Found ancestry.com 7/11/2013:

My great-grandfather on my mother's side, Adolph Wirz, was a stonemason in his native country, I am told. He hailed from Switzerland but often worked just over the border in Germany before coming to the U.S. I was told that he came to the U.S. via ship and first was in Minnesota before coming to Texas. ... I also heard that all the stories he and his brother, Albert Wirz (who immigrated to the U.S. with him), heard were that the U.S. was warm and sunny, so Minnesota was a harsh reality. ... I know that he and his brother Albert, for a time, traveled around Texas building courthouses, including the award-winning courthouse in Decatur, Texas (Wise County), which has pink handcut stones that were imported from Germany. I am told that somewhere on the top of this building are my grandpa and his brother's initials, but I do not know. I do know this courthouse was named one of the 10 most beautiful courthouses in Texas, which has 252 county seats.

I know that my great-grandfather called his grandchildren, including my mother, Marianne, his "Bubbalis" (spelling?) (word for babies). I also know that he was considered extremely handsome (still looked like Paul Newman in his later years, I admit) and a major "catch" when he married my great-grandmother, Bertha Spitler Wirz, who was several years younger than him. I also have been told he was quiet-natured but quite mischeveous around those who knew him best, especially his daughters, and that many remember the twinkle in his eyes as being a sign of this.

I do not know who his parents were or if he had more siblings other than Albert. I do know he named his only son after his brother.

Here is what I know about Albert, his brother. I found this on the 1900 Census of Baylor County, Texas.

Albert A. Wirz (I think the "A" is for Abraham) was born in April 1858, making him 42 at the time of the 1900 Census. He was born in Switzerland. He was married to Annie (no maiden name listed), who was born in February 1874 in Switzerland, making her 26 at the time of the 1900 Census. They had three children listed by 1900 on this census: Willie, born Oct. 1893 (age 6 at time of census); Rosa, born June 1895 (age 4 at time of census); and Mary M., born May 1898 (age 2 at time of census). All of the children were born in Baylor County, Texas.

There is also a Michael Wirz, born in Switzerland in November 1847, listed on this census, so he must be related somehow. He was 52 at the time of the census and has no wife or children listed on the census data.

kodamomadded this on 4 Jun 2008

Seymour Baylor County Banner, Thursday, September 5, 1929 BRIEF SKETCHES OF OLD-TIMERS

Adolph Wirz was born in Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1864. He and his brother, Albert, came t othe United States in 1881, locating in St. Louis. In 1882 Albert came to Baylor County to find land, and located here in 1883. In 1884 Adolph and the rest of the family came to Baylor County. In 1892 Adolph was married to Miss Bertha Slietler, who came from Bremen, Germany, in 1890. Albert Wirz married in June 1891. His wife was Miss Annie Mary Amsler, who was born on February 6, 1872 in Canton, Argau, Switzerland, and came to the United States, to Dallas county, in 1884. The two Wirz brothers were contractors, and have erected and helped erect many buildings in Seymour and counties adjacent. Albert Wirz died several years ago, but his widow and children survive him, and trees he brought to Baylor County have furnished shade for many homes in this county. Adolph Wirz is still actively engaged in farming, just east of town. The Grade School, the Lankford building, and Decatur Baptist College are some of the buildings erected by the Wirz brothers. They also worked on the Court House.