Weppners.org

Generation II · Son of Augustus Weppner

Francis Weppner

23 Jun 1835 – 17 Feb 1909

Facts

Born
23 Jun 1835, Buffalo, New York
Died
17 Feb 1909, Buffalo, New York
Also known as
Frank Weppner; Francis F. Weppner
Work
Butcher and meat packer; proprietor of the Weppner Provision Co., 601 Perry Street (1900)

Their story

Born in Buffalo on 23 June 1835, the year after the family arrived, and christened at St. Louis Church on 28 June with his brother Jacob and sister Anna Maria as godparents. He was the only one of Augustus's children born in America. He worked with his father-in-law, whose butcher shop stood near the New York Central yards on Exchange Street, and was remembered as a “pioneer butcher of Buffalo.” He married Catherine Dantzer on 16 February 1858. In 1866 a Frank Weppner, almost certainly Francis, sat on the first board of managers of the German Catholic Young Men's Association, which kept a library and reading rooms and later became the Buffalo Catholic Institute. The 1880 census lists Frank, 45, with Catherine and nine children at home, from August, 21, to Eugene, 1, and two others living with them. By 1900 he owned the Weppner Provision Co. on Perry Street, with his sons Arnold H. and Eugene B. working there, and the family lived at 571 West Delavan Avenue. He died on 17 February 1909 and was buried in the United German & French Cemetery, now Mount Calvary.

Their lifetime

  1. 1835Francis Weppner is born on 23 June and christened at St. Louis Church, the only one of Augustus's children born in America.
  2. 1837Der Weltbürger, Buffalo's first German-language newspaper, begins publishing. Buffalo
  3. 1842A treaty gives up the Seneca's Buffalo Creek Reservation, which bordered the city. Buffalo
  4. 1845The family meat market is established; Catherine Dantzer arrives from Alsace-Lorraine at about seven.
  5. 1845The Elk Street Market opens; butchers come to fill most of its stalls. Buffalo
  6. 1855Nearly half of Buffalo's 74,000 residents are German-speaking. Buffalo
  7. 1858Francis Weppner marries Catherine Dantzer on 16 February.
  8. 1859Augustus Frank Weppner is born.
  9. 1859German and French Catholics open the United German & French Cemetery. Buffalo
  10. 1861Frank C. Weppner is born.
  11. 1864Albert Morand Weppner is born.
  12. 1865Arnold H. Weppner is born.
  13. 1866Frank Weppner joins the first board of the German Catholic Young Men's Association, later the Buffalo Catholic Institute.
  14. 1868Alexander Jacob Weppner is born.
  15. 1870Catherine Louisa Weppner is born.
  16. 1870German Jesuits found Canisius College. Buffalo
  17. 1872Joseph Weppner is born.
  18. 1875Emma Maria Weppner is born.
  19. 1878Pierre Morand Dantzer, Catherine's father, dies in Buffalo on 29 October.
  20. 1879Eugene B. Weppner is born.
  21. 1896The Ellicott Square Building opens, the largest office building in the world at the time. Buffalo
  22. 1900Arnold Weppner's Sons pack beef and pork on Guilford Street, Francis runs the Weppner Provision Co., and August runs the Ellicott Square Market.
  23. 1901The Pan-American Exposition; President McKinley is shot at the Temple of Music. Buffalo
  24. 1904The German Bank, controlled by the same Boston promoter, fails in December. Buffalo
  25. 1909Francis Weppner dies on 17 February.