The Kessler Family
Persons buriedSebastian Sr., Scholastika, Joseph, Maria Louisa, Wunibald and others
As the settlement’s namesakes, the Kesslers were its main landowners and the benefactors of the local congregation. Sebastian Kessler Sr. is believed to have been among the first to break ground on this tract in the early 1840s. His son Joseph donated the five acres for the church and cemetery in 1847.
The family’s history holds both great generosity and great sacrifice. Wunibald Kessler served in the Civil War and died on December 10, 1861, at the age of 25. His German-language headstone says he died “as a sacrifice for the Union,” a testament to the family’s commitment to their new American home.
The Wiedmaier Family
Persons buriedJoseph (first burial, 1849), Jacob (Civil War veteran), Michael, Magdalena, and several infants and children including Maria
The Wiedmaiers’ story is the classic immigrant journey of the Kessler Settlement. They arrived in 1844 on the ship Iowa and played a key part in the community’s early growth. Joseph Wiedmaier, a skilled weaver, has the somber distinction of being the first recorded burial in the cemetery, in 1849.
Jacob Wiedmaier served in the Civil War and is one of the seven veterans honored here. His military records were placed in a shadow box at the cemetery by Boy Scouts in 2002. The family’s legacy continues through descendants: Tim Wiedmaier’s self-printed book Old Kessler Cemetery sparked the grassroots movement that restored the grounds in 2019.
The Gerstner Family
Persons buriedJoseph M. (last burial, 1923), John, Francis and Mary
The Gerstners wrote the cemetery’s final chapter: Joseph M. Gerstner was the last person buried here, in 1923. Historical records link the Gerstner and Wonderly families through marriage and community, and Emily Wonderly is noted as the mother of prominent local figures in St. Joseph. A Gerstner descendant, Eagle Scout Matt Gerstner, led the Boy Scouts’ 2002 cleanup of the grounds.
The Wonderly Family
Persons buriedJoseph, Frances, John and Emily
The Wonderly family first appears in the 1850 Census as established German farmers. Records suggest they may have lived in Ohio before settling in northwest Missouri.
The Fischer Family
Persons buriedJohn, Catherine, and several descendants (many later moved)
The Fishers were a cornerstone of the settlement’s farming success and were known as “intelligent and prosperous” farmers. As Easton grew, the family stayed leaders in the local parish. In the late 1890s, as the Kessler site became harder to reach, the Fishers were among the families who began moving their ancestors’ remains to the newer cemetery in Easton, which began Kessler’s “forgotten” era. Generations later, Michael Fisher served as caretaker and treasurer during the cemetery’s restoration.
The Siela Family
Persons buriedLeopold, Genovova, Magdalena, and an unnamed sister (based on family oral history)
The Sielas were part of the original 1844 migration from Germany and among the earliest pioneers in the region. Their headstones suffered badly from a century of neglect and weather. Family oral history and recent research suggest their graves may be in Kessler Cemetery, but as of 2026 this has not been confirmed for lack of records. Their likely presence is a link to the first years of the German congregation and the frontier life they shared with the Kesslers and Wiedmaiers.
The Scanlon Family
Persons buriedMichael (one of the oldest residents, at 88) and family
The Scanlon family’s legacy at Kessler centers on Michael Scanlon, whose long life shows the endurance of the early pioneers. He died at 88, a notable age when frontier life was grueling and medical care scarce. His life spanned the settlement’s formative years and the growth of Buchanan County, which makes him a link to the earliest generations of settlers.
The McAlarney Family
Persons buriedElizabeth McAlarney and other family members (many later moved)
The McAlarneys show the wider Catholic makeup of the Kessler Settlement. The community was mostly German, but Irish families like the McAlarneys were part of its early success. The Catholic Tribune named them among the first families arranging to move their dead to the new cemetery in Easton in the late 1890s. The move was a sign of their prominence in Easton, where they helped establish the new St. Joseph parish and contributed to the town’s commercial and social life.
The Waller Family
Persons buriedJacob Waller and others (mostly moved to Easton)
The Wallers were influential in the settlement’s religious and civic life. Known as “prosperous and intelligent” farmers, they had a major stake in the early Church of the Holy Savior and stand out for their foresight in preserving family records. Many of their loved ones were moved to the more accessible Easton cemetery in 1897, but their original burials at Kessler helped define the boundaries of the grounds.
The Wachendorfer Family
Persons buriedKarl Wachendorfer and Maria Wachendorfer
Karl and Maria Wachendorfer were typical of the hardworking immigrant couples who formed the backbone of the German congregation. Karl’s finely carved headstone, a focus of recent restoration work, shows the craftsmanship of the 19th century. Maria died just one year before Karl, and they lie side by side. The Wachendorfer name is an important clue for researchers tracing families who moved from the Rhine Valley to the bluffs of the Missouri River.
