Philippine (Kieß) Wilhelm (1832 - 1903)

Born 8 Apr 1832 in Nöttingen, Großherzogtum Baden

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 2 Oct 1903 at age 71 in Marion, Marion, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Life in Marion County, Ohio

The first confirmed document known for Phebe in the United States is a property deed of 15 Jan 1862 where "Phebe Williams of Marion County, Ohio" purchases 25 acres of land in Big Island Township, Marion County, Ohio for $250.^[1] On 11 Aug 1862, husband Christopher and Phebe quit claim that land for $1 back to Patrick Gallagher.^[2] On 6 Sep 1862, Patrick Gallagher sold Phebe a differently shaped 25 acre parcel of land in the same section for $300.^[3]

The deeds are recorded under the name Christopher Williams and wife Phebe Williams, but the signatures on the quit claim say Christoph Wilhelm and Phileppina Wilhelm in old German script.^[2]

In the 1870 census, she is listed as Phebe, age 39, b. Baden, in the household of Chris Williams in Big Island Township. Also in the household are 4 children: John, 16, b. New York; Philip, 13, b. New York; Catherine, 12, b. Ohio; and Charles, 6, b. Ohio.^[4]

In the 1880 census, she is listed as Phebe A. Wilhelm, age 48, b. Baden, wife of Christoph Wilhelm, parents both of Baden. Only sons Charley, age 15, and Frank, age 7, are living with Christoph and Phebe.^[5]

Christoph and Phebe continued living in Big Island Township until his death 8 May 1888.^[6] He is buried in Salem Cemetery, Big Island Township, Marion County, Ohio.^[7]

By 1900, Phebe was living with her daughter in Marion, Ohio.^[8] She died there 2 Oct 1903.^[9][10]

She is likely buried in Salem Cemetery, Big Island Township, with her husband, however FindAGrave does not have a photograph of any inscription for her on Christoph's grave marker.

Children

Christoph's will, written in 1882, names his widow Philippina or Pheba; sons John, Charles/Charley, Franklin/Frank all of Agosta (now New Bloomington), Ohio; son Philip of Columbus, Ohio; and daughter Catharine Rice of Marion, Ohio.^[11] Philip died a few months after his father, 19 Nov 1888.^[12] The other heirs sold 40 acres of land in section 19 of Big Island Township 23 Mar 1897. At that time, the "only heirs of Christopher Wilhelm" were listed as Phillipena, widow of Christopher; John Wilhelm and Katie his wife; Cathrine Rice & Charles W. her husband; Charles F. (unmarried); and Frank Wilhelm & Clara his wife.^[13]

This, in combination with census records, death certificates, and obituaries, yields 5 children of Christoph and presumably Phebe:

• John Andrew, 24 Aug 1854 - 27 Oct 1925^[14], m. Katharine Hecker 1875^[15]
• Philip, calc. 26 Mar 1856 - 19 Nov 1888^[12]
• Catharine, 25 Dec 1857 - 22 Apr 1932^[16], m. Charles W. Rice 1880^[17]
• Charles Frederick, 9 Apr 1865 - 29 Jan 1953^[18], m. Eva May Arthur 1897^[19]
• Frank, 28 Jul 1872 - 29 Jul 1946^[20], m. Clara Romoser

Philip^[12], Catharine^[16], and Frank's^[20] death certificates all name Christoph and Phebe as their parents. John's death certificate^[14] gives his father's name as Gustave. Charles' death certificate^[18] has parents Frederick & Katharine.

Birth

There is a Philippine Kieß born 8 Apr 1832, baptized 10 Apr 1832 in Nöttingen, Großherzogtum Baden.^[21] While a document that directly connects Phebe (Kies) Wilhelm who died in Marion, Ohio to that Philippine Kieß has not been located, there is circumstantial evidence they are the same person. Phebe's age and place of birth in U. S. Census records point to a birth about Apr 1832 in Baden.^[4][5][8] Deed records from Marion County, Ohio^[2] and her husband's will^[11] give her name as both Philippina and Phebe, with some variation in the spelling. The Philippine Kieß born in Nöttingen has parents Philipp Jacob Kieß and Philippine Kern. Allen L. Potts' research has this couple as witnesses to the baptisms of children of Jacob Küst and Catharina Kieß in Nöttingen. Jacob & Catharina and their children immigrated to the same part of Marion County, Ohio where Phebe and her husband Christoph settled, as did other families from the Nöttingen area.

Research Notes

• The 1900 census^[8] places Phebe's immigration in 1856. If she is the mother of John and Philip born in New York, she must have been in the U.S. earlier.
• If the 1870 census^[4] and the children's death certificates provide accurate information about their respective births, Christoph and family should be in the Rochester, New York area by 24 Aug 1854 when John is born; remain in New York until at least 26 Mar 1856 when Philip is born; and arrive in Marion County, Ohio by 25 Dec 1857 when Catharine is born. However, they have not been located in the 1860 census or any property records prior to 1862. Christoph and John could possibly be the Christopher William, age 31, and son John, age 1 born Monroe County, found in the 1855 New York State Census in Irondequoit, New York, however the wife is named Anna and her age is inconsistent with Pheba's age.
• Was Phebe John's mother, just listed as Anne in the 1855 New York census? Or was Christoph married to someone else before 1855?
• Several people from wife Phebe's home town of Nöttingen, Baden end up in Marion County, Ohio. Did any of them also come to Ohio via New York? Perhaps researching some of them may find Phebe and/or Christoph in the US before 1862 or locate emigration/immigration records. Note that son Philip's death record^[12] gives his mother's name as Phoebe - so if that is correct, and it is also correct he was born in New York, Phebe and Christopher were married in New York - she did not immigrate directly to Marion County, Ohio.
• The Marion County, Ohio estates index has an entry for Phoebe Wilhelm, Charles Wilhelm adm'r - case #4340 which doesn't look like it has been microfilmed or put online. Index also has estate record vol. 25, 1st account page 113, final account 113.

Sources

1. ↑ Marion County, Ohio, Deed Records, Vol. 30, Page 423, P. D. Gallagher to Phebe Williams, recorded 28 Jul 1862; Marion County Recorder, Marion, Ohio.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Marion County, Ohio, Deed Records, Vol. 30, Page 466, Christopher Williams & wife to Patrick D. Gallagher, recorded 18 Sep 1862; Marion County Recorder, Marion, Ohio.
3. ↑ Marion County, Ohio, Deed Records, Vol. 30, Page 466-7, P. D. Gallagher to Phebe Williams, recorded 18 Sep 1862; Marion County Recorder, Marion, Ohio.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} 1870 Federal Census, United States, population schedule, Ohio, Marion County, Big Island Township, page 10B, sheet 20, dwelling 154, household 155, Chris Williams household; NARA microfilm publication M593.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 1880 Federal Census, United States, population schedule, Ohio, Marion County, Big Island Township, Enumeration District (ED) 89, page 47D, sheet 8, dwelling 75, family 75, Christoph Wilhelm household; NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1046.
6. ↑ Marion County, Ohio, Record of Deaths, Vol. 2, Page 440-1, 1889 #3, Christopher Wilhelm; Marion County Probate Court, Marion, Ohio.
7. ↑ Salem Cemetery (Big Island Township, Marion, Ohio, United States), Christ. Wilhelm Grave Marker; photographed by FindAGrave user Rebecca Johnson Oldham, 2011.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} 1900 Federal Census, United States, population schedule, Ohio, Marion County, Marion Township, Ward 1, Enumeration District (ED) 58, page 105B, sheet 14B, dwelling 314, household 340, Charles Rice household; NARA microfilm publication T623.
9. ↑ Marion County, Ohio, Record of Deaths, Vol. 3, Page 231, 1904 #6, Phebe Willhelm; Marion County Probate Court, Marion, Ohio.
10. ↑ "Mrs. Phoebe Wilhelm Dies Friday Night," The Marion Star, Marion, Ohio, 3 October 1903, page 5, column 3.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Marion County, Ohio, Probate Records, Wills Vol. 6, pages 230-2, Christoph Wilhelm.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Columbus, Ohio, Record of Deaths, Vol. 1, Page 527-8, #44, Philip Wilhelm; Franklin County Probate Court, Columbus, Ohio.
13. ↑ Marion County, Ohio, Deed Records, Vol. 81, Page 97-8, John[sic] Wilhelm "Heirs" to John Schlect, recorded 6 Apr 1897; Marion County Recorder, Marion, Ohio.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death #58880 (filed 30 Oct 1925), John Wilhelm; Ohio History Connection, Columbus, Ohio.
15. ↑ "John Wilhelm, 74, is Dead from Apoplexy," The Marion Star, Marion, Ohio, 28 October 1925, page 12, column 4.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death #25630 (filed 25 Apr 1932), Catherine Rice; Ohio History Connection, Columbus, Ohio.
17. ↑ "Catherine Rice, 75, Dies; Rites Monday," The Marion Star, Marion, Ohio, 23 April 1932, page 2, column 3.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death #04488 (filed 3 Feb 1953), Charles Frederick Wilhelm; Ohio History Connection, Columbus, Ohio.
19. ↑ "Deaths and Funerals," The Marion Star, Marion, Ohio, 30 January 1953, page 10, column 5.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, certificate of death #44159 (filed 1 Aug 1946), Frank W. Wilhelm; Ohio History Connection, Columbus, Ohio.
21. ↑ Evangelische Landeskirche Baden, Nöttingen, Baden. Church Books (Landeskirchliches Archiv Karlsruhe), Taufen 1821-1835, page 226, Philippine Kieß, 1832 #10.