Daniel Kirsch was born October 30, 1850 in Nousseviller les Bitche, Moselle, Lorraine, France. His parents were Jean Kirsch and Catherine Kirsch. Yes, they were both Kirsches, probably cousins. Nousseviller was a village of about 400, so the pool of prospective marriage partners was limited. Alsace-Lorraine had been fought over, conquered and re-conquered for centuries by France and the German states. Some of the inhabitants spoke French, some spoke German. The Kirsches considered themselves to be of German nationality. In 1870 Alsace-Lorraine was returned to Germany. The twenty-year-old Daniel probably was conscripted into the KaiserCorps as were his older brothers, Peter and John.

     Daniel married Magdalena (Madeleine) Schmitt February 15, 1876 in Gros Rederching, Germany. Magdalena was born September 20, 1847 in Singling, Germany. He was twenty-six, she was twenty-eight. The Kirsches would have eight children, but only four would survive childhood. In 1888 they packed up ten-year-old Casper, John (Jean) who was four, and two-year-old Mary (Marie Anne) and emigrated to the United States, arriving in time for their daughter Lena to be born in New York State in October of that year. There is some evidence that Daniel and his brother John, who was married to Magdalena Schmitt's sister Marie Elizabeth, left Germany together to avoid being conscripted again into the KaiserCorps. John and his family sailed from LeHavre June 23, 1888 - most likely Daniel and his family were on the same boat.

      The Kirsch brothers, Daniel, John, and Peter all settled their families in Buffalo, New York. The promise of a better life in America seemed to come true for Daniel's family. By 1900, he had his own business selling coal and wood and had purchased a single home at 199 Grace Street, in Buffalo's "Riverside" neighborhood. John was working as a laborer, Mary and Lena were still in school, Casper was living on his own. Daniel's brother John worked as a brakeman and motorman on the International Railway Company's streetcars.

• Daniel KIRSCH
  • b. Oct. 30, 1850 in Nousseviller
  • d. between 1910 and 1920 in Buffalo, New York
  • married Feb 15, 1876 in Gros Rederching
• Magdalena SCHMITT
  • b. 20 Sep 1847 in Singling
  • d. after 19 Jun 1920 in Buffalo, New York
• Their children
  • Casper P. KIRSCH
    • b. 2 Jan 1877 in Nousseviller, Lorraine, Germany
    • d. 10 Sep 1926 in Buffalo, New York
    • married 1903
      • Grace Mary ROBERTS
  • Daniel KIRSCH
    • b. 1881 Sarreguemines, Germany
    • d. 8 Apr 1885 in Singling, Germany
  • Madeliene KIRSCH
    • b. 1881
    • d. 12 Mar 1886 in Singling, Germany
  • John KIRSCH
    • b. 6 Mar 1884 in Singling, Germany
  • Marie Anne KIRSCH
    • b. 17 Jan 1886 in Singling, Germany
  • Lena (Helen) KIRSCH
    • b. Oct 1888 in New York State