Looking for an ancestor who may have changed his surname from Schlepper to Wilson

Question

Looking for any information about Heinrich “Henry” Schlepper.

born abt 1828 in Germany

Died about 1870-1871 in Chicago, IL, USA

wife named Christine

Children were named Fred and Mina according to the 1860 US Federal census for Chicago, Cook, Illinois.

Trying to find either child or more information about Henry.

I believe Frederick John Wilson (wiki ID linked to this) - my husband’s 2nd great grandfather - is very probably the Fred Schlepper listed on the 1860 census.

I know pretty much everything that can be learned about Frederick John Wilson (b Jan 1860 IL, d 1903 CA) AFTER 1884. I can’t find him before that. I can’t find Fred Schlepper after 1860.

Any help you can provide, any second set of eyes, would be most greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Answer 1

Phaedra, please update his profile.  You say you have "way too much information."  Put up some of that on his profile.  This helps us help you.  Share what you know and then we do not have to waste time repeating your research.

Answer 2

Phaedra,  Has your husband taken any DNA tests?  From your name I'm assuming that he's not in the Wilson patrilineal line so a Y DNA test wouldn't help but an autosomal test might reveal links back to Germany.

Also, are you aware of the LaDouceur Family Tree on Ancestry?  It has Frederick John Wilson and his father:

Heinrich Friedrich Schlepper

1829–1871

BIRTH 8 JUN 1829 • Baden

DEATH ABT. 1871 • Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA

Heinrich is also in the OSMER/BLAU Family Tree where his father is given as Johann Bernd/Bernhard Christoph Schlepper.