This family has roots in Pepin, Dunn & Pierce Counties, WI-- I have not checked Buffalo Co., but it makes sense:

Descendants of Mathew Appel--Generation No. 1

1. MATHEW1 APPEL was born 1851 in Frankfurt, Germany, and died 1926 in Farm Hill, Wi.. He married (1) MARGARET GUTSINGER. He married (2) MINA KELM.

Children of MATHEW APPEL and MARGARET GUTSINGER are:

i. JOSEPH2 APPEL.

ii. KATHERINE APPEL, b. 1880.
2. iii. ANNA MARGARET APPEL, b. 26 December 1884, Eau Galle, WI; d. 24 October 1972, Osseo, MN Buried Eau Galle, WI.

iv. ELIZABETH APPEL, b. Unknown.

Generation No. 2

2. ANNA MARGARET2 APPEL (MATHEW1) was born 26 December 1884 in Eau Galle, WI, and died 24 October 1972 in Osseo, MN Buried Eau Galle, WI. She married THOMAS AMBROSE KEARNS 15 October 1901 in Eau Galle, WI St Henry's Catholic Church, son of LAWRENCE KEARNS and ROSEANNA MANSFIELD.

Children of ANNA APPEL and THOMAS KEARNS are:
3. i. MARGARET VERONICA3 KEARNS, b. 9 March 1902, Plum City,WI,Eau Galle Twnsp. Dunn Co.; d. 1 February 1987, Elmwood, WI.
4. ii. EDWARD LAWRENCE KEARNS, b. 16 October 1904, Plum City, WI; d. 30 November 1980, Red Wing, MN.
5. iii. ETHEL BEATRICE KEARNS, b. 3 August 1907, Plum City WI; d. 1 July 1952, Plum City, WI.
6. iv. ESTHER LEONA KEARNS, b. 15 March 1911, Plum City, WI; d. 20 April 1986, Durand , WI.
7. v. MABEL CATHERINE KEARNS, b. 28 September 1914, Plum City, Wi; d. 9 April 1992, Durand, WI.
8. vi. NEIL THOMAS KEARNS, b. 24 June 1919, Plum City, WI; d. 20 August 1998, Bloomer, WI.
9. vii. RITA MARIE KEARNS, b. 7 May 1924, Plum City, WI; d. 24 October 1982, Coon Rapids, MN Mercy Hospital.

viii. LAWRENCE KEARNS, b. 1928.

Generation No. 3(partial-- this is my line)

4. EDWARD LAWRENCE3 KEARNS (ANNA MARGARET2 APPEL, MATHEW1) was born 16 October 1904 in Plum City, WI, and died 30 November 1980 in Red Wing, MN. He married ROSE ISABEL BLACK 25 November 1930 in Arkansaw, WI.

Children of EDWARD KEARNS and ROSE BLACK are:
14. i. KATHLEEN ANN4 KEARNS, b. 27 April 1931, Plum City, Eau Galle Twnshp, Dunn Co., WI.

Kathleen is my mother, still alive and interested in genealogy.
Gail Von Bargen

Les, I may have anecdotes from my mom about her grandmother Anna Appel-- I do have some stories myself about how she met my great-grandfather, etc. I have no document cites, though, just family records. I am interested in acquiring source-documentation and info on collateral lines. The Matt Appel family is buried at the Farm Hill Cemetery, and the info is on the Pierce Co. web site. Please feel free to contact me.