The earliest known records of the Diss family is from the small village of Westhalten in France. In this village, Joannes Michael Duß is recorded as the husband of Maria Magdalena Gasser. The last name "Duß" seems to be the original surname and was changed to "Diss" during the immigration to the United States.

Joannes and Maria Duß were married sometime during the late 1780's in the small village of Westhalten, France. The village was located several kilometers west of the Rhine River. Around 1797, the couple had a son whom they named Francois Antoine Duß. (It is likely that Francois had other siblings, however, those records remain missing).

 While his parents appeared to be local farmers in Westhalten, Francois Duß learned the carpenter's trade and found work at various constructions sites in towns and villages in the Alsace region of northeastern France. At some point during his work, Francois met Marguerite Liehn of Marmoutier, France. After courting for some time, the couple was married on the 6th of August, 1821. Together they had at least two children: Marie and Louis. Their daughter, Marie was born on the 29th of March, 1826 and she married Charles Heller of Marmoutier Marie and Charles had a son, George, who immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio sometime before 1860. Marie's brother, Louis Diss, was born on the 12th of October, 1832 in Marmoutier.

 In 1840, Marie and Louis's father passed away, leaving the family without a source of income. Although only 8 years old, Louis had already been learning the carpenter trade from his father. He inherited his father's tools and began working on small projects to help bring in a small income for his family. (It is likely that Louis had older unnamed siblings who also were working to support the family after the death of their father).

​For the next twelve years, Louis would continue to develop his craft. By the time he reached twenty years old, Louis had become a highly skilled carpenter. During that time, Louis became close with a village girl named Mary Diebold. However, Louis's dedication to his trade led him to to take his talents to America rather than pursue relationship.

In 1853, after the loss of his beloved mother, Louis took a sailing ship from Le Havre, France and traveled to New York City. Given his skills, he immediately found stable work in the city as a carpenter on various construction site. For the next six months, Louis continued working in Manhattan and earned a decent living.

 After six months of hard work,  Louis had a chance meeting with an old acquaintance of his from his hometown in France. Louis's grandson, Victor Beischel often told this story about how Louis and his future wife had met. In Victor's words: 

"Louis was working on a big building in New York and was sitting on a windowsill when my grandmother, who had come on a sailing vessel about six months later than him, was walking down the street and looked up and recognized him!  They had known each other in France, so it was only two months or so later that they got married."

 And who was the lovely bride-to-be? It was Mary Diebold, whom Louis had been close with back in the French village. As it so happened, Mary had been given a recommendation from some people in Marmoutier , France that she would qualify as a good maid in the United States. Especially as an upstairs maid that wealthy families requested in luxury New York hotels. 

Shortly after getting married in 1853, the young couple traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio. They rented a fine home in the well-to-do Avondale neighborhood and Louis worked as a carpenter for his cousin who owned a small construction company. (The identity of the cousin is still unconfirmed, although Louis cousin's, George Heller, was living in Cincinnati during the 1860's and might have been the contractor.)

Louis and Mary had several children together while living in Cincinnati. Frank Diss was the oldest child, then Gus. Both Frank and Gus were trained as carpenters by their father. Gus was a carpenter foreman and framed the roof on Music Hall in Cincinnati. Louis and Mary's first daughter was Emma. Emma was born in 1863 during the American Civil War. After her birth, Louis was asked to travel to Jeffersonville, IN (near Louisville, KY) to build barracks for Union soldiers. Louis moved his entire family with him to the project, fearing that Cincinnati might be attacked by rebels while he was away. A third son, Henry, was born in Jeffersonville, but he died infancy and was buried there.  After finishing the barracks project, the family moved back to Cincinnati and purchased a large Victorian home in Avondale.  The second daughter, Josephine, was born at that house in Avondale in 1865. A third daughter, Odelia, was born in 1867.  Odelia was known as "Aunt Tilly". She never married and instead lived her life as a seamstress. The family continued living in Avondale until 1869. 

Up until 1869, Louis Diss had been employed by his cousin in Cincinnati. However, Louis wanted to go into business for himself. Not wishing to upset his cousin by starting his own company and creating competition, Louis instead moved his family to the rural community of Delhi, just west of Cincinnati. (it was known at the time as Muddy Creek).  The family lived in a small log house until Louis was able to build a new house (that is still standing) on Hillside Ave, overlooking the Ohio River. Louis continued working as a carpenter for many years.

Louis continued living with his wife at their home in Delhi until he passed on the 17th of August in 1896. Less than a year later, his wife, Mary, passed on the 8th of July in 1897. By that time, Louis and Mary had many children, grandchildren and even several great-grandchildren. Their legacy is continued by their many descendants who continue to live in Cincinnati today.

Relevant to our family history, Louis's eldest daughter, Josephine, married William Beischel on the 18th of October in 1887, in a small catholic church in Delhi, Ohio.