One of the major mysteries we've come across in researching Jansons is my mother's mom, Margaret Naber. She was born in Petersburg, Delaware County, Iowa in February, 1882. Her parents were Gerhard (John) Naber and Elizabeth ___. According to her Minnesota Death Certificate, Elizabeth was a Schlichting.No problem, right? It's there, on the Certificate. BUT, in that part of Iowa at the time, there were no Schilchtings, only Schlichtes...(say the names out loud, they sound almost the same). A logical mistake on the part of the undertaker or Doc here in Minnesota.
What difference does it make? Well, from what we can find out, Gerhard Naber married Elizabeth Rupiper on the 5th of April, 1861.
So, who was Elizabeth Schlichting/Schlichte?
We're pretty sure Gerhard was married twice, and that both Elizabeths had children with him.
The first family was Herman, Bernard, Henry, and Mary (listed in the 1870 census), and in 1880, Anna is added, at 10 years old....plus Elizabeth, John and Katherine.
So? Couldn't this simply be the same Elizabeth? Yes, it could, except for three things: There's an "Elizabeth Naber" in the Petersburg Cemetery who died in 1870... there's mom's claim that her grandma had 4 children: John, Catherine, Gerhard and Margaret....and there's the 1925 Special Census from Iowa:
(This is Mary, from the first family, who became Sr Raphael. Her mother was Elizabeth Rupiper).::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Now, here's the Death Certificate of Elizabeth Naber, widow of Gerhardt Naber. She and five grown children moved to Minnesota sometime after 1900 but before 1910.
When Elizabeth died, Grandpa Anton, her son-in-law, gave this information to the undertaker. He could very well have been wrong, or else, we're dealing with a THIRD Elizabeth?
Still, we've tried to researched "Bernard Richls"
or "Richle"....and haven't found anything.
It's an interesting puzzle.
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