Research into Isar Procunier

Procuniar/ier Genelaogy

A Thumbnail Biography by David C. Procuniar

Copyright 1997-1998-1999-2000-2001

Research into Isar Procunier 1853 Canada

In 1998 I was contacted by a Richard Werner Procunier (1936-) (snail mail) saying that he was doing his family research but could not go past his great grandfather. Richard’s father was Werner Richard Procunier 1907-1988 (married to Dorothy Koch 1910 1985); Werner’s father (Richard’s grandfather) was Olaf Milton Constantine Procunier 1883-1956 (married to Frieda Boenning 1888-1939).

Warner Richard Procunier 1907-1988:

A pioneer in television telephones 1930-1936, general contractor, tool & die maker, business representative for machinists union (IAM) , active ham radio operator 9CSL, w9HEP, Chicago except for temp absence, Armour Institute ( now Illinois Institute of Technology)

Olaf Milton Constantine Procunier 1883-1956:

REF: Richard W. Procunier 7/98

Milton (Olaf) did not talk to his son Werner due to the way Werner treated his mother. Richard W. Procunier said his grandfather was a Lutheran Minister in Bedford County, Pennsylvania & also stated that his mother’s parents were Lutheran too!

Milton's birth certificate was initiated by a cousin Edward Hemmelgam of 1321 School St. Chicago, ILL & signed on July 7, 1943. Notarized by Daniel Dunne filed on July 10, 1943 Evidently this was a first attempt to create a birth certificate for Milton Constidine Procunier and Edward Hemmelgam supplied the information. I have no idea why they needed a certified birth certificate in 1943 when Milton didn't die until 1965.

Richard was led to believe from his father that the father of Olaf Milton Constantine Procunier was Isar Procunier 1853 Canada; married Oline Gusta Wieborg (1856-1936 Norwegian)

Richard Werner Procunier is only guessing but he thinks his great grandfather Isar Procunier may actually be Isaiah Becker Procunier 1858-1901. But I can not find any evidence that Isaiah Becker Procunier had a wife named Oline Gusta Wieborg (1856-1936). There is only a five year difference in the births of Isaiah and Isar and both Isaiah & Isar Procunier lived in Cook County, Illinois.

However it is possible that Isaiah Procunier married first Oline Agusta Weiborg (1856-1936), having a son Olaf Milton Constantine Procunier (they may have divorced since Oline did not die until 1936 or never married) then Isaiah may have married second Jennie Argyle and they had three children; Cora May; Ivan Argyle (1891-1944) & Harry Grant Procunier (1892-1957)? I don’t have any information as to birth or death for Jennie Argyle!

As of this writing I have not been able to connect Isar Procunier to our Procuniar/ier clan. Isar was brought to my attention by Richard Procunier just prior to January 1999. Richard has been trying for a long time to find out who his great grandfather was. He knew his grandfather was Olaf Milton Constantine Procunier 1883-1956 but that is as far as he could go in his research.

Below:

David C. Procuniar's comments to Richard W Procunier

after reading Richard's initial contact concerning Isar Procunier:

1999

Richard,

I have been wrestling with our new assumption that Isar Procunier is actually Isaiah B. Procunier. While going over all my research I have come across several discrepancies

Concerning Isar Procunier’s birth year 1853?

First records sent to me by Richard Werner Procunier and his secretary Jane O’Connell was a birth certificate #246675 #7335 dated September 16, 1883 for Milton Constantine Procunier, which lists Isar Procunier as Milton’s father aged 30 being born in Canada (suggesting Isar was born in 1853). The same document list Milton’s mother as Gusta Wieborg aged 27 being born in Norway; thus Isar being born in 1853 and Gusta being born in 1856. From this document we can assume the following:

a) This birth certificate lists Milton Procunier’s birth as September 16, 1883.

b) This certificate clearly establishes that Isar Procunier and Gusta Wieborg were the legitimate father and mother of Milton Procunier

c) This certificate establishes that Milton was the first child for Isar and Gusta Procunier.

d) This certificate establishes that Isar and Gusta resided at the same address of NE corner of Chicago & Milton Ave. We could assume then that Isar and Gusta were legally married from what is stated on this certificate. However a marriage certificate or church records would leave no question as to their marriage being legal.

e) This certificate states that Isar’s occupation was an Architect at the time of Milton’s birth.

f) A cousin of Milton Procunier named Edward Hemmelgam requested a copy of Milton’s birth certificate on July 7, 1943 from Cook County, Illinois, which Richard Werner Procunier gave me a copy. We have no idea why Edward Hemmelgam was requesting a certified copy of Milton’s birth certificate in 1943. Milton’s wife Frieda Benning died in 1939 (18 years before Milton died).

Isaiah Becker Procunier (occupation engineer) was the son of Jacob Weymer Procunier and Emily Jane Foster. Isaiah was the sixth child and sixth son out of eleven children. Isaiah married Jennie Argyle circa 1888 and together had three children. Cora May Procunier, Ivan Argyle Procunier born 1891 & Harry Grant Procunier born 1892.

I have two sources for Isaiah’s birth year of 1858.

a) genealogy journal “A Compendium of Mabie Research” page 129 lists a Frances Manuel marring Henry Procunier Sr. circa 1819. Frances and Henry had a son named Jacob Wymer Procunier who had a son named Isaiah Procunier born in 1858.

b) Other birth sources: giving May 13, 1858 for the birth of Isaiah Procunier is Marjorie Bragonier Whittemore 608 E. Bougainvillea Circle, Barefoot Bay, Fl 32958; (Mormon 2nd cousin three times removed for Isaiah) This information was dated May 6, 1986

A copy of a death certificate sent to me by Richard Werner Procunier for Isaiah B. Procunier Chicago, Illinois January 21, 1901 lists Isaiah’s age as 41 at time of death. That suggests that Isaiah was born in 1860 instead of 1858 as listed in the “A Compendium of Mabie Research” page 129.

Richard’s thinking is that Isar Procunier and Isaiah Procunier are actually the same person! That would mean that Isaiah would have been 22 years old when he and Gusta Weiborg married and age 23 when Milton Procunier was born on September 16, 1883. Isaiah married Jennie Argyle about 1888 or 1889 so we would assume that Isaiah and Gusta divorced sometime before 1887 or it is possible that Isaiah and Gusta Weiborg were never married when Milton Procunier was born, but I doubt that. Gusta Weiborg Procunier was born in 1856 (two or possibly four years older then Isaiah), she died in 1936, 35 years after Isaiah died.

David C. Procuniar 1999

Sources:

Richard Werner Procunier; oral conversations; letters & emails

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