MICHAEL MATTHEUS HIRSHINGER

1786 1853

Michael Hirshinger served with Napoleon during the disastrous Moscow, Russia, campaign Jun 24, 1812

Dec 14, 1812. He was born on September 24, 1786, in Goersdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. It is unknown whether he joined Napoleon's army voluntarily or was drafted. Nevertheless, he was with the army when Napoleon began his march to capture the Russian capital, Moscow, in 1812. He was one of the few survivors of that trip.

See Pages 4-11 for a complete description of Napoleon’s expedition to Moscow, and the disastrous return trip to France.

Researched and Compiled by Allen Schroeder, 2022

Rev. Waddell conducted this first worship service in the home of Michael and Selma Hirschinger. This was in the fall of 1847. Michael Hirschinger, along with Michael Nippert, had fought with Napoleon and were part of the emperor's march on Moscow in 1812. They are listed as part of a group of Germans who, in the mid nineteenth century, moved to an area of Eagle Township, which was transformed into Freedom Township, and later annexed to Baraboo Township. Cole explains, "Toward the close of the '50s and the beginning of the '60s two settlements of German people from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, were made in Sauk County, one in the western part of the Town of Baraboo, including the Nippert and Hirschinger and other families, who organized a Methodist church or society. The other colony located in the western part of the Town of Freedom and East Westfield and they constructed a log church for the Methodist denomination." One apparent discrepancy is that "A Standard History of Sauk County" indicates that the Hirschingers and Nipperts migrated to Sauk County as part of the group from Pittsburgh in the late 1850s to the early 1860s. On the other hand, it is reported that the Hirschingers were already in the area in 1847 when they hosted the first worship service in Freedom Township. The following also gives the date of 1847 for the Hirschingers arrival in Sauk County. It is apparent that the Hirschingers came in advance of the subsequent groups.

"A Standard History of Sauk County" gives details on Michael and Selma Hirschinger moving to Sauk County:

“Michael Hirschinger was born in Germany in 1783 and married there Selma Beyx, who was born in 1797. Michael Hirschinger saw active service as a solider during the Napoleonic wars in Europe. In 1832 he left Germany, bringing his family to America, and they were thirteen weeks on one of the old sailing vessels that crossed the ocean. He first located at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, subsequently lived in Ohio, and in 1847 came to Sauk County. That was a year before Wisconsin was admitted as a state and only a few clearings had been made here and there as evidence of the presence of white men in this county. Michael Hirschinger had bought a land warrant, and first used it to acquire 160 acres on the present site of Baraboo. He gave up that and located to another place in section 8 of Baraboo Township, where he had 120 acres. He did much development work on this land and lived there until his death in 1857. His widow survived him until 1881.”