Muno Cousins
Descendants of Johannes and Anna Marie Claude Muno
The sons of two Muno brothers, Johannes and Christian were among the earliest settlers in Ridgeville and many of their offspring have molded the West Ridge community.
The first immigrants, Peter and Johannes are descendants of the Damlos, Germany schoolmaster, Johannes Muno and his wife Anna Marie nee: Claude.
In 1842, Peter Muno born in 1807, his pregnant wife, Maria Katherina nee: Schmitt, their young son and daughter, emigrated from Damlos, Germany to Ridgeville in 1842 with Jacob Phillipp, (see Smith). Peter bought 40 acres of land, built a home at (now) 7504 N. Ridge Boulevard, and apportioned among his son and four daughter’s families, expanded his successful farm to 80 acres.
Peter’s oldest child and only son, Henry nee: (Heinrich) born in 1835, married John Zender’s daughter, Anna Marie Muno, nee: Anna Marie Zender, and they had 7 sons and 1 surviving daughter.
Muno Murder On November 2, 1886, Henry was fatally strangled as he walked home from a late night service at St. Henry’s Church. One of Phillip’s hired hands, John Goebel was suspected of the murder for theft of cash that Henry was carrying; Goebel, who later fled, was never apprehended. The extended family, including his sisters Mary Block nee: Mary Muno wife of Anton Block, Elizabeth Weber nee: Muno, wife of John Weber, and Margaretha Kloss, nee: Muno, wife of Peter Kloss continued farming up to the 20th Century, at which time the home was sold to Joseph Winkin. In 1959 the home and land was sold for townhouse development.
Peter’s brother, Johannes (Big John) Muno, Sr., born in 1812, was the first to emigrate from Damlos, Germany in 1842, and traveled via the Erie Canal and Great Lakes to Chicago. Initially working as a laborer and learning English, he purchased farmland on the north side of (now) Touhy from (now) Western to (now) Kedzie and in 1852 married Elizabeth Scherer nee: Muno, of Lutheran faith, who had emigrated in 1850 with her mother and brother. They have two surviving children , John, Jr. and Elizabeth. He farmed and continued to purchase tracts of land in New Trier township and resell them "…at cost to his friends from the old home, as they arrived from time to time. By his industry and prudent management, with the aid of his careful wife, he accumulated a handsome property…"
At 20, John (Lefty) Muno Jr. born 1858 "began business for himself, as a market-gardener, and after 7 years, began building greenhouses for lettuce and cucumbers for the Chicago market." In the 1890s he focused on the production of roses and carnations and owned a wholesale floral business that shipped through out the U.S. He served as Trustee for the Village of West Ridge. He and his wife, Katherine nee: Wietor, raised 8 children, in their home at 2464 W. Touhy Avenue.
Descendants of Christian and Elizabeth Katherina Detemple Muno
In 1856, Johann Muno, (born 1827), and his wife immigrated to the U.S., ultimately settling in Minnesota. They wrote home encouraging their siblings to follow them to America, and in 1857, leaving their two older brothers and widowed mother in Germany, two brothers and one sister emigrated. The sister, Maria Raup nee: Maria Muno married Johann Peter Raup and continued on to Minnesota. But, the two brothers, Peter Muno, born 1817, and Heinrich Muno, born 1829, were married to sisters. They purchased 30 acres of land near Crete, IL. Sadly, they lost them after a few years.
Peter Muno and his wife, Anna Maria Muno nee: Anna Maria Pinck (Pink), moved to Ridgeville, and after working as a laborer on other farms, bought 40 acres of land and built a home on (now) Florence Avenue, Evanston. Their elder son, Johannes Muno (a.k.a. John Muno), born 1847, and his wife Florian Klas, second son, Carl Muno, born 1850, and his wife Elizabeth Muno (daughter of Johannes Muno and Elizabeth Scherer Muno) are also interred in St. Henry's Cemetery.
Heinrich Muno, born 1829, and his wife Margaretha Pinck (Pink), nee: Margaretha Pinck (Pink) purchased a half section of land at Ridge Avenue and (now) Howard Avenue, built a farmhouse at now 7554 N. Ridge Avenue, and farmed for about 10 years. In 1873 he built a three-story building on some land he owned at 805 Davis Street, Evanston and opened a bakery, “Muno Bros. Bakery”, with his sons, Christian Muno, born 1854, (his wife Catherine Matilda Muno nee: Catherine Matilda Britz), who had apprenticed as a baker and Peter Muno, born 1856, as proprietors, with assistance by the entire family. In 1880, Peter died at age 24, Henry’s wife Margaretha Muno and his eldest daughter, Elizabeth Muno, born 1858, died a year later, at age 28. The business now included the youngest son, John A. Muno, born 1866, (his wife Clara M. Muno nee: Clara M. Schiestel), and was expanded into the “high grade ice creams and fruit ices” confectionery business under the name “Muno & Company.”
The sons of two Muno brothers, Johannes Muno & Christian Muno were among the earliest settlers in Ridgeville and many of their offspring have molded the West Ridge community. The first immigrants, Peter Muno and Johannes Muno are descendants of the Damlos, Germany schoolmaster, Johannes Muno and his wife Anna Marie Muno, nee: Anna Marie Claude.
In 1842, Peter Muno, born 1807, his pregnant wife, Maria Muno, nee: Maria Katherina Schmitt and a young son and daughter, emigrated from Damlos, Germany to Ridgeville in 1842 with Jacob Phillipps (see Smith). Peter bought 40 acres of land, built a home at (now) 7504 N. Ridge Boulevard and apportioned among his son and four daughter’s families, expanded his successful farm to 80 acres.
Peter’s oldest child and only son, Henry Muno (a.k.a. Heinrich Muno), born 1835, married John Zender’s daughter, Anna Marie Zender, and they had 7 sons and 1 surviving daughter.
In 1886, Henry Muno was fatally strangled as he walked home from a late night service at St. Henry Church. One of Phillip’s hired hands, Gable (Goebel) was suspected of the murder for theft of cash that Henry was carrying; Goebel, who later fled, was never apprehended. The extended family, including his sisters Mary Block nee: Mary Muno, wife of Anton Block, Elizabeth Weber, nee: Elizabeth Muno, wife of John Weber, and Margaretha Kloss, nee: Margaretha Muno, wife of Peter Kloss continued farming up to the 20th Century, at which time the home was sold to Joseph Winkin. In 1959, the home and land was sold for townhouse development.
Peter’s brother, Johannes (Big John) Muno, Sr., born 1812, was the first to emigrate from Damlos, Germany, in 1842, and traveled via the Erie Canal and Great Lakes to Chicago. Initially working as a laborer and learning English, he purchased farmland on the north side of (now) Touhy Avenue from (now) Western Avenue to (now) Kedzie Avenue and in 1852, married Elizabeth Muno, nee: Elizabeth Scherer, of Lutheran faith, who had emigrated in 1850 with her mother and brother. They have two surviving children, John, Jr. and Elizabeth. He farmed and continued to purchase tracts of land in New Trier Township and resell them “…at cost to his friends from the old home, as they arrived from time to time. By his industry and prudent management, with the aid of his careful wife, he accumulated a handsome property…”
At 20, John (Lefty) Muno, Jr., born 1858 “began business for himself, as a market-gardener, and after 7 years, began building greenhouses for lettuce and cucumbers for the Chicago market.” In the 1890s, he focused on the production of roses and carnations and owned a wholesale floral business that shipped throughout the U.S. He served as trustee for the Village of West Ridge. He and his wife, Katherine Muno nee: Katherine Wietor, raised 8 children, in their home at 2464 W. Touhy Avenue.
