Casa de Schwartz

Michael Clos was born in Luxembourg. Although he indicated that he arrived in the US around 1864, there is no record of any activity in the US until 1885 right before he married Augusta Bucholz who was born in Berlin, Germany. Her background is equally as vague. Various records spell her last name as Barkholz, Bergholzer, Bergholz, Bergholtz, Berkholzer, and Berkholz.  Michael held a variety of jobs according the census including furrier, janitor, but, most often, as salesman. It must have been a difficult living. There are several St. Paul newspaper accounts of him being beaten and robbed. Much of the family appears to have remained in the St Paul, MN area