Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co.
compiled & edited by Mike Reilly
The Last Will & Testament of August Krug
of the City of Milwaukee, in the Stateof Wisconsin
I, Georg August Krug, commonly called AugustKrug, a resident of the City of Milwaukee, a Son of Georg Anton Krug and AnnaMaria Ludwig, his wife, of Miltenberg, in the kingdom of Bavaria, consideringthe uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of sound mind and memory, do makeand publish this my last will and testament, in manner following:
It is my will, that all myjust debts and charges of my funeral be paid and discharged by my executrix,herein after named and appointed, out of my estate, as soon as conveniently maybe after my decease.
I give, grant, demise andbequeath all my goods and chattels, my demands, rights, credits and effects andall my personal estate whatsoever and nothing excepted, which I may be possessedof at the time of my decease unto my beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, a daughterof Michael Wiesmann and Christina Schlohr, his wife, of Miltenberg a foresaid;to have and to hold the same, unto herself and her heirs and assigns forever.
I further give, grant, demiseand bequeath, all such real estate, as I may be seized of at the time of mydeath, situate, lying and being in the County of Milwaukee, or in any otherCounty, in this State of Wisconsin, or in whatever County, State or Sovereignty, the same may be situated, unto my said beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, togetherwith all and singular the here detainments and appurtenances thereunto belongingor in any way wise appertaining and all my estate, right, title, interest, claimor demeased whatever in and to the same.
To have and to hold the saidreal estate with the here to ditaments and appurtenances unto my said belovedwife, Anna Maria Krug, for and during her natural life-time, if she shall solong continue my widow and unmarried and subject further to such otherprovisions, as by me hereinafter are made.
I case my said beloved wife,Anna Maria Krug, shall die, then all the above named real estate, with the ditaments andappurtenances thereunto belonging shall go, and I give and bequeaththe same in such case as follow, to wit: one third part thereof to such heirs atwill or legatees of my beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, as she may have named andappointed in any last will and testament or any codicil for the purpose ofgiving and bequeathing unto them or any of them the above named one third ofsaid real estate, and in case she shall die intestate, then to the heirs at lawof my beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, then being at the time of her decease, andthe other two thirds of my said real estate shall go, and I give and bequeaththem after the decease of my wife to such of my heirs at will or legatees, as Imay hereafter name and appoint in any last will and testament or codicil, andif I shall die intestate, said two thirds shall descend to my heirs at law, thembeing at the time of my decease.
… the case after my deceasemy beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, should intermarry again, then and in such caseI give, grant, demise and bequeath unto her, her heirs and assigns, one third ofall my said real estate, to have and to hold the said one third of said realestate with the here ditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging unto mybeloved wife, her heirs and assigns forever, which with the personal estate, Ihave herein before given her. I mean to be, and that she accept the same in fullof her right of dower in my estate, and I give said one third to her, asabove, upon condition, that she, my beloved said wife, shall give to my heirs, arelease of all demands and claims of dower, and otherwise of and against myestate, save what I have herein given to her, …the other two thirds of my saidreal estate shall in this case after her marriage go forthwith and I give,grant, bequeath and demise the same to such of my heirs at will or legatees as Imay hereafter name or appoint in any last will and testament or codicil, and ifI shall die intestate, to my heirs at law, then being at the time of my decease.
And for the purpose ofpreventing any difference, dispute, question or controversy in dividing my saidreal estate into thirds, either in case my wife should intermarry again or dieintestate, it is my express will and meaning, that my said real estate shall beappraised by three disinterested male persons, one of whom to be chosen by mybeloved wife, or her heirs, as the case may be, and one to be chosen on the partof my heirs, and said two appraisers to elect the third one, and what said threemale persons shall appraise, order, direct or determine, shall be binding andconclusive to all and every person and persons herein concerned. And it is mywill, that if an appraisal has to be made in case my beloved wife shallintermarry again, that then and in such case George Albert is here by appointedthe appraiser on part of my heirs, and in case he should refuse or die beforethat time, then David Knab [Editor’s Note: David Knabb was a Milwaukeeconstable], and in case he should refuse or die before thattime, then John Bertschy [Editor’s Note: J. Bertschey was the Proprietor of theMansion House at 359 Third] shall be the appointed appraiser as foresaid.
And it is my express will andmeaning, and I hereby order and direct that my wife and after her decease, herheirs shall first choose the one third of my said real estate, coming to her orto them, according to the value found and appraised by said three appraisers, inpursuance of this last will and testament, and that the residue of two thirds,as coming to my heirs, shall be given to them, and be divided in such shares, asthe law of Descend of the title of real estate in this State provides.
And that said appraisers shallbe first sworn before the County Judge of the County of Milwaukee, in the samemanner, as the Commissioners, appointed to appraise the lands of deceasedpersons for the purpose of making a partition, must be sworn according to theStatutes, in such case made and provided, and they shall make a report to saidCounty Court in writing, and a copy thereof attested by the Judge of Probate,under the seal of the Court when recorded, shall convey the shares, thereinmentioned to the persons therein named.
And I hereby nominate,constitute and appoint my beloved wife, Anna Maria Krug, the executrix of thismy last will and testament, but in case my beloved wife should continue a widowand unmarried and die intestate, and none of her or my heirs be present in theUnited States, then and in such case I appoint and nominate Joseph Uhrig of St.Louis, the executor of this my last will and testament, and hereby authorize andempower him, to apply in such case to said County Court for the purpose ofappointing three appraisers or commissioners, and to divide said real estateaccording to the provisions herein before made.
In testimony whereof, I havehere unto set my hand and seal, and publish and declare this to be my last willand testament, this nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousandeight hundred and fifty six.
Georg August Krug
The above instrument, consisting of three sheets, was now heresubscribed by August Krug, the testator, in the presence of each of us, and wasat the same time declared by him to be his last will and testament, and we , athis request, sign our names hereunto in his presence, as attesting witnesses.
Charles Neumann [Editor’s Note: Deputy CityMarshall]
Dr. August Luening
Charles Deeg [Editor’s Note: was a grocer at52 Chesnut]
Editor’s Notes – After the will was submitted to Probate, JudgeByron Paine, found a total of $15, 296.76 in claims and demands against Krug’sestate. Some examples were a $1,000 note held by the 2nd Ward Bank; $276.50 owedto Joseph Schlitz; and $730.39 owed to Joseph Uhrig. There were a total of 34individuals or entities filing claims or demands.
On February 5, 1857, Anna Maria Krug submitted an inventory ofthe real estate with the assistance of appraisers Ernst Prieger [Editor’s Note:was an Attorney at Law] and JacobBest to the County Court. The inventory is listed below:
1. Lots or pieces of land lying and situated in the Second Wardof the City of Milwaukee, County of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, asfollows;
Lot number Eleven (11) inBlock number One Hundred & Ninety Seven (197), appraised at the value ofEight Hundred Dollars. $800.00
Lots numbered Ten (10) &Thirteen (13), both in Block number Thirty Eight (38), appraised at the value ofTwelve Thousand Five Hundred Dollars. $12,500.00
Lot number Thirteen (13) inBlock number One Hundred & Seventeen (117), appraised at the value of OneHundred & Fifty Dollars. $150.00
2. Lots or pieces of land lying & situated inthe Sixth Ward of the City of Milwaukee, County of Milwaukee & State ofWisconsin; as follows,
Lot number One (1) in Blocknumber Sixteen (16), appraised at the value of Fifteen Dollars. $15.00
Lot number Two (2) in Blocknumber Sixteen (16), appraised at a value of Fifteen Dollars. $15.00
Lots numbered Six (6), Seven(7) & Ten (10), all in Block number Eleven (11), appraised at the value ofFive Thousand & Five Hundred Dollars. $5,500.00
Lot number Eight (8) in Blocknumber Eleven (11), appraised at the value of Three Hundred Dollars. $300.00
Lot number Two (2) in Blocknumber Forty Two (42), appraised at the value of Eight Hundred Dollars. $800.00
Total value of real estate is $20,050.00
Now the question is,what was sold off to pay off the estate claims and demands?
And, since Anna Maria Kruglater married Joseph Schlitz, were two thirds of the real estate given to AugustKrug’s heirs? If they were, who would they have been? August Uihlein for one,Krug’s sister in Germany, or his father and mother?
(Note: We are not affiliatedwith the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. or endorsed by them. Any Schlitz trademarks displayed,or brands mentioned are the sole ownership of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.)