Gertrude STUESHER

Gertrude STUESHER

Female 1885 - 1963  (77 years)

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  • Name Gertrude STUESHER  [9, 10, 11
    • In circuit court, Mrs. Gertrude Kuehl obtained a divorce from Charles F. Kuehl. The couple was married June 20, 1906, at Tomahawk and have two children, the youngest 18. The court findings sustained a complaint which charged the defendant with drinking to excess, using physical violence against his wife, and failing to support her. The plaintiff secured the household furniture. it was shown that the property of the parties had been conveyed to her before the divorce action was begun.

      Appleton Post Crescent
      Appleton, Wisconsin
      Sep 24, 1928 [1]
    • FARMER, AGING MOTHER DIES
      IN BIZARRE MURDER-SUICIDE

      Anton Kuehl
      Farm Scene
      Of Shootings

      NEENAH - A Winnebago County farmer shot his aging mother in the head with a .22 caliber rifle and then turned the weapon on himself in a bizarre murder-suicide west of here this morning.
      Scene of the double-shooting was the Anton Kuehl farm, located on State 150, about a mile west of U.S. 45.
      Winnebago County Sheriff Richard T. (Bud) Lowell confirmed that: The murder victim was Mrs. Gertrude Padelford, 77, who resided with her son and daughter-in-law, Mrs. and Mrs. Anton Kuehl.

      Dies in Ambulance

      Committing suicide was Anton Kuehl, 56, who died in an ambulance while en route to Theda Clark Hospital here.
      The bodies of Kuehl and his mother were found in the barn of their farm which is located about a mile from the Ridgeway Golf Course.
      Lowell said Kuehl left a note but did not give any reason for shooting his mother and taking his own life. It is believed the tragedy occurred sometime before 10 a.m.
      There were no witnesses to the shootings as no one else was home.

      Discovers Note
      Mrs. Kuehl had gone to Neenah earlier in the morning to the hair dresser and discovered a note in their farm home upon her return about 10:10 a.m.
      In her husband's handwriting, is said 'Do not go in the barn, Call the sheriff.'
      Fearful that something was wrong. Mrs. Kuehl immediately telephoned the Winnebago County sheriff's office. The call was received at Oshkosh at 10:14 a.m.
      Lowell said officers were dispatched to the farm and were met by Mrs. Kuehl, who had not entered the barn.

      Bullet Holes Discovered
      Authorities went into the barn and discovered the bodies spaced about 25 feet apart, each with a bullet hole in the head.
      Lowell said Kuehl was still alive but unconscious. As a result, officers could get no information from him as to a motive for the murder-suicide.
      Authorities said they found Mrs. Padelford on the floor of the barn with a fatal wound in the back of her head. They said her body was covered with an old blanket. it was believed she died instantly from the shot which was apparently fired at close range.
      Kuehl, bleeding profusely from a bullet hole in his temple, was propped up against a few bales of hay several feet across from his mother's body. The rifle, with two expended shells lay next to Kuehl.

      State of Shock
      Mrs. Kuehl was reportedly in a state of shock and was in the care of relatives.
      Lowell described the scene of the shooting and said Kuehl shot his mother, covered her with the blanket, and then walked over to another part of the barn and pulled the trigger on himself.
      The sheriff said he obtained information from relatives that Mrs. Padelford had been ill and the family sometime ago made application to have her admitted to Pleasant Acres Home.
      However, the family was informed the home was filled and had a waiting list for several months. Kuehl felt his mother was becoming too senile to be living with his family at the farm, authorities and relatives said.

      Cancer Operation
      Kuehl himself had undergone a cancer operation about a year ago, according to Sheriff Lowell but as of Thursday had seen his physician and received a report his condition was alright.
      Funeral services are pending.
      Winnebago County authorities officially listed the deaths as murder and suicide.

      Appleton Post-Crescent
      Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Wis., Friday, September 6, 1963
      [2]
    • Rural Neenah Man Kills Mother and Self

      Barn on 150
      Murder Scene

      NEENAH-- A 56 year old rural Neenah man shot and killed his mother this morning on a farm where the family resided one mile west of Highway 45 on Highway 150 and then died at Theda Clark Hospital shortly thereafter from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said today. Taken to the hospital in the Neenah ambulance was Anton R. Kuehl, Route 2, Neenah, who shot his mother, Mrs. Gertrude Padelford, 77, of the same address, in the head with a .22 caliber rifle, the sheriff's department said.
      Mrs. Padelford was pronounced dead at the scene and Kuehl was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
      Mrs. Kuehl notified Winnebago County sherif's officers at 10:14 this morning that she had found a note in the house when she returned from shopping. The note read: 'Don't go in the barn. Call the sheriff's department.'

      Body Found in Barn
      Mrs. Padelford's body was found in the barn and that of Kuehl about 18 feet away.
      According to officers, Kuehl apparently shot his mother in the lower right part of her skull and covered her with a blanket. he then walked a short distance away from the body, took off his glasses and lay against a bale of hay. They stated he then propped the .22 caliber rifle against a beam and shot himself in the right temple.
      Kuehl's wife told officers her husband had been in ill health.

      Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
      Oshkosh, Wi
      Sept 6, 1963 [3]
    • Man and Mother Are found Dead in their Barn

      NEENAH (AP) - the bodies of a rural Neenah man and his other were found 18 feet apart in the barn today.
      Sheriff's officers said the man had shot and killed his mother with a .22 caliber rifle and then took his own life.
      Dead were Anton R. Kuehl, 56, and Mrs. Gertrude Padelford, 77, both of whom lived on the farm at Route 2, Neenah.
      Kuehl's wife said she returned home from shopping and found a note in the house that said, 'Don't go in the barn. Call the sheriff's department.'
      She called deputies who found the bodies. Both had been shot in the head. The rifle was propped against Kuehl's head.

      Sheboygan Press
      Sheboygan, Wisc.
      Sept 6, 1963 [4]
    • Private Rites Planned for Kuehl, Mother

      Neenah Home Sets Arrangements for Shooting Victims

      Private services for victims of a Winnebago County murder-suicide which occurred Friday will be held Monday at the Westgor Funeral Home in Neenah.
      Friends of Mrs. Gertrude Padelford, 77, and her son, Anton R. Kuehl, both of route 2, Neenah, may call at the funeral home from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
      Mrs. Padelford was shot by her son about 10 a.m. Friday in the barn of the home she shared with her son and daughter-in-law. Kuehl, after shooting his mother, shot himself and died later in an ambulance on the way to Theda Clark Hospital.
      Winnebago County sheriff officials went to the barn and discovered the two bodies after receiving a telephone call from Mrs. Kuehl. She said she had seen a note from her husband which stated 'Do not go in the barn. Call the sheriff.' She had been gone from the home early Friday and returned shortly after 10 a.m. and discovered the note.
      Mrs. Padelford is survived by one daughter, a brother, two sisters and a granddaughter. She is to be buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah.
      Kuehl is survived by hi wife and one sister.

      Appleton Post Crescent
      Appleton, Wi
      Sept 7, 1963 [5]
    • Rites Set for Pair in Farm Slaying

      NEENAH -- Private funeral services for Anton R. Kuehl, 56, and his mother, Mrs. Gertrude Padelford, 77, both of Rt. 2, Neenah, will be held Monday at the Westgor Funeral Home. The Rev K. Ari Van Dam, pastor of the Whiting Memorial Baptist Church, will officiate.

      Kuehl shot and killed his mother Friday morning on their rural Neenah farm and died shortly thereafter from self-inflicted rifle wounds.
      Friends of the family may call at the funeral home Sunday from 7p.m. to 9:30 p.m. it was announced today by the funeral director.

      Born at Sherwood
      Mrs. Padelford will be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. She was born Sept. 29, 1885, at Sherwood and had resided in California until returning to the Neenah-Menasha area in 1947.
      She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Amelia Tebbe, Eureka, California; one brother, Amos Stesher, Harriman, Tenn.: two sisters, Mrs. Anton Dare, Menasha, and Mrs. Clara Simon, and one grandchild.

      Kuehl was born May 23, 1907 at Neenah and was employed at the Kimberly-Clark Neenah mill. He was a veteran of World War II.
      He is survived by his wife Magdaline, and a sister, Mrs. Amelia Tebbe of Eureka, Calif. [6]
    • Judge Mueller Rules in Estate of Murder Victim

      The question posed to the court was: Can a murderer's estate inherit from the victim of the murder?
      The answer, ruled Judge Herbert J. Mueller in Winnebago County Court Branch 1 Wednesday, is that it can.
      The question arose because the estate of Mrs. Gertrude Padelford is due for distribution.Mrs. Padelford was shot and killed by her son, Anton Kuehl, on Sept. 6 last year at their Rt. 2, Neenah farm. Kuehl then turned the gun on himself and died of wounds before he arrived at the hospital.
      Mrs. Padelford's only survivor is a daughter, Amelia K. Tebbe, Rt. 1, Eureka, Calif., and Kuehl's only survivor is his wife Magdaline.
      The question became whether Mrs. Tebbe should inherit the entire estate of $5,225.29, or whether it should be divided equally between the daughter and the son's estate.
      'This court is called upon to decide whether the estate of a person who murders his mother may inherit from the estate of the deceased mother.' wrote Judge Mueller.
      'There are no statutory provisions covering a situation of this type, so therefore the court must seek assistance from rules of precedence. Certain cases hold that the murderer may not, while others hold that he may inherit. One observation is made that in a situation where the murderer survived, the children of the murderer would be entitled to the share of their father.
      'No cases have been found by this court, or reference made by the interested parties covering a situation in which the murderer does not live sufficiently long enough to benefit, as in this case. Neither are there any surviving children in the instant case. For that reason this court must arrive at its own solution without any assistance from prior decisions.
      'It would seem to me that in the first place there is no evidence pointing out the reason for the commission of the act. So therefore there can be no assumption that the act was committed for the purpose of enrichment. Secondly, the murderer cannot stand to profit from his act since he took his own life directly thereafter.
      'This then narrows the issue or question to this fact, 'Shall the heirs of the murderer be precluded from inheriting from the estate of the victim because of the over act of the murderer?'
      'I think not. I feel that since there is no evidence that the wife of the murderer in any way conspired with her husband, or had any knowledge of the anticipated act, she should not be punished by being barred from her inheritance. I shall hold that the estate of Gertrude Padelford be distributed equally between Amelia K. Tebbe and the administratrix of the estate of Anton Kuehl." [7]
    • Murderer's Estate Gets Share of Victim's

      Winnebago Judge Rules in Case of Man who killed Mother, Took His Own Life

      OSHKOSH -- County Judge Herbert J. Mueller Thursday ruled the estate of a man who shot his mother may share in the mother's estate.
      The question was raised regarding disposition of the net %5225 estate of the late Gertrude Padelford of Town of Clayton who was killed Sept. 6 by her son, Anton Kuehl, with whom she lived. Kuehl then shot himself and died on the way to Theda Clark Hospital in Neenah.
      Sharing in the estate equally as the result of the decision are Magdaline Kuehl, widow of Anton Kuehl, and Amelia K. Tebbe, Wreka, Calif - a daughter of Mrs. Padelford.

      No Provisions
      Judge Mueller said there were no statutory provisions for handling such a case and that precedent cases differed.
      He said there was no evidence the wife conspired or had knowledge of the act and so should not be punished by being barred from the inheritance.
      Mueller also said there appeared from evidence no reason for the son's killing his mother so that it cannot be assumed it was for enrichment. Also, he said, the murderer cannot profit from the act since he took his own life directly.
      The decision was on a petition by the administrator of her estate for a determination of heirs.

      Appleton Post Crescent
      Appleton, Wis.
      Feb 22, 1964 [8]
    Birth 29 Sep 1885  Sherwood, Calumet Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [9, 10
    Gender Female 
    Census 1910  Living with husband in Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    Census 1930  Living in Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    Census 1940  Living with husband in Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Fact 1948  Living in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California Find all individuals with events at this location  [14
    Death 6 Sep 1963  Neenah, Winebago Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Burial Oak Hill Cemetery, Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Person ID I89273  Main Tree
    Last Modified 24 Mar 2018 

    Family 1 Charles F. KUEHL,   b. 1880, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 May 1942 (Age 62 years) 
    Marriage 20 Jun 1906  Tomahawk, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Divorce Abt 24 Sep 1928  Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Children 
     1. Anton Ralph KUEHL,   b. 23 May 1907, Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Sep 1963 (Age 56 years)  [Birth]
     2. Amelia Florence KUEHL,   b. 13 May 1910, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Nov 1966 (Age 56 years)  [Birth]
    Family ID F36987  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Mar 2018 

    Family 2 John Wilbur PADELFORD,   b. 24 Nov 1878, Illinois, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Oct 1958, Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Marriage Bef 1940  [9
    Family ID F36986  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Mar 2018 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 20 Jun 1906 - Tomahawk, Wisconsin Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1910 - Living with husband in Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1930 - Living in Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsFact - 1948 - Living in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Headstones
    Gertrude Stuesher Kuehl Padelford Headstone
    Gertrude Stuesher Kuehl Padelford Headstone
    Gertrude Stuesher is the wife of (1) Charles F. Kuehl and (2) John W. Padelford. She is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.

    Created by: Nancy W
    Photo added by: Nancy W

  • Sources 
    1. [S9354] Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Wisconsin, 1928, September 24.

    2. [S9358] Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Wisconsin, Friday, September 6, 1963.

    3. [S9359] Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh, Wisconsin Friday Evening, September 6, 1963.

    4. [S9360] Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Sept. 6, 1963.

    5. [S9361] Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Wisconsin, 1963, September 7.

    6. [S9362] Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh Wisconsin, Sept. 7, 1963 .

    7. [S9363] Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, Oshkosh Wisconsin, Feb 21, 1964.

    8. [S9364] Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Wisconsin, 1964, February 22.

    9. [S6172] 1940 Census Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington.

    10. [S02329] Find A Grave Website.

    11. [S9352] FamilySearch.org: Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1801-1928.

    12. [S01117] 1910 Census Neenah, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

    13. [S9353] 1930 Census Neenah, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

    14. [S9365] Index To Register of Voters - Los Angeles County, California.