GREGORY SCHUSSLER FAMILY

Gregory Schussler is listed as one of the Roman Catholic population on the deed of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Naperville, November 27, 1849, having arrived in the Naperville area prior to that time.

Gregory Schussler was born in Baden, Germany (1814-1881), married in 1844 to Francis Bapst (1820-1891) of Alsace, France, daughter of Dominic Bapst (1797-1882). All were buried in the SS Peter and Paul Cemetery, Naperville, Illinois.

The farm of Gregory Schussler was located north of Maple Ave., and west of Rt. 53. His father-in-law Dominic Bapst had a farm on Olson Lane, very near Maple Ave. The Gregory Schusslers lived in a log cabin on the farm and had eleven children. Four died in infancy during the typhoid epidemic. Gregory Schussler's son, Albert, 1853-1946 (twin of Louis who died at age 15), attended Bonaparte school on horseback.

Albert drove cattle to Chicago market on Plank Road, traded horses at the Preemption House on Naperville and was known for his fine horses and an excellent meat cutter.

When Albert married Carolyn Mittman (1867-1940) in 1888, they continued to farm north of Wheaton, but south of Cloverdale. Their daughter, Amelia, married Oscar Engstrom, who farmed the Schussler farm, Oscar Engstrom was a charter member in Farm Bureau DuPage County, and the Holstein Fresian Association, having a Purebred Holstein dairy herd. He was the first farmer in DuPage County to grow soy beans as an experiment for the University of Illinois during the 1933 draught years.

Their daughter, Dellora (twin of Donald, deceased), married William Lenert of Lenert Plumbing & Heating Co., Naperville, and continued her farm interest through family farming and 4-H leadership (Merry Maids). Known as Dolly, her sister, Merrida, continued to farm in the Maple Park area. Married to Verner Carlson, they have two daughters and 4 grandchildren. Dolly has two sons and 2 grandchildren.

Seven generations have permeated the Naperville area.

The donation to the Farmers' Community Plaza in honor of the Naperville Sesquicentennial (1831-1981) was made in the names of Gregory Schussler by his great granddaughters, Merrida (Carlson) and Dellora (Dolly Lenert) Engstrom.