Von Gruner, Pilz, Werner, Khiell, Bergmann
I’m looking for information on the above names. They are my ancestors who all came from Reichenberg, now Liberec, in what was called the Sudenland or Bohemia.
What my family has found so far is that Franz von Gruner born ca 1790 married Katharina Bergmann born ca 1790 in about 1808. They had 7 children. About 1849 or 1850, the family emigrated to the U.S. One son, Karl, stayed in Reichenberg.
Anna Khiell (born 1802) married first Franz Pilz and they had 3 daughters, born from 1825 to 1833. Franz was a chimney sweep and died in a work accident. Anna then married his partner, Franz Werner, and they had 3 sons.
The two older daughters married and emigrated to the U.S. about the same time as the Gruners. As far as we know, Anna and her second husband fell out and she and her youngest daughter also left for the U.S. Since one of the Gruners sponsored them for entry into the country, we assume the Pilz/Werner family was at least acquainted with the Gruners. Franz Werner came over in 1886 and died here a year later. The three sons came over but one returned to Reichenberg.
We’re not sure of the spelling for Khiell. It could be Kiel or Keil or Kyle. We’ve also been told that Franz Werner was a Lt. General in the Austrian army during the reign of Franz Josef II. There’s nothing to tell us how he came to be business partners with Pilz.
Anything anyone can tell me would be most appreciated.