Thursday, February 16, 2017

Double 4th Cousins

It's not often for me anyway, that I find a double 4th Cousin. I received an email from the sister-in-law of my fourth cousin. 

I have corresponded with this sister-in-law in the past and we have shared a wealth of information. So I had her in my database, so I could easy see how I know her. Today she told me her 2nd great grandmother is the sister of my 3rd great grandfather. Why did I only find this out today. We have been in contact with each other, on and off for over 15 years while doing our research. But today I find this revelation. Strange thing, I had her 2nd great grandmother in my tree, not tied to my 3rd great grandfather and not tied to the sister-in-law. 

So I was looking at who I originally had in my tree, Ms Julie and she is my double fourth cousin. Looking at my line I see it is through my paternal grandparents. Each one can trace themselves back to Julie. Or should I really say, it's my genealogy software program that did all the heavy lifting on this one. 

The point of this blog post, to praise genealogy software programs that reside on our personal computers. No where on Ancestry does it give me this double relationship. Ancestry does show me that she is my 4th cousin, but how?

I know so many people who only have their tree on web based sites like Ancestry and I think how much they are missing. I find when I look at data in a different way, things start to pop out. Or perhaps it directs me to my next research project. 

Food for thought, with DNA, it makes me realize that if Julie and I were to look at our shared matches, it could be either set of shared Ancestors. Not so cut and dry anymore. 

To all the people who want to know why they should have a genealogy software program that resides on their personal computers, because they are more powerful than any web based application. Before programs came with syncing, I would upload my GEDCOM to one or more of these web based sites as cousin bait. Now I use Family Tree Maker and the sync function to keep my cousin bait up to date with the latest and greatest finds and additions, like Julie's sister-in-law is more than the sister-in-law of my fourth cousin, she is my 4th cousin 1x removed.  Julie and her sister-in-law are related to me through my grandmother's parents. Julie through my grandmother's mother's side and her sister-in-law through my grandmother's father's side. Therefore, Julie and her husband don't share DNA (that I know of anyway). 


Monday, February 13, 2017

Fred Gloede - Son or Step-Son of Theodore Gloede?

My last post, The Tale of Two Gloede’s of Wisconsin . I introduced my husband’s 2nd Great Grandfather, Theodore Gloede.

In 1900, Fred Gloede was living in Oshkosh Ward 13, Winnebago County. Wisconsin with his wife Saraphrena and his children, Rose, Lydia and Leona along with his “father” Theodore Gloede.

In the 1900 Census, we learn that Fred was born in Dec 1866 in Germany. That he immigrated in 1885.

However, one short year later, Theodore died and in his obituary Fred is referenced as his Step-son.

This at first did not make sense to me; however I did not know the wedding date of Theodore and his wife Maria until recently. In my last blog, I shared their marriage record which shows that they were married on 18 Dec 1877, 11 years before Fred’s birth. Thus, Fred might not actually be a Gloede.

I also found a passenger list for a 17 year old Fritz Neubecker who arrived on 6 Oct 1884, a young man who’s date of birth would be around 1866-67.

Fred’s Naturalization record shows his birth date of 1866 and that his year of arrival is 1884. Interesting how this matches the passenger list found for Fritz Neubecker.


This leads me to believe that Fred is not Theodore’s biological son but the illegitimate son of Marie Neubecker who would have been 19-20 years old at the time of Fred’s birth. I have found no direct evidence that clearly states this fact. Our only recourse might be to use DNA to help solve this mystery.

One method is to use YDNA and compare a direct male descendant of Fred Gloede to a direct male descendant of a brother of Theodore or one of his Uncles. Actually any direct male descendant from a male relative of Theodore who shares the Gloede surname. It just can’t be through any of Theodore's other male sons, since their mother might also be Marie Neubecker.


A harder method is to use Autosomal DNA and to compare descendants of Fred Gloede to descendants of the siblings of Theodore or descendants of his parent’s siblings. The relationship might be close enough to allow this type of testing, however the amount of DNA still left in the descendants might be quite small and numerous testers may be required to get a confirmation of the relationship. Of course if there is no relationship, it won’t matter the number of testers used because all of them will come back negative. YIKES!

Saturday, February 11, 2017

The Tale of Two Gloede's of Wisconsin

Theodore Gloede is my husband’s 2nd Great Grandfather and he settled in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. While Friedrich Gloede settled in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.

It appears that some in the family are confusing these two Gloede’s. Plus they have many common facts that can aid in the confusion. When searching Theodore, hints in Ancestry lead us to Friedrich.



Let’s start at the end of their lives.  My husband’s ancestor died on 2 Jan 1901 and is buried in Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Next to him is his wife, Maria who died in 1900. Theodore’s obituary states he was 58 years old. (Shown on the Left)














The other, Friedrich Gloede who died 2 May 1900 and is buried in Union Cemetery, Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Next to him is his wife, Maria who died in 1922. (Shown on the Right)





I found two birth records, one for Friedrich Carl Heinrich Theodor Glöde born 6 April 1843, the son of Friedrich Glöde and Christine Reiss. 

The other one for Fridrich Theodor Christian Martin Gloede, born 23 Sep 1844, the son of Christian Heinrich Friedrich Gloede and Christina Sophia Margareth Krüger.

I also found two marriage records, one Friedrich Carl Heinrich Theodore Gloede, born 6 Apr 1843 married to Sophia Maria Christiana Wittkop, born 2 Nov 1841, married on 1 Nov 1867. 


The other one for Friedrich Theodor Christian Martin Gloede, born 23 Sep 1844 married to Marie Caroline Sophie Nuebecker, born 30 Mar 1844, married on 18 Dec 1877.

Therefore the two birth records do match the Grooms on the two marriage records.

In closing my husband’s 2nd Great Grandfather was born as Fridrich Theodor Christian Martin Gloede on 23 Sep 1844, the son of Christian Heinrich Friedrich Gloede and Christina Sophia Margareth Krüger. He married Marie Caroline Sophie Nuebecker on 18 Dec 1877. He died 2 Jan 1901 and is buried in Peace Lutheran Cemetery, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

The other man was born as Friedrich Carl Heinrich Theodor Glöde on 6 Apr 1843, the son of Friedrich Glöde and Christine Reiss. He married Sophia Maria Christiana Wittkop on 1 Nov 1867. He died 2 May 1900 and is buried in Union Cemetery, Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.


Why all the confusion about these two Gloede’s? To be honest, I can’t say, however on Theodore’s obituary it states he was residing with his step-son Fred Gloede. Why would Fred be his step-son when they have the same last name? That statement has always been sitting in the back of my mind and I will try to answer that question in my next blog.