The 1860 United States census showed Joseph Volz (age 28, born in Germany, carpenter) married to Anna (age 22, born in Germany) and living in Stearns County, Minnesota. A daughter, Anna C. (age 6 months, born in Minnesota), also lived with the couple.
The 1870 United States census showed Joseph Volz (age 39, born in Germany, builder) married to Anna (age 28, born in Germany) and living in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Children Kathrina (age 10, born in Minnesota), Barbara (age 8, born in Minnesota), Nicolaus (age 6, born in Minnesota), and Anna (age 8 months, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
The 1885 Minnesota census showed Joseph Volz (age 53, born in Germany) married to Anna (age 47, born in Germany) and living in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Children Anna (age 15, born in Minnesota), Peter (age 13, born in Minnesota), Mary (age 11, born in Minnesota), Joseph (age 7, born in Minnesota), and Frances (age 3, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
The 1900 United States census showed Joseph Volz (age 69, born in October 1830 in Germany, builder) married to Anna (age 63, born in September 1836 in Germany) and living in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Children Mary (age 26, born in April 1874 in Minnesota), Joseph (age 22, born in August 1877 in Minnesota), and Francis (age 19, born in July 1881 in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
The 1905 Minnesota census showed Joseph Volz (age 74, born in Germany, carpenter) married to Anna (age 67, born in Germany) and living in St. Cloud, Minnesota. A daughter, Frances (age 23, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
Page 319. Joseph Volz, was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, October 28, 1831; son of Anton Volz and Marian Von Hildenbrandt. As a youth he learned the trades of cabinet-maker and carpenter. He sailed for America August 19, 1851, and upon his arrival went at once to St. Louis, where he pursued his trades. He reached St. Cloud August 17, 1854, remained here a brief period, then went to Burlington, Iowa, and shortly afterward returned to St. Louis. But finding the yellow fever raging there, he again came to St. Cloud, where he entered the employ of Wolfgang Eich, a brother-in-law of his, and a contractor at that time. Two years later Joseph Volz and Nicholas Weber, a brother of Mrs. Anna Volz, opened a brickyard two miles west of St. Cloud, where they manufactured red brick, which were used for the present Catholic Immaculate Conception church on St. Germain street, and also the present court house and the residence of the late Joseph Edelbrock, now owned by John Zapp. Two years later he sold his interest to Nicholas Weber and moved to the city and took up the carpenter work again with Peter Schmidt in partnership. Mr. Volz worked with Peter Schmidt in building the first State Normal school at St. Cloud, also the present Union school building. Among other structures which Mr. Volz assisted in erecting may be named the Central House, the Parish house of the Cathedral, and the fine residence of the late Thomas C. Alden, all at St. Cloud. July 26, 1859, Mr. Volz married Anna Weber, daughter of Peter and Barbara (Binran) Weber. Anna Weber Volz came with her parents in 1857, from Germany to Quebec, Canada, whence they went to Illinois, where the father and brother worked in a brickyard, after which, in 1858, they came to St. Cloud. Mr. and Mrs. Volz had nine children. Katherine married Peter Roth and they have nine children. Barbara married Dominic Grin, and they have five children. Nickolas lives in St. Cloud. Mari-
Page 320. anna and Granzi are dead. Peter has not been heard from for a long time. Joseph lives in Montana. Frances lives at home. Anna married Mathew Hall and they have nine children. Joseph Volz died June 1, 1907, aged seventy-six years. He was a member of the St. Joseph society, and one of the first members of the St. Cloud Volunteer Fire department. Mrs. Volz lives at 829 Fifth street, North, in St. Cloud. She is a well preserved woman of seventy-seven years, and a most interesting person to meet. Having in her girlhood her full share of immigrant and pioneer experience in Quebec, Canada, and Minnesota, her memory is as clear as that of a person half her age and she enjoys relating detailed stories of the early days. Her grandchildren, her children, her neighbors and her friends all delight in coaxing her to tell stories of the days of the early settlement, and her knowledge of such events is both correct and valuable. (History of Stearns County Minnesota, Volume I, William Bell Mitchell, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., Chicago, 1915)
Joseph Volz died June 1, 1907, in Stearns County, Minnesota.