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Question

I need an opinion without confirmation bias about my paternal great-grandfather Mathias Endres,  Endres-57 . I want to folks can go over the information (or family antidotes) and give their opinions.

First off I want to state that my paternal grandparents were first cousins. My paternal grandfather's mother and my paternal grandmother's father were siblings. I know that my DNA results with matches could be skewed to show a closer relationship that what is on paper.

My grandfather, Mike Theodore Enders (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Enders-348) was supposedly born in Missouri on 21 December 1884 to my paternal great-grandmother Mary Ottilia (Knoebel) Endres ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Knoebel-19   ) and Mathias Endres.

My paternal grandfather had three siblings, August (http://[[Enders-349|August Enders (1875-1935)]] ), Crescentia (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Enders-351 ),  and Edir (1880- 1883) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Enders-534.

Per a descendant of August, August was supposedly born out of wedlock and "assumed" the surname of Endres after his mother's marriage.  Family stories should be taken with a huge grain a salt, and perhaps family members may have misunderstood/misremembered what they were being told, but I find it difficult to believe that family members would make up a story of illegitimacy.

A possible marriage document is  at https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJ6F-D3L but I am uncertain since there is another couple living in Dubuque County with the same names. If it is their marriage record it would have taken place only a few months before Crescentia birth.

A delayed birth certificate for Crescentia, with an affidavit give by her aunt (sister to her mother), in 1943  states Mathias was a brewer https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/108683:61441

If you review the census records for the years 1880 until 1900, you will find that Mathias is not listed in the census in the household with Mary. In the 1900 US census Mary lists herself as "widowed".  I have not found clear documentation of Mathias Endres in this country after his possible entry into the US in 1866, other than he is listed as the children's father in their marriage record and Crescentia's delayed birth certificate. A possible death record found by a second cousin listed a death date of 7 April 1902 in St. Louis https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/12638080:1172?ssrc=pt&tid=77826622&pid=34373586627

I have DNA results starting a range of 180 cM  on down to the low 20's of cM that go back to surnames of Schaller and Marquardt that do not seem to connect to any of my **known** ancestors. The only other **known** match thus far, a 1c1r,  who's grandmother was my father's sister, shares these unknown matches. 

I am not sure what logical conclusions should be drawn from this "information" . Opinions on the father of Mike Theodore Enders? Is the man listed as the parent on the documentation or not?

Comments

I read with interest your family history. And smiled at your comment about how you found it hard to believe a family would make up a tale about illegitimacy! My family, for as long as I can remember, passed along a rumour that either my 2xGr. Grandfather married an indigenous woman and passed her off as Dutch or that his son was the indigenous one, secretly adopted and raised as their own. The family rumour  seemed to come about because of the dark skin that some of my earlier paternal relatives had. I was told it was a big family secret and none of the family would discuss it, that's why they had no confirmation. My brother and I started doing genealogy. For years we believed the rumour might have some truth to it. We searched, but could not prove it. Finally through meticulous genealogy I found enough documentation to disprove the rumour. The dark skin traces back to the Netherlands and even a Moorish princess but it had nothing to do with any North American or Canadian indigenous ancestry. This rumour wasn't just in my part of the family, it seemed to be at every generation and into the cousins. Even to this day I get the occasional astounded relative popping up demanding I explain myself because they were raised on that erroneous rumour. I direct them to my 2xgrandparents profiles where I have documented the rumour and the proof that "it just ain't so!".

I will have a look at your information over the next couple of days and let you know what I think. And I am sure some other Wikitree genealogists might have a look. From your description it sounds like you have been doing the research and asking the questions. I hope I can be of help!

Answer 1

Hi L.,

I don't have much to say about your broader question, but I will make a few comments.

First, the ancestry links you gave go to "Join Ancestry" page. 

Secondly, I'm wondering if this is not Mathias in the 1870 census in Dubuque (see line 2). He would be about the right age:  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QC7-VF4?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMDVM-PM4&action=view 

Thirdly, you mention being somewhat skeptical of the 1878 marriage record for Mathias and Maria because there was another couple with the same names in the county.  I did see some other Mathias Endres or similar, but none with a wife named Maria/Mary.  Can you point to such a source?

Fourthly,as to why things may have played out the way they appear to have:  given the great difference in the couple's ages, perhaps Maria's parents did not approve of the relationship, but a second pregnancy was too much and they just had to get married.

Fifthly, you may have seen this immigration record, but I did not see it in your list of sources on the profile: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-R794-J5?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQVPJ-86XG&action=view

Just my two cents worth:)

 

Comments

Colleen,

Thank you for your response.

I want to share a bit about the area in which my grandparents and their families spent the majority of their lives. On this website https://iagenweb.org/clayton/ near the end of the page is a map that shows Clayton Co., Iowa and the majority of the counties that surround it. The two counties it does not mention is Crawford Co., Wisconsin and Jo Daviess Co., IL which is across from Dubuque. Mendon Township has the towns of McGregor and Marquette (renamed in the 1920's from North McGregor).  Prairie du Chien, Crawford Co., Wisconsin is directly across the Mississippi River from Mendon Township and is that county's seat. Besides being a river community, Mendon Township also was where the railroad first ferried trains then build a pontoon bridge across the Mississippi. Marquette (North McGregor) also had a roundhouse for servicing engines until the late 1960's. Dubuque Co. borders Clayton County to the southeast along the Mississippi. 

With any river/railroad town, Mendon Township had quite a number of folks passing in and out of the community. The majority of population was either Catholic or Lutheran with a minority of other faiths sprinkled in. My 2nd great-grandfather ran a Saloon on the banks of the river next door to one of the Breweries in town (How convenient). Many of their patrons were working men. Some on log rafts floating down river to saw mills or on the railroad. A family "story" describes some of the patrons my family sometimes served. Per the "story" my 2nd great-grandmother would save the ashes from the stove. She would put the ashes in the pockets of her apron in case a drunk patron would try to start to brawl in the business, she would then throw ashes in their face to stop it long enough for the her husband to get them out to door.

 "One other" Mathias Endres spelt Andres in the 1860 US Census lived in Liberty Township, Dubuque Co, Iowa as the son of John Andreas https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9B9J-8C3?view=index&action=view  also see Familysearch ID number G75F-QB3 . He continued to live in Liberty Township and was made Postmaster per Ancestry.com.

Any insights would be most welcomed.

Answer 2

I have updated your research notes to include my thoughts on the gaps in the research. Hopefully it will help as you continue your research. Its an interesting puzzle. I do believe there must be some conflation happening, either we have the wrong Mathias from Germany, or the wrong Mathias/Mary Knoebel marriage. Things just don't add up. Not the marriage, not the death date etc. I think I have found a marriage in Germany prior to Mathias leaving for the States. Usually when I get into this kind of pickle, I research the heck out of all the known/proven surrounding family/suspected family. That usually will shake something out that might answer your questions.