George Johann (1832-1898) and Philippine Christine (Weissinger) (1848-1904) Kaiser were German immigrants to the United States. Married in the 1860's, the Kaiser's would become parents to 8 children, 7 living to adulthood. The elder George Kaiser died in 1898, and his Last Will and Testament directed his wife Philippine to be estate administrator of 2 Meridian township farm properties. One tract of farmland was of 50 acres, while the other property was of 60 acres total. The working farms had a full array of livestock; horses, cows, steers, bulls, swine, sheep and hens, along with a full array of tool and farm implements. The two sons, Fred and John Jacob were to each receive a farm upon the death of their mother (1904) and were to pay, within 2 years of Philippine's death, a specified sum of money to each of their 5 sisters. Each of the 7 children immediately were bequeathed $211.00, valued in 2024 as $6,472.00, off of their father's ample estate.

John Jacob Kaiser, the oldest son of George and Philippine, was born 8 January 1869, Meridian Township, Ingham County, Michigan. He, along with 5 of his other siblings, was enrolled in the 1888 Okemos Union School as a student. Jacob, as he was called, lived and worked his bequeathed 50 acres of farmland almost his entire life. He married, at age 31, Mary E. Schroen of Washtenaw County, Michigan, on 28 March 1900 at York, Washtenaw County. Jacob moved Mary onto that home farm where she birthed their only child, Karl on 24 July 1903. The 1910 US Federal Census states that the Meridian Township general farm property was free of mortgage.

In 1918 tragedy struck Jacob and Mary. Young Karl ran into the barn where his father was working. Jacob said he heard a thud but didn't associate the noise with his son. Later he went looking for the teenager and found him lying dead in the barn. The cause of death was attributed to heart failure.

By 1920 Jacob and Mary had retired. They lived in a home, valued at $10,000.00, on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. Jacob died 1 December 1934, Ingham County. Mary lived another 25 years and succumbed 8 December 1959, Chelsea, Washtenaw County. Jacob and Mary were interred Glendale Cemetery, Okemos beside their son Karl.

Kaiser, Karl obituary, Lansing State Journal, 7 March 1918, Page 7

Kaiser, Karl Michigan Certificate of Death 1918 

Kaiser, John Jacob obit, Lansing State Journal, Saturday, December 1, 1934

Schroen, Mary (married John Jacob Kaiser 1900) obit, Lansing State Journal Wednesday, December 9, 1959