Edward B. Ressler Family

Edward Ressler was one of the five children of Frank and Theresa Fiebiger Ressler.  Frank, Annie, Ed, Joe, and Mary all started life on the homestead in Tyrol Township that is now the Wurst Farm north of Jessie.  They had their fun - "Dad used to play the accordian and on nice warm evenings the two girls, me and my oldest Brother used to dance.  And their work - "We learned to work rather young.  When we got big and strong, we were taught how to milk cows.  When I was 9 years old, I learned to drive a 4-horse team on the plow.  Next was the harrow, at first it was walk, and then we were lucky enough to get a riding attachment.  Next was mustard pulling, one job we never liked.  Haying time came.  We hauled everything on hayrack, also pitched all the hay on wagons, hauled it and pitched it into stacks.  Then came the harvest, I started to shock when I was 12 years old.  Thrashing was really great with all the men.  It was real interesting.  There were no tractors those days - either horse power or a small steam engine that had to be moved with horses.  It was nothing unusual to start the day at 4:00 or 4:30.

As he grew older he started at carpenter work with John Hovel for a while.  About that same time he started dating Ernestine Ressler, one of the ten children of Frank and Marie Kuntz Pfeifer.  She also was born on the homestead, and can remember delivering milk to Jessie residents at 50 per jar, walking to McCulloch's for the mail and receiving some kind of treat from Mrs. McCulloch.  She also remembers working, but baby sitting with the younger children was included, while Mother, Dad, and the older kids went forth to fight prairie fires or hay.

Among the relatives you might find the families of their five children.  Eldon, Elmo B. (Bud), Echo, Ellen, and Ethelyn (Babe) have grown into quite a group.  Bud is the only child living in Griggs County and he was married to Mary Helen Heinz and they have five children: 

Wayne married to Cathy Ziggity runs a store in McVille, they have two sons Ricky and Rodney

 Randy, who farms with his dad and rents land

 Larry who works for Land Bank in Warren, Minnesota

 Lori and Shawn at home.

Eldon was killed in World War II, and Echo died at an early age.

Ellen is married to Dr. George Peterson who is a dentist in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  They have three children: 

Georgia Jean who is married to Dan Fanslow.  They have two children Ericka and Keith;

David George, and Penne.

Ethelyn is married to Clarence Judd.  They have two boys and two girls, Echo Elaine Judd (Mrs. Sim Varner) 3 children

Richard Judd

Larry Edward Judd (2 children)

Judy Ann Judd (Mrs. Skip Mulock) daughter, Andrea.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page Source Page 460