Tombstone Tuesday - Peter Thielen

Peter H. Thielen was born on April 5, 1862 in Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin. His parents were German immigrants Henry and Gertrude (Thelen) Thielen (my guess is that Peter's middle name was Henry). Peter was my great-great-grandfather.

He worked all of his life as a bricklayer and mason in Racine, living for most of his adult life at 814 Jackson Street. In 1898, Peter became the first president of the Racine chapter of the Bricklayers & Masons Union.

On October 21, 1890, Peter married Mary Anne Kurten at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Racine. They had thirteen children: John Hubert "Jack" Thielen, Henry Thielen, Peter Thielen, Mathias John "Matt" Thielen, Anna Mary (Thielen) Campbell, Marie Elizabeth Thielen, Michael William "Mike" Thielen, an unnamed daughter, Cecelia Elizabeth Thielen, Viola Elizabeth "Vi" (Thielen) Atkinson, Charles Patrick "Chuck" Thielen, Eugene Henry Thielen, and Jerome Joseph "Jerry" Thielen.

Peter died of prostate cancer on October 15, 1935 at Wisconsin General Hospital in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, a forerunner of the University of Wisconsin Hospital.

Peter was buried in Old Holy Cross Cemetery on Kinzie Avenue in Racine, in the Kurten family plot of his in-laws, beside his wife and infant grandson.

The south half of the Kurten family plot, with Peter's headstone third from the right.

Peter's Find A Grave memorial is #95324686.