkansas.17,4,18,19,2,1,20

about 1914

Birth of daughter Louise BISSWANGER in Arkansas County, Arkansas.2,4

3rd Aug 1922

Immigrated to Hamburg, Germany.5

25th Mar 1926

Death of Helen HACKLETON in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee.21,22

21st Dec 1934

Died in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.7,8,9,10,6

Gunshot wounds from a gun battle on his houseboat on the Arkansas River, first story rptd they said they would kill him, later story was robbery. He and one of the robbers were killed, his wife wounded; murder charges were filed against Clark Martindale.

24th Dec 1934

Buried in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas.6

Other facts

 

Birth of daughter Living DALCH

Notes

  • In his Arkansas family, he was known as Leonard, with the full name Leonard Alfons.  Other German sources give us the German form of his name Leonhardt Bisswanger, sometimes with the middle initial B.  A ship passenger manifest indicates he left Hamburg, Germany, on his way to New York on 3 August 1922.

    I have not been able to identify Leonard Alfons Bisswanger in the 1900 US census.  The 1920 census reports that he was in the US from either 1897 and 1930 has the year of immigration as 1898.  The censuses report he was naturalized in 1902.  But there is a record indicating he traveled from Hamburg to NewYork.  Perhaps this was a return from a return trip to Germany.

    This passenger manifest reports him as a resident and citizen of German.  This would not have been the case if he had been naturalized in 1902. I am wondering if this was a different Leonhardt Bisswanger.  This record wa attached to our Leanoar Bisswanger on a genealogy profile for him.

    Early US records of Leonard place him in Iowa, where his first marriage occurred.  In his genealogy of the Bisswangers, Steve Abernathy reports in his genealogy that they married in Iowa, and there is an Iowa record matching their names.  But there is no date included in the text index record.

    Margaret Dalch
    Birth 1878
    Marriage to Leonard Alfons Bisswanger 16 SEPT 1900 Oklahoma, USA
    "Apparently a brief marriage, resulting in one child"
    [It appears Margaret died in childbirth or soon after.  Leonard married Helena Kummel in Prairie County, Arkansas in May 1902.]
    Birth of Daughter Anna Augusta Dalch
    Born 5 SEP 1901  Oklahoma
    Death 1902
    --  Keith Bisswanger, Ancestry, http://person.ancestry.com/tree/23267025/person/26067740674/facts

    Iowa, Select Marriages Index, 1809-1992
    Leonard Bisswanger
    Spouse Margaret Dalch
    Child Anna Augusta Dalch
    [no marriage date in this index records]

    His first wife died in 1903 according to some genealogies.  He made his way to Arkansas and in May 1904 his second marriage to widow Helena Kummel was recorded in Prairie County, Arkansas, just north of where most of our story takes place.  In his record of marriage to Helen or Helena, Leonard's (Leonhard's) reported age gives an estimated birth year of 1873.  Sources vary between the year 1873 and 18781.  The date given to/used by the funeral home was 14 February 1871.

    Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
    Leonhard Bisswanger
    Age 31 (born abt 1873)
    Residence DeValls Bluff, Prairie, Arkansas
    Spouse's Name Helena Kammell
    Spouse's Gender Female
    Spouse's Age 26 (born abt 1878)
    Spouse's Residence DeValls Bluff, Prairie, Arkansas
    Marriage 22 May 1904 Prairie County
    Marriage License Date 21 May 1904

    The 1910 census reported he had been married to his second wife Helen for about 6 years.  Helen was born in Arkansas.  This is Helen's second marriage also.

    1910 Federal Census, Craighead County, Arkansas, 9 May, Nettleton Township, District 27, page 7A, Hse/Fam #118
    Bisswanger, Lenord (Leonard) Head M W 37  2nd marriage, Married 6yrs  Germany Germany Germany  immigrated 1898 Resident Alien  Farmer
    Bisswanger, Helen Wife  F W 32  2nd marriage, Married 6yrs  AR MS MS
    Bisswanger, Margret F W 4  AR Germany MS
    Bisswanger, Alfonso Son M W 2  AR Germany MS
    Bisswanger, Joseph Son M W 1  AR Germany MS
    Kummel, Gace (Grace?) Dau [step-daughter] F W 13 AR IL MS
    Kummel, Miltret Dau [step-daughter] F W 11 AR IL MS
    Kummel, Blanche Dau [step-daughter] F W 8 AR IL MS

    Helen's maiden name was Hackledon or Hackleton.  See more details on Notes for Helen Hackledon.  She was first married to Louis Kummell.  We see here three children with the last name Kummel (also a German name) whose  father was born in Illinois.  We find these Kummel children were born in Arkansas.  So Louis Kummel came to Arkansas, married Helen, and we assume, died there after siring these three children.  But Helen married Kummel in September 1895.

    The census says Leonard and Helen have been married 6 years so they would have married about 1904.  Margret was born in 1905 or 1906.  Before 1920 they moved to Oklahoma City.

    1920 Federal Census, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, 14 January, Oklahoma  City, District 144, page 18A, Hse #104, Fam #254
    Bisswanger, Leonard Head M W 56  Married  Bavaria Bavaria Bavaria immigrated 1897 Naturalized 1902  Farmer
    Bisswanger, Helen Wife  F W 43  Married  AR AR AR
    Bisswanger, Margaret F W 14  AR Bavaria MS
    Bisswanger, Alfonso Son M W 12  AR Bavaria MS
    Bisswanger, Joie Son M W 10  AR Bavaria MS [ref Joseph in 1910]
    Bisswanger, Louisa Dau F W 6 AR Bavaria MS

    In this census the Kummel children are all off on their own.  From the marriage information in 1910, we may conclude that Louisa is the daughter of Helen, born in about 1912.  Here we see that the birthplace of Helen's parents has now changed to Arkansas.  Now Leonard's place of birth information is given under the name of his actual country Bavaria, instead of the general term Germany.  They wete back in Arkansas County, Arkansas, before the 1930 census.

    1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 29 April, Prairie Township, District 7, page 9A, No Road, On White River, Hse #165, Fam #166
    Bisswanger, Leonard  Head M W 57  Married at age 26  AR Germany AR Fisherman  Immigrated 1898, naturalized 1902
    Bisswanger, Loisa (Louisa) Dau  F W 17  Single  AR Germany AR

    This report shows Leonard as married, but there is no wife reported in the household.

    In 1934, Leonard was killed in a houseboat gunfight on the Arkansas River near DeWitt, Arkansas.  The first reprot in the DeWitt Era-Enterprise newspaper reports that the incident occurred on Friday evening (21 December 1934) about 8 PM.  That article reprots details about the incident.  Later articles in other papers on 24 December 1934 reported no date or reproted the incident as occurring on Saturday, not Friday.

    Leonard was killed in a gun battle aboard his houseboat on the Arkansas River, near Ethel, by a robber, Clark Martindale.  Three masked men knowced on Leonard's houseboat door incident on Friday evening (21 December 1934) about 8 PM and told him they were going to kill him.  They shot him three times in the chest.  He shot one of them, Van Livingston, who later died in the woods after his companions carried him off in Leonard's motor boat.

    Thanks to Steve Abernathy for the DeWitt article and other documents on Leonard not previously found.  Abernathy gives his German name as Leonhardt B Bisswanger.  It is not clear what the B initial stands for, since in other records and family references he was known as Leonard Alfonso.

    -----------
    Two Killed on White River Friday Night

    "Last Friday night [21 December 1934] about 8 o'clock according to a statement by occupants of Leonard Bisswanger's houseboat, three men with handkerchiefs tied over their faces knocked on the door of the boat.  They open[ed] fire and three bullets took effect in his chest.  He fired one shot.  It toook effect in the leg of Van LIvingston of LIttle Prairie. ... Both bodies were brought o the Essex Undertaking Parlor in DeWitt and prepared for burial. ...

    "Bisswanger was buried at Mt Pleasant, Monday, and [Van] Livingston at Tichnor, in the Malcomb Cemetery."
    --  DeWitt Era-Enterprise, 22 December 1934 [Saturday], http://person.ancestry.com/tree/12577407/person/12496846098/gallery

    --------------------
    Houseboat Gun Battle On White River Accounts for Two Deaths
    Little Rock, Ark, Dec 24

    A gun battle Saturday night [22 Dec 1934] aboard a houseboat on the White River below De Witt left Leonard Bisswanger, 55, a fisherman and Van Livingston, 20, dead.  Mrs Bisswanger, wounded in the throat, was taken to the home of relatives in Ethel for treatment.  Sheriff C C McAllister placed murder charges against Clark Martindale, 23, in connection with the affair.
    --  Fayetteville Daily Democrat, 24 Dec 1958, p 1, accessed 12 March 2016 on NewspaperArchive.com
    --------------------

    --------------------
    Two are slain in Gun Battle
    DeWitt, Ark - Dec 24

    First degree murder charge was placed today against a man docketed as Clark Martindale, 23, in connection with a gun battle that claimed two lives in the recesses of White River country south of here.

    Sheriff C C McCallister charged the man with death of Leonard Bisswanger, [?] fisherman, shot in a battle in which Van Livingston, 20, was also killed.

    Mrs Bisswanger, shot in the throat by a stray bullet, was rushed to Ethel and treated.  Her condition is considered not serious.

    The sheriff is said to be seeking another man in connection with the shooting, which he said resulted from an attempt to rob Bisswanger.
    --  The Camden News, Camden, Arkansas, Dec 24 1934, p 1, accessed 14 March 2016 on NewspaperArchive.com
    --------------------

    --------------------
    "A gun battle Saturday night [22 Dec 1934] aboard a houseboat on the White River below De Witt left Leonard Bisswanger, 55, a fisherman and Van Livingston, 20, dead.  Mrs Bisswanger, wounded in the throat, was taken to the home of relatives in Ethel for treatment.  Sheriff C C McAllister placed murder charges against Clark Martindale, 23, in connection with the affair."
    --  Fayetteville Daily Democrat, 24 Dec 1958, p 1, accessed 12 March 2016 on NewspaperArchive.com
    --------------------

    --------------------
    DEWITT, Ark - Dec 24

    A first degree murder charge was placed against Clark Martindale, 23, in connection with the affair.

    A gun battle that claimed two lived in the recessess of the White River country south of here.

    Sheriff C C McCallister charged the man with the death of Leonard Bisswanger, 55-year-old fisherman, shot in a battle in which Van Livingston, 20, also was killed.  Mrs Bisswanger, shot in the throat by a stray bullet, was rushed down the the river by boat to Ethel, Ark, and treated.  Her condition was not regarded as serious.

    McCallister said he sought another man in connection with the shooting, which he said resulted from an atempt to rob Bisswanger, who was reported to have kept a relatively large sum of money in his shanty boat.
    --------

    "DEWITT - 24 Dec 1934 - Death for two men and a desperate race down a dark winding river against death with a bullet in her throat, was the fierce swift code of the White River country.

    Officers today paddled into the stretches of the river in an effort to determine the facts of a shanty boat battle which left  Leonard Bisswanger, 55-year-old fisherman, and Van Livingston, 20, dead, and Mrs Bisswanger wounded by a stray bullet as gunfire roared back and forth in the confines of the flimsy craft.

    The shooting occurred Saturday night [22 Dec 1934], but news filters slowly out of the flats between the levees, and Sheriff C C McAllister learned of it Sunday.  The sheriff made a trip into the flats yesterday [23 Dec 1934].  The sheriff made a trip into the flats yesterday to investigate, and
    [Page 3]
    brought here with hm a man listed as Clark Martindale, 23.  No formal charge had been placed against him but Sheriff McAllister [sic] said that from the man he had obtained details of the slayings.

    Bisswanger died were he stood in the narrow confines of his shanty boat home, the sheriff said, with six bullets in his body.  The body of Livingston was foun a quarter of a mile form where the boat had been moored.  He had been shot once, and had evidently fled from the scene to save his life, McAllister said.  The body was found by the sheriff's party.

    Struck in the throat by a bullet, Mrs Bisswanger and a daughter rowed a skiff down the river to her son's houseboat, and from there was taken to Ethel, Ark, for treatment.

    --  Monroe News Star, Monroe, Louisiana, Dec 24 1934, pp 1, 3
    --------------------

    Keith Bisswanger was kind enough to share on his genealogy information he received from Essex Funeral Home on Leonard.

    ----------------------------
    Letter explaining about Leonard A Bisswanger
    To Keith Bisswanger form Essex Funeral Home
    14 December 2013
    courtesy of Keith Bisswanger, Ancestry.com, accesses 14 March 2016

    From:  Essex Funeral Home <essexfhhotmail.com>
    Date:  December 14, 2013 at 1:02:30 PM CST
    To:  "bisswangerhotmail.com" <bisswangerhotmail.com>
    Subject:  Leonard Bisswanger info.

    Date entered into our records Dec. 22, 1934
    Leonard Bisswanger
    Age - 63
    Place of birth - Germany
    Date of birth - Feb. 14, 1871 [other sources indicate the year was closer to 1873]
    Vocation - fisherman
    The service was charged to A.L. Bisswanger of Ethel.
    The order to do the funeral service was given by John Stephens.
    The coroner was the certifying physician.
    Place of death - on house boat
    He had lived in Arkansas about 20 years.

    All the information that was given about his parents was that his father's last name was Bisswanger and that he was born in Germany. There was no info. on his mother.

    Funeral services were at Mt. Pleasant Cem. at 1:00 p.m. on December 24, 1934. Rev. Johnson of Ethel was the preacher.

    This is all the information that we have. It's not much. People didn't have need in those days I guess to give the funeral home lots of information. Our record books are kind of large and awkward to fit on our copier. Sometime they don't copy so well. So I didn't make a copy to send you, but if you are ever in DeWitt stop by the funeral home and look at the record book if you want. We are in the office Monday - Friday from 8-4.

    Mr. Livingston's info. was even less than Mr. Bisswanger's. He was 20 at the time of his death and was buried on Christmas Day at the Malcomb Cemetery in Tichnor.

    If we can help any more just let us know.

    Laura Essex
    ----------------------------

Sources

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