Wayne, unfortunately I do not have the answer to any questions about her father because Mathilde is the last ancestor going back that I know on that side of my husband's family. I do not even know her father's or mother's name. (Whoever added her to Wiki Tree apparently didn't know them either, the profile was orphaned when I found it earlier this month as adding my husband's family to the tree.) It was while I was searching for her parents that I found the undated immigration record of a Mathilda Borowski at age five travelling with several other Borowski children and Victoria Borowski who was listed as 'wife', however there is no mention of an adult male Borowski on that manifest, that I could see.
This is all I know: The 1900 US Census, which I have seen, shows Mathilda, at age 17, in the household of her sister and brother-in-law in Port Huron, Michigan. Also, in census records, I have seen her parents' places of birth listed as Germany.
My question is generally this: in the 1800's, would they have listed a woman (Victoria) as 'wife' if there was no 'husband/head of house' with them? Just in case it matters, they were in steerage aboard the ship. I am just trying to determine if I should follow the "Victoria" rabbit trail in my research. :) Thank you for any insight you may have.
