Wilhelm Landau and Martha Elizabeth Moeller, Part 1

Henry William Landau was the son of Wilhelm Landau and Martha Elizabeth Moeller (or Möller.)

Please keep in mind that in by-gone days people were often called by their middle names or variations of either names.  Martha Elizabeth Moeller was called “Lizzy” in Henry’s obituary and Elizabeth in the 1870 and 1880 census records.  “Martha” was probably a family name - although her name might have been "Margaretha" and then Americanized to "Martha."

Martha Elizabeth Moeller (or Miller or Möller or Muller) was born on March 31, 1838, in Rockensüß, Kur Hessen (Germany.)  She died March 25, 1890, in Lee County, IL.  Her birth date is derived from the death date minus her age on the gravestone:  51 years 11 months 25 days.  If you have a copy of Bill Anderson’s revised The Story of the Landau Family 1836-1981, on page 3 he noted that he’d heard that Martha Elizabeth was from “Rokensis”and Wilhelm was from "Heirode."  

Also on page 3, Bill Anderson related a story some of us had previously heard about how Wilhelm and Martha met….  “It seems that William, the young immigrant, was in Chicago and while on the street one day saw a team of runaway horses and caught and calmed them.  In the cart or wagon was a young lady, Martha Moeller, who could not control the team.  During the ruckus, she fell and was hurt.  William, concerned about her welfare, visited her in the hospital.  They became friends and later married.”

Lovely story, but doubtful. Here’s why I don’t believe it:

1. If Martha Elizabeth was from Rockensüß (or in English:  Rockensuess), then she was from the same area as Wilhelm Landau.  See map for Heyerode and Rockensüß.  (Note also the location of Diemerode.  I'll get back to that later.)

2. I strongly suspect that Martha Elizabeth was the “Möller, Margaretha” on the line directly below “Landau, Wilhm” in the list of passengers on the Sir Robert Peel which arrived at Castle Garden, New York City, on May 8, 1861.  Both passengers were headed for Illinois.  See ship’s list image (click on image to enlarge it.)

I have not pursued Martha Elizabeth’s ancestry any farther back.  However, I would start with a question raised by the 1870 US Census.  In the Landau household was a 70 year old female named “Merl, Catherine.”    Merl?  I suggest that to the enumerator Mr. Richardson’s ear Möller spoken with a German accent might have sounded like “Merl.”  So, who was Catherine Merl / Möller?  Perhaps Martha Elizabeth’s mother?

 

DOCUMENTS:

• Woodside Cemetery (Lee Co., IL) grave index, pg 16
• 1870 & 1880 Federal Census - Lee County, IL
• Map of Rockensuess area
• Ship’s List - Sir Robert Peel

DOCUMENTS NEEDED:

• Martha Elizabeth’s birth or baptismal record from Germany
• Martha Elizabeth’s death certificate from Lee County, IL
• Proof of Martha Elizabeth's parents
• Proof of Catherine “Merl” / “Möller"

The Passing of Henry and Katherine

After living in Cedar Rapids about ten years, Henry W. Landau moved back to Waterloo and lived with son, Carl, for the last year or so of his life.  Here are an obituary and a funeral notice from the Waterloo (IA) Courier:

Waterloo (IA) Courier - Friday, Nov 8, 1946:

"Henry W. Landau, 76, of 413 East First Street, died Friday [Nov 8] at 8 a.m. at the Allen Memorial Hospital of a heart ailment. Born Mar. 8, 1870 at Lee Center, IL, he was the son of William and Lizzy Landau. He was married July 11, 1894, at Lee Center to Catherine Koehler. An Iowa resident for the past 46 years, he lived in Cedar Rapids from 1925 to 1945. In 1945, he moved to Waterloo and had lived since then at the home of his son, Carl. Mr. Landau was a member of the Lee Center Lutheran church.

Surviving besides his [ex] wife and son, Carl, are: six sons, Jerome, Cedar Falls; Everett, 819 Hawthorne avenue; Clarence, 321 Williston avenue; Wilbert 1117 Longfellow avenue; John, Gilbertville, Ia.; and Frank, 309 Allen Street; two daughters, Mrs. Glenn Ladwig and Mrs. Everett Steege, Fredericksburg, IA.; 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The body is at O'Keefe and Towne funeral home."

Waterloo (IA) Courier - Sunday, Nov 10, 1946:

"Funeral services for Henry W. Landau, 76, of 413 East First Street who died Friday of a heart ailment, will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. at O'Keefe and Towne funeral home. Burial will be at Rosehill cemetery, Fredericksburg, IA. Rev. U. E. Burroughs, pastor of First Baptist Church, Fredericksburg, will officiate." 

Three months later, Katherine Koehler Landau passed away.  She also spent her last days living with Carl and Marion.

Waterloo Daily Courier - Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1947: 

“Mrs. Katherine Landau Champlin, 69, of 413 East First Street, died Monday at 5:30 p.m. in St. Francis Hospital of hardening of the arteries and complications.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the Peace Evangelical and Reformed church at Fredericksburg, IA., by Rev. P. Weltge, pastor.  A prayer service will precede at 12:30 p.m. here in O'Keefe & Towne funeral home.  Burial will be in the Rose Hill cemetery at Fredericksburg.

Born on Mar. 20, 1877 at Rotenburg, Germany, she was the daughter of Frederick and Margaret Koehler.  The family came to this country in 1890 and settled in Ashton, IL.  On July 11, 1894, she was married at Lee Center, IL., to Henry W. Landau.  They were divorced.  She was remarried on July 23, 1925, in Waterloo to Charles W. Champlin.  He died here June 28, 1935.  She was the member of the Fredericksburg church.

Nine children by the first marriage survive, including seven sons, Jerome, 2459 Iowa Street, Cedar Falls; Everett, 819 Hawthorne Avenue; Clarence, 321 Williston Avenue; Wilbert, 1139 Longfellow Avenue; John, Route 6; Carl, 413 East First Street; and Frank, 413 Allen Street; two daughters, Mrs. Vera Ladwig and Mrs. Mata Steege, both of Fredericksburg; 20 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren.”

DOCUMENTS:

• Waterloo Courier obits as noted above

DOCUMENTS NEEDED:

• Death certificates for both
• Birth or baptismal records for both

The 1930s and ‘40s

Articles from Waterloo and Fredericksburg newspapers during the 1930s & '40s reported on various visits of Landau family (including a July 1931 visit by cousins from Dixon, IL), card parties, birthdays, bridal showers, and weddings. 

Besides those happy times, the family gathered for several sad occasions.  On July 23, 1938, Vera’s eldest son, Glenn, jr., died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.  He was 19 years old.

There was a scare when Jerome’s 18 year old son, Carl, was struck by a speeding car on June 15, 1941.  The Courier reported the next day that he was “dying of injuries.”  However, Carl survived crushed ribs, leg and arm.  Several articles over the next six months reported on his recovery. 

And then tragedy struck again on December 31, 1943, when Everett’s six year old daughter, Ruth, died when struck by a truck in front of their home on Washington St., Waterloo.

DOCUMENTS:

• Waterloo and Fredericksburg newspaper articles.  Contact me for specifics.

1930 Census

In the 1930 census Katherine (Koehler Landau) and Charles Champlin are found on Oaklawn Street in Waterloo, along with her youngest two children, Frank and Mata.

Henry Landau was still living and working in Cedar Rapids.

All of the older Landau children were married and starting their own families. 

• Vera and Glen Ladwig & 3 children - in Fredericksburg Twp., Chickasaw Co., IA
• Jerome and Emily & 3 children - Dike, Grundy Co., IA

The following had homes in Waterloo:

• Everett and Helen & their oldest 2 daughters
• Clarence and Erna & daughter Gloria
• Wilbert and Garnet & daughter Beverly
• John and Luverna
• Carl and Marion

DOCUMENTS:

• 1930 Federal Census for the following Iowa counties:  Black Hawk, Chickasaw, Grundy, and Linn

1925 Census, a Marriage, and a Sale

In the 1925 Iowa State Census Henry W. LANDAU was living on South 7^th Street (SE? or SW?) in Cedar Rapids, IA, as a Roomer in the household of Edward Stoddard.

Katherine LANDAU was living on Franklin Street in Waterloo, along with children:  Wilbert, John, Carl, Frank, and Mata.  Also in the household were Clarence and his wife Erna.

On July 23, 1925, Katherine (Katie) married Charles W. CHAMPLIN.  (He died in 1935.)

The following blurb about a Sherriff’s Sale was in the November 6, 1925, Waterloo Evening Reporter:

DOCUMENTS:

• 1925 Iowa State Census - Black Hawk County
• 1925 Iowa State Census - Linn County
• Katherine’s obituary listed marriage dates to both Henry Landau & Charles Champlin
• Sherriff's Sale Notice - Waterloo Evening Courier, Nov. 6, 1925

The Divorce

On Wednesday, February 6, 1924, Katherine (Katie) filed for divorce from Henry.

DOCUMENT:

• Feb 7, 1924, notice in The Evening Courier and Reporter, Waterloo, IA, page 4, column 6.

DOCUMENT NEEDED:

• Divorce decree, etc. from Black Hawk County, Iowa.  NOTE:  I checked, but was told that the records were among those lost in the 2008 Cedar River flood.

1920 Farming near Fredericksburg

The Henry & Katherina (Katie) LANDAU family was living near Fredericksburg, Chickasaw County, Iowa, during the 1920 census.  The enumeration was on Jan 13, 1920.

Fredericksburg Twp., family #33

Henry W. - owns property - 49 - married - b. in IL; parents b. in Ger. - stock farmer

Katherina - 41 - married - b. in Ger.; parents b. in Ger.

Clarence - 18 - b. IA

Wilbert A. - 14 - b. IA

John W. - 12 - b. IA

Carl O. - 10 - b. IA

Frank S. - 8 - b. IA

Mata I. - 5 - b. IA

Fredericksburg Twp., family # 26

Ladwig, Glen A. - 28

Vera - 23

Glen A. - 1 month

I have not found Everett in the 1920 census…even after trying numerous spelling variations and including all states. 

However, in 1920, Jerome LANDAN, 22 years old, was a hired hand on the farm of Miles Arnold which was located in Grant Twp., Grundy County, IA.

DOCUMENTS:

• 1920 Federal Census - Grant Twp., Grundy County, Iowa
• 1920 Federal Census - Fredericksburg Twp., Chickasaw County, Iowa

How’s that spelled again?

In the “olden days” the census was taken by enumerators who went door to door.  Questions were asked about individuals in the household.  Unfortunately none of the census records over the decades have indicated who it was that supplied the answers. Some errors occurred when the person giving the answers guessed. 

Another problem with handwritten records is that while some enumerators had lovely handwriting, many had worse penmanship than mine. So when the census records are transcribed into books or online databases, it can be difficult to decipher the data.

For example, if we search in ancestry dot com in the 1915 Iowa State Census, the only LANDAUs found are living in Floyd County.  {More on them in another post.}  However, Henry, Katie and their nine children were enumerated in R 3, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, but the indexer(s) at ancestry dot com transcribed the handwritten records as:

W. H. Landaw - 44 - Farmer - earnings in 1914: $1500 - born in IL - Lutheran - parents both born in Germany

Cristana Landen - 37 - born in Germany - Lutheran - parents both born in Germany

Vera E. Landaw - 18 - b. in IL - 10 years of common school, two years of college

Jerome V. Landaw - 17 - b. in IL - 10 years of common school - earnings in 1914: $250

Everett F. Landen - 15 - b. in IA - 10 years of common school

Clarence A. Landan - 13 - b. in IA - 7 years of common school

Willart A. Landan - 10 - b. in IA - 4 years of common school

John H. Lindem - 8 = b. in IA - cannot decipher # of years in school

Carl O. Landan - 6 -  b. in IA - 1 year of common school

Frank S. Landen - 4 - b. in IA

Mata T. Landaw - 3 months - b. in IA

Also - I’m quite sure the Katie A. Landan - 45 - b. in IL - a nurse - living in Iowa 11 years, is Henry’s sister as mentioned in the previous post.  She was living at 718 Franklin St., Waterloo.  Same address as in 1910.

Many thanks to my sister LuDene for finding the family in the 1915 Iowa State census!

DOCUMENTS:

• 1915 Iowa State Census cards