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Robert Kunstel, Sr.(1874-1966)
+Mary Gregovich (1875-1925)

Mary Kunstel (1894-1896)
Robert Kunstel, Jr. (1897-1980)
Rudolf Kunstel (1899-1980)
Johanna Agnes Kunstel (1903-1984)
Henry Jacob Kunstel (1905-1966)
Mary Kunstel (1907-1975)
Edward Kunstel (1908-1941)

Robert Kunstel (1874) was born Rupert Kunstelj in Trieste, Austria and came to the United States by ship aboard the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in May, 1900. He arrived at Ellis Island, New York before relocating to St. Louis, where he was employed as a wheel maker, a carpenter, and a cabinet maker by trade.

His wife, Mary Gregovich and two young sons, Rudy and Robert, Jr. remained in Central Europe in the village of Sodrazica east of Trieste until they were able to join him. According to the 1910 U.S. Census, Mary and the two boys joined him in St. Louis sometime in 1903. The postcard above is addressed to Robert from a Gregovich family member, and is dated December 14, 1913.

The family purchased and occupied a residence at 2118 N. Eleventh St. in the Baden area of St. Louis. According to the census, lodgers at the house in 1910 included John Frappie, a 35 year-old wheel maker from Austria, and John and Pauline Sauinn, who had arrived during the past year from Slovenia with their newborn baby.

Most of Robert and Mary's children moved from St. Louis to raise their families in other parts of the United States. The only exception was Robert, Jr. who lived his entire life in the St. Louis area. Rudy (1899) lived in Ohio; Agnes (1903) and Mary (1907) both lived in Chicago. Agnes had a daughter and Mary had two daughters. Henry (1908) lived in South Florida until his death in 1966, and the youngest son, Edward (1908-1941) died single in San Francisco. The photo at right is Edward in 1932 with his two nieces, Ruth Evelyn and Eleanor Marie.

In 1941, Robert's handwritten Social Security application lists his father's name as Frank Kunstel and his mother as Margaret Arks (or Arna). Robert's wife, Mary Gregovich died in January, 1925 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. His second wife, Marie died in 1927 and is buried in the same family plot. The Social Security application states Robert as being married again by 1941 however, there are no other records to date verifying a third marriage for him.

Robert Kunstel, Sr. eventually left St. Louis to live in Ohio and Wisconsin. He died in Madison, Wisconsin on February 28, 1966, and his body was returned to St. Louis where he was buried at Calvary Cemetery. His name is included on the Ellis Island Wall of Honor.