Who's missing in my background data?

Note: This post is an excerpt from ongoing research that I've made available at scribd.com. Updated on 2013.11.08 to include research on the Kansas state census of 1895. © Thomas G. Kohn, 2013.

The Reinert family had a drive to succeed in a country that was composed of other immigrants. John and his children adapted their farming to a landscape that challenged them to tend larger fields and grapple with varied arability.

Our family arrived as immigrants at the ports in New York City, New York and Hoboken, New Jersey. The Blasius branch of the family spent significant time in Chicago, Illinois and nearby New Trier township. The Reinert branch spent significant time in these locations.

• Houston county and Caledonia, Minnesota
• La Crosse, Wisconsin
• St. Donatus, Iowa
• Osborne county and Mitchell county, Kansas, to include the towns of Tipton, Osborne, and Cawker City
• Sheridan county, Gove county, Logan county, and Thomas county, Kansas, to include the towns of Seguin, Oakley, Grinnell, Grainfield, Park, Quinter, Colby, Hoxie, Selden, and Dresden

Little other than the marriage location is known about the origins of many spouses of the Reinert family members. This lack in historical background is a topic for future research.

Sons- and daughters-in-law to John and Katherine Reinert

• John M. Kohn (1839-1919, husband of Susanna Reinert) came from Wasserliesch, Germany and settled first in or near La Crosse, Wisconsin.
• Maria Simeon (1861-1960, wife of Nicholas Reinert) came from St. Donatus, Iowa, her birthplace in 1861. The family’s European origin is documented by other researchers as Mettendorf, Germay, which is 42 km (about 30 mi) northwest of Trier, Germany. The family is not mentioned in Early Day Couples of Tipton, Kansas (EDC). [Richardson, Joyce et al, The People Came: In their prairie schooners, through the waves of the seas of grass, and stayed (TPC). Osborne County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1977; p. 53] In the 1895 census, her age, birthplace, and previous residence are given as “34” (thus 1864), “Germany,” and “Iowa.”
• Catherine Schwinden (1860-1940, wife of Peter Reinert) came from Houston county, Minnesota. Other researchers give her family’s European origin as Mettendorf, Rheinland-Pfalz. The family is not mentioned in EDC or TPC. [Refer to http://www.oocities.org/heartland/bluffs/8479/reinart.html (Gehling family), http://pages.suddenlink.net/mack/histories/MathiasReinart.htm (Carroll Biographies), http://pages.suddenlink.net/mack/familytrees/database/b127.htm (Paul Mack), http://reinart.ancestry.angelfire.com/family-trees.html (Reinart Family Ancestry) for parallel research. In the 1895 census, her age and birthplace are given as “34” (thus 1861) and “Minnesota.”]
• Michael Gillen (1854-1913, husband of Maria Reinert) was born in “Cruchten, Rhine Province, Germany” in 1854. [EDC, p. 49 mentions no other residences in America, but the biographical sketch for Michael’s cousin, Nicholas Carl on p.42, might indicate a short residence in Houston county, Minnesota. The cited “Cruchten” might be modern-day Kruchten, Rheinland-Pfalz, which is 24 mi (39 km) northwest of Trier or perhaps Cruchten, Nommern, Luxembourg, which is 57 km west from Trier and 16 mi (26 km) north of the city of Luxembourg.]
• Stephen Schandler (1861?-1938, husband of Gertrude Reinert) was likely born in Pratz, Luxembourg and likely resided in Dubuque, Iowa or Useldinger (perhaps Luxembourg) before settling in the Tipton area. [EDC, p. 55 cites Pratz in a biographical sketch for Stephen’s brother, Peter Schandler. TPC p. 54 states the Schandler “family had first moved to Useldinger where they operated a grocery store before coming to America. He ran the Tipton Telephone Exchange with Gertrude. After Gertrude died, he married a Konzem and sometime later moved to Lincoln, and then moved again to Wichita,.” In the 1895 census, his age and birthplace are given as “33” (thus 1862) and “Germany.”]

Sons- and daughters-in-law to John M. and Susanna Kohn

• Elizabeth Ottley (1880-1947, wife of Peter Kohn) was born in Osborne county. Her parents were born in Luxembourg, Martin Ottley in 1842 and Mary Huberty in 1855. The exact locations are unknown. [EDC, p. 37. In the 1895 census, their birthplaces are given as “Germany.” Her age is 15 and birthplace is Kansas.]
• Louise Ohnsat (1875-1959, wife of Mike Kohn) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and her family settled in Osborne county in 1878. Her father emigrated from Grüben, Ostpreußen (modern-day Grabin, Poland); her mother emigrated from Breisach-am-Rhein, Germany. [EDC, p. 20. The European origins are the result of my own research into this family line.]
• Phillip Gasper (1877-1964, husband of Katherine Kohn) was born in Osborne county. One of his brothers was born in “Schlertweiler bei Trier Germany” in 1873. [EDC, p. 1. This may refer to modern-day Zemmer-Schleidweiler, Germany (postal code 54313), which is 13 mi (21 km) from the center of Trier. See also TPC, pp. 39-41, which provide more exact locations of their homes in Bloom township.]
• Frank Streit (1882-1956, husband of Annie Kohn) was born in Osborne county. His brother John came to America as a small child in 1877, and the family came from Trier around 1877. [EDC, p. 7; TPC, p. 58 includes a biographical sketch of Henry Streit, Sr. that cites the birthplaces as Trier, Germany for him and Schleidtweiler, Germany for his wife Anna Maria Schmitt. In the 1895 census, Frank’s age and birthplace are given as “14” (thus 1881) and “Kansas.” His father Henry (age 44) and mother Mary (age 46) were both born in Germany.]
• Barbara Streit (1887-1974, wife of Ben Kohn) was born in Osborne county. She is a sister to Frank Streit. [EDC, p. 7; TPC, p. 58 includes a biographical sketch of Henry Streit, Sr. that cites the birthplaces as Trier, Germany for him and Schleidtweiler, Germany for his wife Anna Maria Schmitt. In the 1895 census, Barbara’s age and birthplace are given as “7” (thus 1888) and “Kansas.” His father Henry (age 44) and mother Mary (age 46) were both born in Germany.]

Sons- and daughters-in-law to Nicholas and Maria Reinert

• Barbara Boden (1883-1969, wife of Peter Anton Reinert) was born in Osborne county. The family’s European origin is unknown.[EDC, p. 12. The Boden biographical sketches in TPC (p. 36) do not name a European location, but a passing reference on p. 39 might indicate Franz Boden came from Schleidtweiler, Germany. In the 1895 census, her age and birthplace are given as “12” (thus 1883) and “Kansas.” Her father was 50 from Germany, a woman Mary (age 30 born in Iowas and from Nebraska) was in the household.]
• Mary Rohlman (1885-1971, wife of John Peter Reinert) likely was born near Willowdale, Kansas. [EDC, p. 58.] The family’s European origin is unknown. The family is not mentioned in EDC or TPC.
• Annie E. Rohlman (1889-1918, wife of Nicklous B. Reinert) likely was born near Willowdale, Kansas. The family’s European origin is unknown. The family is not mentioned in EDC or TPC.
• Maggie Bach (1881-1955, wife of Nicklous B. Reinert) was born in Osborne county. Her father was born in “Province, Germany” in 1837 and first settled in Wisconsin; her mother in “Hargartin, Rhine Province, Germany” in 1848. [TPC, p. 35. In the 1895 census, Maggie’s age and birthplace are given as “14” (thus 1881) and “Kansas.” Her father John (age 57) and mother Mary (age 43) were both born in Germany.]
• Elizabeth A. Boberg (1897-1964, wife of Joseph S.H. Reinert) was born in Wallenhorst, Germany, and her family lived in Delphos, Kansas and Glen Elder, Kansas for short times. [EDC, p. 69. Wallenhorst is in Niedersachsen, Germany.]
• Emma Reinert (Sr. Borgia), Bertha Reinert (Sr. Lambertine), Anton A. Reinert, and Mary Reinert did not marry.

Sons- and daughters-in-law to Peter and Catherine Reinert

I assume that most of the spouses lived in the area of Seguin, Kansas, and that—with the exception of Thomas Thummel—they had no connection to the Tipton, Kansas area.

• Barbara Deges (1888-1966, wife of William Joseph Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Thomas Thummel (1877-1942, husband of Mary Catherine Reinert) was born in Ishpeming, Michigan. [EDC, p. 19. In the 1895 census, his age and birthplace are given as “17” (thus 1876) and “Mishgan.” His father B. (age 53) and mother Fannie (age 43) were born in Germany and Wisconsin, respectively.] No specific information on his European origin is available.
• Mathias Schuetz (1883-1968, husband to Elizabeth Susanna Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Bertha Holdforth (1890-1968, wife of Carl Mathias Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Anna Catherine Arendt (1896-1946, wife of Henry Nicholas Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Anton George Feldt (1890-1973, husband of Anna Catherine Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• William Schwinden (1890?-1945?, husband of Anna Catherine Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Florentz Henry Neff (1899-1981, husband of Margaret Cleophas Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Anna Geerdes (1904-2007, wife of Theodore Mathias Reinert) was born in Leoti, Kansas but has no information on family origins.
• Ruth Adeline Smith (1912-1995?, wife of Gervase Thomas Reinert) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Gertrude Hubertine Reinert and Alex Gregory Reinert did not marry.

Sons- and daughters-in-law to Michael and Maria Gillen

• John Tucker (1900?-1965?, husband of Catherine Gillen) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Gertrude L. Gillen, John Gillen, and Margaret E. Gillen did not marry.

Sons- and daughters-in-law to Stephen and Gertrude Schandler

• Henry Mindrup (no dates, husband of Mary Schandler) has no information on birthplace or family origins. [See EDC, p. 55 for a biographical sketch of Catherine Mindrup and her husband Peter Schandler. Perhaps the Mindrup family is the same. Catherine’s home is given as New Almelo, Norton county, Kansas. Catherine’s son, Joseph Schandler is documented in the same sketch as the husband of Delorose Steichen and a farmer east of New Almelo.]
• Bernice Shore (no dates, wife of Arthur Schandler) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Gertrude Govreau (no dates, wife of Edward Schandler) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Arthur Steinke (no dates, husband of Loretta Schandler) has no information on birthplace or family origins.
• Delorosa Schandler and Grace Schandler did not marry.