(1) Mathaeus Steiner, born about 1700; married in 1720 at Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, Anna Buecheberger. Parents of:

        (2) Jacob Steiner, born 19 July 1724 in Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, died 8 December 1779 at Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria; married 3 July 1752 at Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, Sabina Guggemos, born September 1721 in Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, died 31 January 1794 in Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, daughter of Stanislaus Guggemos and Maria Veronica Schübel, who were married September 1717 at Bodelsberg.

Children:

1. Joseph; along with Ignatz Sichler, he was appointed guardian of his two younger brothers upon the death of their father
2. Andreas; upon the death of his father, he inherited the estate.
3. Johannes Baptist, mentioned below

        (3) Johannes Baptist Steiner, born 20 July 1760 at Sulzberg, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, died 9 May 1832 at Häusern, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany. His birth was witnessed by Maria (Wiess) Buecheberger. He married three times.  His first wife was Johanna Spiegl "of Waltenhofen" born about 1755, died 5 May 1793 at Häusern, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, whom he married on 27 February 1786 at Bodelsberg, Sulzberg parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany. Their marriage was witnessed by Franz Joseph Gabler of Häusern and "N. Steiner" of Bodelsberg.  Johanna was an adopted daughter of Joseph Ahegger and Maria Anna Haiselin of Sonderten, Martinzsell parish, who conveyed property to her in Sonderten.  According to her marriage contract of 6 February 1786, Johanna had traded in her property for an estate at Häusern, in Martinszell parish, which she brought into the marriage with her.  For his part, Johannes "and his guardians Ignatzi Sichler of Haasen and Joseph Steiner of Bodelsberg" brought endowments including 900 florins and a cow.
        The birth of their son Johannes Nepomuk must have proved too dofficult for Johanna, as she died three days after his birth on 5 May 1793.  After her death, Johannes married two more times: His second marriage on 7 January 1817 in Martinszell parish to Rosa Haaslacher, was witnessed by Michael Gabler and Georg Mayr, both of Häusern.  Rosa died on 27 March 1826.  His third marriage on 13 November 1826 in Martinszell parish to Anastasia Kessler, was witnessed by Joseph Spottle and Johannes' son Sylvester Steiner.  Inexplicably, in the marriage records for his last two marriages, Johannes reported his parents' names as Johannes Steiner and Margaret Zettler.  It's is not clear why he did this, since records in Sulzberg establish his biological parents without question.

Children of Johannes and Johanna:

1. Silveri, a.k.a. Sylvester, born before 1793, presumably at Häusern, Martinszell parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, died after 1826.
2. Johannes Nepomuk, mentioned below

        (4) Johannes Nepomuk Steiner, born 2 May 1793 at Häusern, Martinszell parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, died 29 June 1839 at Kurzberg, Martinszell parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany; married Maria Katharina Wiestner, born 24 November 1792 at Kurzberg, died 25 February 1873 at Kurzberg.

Children (all born at Kurzberg, Martinszell parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany):

1. Johann Michael, born 25 May 1817, died 8 April 1883.
2. Johann Martin, born 7 June 1818; married 1863 in "Knechtenschmid"
3. Franz Xavier, born 28 March 1826, died 1876 in Weilheim; married 1858 in Oberauerbach near Mindelheim.
4. Maria Josepha, born 1 July 1828; married in Radolz near Immenstadt.
5. Johann Georg, born 1 July 1828, died 20 January 1892 in Kurzberg.
6. Salome, born 9 January 1833, died 20 August 1895 in Rochester, Monroe Co., New York. went to America in 1859
   with her child. By early 1851, Salome had become involved with Aegidius Bollage (a.k.a. Gilles Joseph Boulanger), a Frenchman from Nessonvaux, near Verviers, Belgium, who was supervising railroad construction through Kurzberg at the time, and together they had a son out of wedlock. By the time of the child's birth, Gilles had returned to Belgium leaving Salome with no support for the child. By 1859, Salome had become involved with Engelbert Diepolder, a farmer, born about 22 November 1828 in the neighboring village of Memhölz, a son of Johann Georg Diepolder and Biebinia Riederer. Engelbert applied to immigrate at Göratz (Archives application # STAA-BA-Ke 3116), and in 1859 he at age 30, "his bride" Salome at age 25, and Johann at age 6 years, set sail for the United States from Hamburg, Germany, aboard the steamship Bavaria, under the command of Capt. H. Taube. Their quarters while on board were "between decks" and they were enumerated as passengers 94 through 96 respectively. More passengers were picked up at Southampton, England, before setting out for the final stretch of the long voyage to America. They finally landed in New York City on 1 September 1859, where they disembarked at the Castle Garden immigration facility. Although no record of marriage exists for Engelbert and Salome in germany, by the time they were enumerated in the 1860 census of New York Salome and Johanna Michael had taken the surname Diepolder. On 10 March 1865, Engelbert died of unknown causes at the young age of 36, a mere five and a half years after arriving in New York City.  He is buried in Grove Cemetery in the village of Lafargeville.  Salome remarried to Josef Klepful and together they kept a hotel in Plessis, Town of Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York for a few years. In the latter 1880's Salome and Josef gave up proprietorship of the Plessis Hotel and removed to Rochester, Monroe County, where they continued in business together. There "Joseph Klupfel" was listed in the Rochester city business directory as operating a saloon (59 Chatham St. and 269 Central Ave. are addresses provided in the listings) from at least 1888 to 1890. Salome is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Rochester, Monroe Co., New York. Salome and Aegidius were parents of:
   1. Johannes Michael Steiner (a.k.a. Michael Johannes Diepolder), mentioned below.
7. Johanna, born 10 December 1836. She immigrated from Antwerp, Belgium to the United States aboard the steamship Steinmann, to join her sister Salome, arriving in New York City on 2 October 1873. Mother of:
   1. Magnus Steiner, born out of wedlock on 6 September 1864 at Durach, also baptized at Durach. It is not clear whether he accompained his mother to the United States.

        (6) Johannes Michael Steiner, also known as Michael Johannes Diepolder, was born 14 December 1852 at Kurzberg, Martinszell parish, Schwaben, Bavaria, Germany, died 16 July 1901 at Rock Island Lighthouse, off Fisher's Landing, Town of Orleans, Jefferson County, New York, where he had served as lighthouse keeper since 1886.
        Michael's first wife was Sophia Hax, a German immigrant. The registers of the Evangelical Church at Habitzheim, Starkenburg, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, show the baptism of one Sophia Hax on 29 August 1847, born to Peter Hax and Sophia Rapp. In 1870, a Sophia Hax, age 22, from Darmstadt, was keeping house in a part of the Town of Orleans in the Theresa post office district of Jefferson County, New York, that was thickly settled with German immigrants. Another Sophia Hax, age 50, of Darmstadt, Germany—presumably her mother—shared a home with another German woman in the vicinity, and probably was a widow. The names, ages, and birthplaces of the women in the German church register match those in the Orleans census records and so probably refer to the same people. In fact, the German baptismal date for young Sophia falls a mere twelve days after the birth of Michael's wife, as calculated from her age at her time of death (i.e. born roughly 17 August 1847). On 2 February 1874, Sophia was baptized at St. Mary's Church in Clayton, Jefferson County, by Father T. Arents (Transcript of Baptisms, pg. 97). Two weeks later, on 16 February 1874, Michael Diepolder and Sophia Hax were married at St. Mary's by Father Arents (Transcript of Marriages, pg. 98). Sophia's baptism into the Catholic Church shortly before their wedding is an indication that Michael probably belonged to the Church at St. Mary's and that Sophia was required to join that faith in order for their wedding to be solemnized. The marriage was short-lived and they had no known children. Sophia died 4 November 1875 at age 28 yrs 2 mos. 17 days, of unknown causes, and was buried next to Michael's father in Grove Cemetery, LaFargeville.
        The following year, Michael petitioned for citizenship in the United States. On 20 October 1876, Michael "...an Alien, formerly a resident of Germany and now a resident of Orleans..." appeared before George Cole, Deputy Clerk for Jefferson County, and declared his intention to become a citizen, thereby renouncing "...all allegiance and fidelity to King of Bavaria...." That same day, Peter Seibert and Philip Fink, citizens of the U.S., swore before the court on Michael's behalf that he had been a continuous resident for five years and was of good character. In the 1900 census of the Town of Orleans, Michael was enumerated as a naturalized citizen, so presumably the court accepted his petition.
        A few years thereafter, Michael married his mother's young neighbor, Mary Adel Kilborn, born 6 September 1860, daughter of the hotel keeper Samuel Kilborn, whom he no doubt had become well acquainted with after his mother moved to the village. (Samuel's nephew Herbert Kilborn married his wife Theresa York at St. Mary's Church in Clayton on 1 July 1890, Father E. G. Brice officiating). In 1878, Michael and Mary had their first and only child together, Ada Blanche. In 1880, Michael and Mary were enumerated in their own household, no longer next door to her parents; Michael, 27, was occupied as "harness maker," and Mary, 20, was "keeping house." The 1864 land ownership map of the village of LaFargeville shows a harness shop operating next door to the Kilborn hotel (then owned by D. D. Calvin)—it is reasonable to presume that Michael probably sold his harnesses out of this shop, while Mary visited with her family next door.
        In 1881 Michael's father-in-law, Samuel Kilborn, died. In that year, Michael, at age 28, was holding office as Clerk for the Town of Orleans. In that year he signed his name certifying a list of jurors appointed from the town for that year; the list included Joseph Collins, Jr., son of earlier Rock Island Lighthouse keeper Joseph Collins Sr.. Perhaps it was during this early venture into public service that Michael started to develop the system of social contacts and favorable reputation that ultimately earned him his appointment as keeper of Rock Island Lighthouse.
         In September 1885, Michael sent a petition to the regional lighthouse board engineer asking to be appointed as keeper of Rock Island Lighthouse. Sadly, before he received a decision, Mary died on 22 February 1886 at just 25 years 10 months 29 days, after being sick with consumption (a form of tuberculosis) for three years. Michael was a widower once again, and this time had a child to care for—and they were about to become the only two residents of Rock Island.

Grave for Sophia, Michael's first wife, in Grove Cemetery, LaFargeville, Jefferson Co., New York, next to Engelbert's stone.       Monument for Michael Diepolder & Mary A. Kilborn in Grove Cemetery, LaFargeville, Jefferson Co., New York.

         Michael's petition was finally granted, and on 13 September 1886, seven months after Mary's death, Michael assumed the responsibilities of acting keeper of Rock Island Lighthouse. On 25 September 1886, he permanently replaced the former keeper, Foster M. Drake, and on 20 July 1887, Michael was promoted to Principal Keeper.
        Michael's lighthouse logs indicate that during the 1890's his mother continued to live in Rochester, and he took advantage of the opportunity by sending his daughter, Ada, there for schooling. Ada lived with her grandparents during the school year and came home on weekend and holidays to visit her father at the station. Some of Michael's records show that Ada and "her grandfather" visited the lighthouse, references to Josef Klupfel, who was the only "grandfather" Ada ever really knew, since both Engelbert Diepolder and Samuel Kilborn were dead by the time Ada was three.
        Sometime between 1890 and 1894, Michael took Emma E. Row, born 16 October 1857, as his third wife—in the 1900 census the couple reported that they had been married for ten years, but the record of their marriage which took place at Gananoque, Leeds & Grenville Co., Ontario, was dated 2 July 1894.
        In the marriage record, Michael's occupation was given as "saddler," echoing his occupation of "harness maker" that was previously indicated in the 1880 census, and illustrating that lighthouse keeping was not his only line of work. Interestingly, his name was anglicized as "Michael John" by the recorder, and his mother's name was given as "Helen" Steiner rather than as Salome. His religious denomination was given as Episcopalian, and Emma's was given as Methodist. The officiating minister was Rev. F. C. Reynolds, and the ceremony was witnessed by John H. Kuek of Fisher's Landing and Nellie Johnston of Gananoque.
        The marriage record gave Thousand Island Park, on Wellesley Island, directly across the river from Rock Island, as their place of residence at the time of marriage. Thousand Island Park was, and remains to this day, a collection of cottages which residents rented from a corporation thus being impermanent residences; it is unclear whether Michael retained his home at LaFargeville concurrently.
        In the fall of 1894, after years of Michael's petitions to the Lighthouse Service, work began to raise the light tower approximately five feet from its position in the center of the island, so it could be seen over the roof of the dwelling. It was raised atop a new solid octagonal wall of red granite laid in Portland cement mortar beneath. Michael was involved in overseeing the workers and tracked their progress in the station logs. Work was completed that fall.
        He was also quite a handyman himself, often cutting glass for windows, carving wood for house repairs, painting the outbuildings, planting geraniums and roses in spring, and even digging a root cellar: "There, now there is a decent vegetable cellar!," he exclaimed with pride the day he completed it.
        On 21 March 1895, Emma gave birth to their first and only child, Lawrence Engelbert Diepolder, named partly in honor of his grandfather. Proud father Michael wrote in his logs: "A young visitor arrived here 7:50a.m. It's a 9# boy." But that year was one of loss for the family as well—in his lighthouse logs for 20 August 1895, Michael recorded: "Keepers mother died 5:am at Rochester NY this 20th day of August cause of death supposed to have been heart failure. I received a telegram 12:m and started for her home 3:30pm and returned to the station 24 inst. 6:pm." Notice of the death of "Saloma Klupfel" was published in Rochester's Union Advertiser (pg. 6, col. 6) the same day, stating: "Saloma, wife of Joseph Klupfel, died this morning at his home, No. 40 Hanover street, aged 61 years. A husband, one son, and a sister survive. The funeral will be held at 9 o'clock Thursday morning from St. Joseph's Church." Her death certificate (City of Rochester, Register No. 146) indicates her age at death was 62 years, 7 months; cause of death was heart disease; she was attended by Dr. E. J. Bice. Burial was made in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester (Section H, Tier 9, doube grave 49). (Today, a school athletic field marks the spot of their former home on Hanover St. in Rochester.).
         The next year was a happier one—on 26 November 1896, Ada married a local man, Floyd Lewis Carter, a carpenter and mechanic from Omar. At first Michael did not approve of the marriage, but finally relented, and his later logs describe Floyd's hunting and fishing exploits on the island.
        According to the 1900 federal census of the town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., Michael was a naturalized citizen, and in that year he and Emma were renting the keeper's house on Rock Island. In this year the generator house was established on the island.
        According to the records kept by the Livingston Masonic Library for the Grand Lodge of New York, Free & Accepted Masons, Michael Johannes Diepolder joined LaFargeville Lodge #171 in 1901. He was 46 years old at the time, with his occupation listed as "lightkeeper." He took his first degree on 18 March 1901, his second degree on 1 April 1901, and his third degree on 15 April 1901.
Not long after, in the early morning hours of 16 July 1901, Emma walked out to the workshop where she found Michael dead on the floor. After going for dip in the river he had suffered a heart attack. He was able to pull himself up onto the dock and stumble to the workshop where he expired. According to records of the Orleans Town Clerk, his body was attended by J. L. Cole.
         Two days later, Michael was buried with full Masonic rites in Grove Cemetery, LaFargeville. Subsequently, Emma returned to the station where shecarried out his duties until his annual service anniversary that September. By doing so, she became the only woman ever to function officially at Rock Island Lighthouse.
         Logs kept by keepers in later years indicate that Emma frequently visited the station with her son Lawrence. She and Lawrence eventually moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where she died in 1923 at age 65. Lawrence died there too, in 1978.

Children of Michael and Mary:

1. Ada Blanche, born 23 May 1878 in LaFargeville, Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York, died 7 May 1974 in Omar, Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York; married 26 November 1896, Floyd Lewis Carter, born 23 December 1877 in Clayton, Jefferson Co., New York, died February 1935 in Omar, Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York.

Children of Michael and Emma:

1. Lawrence Engelbert, born 21 March 1895 at Rock Island, Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York, died 18 March 1978 at Sand Hills Ranch, Hernando Co., Florida.

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Michael J. Diepolder's Rock Island Lighthouse Keeper's Logs

Inscription page for volume two.

25 September 1886

Michael's appointment as keeper

3 October 1886

Daughter Ada's first ride on a skiff 26 October 1886
Record of Michael's wife Mary's uncle James Kilborn's funeral 14 December 1887
Michaels' 35th birthday record, establishing his birth year as 1852 1 January 1890
A special occasion noted with ornate penmanship 24 June 1893
A World's Fair exhibit passes the lighthouse 16, 17, 18 July 1901
Lines one and two, written by someone other than Michael's wife Emma on
July 16, record the circumstances of his death.  The others were written on
July 18 and make record of his funeral.