A good German name, the Wenkel clan came to Michigan, settling in Wisconsin and Illinois as far as I can tell. They tended to be farmers, with current Wenkel members who are very intelligent. Quite a few of the clan enlisted in the military.
November 10, 1913, Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
1913, age 13
Historical Insight -- Great Lakes Storm of 1913. How did this affect their farm?
The storm is historically known by several names including the “Big Blow”, the “Freshwater Fury,” and the “White Hurricane.”November 10, 1913, Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
1914, age 14
Death of brother William Carl Wenkel, 2 February 1914, Gibson, Bay, Michigan. Did the previous storm cause Willie's death?
April 7, 1917, San Francisco, California. Credit: San Francisco Chronicle/Newspapers.com
1917, age 17
Historical Insight -- America Enters World War I
from Ancestry.com
President Wilson’s speech to Congress was published across the United States. On April 6, 1917, he asked that “all officers, civil or military, of the United States that they exercise vigilance and zeal in the discharge of the duties incident to such a state of war.”
Historical Insight -- Registering for the Draft in World War I
from Ancestry.com
About 1917, New York. Credit: FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images
Each prospective soldier went through two complete medical examinations. The first by local physicians following their induction, the second at the mobilization camp before training. By the end of the war, these examinations included psychiatric evaluations.
No middle name listed here, his address is RR #2, Standish, Arenac, Michigan. Some people have his birth month as June, but here it is an abbreviated word for January. He is white, native-born. He is a Farmer working for his father August at the same address. I think this is his signature.
On the back side, we see that he is of medium build, medium height with blue eyes and brown hair. He registered for the draft on September 12, 1918.
If you want to see what was going on in the news in Arenac County, here is a great source -- Arenac County Dateline.
1919 Historical Insight -- Red Scare Palmer Raids
from Ancestry.com
Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/UIG via Getty Images
Andrew Charles Wenkel is my Great Uncle, the brother of my Grandfather. I never met any of his siblings. I think I met cousins at the one reunion I attended when I was about 12 or so.
Mini Pedigree from Ancestry.com
1900 Census, birth
Andrew Charles Wenkel was born 22 January 1900 in Gibson, Bay, Michigan. I don't have primary source for this information. I do have several Census, including this first one he's enumerated on:
August and Sophia Wenkel family 1900 Census page 1
Gibson, Michigan from Ancestry.com
In this census, which spans two pages, he is called "Charley. He is only 4 months old, living on 159 Dochen 40, Gibson, Bay County MI., with his eight older siblings.
I've searched google maps, and it hangs up on the "Dochen" part of the equation. The only thing I have is Gibson Twp in Bay county MI. Just a moment, let me look at the census once more ... loading ... aHAH! The census doesn't say anything about which house number, nor which road they live on. For some unexplained reason, the index on Ancestry.com has them living at 159 Dochen 40. When I searched for the meaning of "Dochen 40" I kept coming up with a family name. Perhaps the word means something in German, other than a last name, but I can't find it. If you know, let me know, right? the "Dochen 40" is an enigma. But it is part of the story, at least.
YSL-O clipart Catnip Studio Collage
1901 and 1903
Birth of sister Sophia M. Wenkel, 7 June 1901, Michigan; and birth of brother William Carl Wenkel, 3 December 1903, Gibson Township Michigan
Credit: Archive.org/Public Domain
1906, age 6
Historical Insight -- Michigan Central Railway Tunnel (from Ancestry.com)
1910 Census age 10
Andrew Charles aka "Charley" 1900 Census page 2 Gibson, Michigan from Ancestry.com
He was ten years old living in Gibson Michigan, living with his family on the farm. He had eight older siblings and two younger. Total of 11 children ages 23 to 6. I wonder what they raised? Corn? Wheat?
Comment below if you know anything about this farm, or if you can place it on a map. Inquiring minds want to know!
Following is some miscellaneous information found when doing a general Wenkel search on Google. I have no connection so far. If these are YOUR Wenkels, let me know.
Found in the Monroe County Independent, Monroe County Illinois.
Fr. John A. Weissler OMI, 92, of Belleville, formerly of Columbia, died September 29, 2004, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville. He was born September 3, 1912, in Columbia, the son of the late John and Lena Weissler nee Wenkel. He is survived by his sister Sr. Mary Joan Weissler of Ruma; nephews David (Kelcey) Whitman of Carmel, Ind., Robert (Deborah) Whitman of Carmel, Ind., and Mark (Susan) Whitman of Cincinnati, Ohio; and niece Joan (Ed) Hampton of Mehlville, Mo. He was preceded in death by brother George Weissler, sisters Amanda Kofron and Lena Whitman, and nephew Peter Whitman. Fr. John attended Immaculate Conception School in Columbia and St. Henry’s Seminary in Belleville. He joined the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, beginning his career in Mission, Texas, in 1938. He studied theology at De Mazenod Scholasticate in San Antonio and was ordained a priest by Bishop Althoff on June 5, 1943, in Belleville. His first assignment was in Carthage, Mo., where he opened the minor seminary Our Lady of the Ozark. He established the Oblate Press, by which he published Roses and Gold, and served as pastor of St. Ann’s in Carthage for 30 years, until he retired in 1985. Throughout his life, Fr. John was a strong backer of catholic schools. He said his first mass at Immaculate Conception Church. His visitation, funeral mass and burial were at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to Missionary Oblates Seminary Fund. http://monroecountynews.net/obituaries/2004-obituaries/ _____________________________________________________ From Illinois GenWeb page, Monroe County http://monroe.illinoisgenweb.org/cemeteries/stpaul_evang_A_L.html
Alvena's Social security card first issued to her in New Jersey
1969 age 79
Death of brother Fred Felix in Standish MI
1972 age 83
Death of sister Anna Wenkel in Montclair NJ. Did they live close to each other?
1973 age 84
death of brother August Paul Wenkel in Wauconda IL -- I never knew of his siblings deaths so close to each other
1982 age 86
I can usually find the burial site, but I've searched Ancestry.com, FindaGrave, both with the dates of birth and death to no avail. Even searching for just her name both married and maiden yeilded no results. Broadening the search to just the last name for this death date, and to just the first and last name with no dates was unsuccessful. Putting just the last name of Schnetzer gave me three results, none of them any member of this family.
Finally, on BillionGraves.com, after inputting just the last name Schnetzer, I got many results. I scrolled through three pages worth, with no relevant results. The search on Ancestry is fruitless. Nobody has any record of burial. I've put out a question on the Wenkel Family group on Facebook, and I was told I should contact her son Norman's family. I'll update when I get new information. If I don't, then that itself is part of the story.
US Social Security Death Index has a different date of death than what I originally have. Wonder where I got that information from? The only information on her death is from the SSDI.
Alvena Schnetzer, SSAN 139-38-5271; last residence Asbury, Warren, New Jersey; born 18 April 1889; died July 1982. Social Security cared was issued in 1963 in New Jersey
Source Information -- Ancestry.com, US Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database online]. Provo Utah, USA; Ancestry.com Operations Inc. 2011. Original data -- Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
1989
Son Norman John Schnetzer died, listing his parents
Norman John Schnetzer (N.J. Schnetzer) born 17 September 1928 at Glen Ridge East, New Jersey. Died January 1989. Parents John J. Schnetzer and Alvena M. Wenkel. SSAN 142-22-0967. In October 1944, his name was listed as Norman John Schetzer. in 7 February 1989 his name was listed as N.J. Schnetzer.
Source Information -- Ancestry.com, US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database online]. Provo Utah USA. Ancestry.com Operations 2015. Original Data -- US Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007
Photo Detail of four sisters by Christi Adams https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/14582634/person/270992602/media/13520027-2967-4a1e-b47b-bdac29f00104?_phsrc=KGX236&usePUBJs=true
Photo detail of two sisters by Christi Adams https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/14582634/person/270992602/media/98af6fb9-337e-41e2-bb86-8166546b8951?_phsrc=KGX236&usePUBJs=true
