Jacob Leuenberger and Margareth Streich are Ritchey’s great-great-grandparents.  Jacob was born in Durrenroth, Bern, Switzerland, in 1829.  Margareth was born in Switzerland August 7, 1845.  They married May 27, 1869, in Johnson County, Iowa.  Jacob died in 1895, and Margareth was his administratrix.  According to these papers filed in the Johnson County courthouse, there were ten children listed, along with Margareth, their mother, as heirs-at-law:  Mary, Ella, John, Maggie (named for her mother, I’m sure), Rosie, Emma, William, Bertha, Adelbert and Jacob.  Rosie (Rosa) was Ritchey’s great-grandmother.  She married George Edwin Hertz September 28, 1898.

Note that in the document she is referred to as Margaret Leuenberger, but she signs her name ‘Margareth’ Leuenberger.

In the District Court of Johnson County, Iowa, May term,1898.

In the matter of the estate of Jacob Leuenberger, deceased, Margaret Leuenberger, administratrix, Final Report of Administratrix

Comes now Margaret Leuenberger, administratrix as above, and respectfully shows the court:

That on February 28, 1895, the said Jacob Leuenberger died intestate in Johnson County, Iowa, and on March 11, 1895, your petitioner, Margaret Leuenberger, was by this court duly appointed as sole administratrix of the estate of said deceased, and then duly qualified, and on March 12, 1895, gave due and legal notice of her said appointment and is still legally acting as such administratrix.

That as shown by inventory of said estate now on file, the general assets of said estate consisting of two notes made by Samuel Spinden, one for one thousand dollars ($1000) and one for four hundred dollars ($400) and interest as shown by said inventory and the same constituting all of the general personal assets of said estate.

This administratrix further reports that said notes have been converted into cash and that she received as the proceeds thereof cash as follows, to-wit:

• 1895, Apr. 25 – Received in payment of $400 note     $418.28
• Paid for collecting same                                                              $25.00
•      Net receipt from said notes                                                           $393.28
• 1896, Feb. 21 – Received in full of said $1000 note              $1087.25
•                          Total receipts                                                                $1480.53

This administratrix further reports that she paid out for said estate monies as follows, to-wit:

• Paid funeral expenses                                                               $138.00
• Paid other debts against said estate                                       105.00
• Paid clerk’s costs                                                                              12.50
• Paid compensation of executor                                                62.00
• Paid J. A. Edwards, atty. this report                                          5.00
•                                                                                                                         $319.50
• Balance for distribution                                                                    $1161.03

That one-third of said balance belongs to this administrator as widow of said deceased, and the other two-thirds, amounting to $774.02, should be equally divided between the ten children of said deceased, to-wit, Mary Leuenberger, Ella Schuppert (nee Leuenberger), John Leuenberger, Maggie Michel (nee Leuenberger), Rosie Leuenberger, Emma Leuenberger, William Leuenberger, aged 18 years, Bertha Leuenberger, aged 14 years, Adelbert Leuenberger, aged 12 years, and Jacob Leuenberger, aged 8 years.

That all of said children are of full age except the last four who are minors; that all of the personal assets of said estate are above reported, and all claims against said estate and expenses of administration have been paid in full.

Wherefore your petitioner asks that this her final report as such administratrix be now approved and she be ordered and authorized to make distribution accordingly, and that upon such distribution being made and proper vouchers filed that she be then finally discharged as such administratrix and her bond exonerated.

                                                                  Joseph A. Edwards, Attorney for Administratrix

State of Iowa, Johnson County

I, Margaret Leuenberger, on oath say that I am the administratrix referred to in the foregoing final report, and that the statements and allegations thereof are true as I verily believe.

                                                   Margareth Leuenberger

Subscribed and sworn to before me by the said Margaret Leuenberger, this 24th day of June, 1898.

                          Joseph A. Edwards, Notary Public in and for Johnson County, Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa, June 24, 1898

We, the undersigned heirs at law and distributees of said Jacob Leuenberger, deceased, hereby expressly approve the foregoing final report, and ask that the same be approved by the court, and waive all notice of said report and application for discharge.

            Mary H. Leuenberger, Ella Schuppert, Maggie Michel