| After years of futility in trying to track Elizabeth
Pfeffer, asserted by our family lore to have been the wife of John
Michael Zellhoefer, I had finally joined DJCGS, soon
receiving the following letter, which put me on a much different track
and resulted in many huge discoveries, as to not only JMZ's family, but
also the connections with Zellhoefer's of Bavaria.
There is now BARGAIN access to (partially)
indexed census images at Hertitage Quest, which can be obtained with
membership to DJCGS, which is also a bargain! Highly recommended!
|
| Letter from Roberta Lien Fosdal, DJCGS, 25 October
2002:
.... There was a “ZELLHOEFER/KLOTZ” family reunion with 66
members in attendance according to an article in the Jefferson County
Union 14 Jun 1929.
ZELLHOEFER, ANNA (d. 9 Sep 1858 @ Rome, WI, age 35 years), buried @
East Riverview Cemetery, Rome. She came to the USA in 1853 from
Urphershofen Bavaria. Had 4 children.
*From the Evangelical Association newsletter 6 Nov 1858.
ZELLHOEFER, MICHAEL (b. @ Bergbach Bavaria-d. 5 Jan 1865 @
Louisville, age 39 years). He came to Rome in 1854 & served in the
Civil War, enlisting on 29 Aug 1864, survived by his wife and 8
children. *Evangelical Association obit, 10 Feb 1865 ....
.... The three daughters all gave a different spelling to their
mothers name!
ZELLHOEFER, CHARLOTTE (1861-13 Sep 1938). She was d/o Michael &
Laura, nee Hoverland. Married 30 Aug 1886 [5-265] to Jacob Lippert (15
Dec 1859-11 Feb 1941), buried @ Riverview Cemetery, Rome.
ZELLHOEFER, LAURA J. (d/o Michael & Helena, nee Haferland).
Married 8 Jun 1893 [6-143] to David Bogie.
ZELLHOEFER, MARGARETH (d/o Michael & Leona, nee Miller). Married
11 Jul 1880 to Martin Roethel. |
| [All three documents were finally
located. The "Evangelical Association Newletter" was
actually "der Christliche Botschafter".
These documents, along with census records in
Jefferson County, Wisconsin, conclusively disprove the family lore
assertion that Elizabeth Pfeffer was JMZ's first wife. The
marriage certificate showed Elizabeth married John Michael Wellhoefer.
The similarites are incredible, but records show JMW and Anna
Elizabeth in there household on land in Hebron Township just 6-7 miles
from the Zellhoefer homesteads in adjacent Sullivan Township. The
grand finale' was that Anna Elizabeth Wellhoefer was still alive,
with her husband, and two children whose names do not match JMZ's
family.
Continued followup led to finding records in
Bavaria showing that JMZ migrated in March 1853, NOT with other family
members in 1846 (as per source George G Zellhoefer). It also led
to the discovery that JMZ/Anna had two earlier children ~
Fredrick ~ and Annie, which led further to the conclusion that Annie
was not the daughter of JMZ's 2nd wife Elnora, again a bad piece of
family lore. |
