Joseph Austel married first to Margaret Gutgsell and they had 9 childen before Margart died. In 1903, After Joseph remarried Rosa Frederick, most of the family decided to emigrate from Burglen, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland to Pittsburgh, PA. However, two daughters remained behind in Switzerland and were probably married at the time. Joseph's oldest son, Louis Austel, had already immigrated to America, preceding the rest of the family by one or two years.
 

Fig. A-1. The Austel family circa 1888 in Switzerland. standing: Joseph Austel (father) and Margaret Gutgsell (Joseph's mother-in-law) and on far right is daughter, Marie. middle row: Joseph, Louis, Maria Gutgsell (mother), holding Frank on lap, and daughter, Ida. front row, left: Freida and Anna. Two more daughters, Rosa and Gretl, were born after this photo was taken. Photo taken in Bürglen, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland, ca. 1888, as judged by the estimated age, about 1 year, for Frank who was born Oct 1887. To learn more about the descendants of this family, go to the Descendant Chart for Joseph Austel and Margaret Gutgsell.

 

Fig A-2. Gutgsell Memorial at Braddock Catholic Cemetery, Alleheny Co, PA, photo by RCK, 1993. This is not just a memorial, but also testimony to a sad story. And, a genealogist's "brick wall" is suggested. See paragraph below.

The Austel family, that is, Joseph, with his 2nd wife, Rosa, born Frederick, and the mother-in-law of Joseph's 1st wife (see first image, Fig A-1, above), and 6 of Joseph's 9 children immigrated to Braddock, PA, in Fall, 1903.  They hoped to be "sponsored" by Margaret's brother, Louis Gutgsell, already in Pennsylvania for 24 years. Unfortunately, in 1904, a year after the Austel family arrived, Joseph's mother-in-law, Margaret Gutgsell AND his brother-in-law, Louis Gutgsell, died.  Louis Gutgsell's widow, Josephine (either born Miller or remarried to a Miller), was now without husband or children- their only child, Louis Gutgsell, Jr, died in 1899, aged about 25.  Josephine died in 19__, as incompletely inscribed on this tombstone. The brick wall? A clerk at Allegheny County Office of Register of Wills, Births and Deaths told me that the vital records for years 1904 and 1905 were destroyed in flood or fire in 1926. Can anyone confirm or add to this event. Email me.
 

Fig. A-3. Frederick family in Switzerland about 1900- the family of Joseph Austel's 2nd wife. standing, from left: Mina, Werner, Walter, Robert, and Rosa. sitting: Bertha, Josephine, nee. Odermott (martriarch of family), and Jean. Rosa Frederick was about to become second wife of Joseph Austel. Walter (standing in middle) and Rosa were the only ones to emigrate to America. Reportedly, Robert Frederick was mayor of Arbon, in Canton Thurgau. I need to confirm this family tradition.

Fig. A-4. Joseph Austel (1851-1924). Photo taken early 1900's in Braddock, PA.	Fig. A-5. Rosa Austel, born Frederick (1874-1953), and her neice, Helen Frederick (daughter of Walter Frederick). About 1915.

Fig. A-6. In 1911, Rosa Frederick AUSTEL returned to visit her homeland in Burglen, Switzerland. She addresssed this picture post card, postmarked 30 Aug 1911, to her husband and family in Braddock, PA. The postcard depicts a textile mill captioned "Kammgarnspinneri Bürglen". This may have been Joseph's former place of employment. Rosa wrote in German:  "My dear all! I'm in Burglen today. I received your letter dear Freida. You shouldn't have sent me so much. Pretty soon I'll be starting my return."

Fig. A-7. Rosa Austel, born Frederick, was 24 years younger than her first husband, Joseph Austel. Joseph died in 1924 and two years later, Rosa married Joseph Poeschl (1873-1945). Rosa also outlived her 2nd husband. When Rosa died in 1953, she was buried next to her first husband at Braddock Catholic cemetery.