Census Sunday -- August and Sophia Wenkel 1910

August and Sophia Wenkel mini pedigree
from Ancestry.com

1910 Census, Gibson Township, Bay, Michigan
from Ancestry.com

This image of the 1910 census for Gibson Township in Bay County, Michigan shows the not-so-little Wenkel family on their farm.  This was information obtained for 30 April 1910.

On line 57 we start with August (FA) Wenkel.  I'll transcribe the census in a moment, but lets take a look at some things first, shall we?

The Wenkels are the 138th family visited.  There is no street and no house number, indicating this is farm country.  Most of this community were either Germans themselves, or descendants of Germans.  Most likely they spoke German fluently.  

{Whoa, nellie.  This census lists only 10 children.  August Jr (the first), Lena, and Barbara are missing.  August, we know, died while still an infant in Germany.  Lena was most likely working as a domestic.  Barbara died as an infant in 1895.  I wonder why she did not include her two dead children in the count?  I cannot believe she'd forgotten about them.  But, why were they not included in her children?}

It looks like the enumerator got the order of the children mixed up, if we look at the ages.  One thing to remember...just because the wife is listed as having no job, that does not mean she didn't take in laundry, sell eggs, sew clothing or anything else to earn a penny or three.

57.  August Wenkel, Head, white male.  Age 49, first marriage, married for 25 years.  Born Germany, parents born Germany.  Immigrated 1876 and is naturalized.  Speaks English.  Occupation Farmer on General Farm.   Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

58.  Sophia Wenkel, wife, white female.  Age 46, first marriage, married 25 years, 12 children born, 12 still living {see note above}.    Born Germany, parents born Germany.  Immigrated 1876.  Speaks English.  No occupation.  Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

59.  Fred Wenkel, son, white male.  age 23, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  Farmer on Home Land.  Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

60.  Anna, daughter, white female.  Age 19, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.   Clerk in General Store.  Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

61.  Vena, daughter, white female.  age 21, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.   Domestic with Housework.  Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

62.  Bertha, daughter, white female.  Age 16, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, attends school.  

63.  Dora, daughter, white female.  Age 17, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  Domestic, Housework.  Able to read/write, does not attend school.  

64.  Frieda, daughter, white female.  Age 14, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, does attend school.  

65.  Celia, daughter, white female..  Age 13, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, does attend school.  

66.  August, son, white male.  Age 11, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, does attend school.  

67.  Andrew, son, white male.  age 10, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, does attend school.  

68.  Sophia, daughter, white female.  Age 7, single, born Michigan.  Speaks English.  None.  Able to read/write, does attend school.  

69.  William, son, white male.  Age 6, single, born Michigan.  None.  Able to read/not write, does attend school.

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Military Monday -- August Paul Wenkel 1898-1973

August Paul Wenkel and siblings 3 generation pedigree
from Ancestry.com

1918 World War 1 Draft Registration Card
August Paul Wenkel

August P Wenkel, born 14 June 1898 is 20 years old when he registered for the Draft in World War I.  He was living at Rural Route #2 in Standish Michigan.  He is white, native born, with blue eyes and brown hair and of medium build.  He worked for a buttery hauling milk.  He lists his nearest relative as August Wenkel (August F.A. Wenkel, his father), with the same address.  This looks like it may be his own signature.  Interestingly, he signs as August Wenkel Jr.

Update -- 5/16/2017.
There has been some wonderment that this may not be the proper August Wenkel.  I'd been fooled once before, but as I re-analyze this WWI draft card, I can explain why I am sure this is the correct August Wenkel, my grandfather.

• Line 1 -- the name is August P. Wenkel, Jr.  While technically my grandfather was not actually a Junior (he had a different middle name) for all intents and purposes he was August Jr, the son of August.
• Line 2 -- RR#2, Standish, Arenac, Michigan.  I believe but cannot prove right now that the RR#2 is an address I've seen before, but I CAN say that Standish is the hometown of my August Wenkel family.
• Line 3 and 4 -- the birth date is spot on, and his age is 20 years old.  The math works out.
• Line 5 and 10 -- he is a white native-born male.
• Line 19 and 20 -- his nearest relative is listed as August Wenkel, presumably the Senior above, with the exact same address.  It was not uncommon for young men to live with their families at the age of 20.

I am confident this is the draft card for my grandfather, August Paul Wenkel.

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Census Sunday -- Lena Wenkel, found

Wenkel, Lena line 17

When I posted about August Frederick Andreas Wenkel, I was missing daughter Lena's name on the 1900 census.

I found her.  Here she is, line 17, in Lincoln, Arenac County, Michigan

She was working in Lincoln Township, Arenac, Michigan as a domestic.  She was 14 years old, and she lived and worked for the Kraus family, who were also immigrants from Germany.  I wonder, did these two families know each other in the old country?  The Kraus family had three daughters, one of whom married Lena's brother Fred in 1915.

Is this your Wenkel?