John Willig's Tragic Demise

John Willig, 1906, photo courtesy of 'alyseb1'.

Introduction

      My Willig research really got launched when I found the newspaper article in the Southtown Economist, 25 Aug 1931, that listed the attendees of John Willig's 90th birthday bash in Calumet Grove in the Chicago area. When I researched those attendees, I discovered that all of them were descended from one of 4 immigrant Willigs: John Willig, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart, Johann Conrad Willig (aka John C. Willig) and Fred Willig. (See May 20, 2016 post.)

      In subsequent posts I determined that Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart was John C. Willig's sister and Fred Willig was probably John C.'s uncle.
 
      The purpose of this post is to explore the life of John Willig and determine how he might be related to John C. Willig, my husband's great-grandfather. I am wondering if he might be another one of John's uncles.

Current evidence for a relationship

1. Dan, a great-grandson of John C. Willig is a DNA match to "SB", who according to her Ancestry Tree, is a 4-great granddaughter of John Willig. (The predicted relationship is 5th to 8th cousins, with "moderate" confidence.)
2. Three of John C. Willig's children attended John Willig's 90th birthday party on August 16, 1931. 
3. John C. Willig and John Willig were both born in Kassel, Germany. 

Life of John Willig

      John Willig was born on August 13, 1841, in Kassel, Germany, in the state of Hessen. He married Karoline Branholz in Hessen in 1861 or 1862. Their 2 eldest children were born in Hessen: August on December 19, 1862, and Elizabeth Catherine on September 23, 1864.  

      John Willig is listed on the passenger list of the ship 'Hansa', that departed from Bremen, Germany, and arrived in New York City on July 11, 1865. He is listed as Johannes Willig, passenger 164, age 27, occupation 'taylor', from Hessia. He appears to have resided in the 'Between Deck' area. I believe he would only have been 23 years old, and I do not see his family, but I still believe this is the likeliest immigration record! Tailor is not that common of an occupation and his daughter Elizabeth's obituary states that she came to the U. S. when she was about a year old. I scanned the passenger list several times, but do not see his wife and 2 children, even though the handwriting was very good and all passengers appeared to be listed, regardless of age. Perhaps his family came on a later ship.

Ancestry, 'New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957', Johannes Willig.

      John came to the Chicago area where 6 additional children were born. Lena was born October 19, 1866. Louisa was born March 20, 1869. William F. was born January 18, 1871. Charles F. was born January 27, 1874, in Morgan Park. Johann Friedrich Wilhelm was born December 24, 1875. Anna Addie was born July 21, 1881. All 8 of their children reached adulthood.

      The earliest evidence of residence for John is in the 1869 city directory for Chicago. He was living at 11 Liberty, where he also worked as a tailor. By the 1870's, he must have lived in Morgan Park, a community just north of Blue Island. On October 11, 1872, he was naturalized in the criminal court of Cook County, Illinois. In 1880, the census lists his residence as Morgan Park, Town of Calumet, and John is working as a farmer!

Ancestry, 1880 US census, Morgan Park/Cook/Illinois, pg. 29, John Willig.

      By 1890, John Willig was one of 3 Commissioners of Highways of the town of Calumet. He was active as a commissioner for 27 years. He was also active in the community in other ways and in 1892 appears to have been one of 3 judges for the polling in District 2 of Calumet. In 1897, John was drawn as a  member of the September grand jury.

Newspapers.com, 'The Inter Ocean', 13 Apr 1890, p. 13. 

      On April 21, 1904, John's wife Carolina died. Less than a year later, his daughter, Lena Kipp, died on January 20, 1905. So, at the time the above picture was taken, he had suffered 2 significant losses. 

      In 1910, John is living at 11701 Morgan Street in Morgan Park. He is retired and owns his home free of a mortgage. His son William is living with him, with his wife Minnie and children Florence, Ethel and Ruth. (William works as a brick maker.) In addition, 3 members of the Heinie family are living with them: John (30), Frieda (26) and Leroy (2). John Heinie works as a gas fitter. (I am not aware of any relationship between John Willig and the Heinie family.) In March 1911, John transferred transferred real estate on Vincennes Road to his son William. This appears to be the same house that was formerly listed on Morgan Street!  

      In 1920, he is 79 years old and still living with William Willig and his family. William is working as a brick maker and his 16-year old daughter is working as a stenographer in an office. In addition, a young family with one child (Stuart Keehan) is living at the same address and renting.

      In 1930, he is living at the same address, 11701 Vincennes Avenue, with son William, daughter-in-law Minnie and granddaughters Florence and Ruth. In addition, William and Mildred Danner are renting from them for $25 per month. Mildred is another one of John's granddaughters, daughter of John's son John!

Ancestry, 1930 US census, Chicago/Cook/Illinois, p. 4B, William Willig.

      On August 24, 1930, John Willig celebrated his 89th birthday at a family reunion picnic at Saurbler's Grove in Blue Island. Five generations were represented. John had 8 children, 62 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren! I did find several relatives that did not attend the later 90th birthday party, but this party appears to have just represented the descendants of John Willig himself!
 

Newspapers.com, Suburbanite Economist, 2 Sep 1930, page 3.

      Six of his children attended his 90th birthday party on August 16, 1931. The only children not attending were Lena, who was deceased, and Anna Addie, who was living in San Diego. This was an even bigger birthday bash than the 89th birthday part and included descendants of John Conrad Willig, John C.'s sister Wilhelmina Willig Steinhart and Fred Willig. In the birthday announcement, it said that John Willig spent a lot of time gardening after he retired. He was also a member of the Tracey Masonic Lodge and a member of Odd Fellows, Local Harmonize No. 2.

      John Willig died in the same year of his 90th birthday celebration, on November 21, 1931, in Lockport Township, Will County, Illinois. Months later, he was buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery (Lot 262, Section 23) in Worth, Illinois, next to his wife.

Find A Grave, #47269888, John Willig, photo by William Kazupski.

      Initially, I assumed that he went to Lockport to stay with a child or grandchild, perhaps due to ill health. But the story is significantly more complicated! Anticipating a visit to Mt. Greenwood Cemetery on a trip to the Chicago area this month, I called the cemetery sexton. According to the burial permit, cause of death was drowning by suicide! I wondered why he had died in Lockport if he lived in Blue Island. The sexton said that Lockport was on a canal and he had died in the Sanitary Ship canal. Sure enough, when I checked in Google maps, both Blue Island and Lockport were on the Calumet-Sag canal. So he jumped into the canal in the Blue Island area and it probably took months for them to find his body.

Chicago Tribune;  November 22, 1931;  page 1.

Summary

      John C. Willig and John Willig are clearly related, based on a DNA match. I currently suspect that John Willig may be an uncle of John C. Willig. The intersection points of their lives are as follows:

1. Both were born in the state of Hessen in Germany, and probably, both were born in the town of Kassel within Hessen... John C.'s passenger list states that he was from Hessen and family tradition says he was from Kassel... John Willig is identified as being from Hessen on his passenger list, in the 1920 census and in a newspaper article on his 89th birthday. Several Ancestry members state that John Willig was born in Kassel, but I do  not know the source of the information.  
2. Three of John C. Willig's children attended John Willig's 90th birthday party on August 16, 1931. (The 3 children were Mary Littman, Louisa Collins and Roy Willig, all from Hammond, Indiana.)    
3. They lived about 10 miles apart. John C. Willlig lived in Hegewisch, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana, and John Willig lived in Blue Island, Illinois.  

      At the same time, they came to this country at different times. John C. Willig immigrated in 1882, whereas John Willig immigrated in 1865,  when John C. was about 5 years old!

Next Steps

      While researching other Ancestry trees, I noted that several members identified John Willig as having a brother Karl Heinrich Willig (1839 - 1901)! Since Willig is an unusual name, I want to explore the other Willigs in the Chicago area in the late 1800's to look for other possible relatives. 

      Soon, though, I will need to look for original records in Kassel. Preliminary explorations, however, make me think that records may be difficult to locate.

Sources

1. Ancestry, www.ancestry.com.
2. Find A Grave, www.findagrave.com.
3. Newspapers.com.
4. Chicago Tribune, Archives, http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1931/11/22/page/1/article/father-92-leaps-in-canal-before-eyes-of-son-70.

Machinists by Trade: Relating John C. Willig and George Willig

Background

      In a previous post, "John Willig's 90th Birthday Bash", I started to explore the relationship between 4 different Willig immigrants: John Willig, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart, Johann Conrad Willig and Fred Willig. In another post, I documented the evidence for Johann Conrad Willig and Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart being brother and sister. In this post, I am going to explore the relationship between Johann Conrad Willig and Fred Willig, and by extension, Fred's son George. They are clearly related and I suspect that Fred is Johann's uncle.

      In the past, I have referred to Dan's great-grandfather as Johann Conrad Willig because that is how he appears on the passenger list from Germany. In the United States, however, he was always known as John C. Willig, so that is how I will refer to him going forward.

Evidence to date for John C. Willig's relationship to George

      At this time, there are no known DNA matches between Dan and a known relative of George. However, we have the following evidence for a connection:

1. Three of John C. Willig's children attended the 90th birthday bash of John Willig. George Willig attended the birthday bash, together with his daughter and son-in-law.
2. John C. Willig and George Willig both lived in Hegewisch, near the border of Illinois and Indiana.
3. John C. Willig and George Willig both worked as machinists.
4. John C. Willig and George Willig are both buried in Concordia Cemetery in Hammond, Indiana.

  

Life of George Willig in Chicago

      Based on Chicago census data, George was born in Illinois, in about 1867, but both of his parents were born in Germany. One census, however, stated that he was born in Kansas.
  
      The earliest record for George Willig in the Chicago area is his marriage to Caroline Moeller, on June 3, 1894, in Hegewisch, Cook County, Illinois. At the time, George was 27 years old and Caroline was 20 years old. (Hegewisch is immediately west of Hammond, Indiana.) 

      At the time of the 1900 census, taken June 8th, George Willig was residing at 13236 Houston Avenue in Hyde Park town, in Illinois. (Hyde Park was a later name for Hegewisch.) He was living there with his wife Lena and his 4-year old daughter Mamie. They were living with, and renting from, William and Catherine Moeller and their children William and Christina. They were Caroline's parents and some of her siblings! (Caroline's parents were both born in Hessen, Germany.) George and Lena had been married for 6 years and the census taker reported that they had only had one child. At this time, George worked as a machinist.  

Ancestry.com; 1900 U. S. Census; Chicago Ward 33; Page 11A; George Willig.

                                                                               Page 11 B.

             NOTE: In the 1900 census, John C. Willig was living at 13156 Houston Avenue,
             less than a block away from George Willig. John C. was working as a machinist
             foreman in the Pressed Steel Car company. 
              

Ancestry.com; 1900 U. S. Census; Chicago Ward 33; Page 13A; John C. Willig.

                                                                              Page 13B

      At the time of the 1910 census, taken May 9th, George and his family were living at the same address, but they now had an additional child, Annie, who was 5 years old. Mamie was 14 years old and attending school. George was working as a machinist in a shop. The Moeller family had been replaced by the Philo family, which does not appear to be related. Both the Willig and Philo families were renting.   

             NOTE: In the 1910 census, John C. Willig had moved to 189 Sheffield Avenue
             (4433 Sheffield today) in Hammond, Indiana, which is where he lived until his
             death. This is still only 2.5 miles from where George lived! John C. worked
             as a foreman in a machine shop and had been out of work for 26 weeks during 1909.

      In the 1917 City Directory for Hammond, Indiana, and West Hammond, Illinois, George and Caroline Willig are listed as residing in Hegewisch, Illinois. George is listed as a machinist for Hammond Brass Works. 

             NOTE: John C. Willig was working as a foreman. John C. Willig and his
             children were the only other Willigs listed in the directory, with the exception
             of Christina Willig, widow of George, who resided at 318 Sibley. At this time, 
             the identity of this Christina and George Willig is unknown. 
             (There is also a B. Willick, who could potentially be related.) 

Ancestry.com;  U. S. City Directories; Hammond, Indiana (and West Hammond, Illinois). p. 661.

       At the time of the 1920 census, taken February 3rd, George Willig was living with his wife and 2 daughters at 13224 Brandon Avenue. There was a second family at the same address, Charles and Anna Luceberg, but they do not appear to be related. Charles, however, was working as a machinist at a steel plant. George was working as a machinist at a car factory and owned his home free of a mortgage. Mamie (23) was not working, but the younger Anna (15) was attending school.        

             NOTE: John C. Willig was working as a foreman at a car shop, possibly the same
             car factory at which George was working. John was living at his Sheffield address.  

      At the time of the 1930 census, taken April 17th, George Willig was living with his wife Carolina at the same address. George owned his home, valued at $6,000 and was renting to a second family. George was 63 years old and appeared to have retired. On August 16, 1931, George attended the 90th birthday party of John Willig with his daughter Ann and her husband. 

             NOTE: John C. Willig was working as a foreman at a steel mill in 1930, although
             he appears to have retired in 1931. He was still living at his Sheffield address.

      At the time of the 1940 census, I have not been able to find George or his wife or his 2 daughters!

      In 1950, George's wife Caroline died and was buried in Concordia Cemetery, in Hammond, Indiana. On April 3 or 4, 1961, George Willig died in Chicago and was also buried in Concordia Cemetery. 

             NOTE: John C. Willig was also buried in Concordia Cemetery. John C. had been

             the founder and director of the Concordia Cemetery association! 

Connecting George Willig to his birth family!

  

  Newspapers.com, The Times (Hammond, Indiana), 5 Apr 1961, image 19, page B-3, column 2. 

      This obituary, by naming two of his siblings (Fred Willig and Mrs. Mayme Ellis), connects George to his birth family, who were never located in Chicago! If George lived in the Chicago area for 66 years, he must have come to Chicago in 1895. 

      Since there is no 1890 census, the easiest way to locate George Willig before his arrival in Chicago is to check the 1880 census. There is a George Willig, age 13, born in Illinois, living in Paradise Township, Russell County, Kansas in 1880. He is living with his parents, Fred and Elizabeth H., and siblings Lena (11) and John (10). Both parents were born in Prussia and both siblings were born in Illinois. Fred is working as a farmer... This George matches on age and birthplace, but we do not see the siblings named in his obituary!

      Moving back, I have not been able to find an 1870 census for either George or his possible father Fred. 

      

      Moving forward, I found a Fred Willig living in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1900. He is living with his wife Elizabeth, daughter Mary (19) and son Fred (17). So this would be the brother, Fred Willig, from Kansas City, Kansas, named in George's obituary! And Mayme is a nickname for Mary! In the 1905 Kansas census, in Kansas City, Kansas, Fred and Elizabeth Willig are living with daughter Mrs. Maime Dunall (23) and Fred Willig Jr. (21). So this must be the sister Mayme mentioned in George's obituary! In 1910, Mary Ewing, widowed, is living with her widowed mother Elizabeth Willig! In 1915, Mayme Ewing married Charles Ellis, and by 1930, they were living in Denver!

      So at this point, we have determined that George's parents were Fred and Elizabeth, and his siblings were Lena, John, Mayme and Fred! We also know that he lived in Russell County, Kansas, as a boy.

Life of George Willig before Chicago

       George Willig was born on March 30, 1867, in Joliet, Illinois, the first child of Fred and Elizabeth Willig. Fred and Elizabeth married in about June 1866.

      Sometime between 1877 and 1880, the family moved to Kansas. In 1880, George (13) was living in Paradise Township, Russell County, Kansas, with his parents, Fred and Elizabeth H., and siblings Lena (11) and John (10). 

      I have not been able to locate George Willig between 1880 and 1895. Initially, I thought the George Willig listed in the 1888 and 1889 Joliet city directory was this George, but it is far more persuasive that it was in fact George David Willig, a likely relative of this George.
     
      In the 1895 Kansas census, taken on March 1, Geo Willig (28) is listed as living in Kansas City, Kansas, with father Fred, mother Lizzie, sister Lena (26), brother John (24), sister Mamie (15) and brother Fred (12). The 3 oldest children are listed as born in Illinois and the youngest 2 are listed as born in Kansas.

Ancestry.com;  1895 KS census; Wyandotte County, Kansas City Ward 3; Page 79; Dwelling 512.

This census entry is confusing because George married his wife Caroline in Hegewisch, Illinois, on June 3, 1894. But it is consistent with the obituary's report of 66 years in the Chicago area. Had he gone home for a short visit? 

Life of Fred Willig, Immigrant, father of George

      Fred (aka Friedrich, aka Frederick) Willig was born October 27, 1844, in Germany. One source states that he was born in Bremen, but this is probably confused with his departure port! He departed from Bremen, Germany, and arrived in New York City on the bark, 'Columbus' on September 12, 1862. He was 21 years old, born in Hessen, worked as a carpenter and listed his destination as Chicago. Also listed is a Marie Willich, age 24, born in Hessen and destined for Chicago. Even though the last name is spelled differently, I wonder if this might be Fred's sister! 

Ancestry.com;  New York, passenger Lists, 1820-1957;  Fried. Willig.  

      Frederick Willig, resident of Chicago, at age 21, entered service in the Civil War on February 29, 1864, in Chicago, for a period of 3 years. He joined up with the 51st Illinois Infantry, Company G, as a private. He was mustered in on March 20, 1864,  in Chicago and mustered out on September 25, 1865, in Camp Irwin, Texas, with an honorable discharge. Fred was listed as a carpenter, 5'8", with dark hair, hazel eyes and fair complexion. 

Name:	Frederick Willig
Rank:	Private
Company:	G
Unit:	51st Illinois Infantry
Height:	5' 8
Hair:	DARK
Eyes:	HAZEL
Complexion:	FAIR
Occupation:	Carpenter
Birth Date:	Abt 1843
Birth Place:	Germany
War:	Civil War
War Years:	1861-1865
Service Entry Age:	21
Service Entry Date:	29 Feb 1864
Service Entry Place:	Chicago, IL
Joined By Whom:	CPT BROWN
Period:	3 YRS
Muster In Date:	20 Mar 1864
Muster In Place:	Chicago, IL
Muster Out Date:	25 Sep 1865
Muster Out Place:	Camp Irwin, TX
Muster Out By Whom:	CPT WILSON
Residence Place:	Chicago, Cook CO, IL
Record Source:	Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls

Ancestry.com; Illinois, Databases of Illinois Veterans Index, 1775-1995; Frederick Willig. 

      In about June 1866, he married Elizabeth H. Their first 3 children were born in Joliet, Illinois. George was born in 1867, Lena in 1868 and John in 1871. On November 2, 1872, Frederick Willig was naturalized in the county court in Joliet. From 1872-1877, Fred Willig was residing at 8 Gardner Street in Joliet, and working as a carpenter. In 1877, he was listed as a builder and general contractor, as well as a carpenter.  

      In the late 1870's, he moved to Russell County, Kansas, where he worked as a farmer, fighting the grasshoppers and the hot winds. In October, 1879, Frederick did apply for a Civil War pension as an invalid. According to the 1880 census, Fred and his family were living in Paradise Township. Fred owned 60 acres of tilled land and 260 acres of unimproved land. The farm was valued at $400, farming implements at $250, livestock at $150 and farm products at $50. Fred had 20 acres of mowed grassland and harvested 20 tons of hay in 1879. Fred owned 3 horses. As noted earlier, family members were Fred (34), Elizabeth H. (33), George (13), Lena (11) and John (10). Fred and Elizabeth were listed as born in Prussia and all 3 children were born in Illinois. In 1883, he is listed on the muster roll of the Grand Army of the Republic Larrabee Post, No. 164, located at Russell, Kansas. Cause of discharge is listed as 'S. O .No 1', which may indicate Standing Order #1.

      In 1890, he moved to Kansas City, Kansas. In the 1895 Kansas census, taken on March 1, Fred Willig (52) was living with his wife Lizzie (48), son Geo (28), daughter Lena (26), John (24), Mamie (15) and Fred (12). The oldest 3 children were born in Illinois and the youngest 2 children were born in Kansas. We later learn that they had a sixth child that died. By 1894, Fred was working as a grocer at North Thirteenth Street. A January 1896 newspaper article reported that "Bill" Johnson forged a check to Fred Willig. When Bill was jailed based on those charges, his brother, U. S. Johnson, tried to persuade Fred to drop the charges and threatened to cause Fred's arrest by claiming he had sold liquor. As a result, Fred was arrested, charged with selling beer and whiskey without a government license and tried in the federal court at Leavenworth. It was written up in the paper as a case of vindictiveness and abuse of official power. Fred was eventually acquitted.   

     In 1899, Fred accused a man named Sheldon of stealing from him. Sheldon knocked Fred down and kicked him until he was unconscious, breaking his nose and jaw. (Sheldon was arrested.) In the 1900 census, Fred Willig is living at 2074 N. 13th Street with his wife Elizabeth and his youngest 2 children, Mary and Fred. He owns his home with a mortgage. Fred is working as a coal and feed merchant and 17-year old Fred is working as a teamster. (It appears that his store changed from a grocery store to a coal and feed store, based on either his troubles with the malicious prosecution or the beating!) In 1901, a 2-story building owned by Fred Willig on Thirteenth Street, but occupied by another family, was destroyed by fire. The building was valued at $700 and insured.The fire had started in an adjoining building.   

      In 1905, the same 4 persons are in the household, but Mayme is now listed as Mrs. Maime Dunall. Evidently, she has since married, but is not living with her husband. Fred Willig, Jr., is working as a machinist. 

      In the November 1906 county auditor report for Wyandotte County, Fred Willig of precinct 12 is paid $3.50 for services as judge and messenger. 

      In 1907, Fred wrote an article in the Kansas City Kansas Globe, urging municipal ownership of the water plant, rather than allowing it to continue to be run by a private company. Fred believed that the water franchise was unnecessarily expensive and did not serve the public good.

      Fred served as a claim agent for the city of Kansas City, Kansas. Presumably, this meant that he investigated claims for damages. Another source states that he was a City Purchasing Manager for KCK, but I don't know the basis for this statement... During his life he also belonged to Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization and secret society involved in philanthropy. He also belonged to Knights of the Maccabees, a fraternal organization that provided low-cost insurance to its members.  

     Fred Willig died on September 28, 1909, after an illness of more than a year. At the time, he resided at 2032 N. 13th Street. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. Buried on the same plot are wife Elizabeth, son John, daughter Mayme Willig Ellis, son Fred and daughter-in-law Eva. About a month later, his wife Elizabeth filed for a Civil War pension based on her status as a widow of a Civil War veteran.   

   

www.newspapers.com, The Gazette Globe (Kansas City, KS), 28 Sep 1909, Page 1, Column 5.

  

www.findagrave.com, Memorial # 98448891, 'KsCityKim',

Fred Willig, brother of George

      In the course of researching George Willig and his father Fred, I discovered that George's brother, Fred Willig, was also a machinist. So I wanted to find out a bit more about his life.

      Fred William Willig Senior was born September 14, 1884, in Russell, Kansas, the youngest child of Fred and Elizabeth Willig. His siblings were George, Lena, John and Mayme. In 1890, his family moved to Kansas City, Kansas. Fred attended 8 grades of school, and by at least age 15, he was working as a teamster.

      On May 16, 1905, Fred Willig married Maud Cunningham Mainor in Leavenworth County, Kansas. By September 1914, Fred Willig had filed for divorce against Maud. He claimed that she would stay away from home for days at a time and would not say where she had been. She would not keep house or cook meals and finally abandoned him. There do not appear to be any children from this marriage. During this time Fred was working as a machinist for the State Manufacturing Company and rented a home at 1330 Lafayette Avenue. In March 1911, Fred and Maud returned home to find their front door and rear door ajar and the lower floor filled with smoke. An investigation showed that kerosene had been poured in many places and set alight. Although considerable damage was done, the house was not totally ruined.

      By 1917-1918, Fred had married his second wife, Eva Valerie Smith, in Parsons, Kansas. While living in Parsons, Fred worked as a machinist for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad. In April 1917, he entered the company hospital in Sedalia, Missouri, for reasons unknown. On April 5, 1921, their only child, Frederick William Willig, Jr. (aka Bill) was born in Parsons.

      By 1923, Fred had returned to Kansas City, Kansas, where he owned his home at 1304 Stewart Avenue.The home was valued at $1,400 in 1930 and $2,000 in 1940. He worked as a machinist for West Side Machine Works at 3rd and Minnesota. In 1940, Fred was earning wages of $2100 per year, which was quite high. In addition, he claimed to have income from non-wage sources. At this time, his 19-year old son "Bill" worked as a machinist helper.    

      When he registered for the World War I draft, he was described as medium height, slender build, brown hair and gray eyes. In the World War II draft, he was described as 5' 9", 150 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes and ruddy complexion. At the time of the WW II registration, he listed his sister Lena, rather than his wife Eva, as the person who would always know his address.

      In 1956, Fred retired, having been a 50-year member of the International Association of Machinists, Local  #92. In 1960, he lived at 1321 Rowland Avenue. On May 19, 1970, his wife Eva died. On May 2, 1972, Fred died in Kansas City, Missouri, even though his last residence was at Kansas City, Kansas. Both are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.

Fred "Bill" Willig, nephew of George

      "Bill" Willig continued the tradition of Willigs working as machinists!

      Bill served his apprenticeship and became a journeyman machinist at West Side Machine Works, where his father had worked. He then worked 33 years for the Board of Public Utilities, both as a Power Plant operator and Instrument Maintenance Foreman. He eventually retired as Maintenance Supervisor at Nearman Power Station.

      Prior to his career as a machinist, Bill served in the U. S. Navy. He worked at the Olathe Naval Air Station as an Aviation mechanic and then transferred to Ordinance. He served in the Pacific on the Escort Aircraft Carrier Rudyerd Bay, CVE-81. The ship earned five battle stars and Bill was promoted to Chief Petty Officer aboard ship.

It's a Small World!

      By doing some general research, I discovered that Fred "Bill" Willig, referenced above, had a son "DD".

      Many years ago, "DD" Willig and my husband Dan (great-grandson of John C. Willig) were both working at Sprint in Kansas City. "DD" saw Dan in the company directory and called him. At the time, it was not clear whether or not they were related. Now, it appears that they are likely third cousins once removed!

Summary

       The evidence is extremely compelling that John C. Willig and George Willig are related.        

1. Three of John C. Willig's children attended the 90th birthday bash of John Willig. George Willig attended the birthday bash, together with his daughter and son-in-law.
2. John C. Willig and George Willig both lived in Hegewisch, near the border of Illinois and Indiana. At one point, they lived a block apart. Later, they lived about 2.5 miles apart.
3. John C. Willig and George Willig both worked as machinists.
4. John C. Willig and George Willig are both buried in Concordia Cemetery in Hammond, Indiana.
5. John C. Willig was born in Kassel, Hessen, Germany. George Willig's father came from Hessen.
6. John C. Willig lived in the Chicago area after he came to the United States. George Willig's father came to Chicago when he immigrated in 1862 and was a resident of Chicago when he entered Civil War service in 1864.  

      Clearly, John C. and George are not brothers because John C.'s father is Carl and George's father is Fred. My current best guess is that they are first cousins, or possibly second cousins. 

      Additional research on other Willig immigrants, and possibly research in the records of Hessen, Germany, will be needed to confirm the exact relationship.  

      In addition, in the course of doing research, I discovered a living great-nephew of George Willig who lives in the same city that we do!  

         

Sources

1. Ancestry, www.ancestry.com.
2. Find A Grave, www.findagrave.com.
3. newspapers.com.
4. Family Search, www.familysearch.org     (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9N-TPN5)
5. porterfuneralhome.com
6. Photobucket, http://photobucket.com/images/machinist%20tools, Tunadude13.

'Twas Brillig: Relating Johann Conrad Willig and Wilhelmina Willig

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

- Lewis Carroll, "Jabberwocky"

Background

      In the last post, "John Willig's 90th Birthday Bash", I started to explore the relationship between 4 different Willig immigrants: John Willig, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart, Johann Conrad Willig and Fred Willig. Wading through all of the information often felt like a Lewis Carroll nonsense poem... At this point, I can rather definitively say that Johann Conrad Willig and Wilhelmina Willig are brother and sister. 

DNA match

      The journey began when Dan, a great-grandson of Johann Conrad Willig, matched the DNA of "Scott". The predicted relationship was distant cousins, with a possible range of 5th to 8th cousins, and a confidence of "moderate". Although this seemed like a remote match, Scott included a "Wilhelmina Minnie Mina Anna Willig' in his Ancestry tree. She was born 1863 in Germany, the daughter of Carl Willig. She married Fidel Steinhart and died in 1933 in Blue Island! Dan and Scott turned out to be third cousins, once removed!

John Willig's 90th Birthday Bash

      The newspaper article on John Willig's 1931 birthday party listed as attendees three of the children of Johann Conrad Willig, with their families. Johann's children attending were Mary, Louise and Roy, all of Hammond, Indiana. In addition, Minnie Steinhart attended with 7 of her children and their families, all from Blue Island. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Minnie Steinhart were listed as attending, Minnie's husband Fidel had died in 1918. At least 3 of her children were living with her and probably paying rent! Minnie's children attending were Amalia, Ada (daughter-in-law), Fidel, Amanda, Arthur, Erwin and Harold.

Minnie Steinhart is a Willig

Name:	Anna Mina Willig
Age:	23
Gender:	Female
Birth Year:	abt 1864
Marriage Type:	Marriage
Marriage Date:	5 Feb 1887
Marriage Place:	Blue Island, Cook, Illinois
Spouse Name:	Fidel Steinhart
Spouse Age:	26
Spouse Gender:	Male

Ancestry.com;   Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920;   Anna Mina Willig.

Death Certificates for Johann and Wilhelmina Willig

                      Ancestry.com;   Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011;   John G Willig.

Name	Minnie Steinhart
Birth Date	5 Jul 1863
Birth Place	Kasal, Germany
Death Date	26 Jun 1933
Death Place	Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Burial Place	Thornton, Cook, Ill.
Cemetery Name	Hazelwood
Death Age	69
Occupation	Housewife
Race	White
Marital Status	M
Gender	Female
Street Address	2450 James St.
Residence	Blue Island, Ill.
Father Name	Carl Willig
Father Birth Place	Kasal, Germany
Mother Name	Minnie Brill
Mother Birth Place	Kasal, Germany
Spouse Name	Fidel
Comments	Mrs.

            Ancestry.com;   Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947;   Minnie Steinhart.


      I managed to overlook Johann Conrad Willig's death certificate for many years! But the two death certificates, taken together, surely indicate a brother/sister relationship .

1. PARENTS: The parents of Johann are Carl Willig and Brill.The parents of Wilhelmina are Carl Willig and Minnie Brill. 
2. BIRTHPLACE: Johann and his parents are just listed as being born in Germany, but family oral tradition says that Johann was from Kassel in the state of Hesse. Wilhelmina and her parents were born in Kasal, Germany. 
3. BIRTHDATE: Johann was born in September 1860. Wilhelmina was born in July 1863. Based on birth dates, they could readily be siblings and may have been immediately adjacent in birth order.

Life of Johann Conrad Willig

      Johann Conrad Willig was born on September 4, 1860, in Kassel, Germany, the son of Carl Willig and Minnie Brill. On November 20, 1882, he arrived in New York City on the ship 'Werra'. The ship departed from Bremen, Germany, and appears to have stopped in Southampton, England. He is listed as a 22 year old laborer from Hesse, Germany, berthing in steerage, with one piece of luggage. He appears to have come alone. At least, I haven't yet identified any companions or likely relatives on the ship. (He was indexed as Joh Cour Willig, but they tended to abbreviate names and I read it as 'Joh Conr Willig'.) The 'Werra' was an express liner built in Glasgow, Scotland, for the shipping line North German Lloyd. The maiden voyage was in October 1882, one month before Johann's immigration. The ship allowed for 125 first-class passengers, 130 second-class passengers and 1,000 passengers in third-class or steerage.  

   

Ancestry.com;  New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957;   Joh Cour Willig. 

Ancestry.com;   Passenger Ships and Images;   Werra (1882-1903).
   

   
      In January, 1885, Johann married Wilhelmina Reinhardt in Morgan Park, Cook County, Illinois. It appears that they got their marriage license on January 5 and married on January 11. They had 10 children together: Emma Madlyn (1886), Mary (1888), Carl Louis (1890), Anna Marie Susana (1892), Louise Henrietta (1895), Christina (abt 1898), Carrie (abt 1900), Lucille (1902), Roy Paul (1904) and John Fred (1906). In a later census, we learn that Johann and his wife Wilhelmina both completed 8 years of education.

      On October 19, 1892, John C. Willig was naturalized in the Superior Court of Cook County. Based on naturalization law of the time, this would have automatically resulted in the naturalization of his wife Wilhelmina.
   
      From about 1889 - 1910, John lived in Hegewisch, Illinois, where he worked as a machinist foreman in the Pressed Steel Car company. In 1900, John lived at 13156 Houston Avenue, where he owned his home free of a mortgage! He lived there with his wife and 5 oldest children.

      By 1910, he had moved to Hammond, Indiana, just over the Illinois border.He was renting at 187 Sheffield Avenue. He worked as a foreman in a machine shop and had been out of work for 26 weeks during 1909. He was living with his wife and 7 children. His eldest daughter, Emma, had married and 2 of his daughters, Christina and Carrie, were deceased. I have not found any records for Christina or Carrie, other than the indication in the 1910 census that 2 children were deceased. I only know about these 2 based on information from Bernice (Willig) Spatz.

      By 1917, John is living at 189 Sheffield Avenue. By 1920, he owns this home with a mortgage. He is working as a foreman in a car shop. Also in the home are wife Minnie, daughter Anna, sons Roy and John, and daughter Louise with her husband Orville Collins. Anna is working as a stenographer for a motor car company and Orville is working as a clerk at a steel mill. Roy and John are both going to school. The 3 oldest children are married and Lucille died in 1911, at age 9.

      By 1930, John owns his home at 189 Sheffield, which is valued at $6,000. He does not own a radio set. He is working as a foreman at a steel mill. The only other occupant of his home is Minnie! By 1931, he retired, although he did work for a while as a laborer.

      In 1940, he is living in the same house, now renumbered to 4433 Sheffield! The house is now valued at $3,000, probably related to the Great Depression. He is living there with his wife Minnie, his son Roy, Roy's wife and Roy's 2 daughters. Roy is working as a chief clerk at a steel mill.

      During his 30 years in Hammond, John served as a deacon in St. John's Lutheran Church. He was also a founder and director of the Concordia Cemetery association.

      John C. Willig died at his home, in Hammond, Indiana, on July 27, 1940, aged 79. Cause of death appears to be kidney problems. He was survived by his wife and 7 children. Services were held at St. John's Lutheran Church and he was buried at Concordia cemetery in Hammond. Also buried there are his wife Minnie, daughter Emma (with husband John Paul), son Carl, daughter Lucille, son Roy and son John (with wife Gertrude).

Life of Wilhelmina Willig

      Anna Wilhelmina Willig was born on July 5, 1863, in Kassel, Germany, the daughter of Carl Willig and Minnie Brill. It is not clear when she arrived in the United States. Two sources state that she arrived in 1882, one that she arrived in 1888 and one that she arrived in September 1887. Since she married in Blue Island in February 1887, perhaps 1882 is the likeliest date! If so, she would have been 19 years of age and would have come to the United States in the same year that her brother Johann came!   

      On February 5, 1887, Wilhelmina married Fidel Steinhart in Blue Island, Illinois. They had 8 children together: John Emil (born 22 Dec 1887), Amalia (1890), Oscar (1892), Fidel Walter (1894), Amanda Erma (1897), Arthur (1899), Erwin Reman (1903) and Harold Frederick (1906). 

      On October 15, 1892, Fidel Steinhart was naturalized in the Superior Court of Cook County, which resulted in the automatic naturalization of his wife Wilhelmina. It was just four days later that Johann Willig was naturalized!

      In 1900, Wilhelmina lived with her husband and six children at 207 James Street in Blue Island. (Blue Island is about 10 miles from Hegewisch, where Johann lived.) Fidel was working as a contractor for the Sewer Building. The 3 oldest children were attending school. In addition, there were 3 men who boarded there. All of them were laborers and had been born in Germany. One had just arrived, one had been here 30 years and one had been here 50 years. The one who had been here 50 years was John Brill, who was born in 1828 and widowed. He could read and speak English, but was not able to write. Since Wilhelmina's mother was Wilhelmina Brill, I suspect this could be Wilhelmina's and Johann's uncle!

      In 1910, Wilhelmina lived with her husband and all 8 children at 209 James Street. It is not clear to me if they moved next door or if there was an error in the census! In addition, there is a 40-year old lodger who was born in Switzerland and a young couple with a daughter living at the same address. Fidel owns his home with a mortgage. Fidel and his sons John (22) and Oscar (17) all work as cement contractors. The Swiss boarder works as a butcher in a market and the young man works as a bartender in a saloon. 

      Fidel died on January 17, 1918, in Blue Island, possibly of the flu. In 1920, Minnie is living with her sons Jack, Arthur, Erwin and Harold, and 3 boarders, at the same address on James Street. In addition, her daughter Amalia is living there with her husband and 3 children. Son Jack (32) is working as a steam fitter at a foundry, son Arthur (20) is working as a laborer and son-in-law Leonard Ames is working as a clerk in a railroad office. The three boarders are working as a steam fitter at a food concern, as a laborer at a gas plant and as a steam shovel engineer on the canal.

      In 1930, Minnie is living at 2450 James, which is probably a renumbering of 209 James Street. Her house is worth $5,000 and she owns a radio! Numerous family members are living with her. Her son Arthur lives there with his wife and 4 children and he works as a steam shovel engineer. Her son Erwin lives there with his wife and 2 children and he works as a state policeman. In addition, her daughter-in-law, Ada, widow of son Oscar, lives there with her 2 children.

Ancestry.com;   1930 US census (Illinois, Cook, Blue Island);   Minnie Steinhart. 

      On August 16, 1931, Wilhelmina attended John Willig's birthday bash with 7 of her children and/or their families. Arthur, Erwin, and Ada, all living with her, attended the party. In addition, Amalia, Fidel, Amanda and Harold attended the party! The only child who did not attend was John, even though he was living in Blue Island.

      Minnie died on June 26, 1933, aged 69, in Chicago. She is buried in Washington Memory Gardens (aka Hazelwood Cemetery) in Homewood, Illinois, near her husband Fidel and her son Oscar, both of whom predeceased her.  

         

Summary

      Johann Conrad Willig and Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart are clearly related, based on a DNA match, and it is highly likely that they are brother and sister. The intersection points of their lives are as follows:

1. Both were born in Kassel, Germany, children of Carl Willig and Minnie Brill. (Johann's death certificate does not give his mother's first name, but this seems like a minor matter.)
2. Both probably immigrated to the United States in 1882. We have a definite immigration record for Johann in 1882 and the preponderance of evidence is that Wilhelmina immigrated in 1882, even though we cannot find her on a passenger list.
3. They were naturalized 4 days apart! Wilhelmina's husband (and therefore Wilhelmina) were naturalized October 15, 1892, and Johann was naturalized October 19!
4. They lived about 10 miles apart. Johann initially lived in Hegewisch, Illinois, and Wilhelmina lived in Blue Island, Illinois.
5. They or their families both attended John Willig's 90th birthday bash. Wilhelmina only lived about 2 miles away from the party and attended with 7 of her children. Johann lived in Hammond, about 10 miles away from the party location. Johann and his wife did NOT attend the party. At least, they are not listed. But 3 of his children (Mary, Louise and Roy) did attend.       

Sources

1. Ancestry, www.ancestry.com.
2. Find A Grave, www.findagrave.com.
3. Bible of Irene (Connell) Willig, owned by Bernice (Willig) Spatz.
4. Personal knowledge of James Vernon Willig, Jr. 
5. Photobucket, http://photobucket.com/images/borogoves, ChrisGunderson.

John Willig's 90th Birthday Bash

John Willig, 1906, photo courtesy of 'alyseb1'.

Southtown Economist, 25 Aug 1931, Page 3.  

Newspaper Article

      On August 16, 1931, John Willig celebrated his 90th birthday. His actual birth date was August 13 or 14, but the celebration was held on the subsequent Sunday. His extended family organized  a reunion in his honor in Calumet Grove, Illinois. This was the seventh reunion for the Willig family.

      One hundred and thirty relatives and friends attended, although everyone listed was a relative! Five generations were represented at the birthday party. (I only see 4 generations.) Most, if not all, appeared to live locally, including Calumet City, Blue Island, Tinley Park and Hegewisch, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana. After significant research and verification, it appears that the named attendees are all descendants of 4 different immigrant Willig ancestors or the immigrant ancestors themselves! The 4 immigrants are John Willig, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart, John Conrad Willig and Fred Willig. Currently, the relationship between these 4 immigrants is not totally clear, but they are definitely related! Living descendants of the first 3 immigrants are a DNA match to each other. 

      I am listing the party attendees in terms of how they relate to one of the 4 immigrant ancestors. If the person is within parentheses, they did not attend, but are listed in order to clarify the relationship with the immigrant. These are NOT the only descendants of these immigrants, simply those listed as attending the party. The number in parentheses represents their estimated age.

Party Attendees, John Willig Family.

1)     John Willig, 11701 Vincennes Ave.

                  a)   August Willig (69) married Elizabeth Schmidt (63).  Blue Island.

i)     Theresa Josephine Willig (43) married (William Rick) and then Emil Jacob Feddeler (41). 10224 Eggleston Ave

(1)   Ruth Ann Rick (6), d/o Theresa and William.

(2)   Emil Feddeler Jr. (9), s/o Emil with earlier wife.

ii)    Caroline Willig  (41) married (Edward Fehsel) and Fred Schink (43).  Blue Island,

(1)   Lucille May Fehsel (20), d/o Caroline and Edward.

iii)  Anna C. S. Willig (38) married Jacob Louis Mager (43).  Blue Island.

(1)   Russell Mager (18).

(2)   Earl Mager (14).

(3)   Lloyd Mager (11).

(4)   LaVerne Mager (7).

(5)   Norman Mager (2).

iv)   William Willig (36) married Myrtle Louise Ely (35).  Blue Island.

(1)   Mary Dorothea Willig (9).

(2)   William Willig (4).

(3)   Catherine Willig (2).

v)     Edward John Frederick Willig (34) married Sadie Taylor (25).  Blue Island.

(1)   Betty Grace Willig (1).

vi)    Mabel Anna Clara Willig (31) married William Paul Rhode (33).  Blue Island.
                        

          b)  (Elizabeth Catherine Willig married Carsten Albinus Thedens.)

i)      (Elise Thedens married) Carl Vogt (52). Elise died in 1929. Tinley Park.     

(1)   Johanna Vogt (20) married Harold Bormet (26).

(2)   Laura Vogt (12).

(3)   Mildred Vogt (8).

          c) Louisa Willig (62) (married Claus Reuss).  Blue Island.

i)      William Reuss (42) married Bessie Brough (38).  Blue Island.

(1)   William Reuss, Jr. (16)

(2)   Lois Reuss (14).

(3)   Emery Reuss (8).

ii)    Charles Reuss (38).  Lives with mother Louisa.
iii)   Charlotte C. Reuss (34) married Raymond Mulligan (33).  11826 Woodland Ave.

(1)   Norma Jean Mulligan (8).

(2)   Raymond Mulligan, Jr.(6).

iv)   Clarence Reuss (28) married Elsie M. Yeo (25). Blue Island.             

(1)   Clarence Reuss, Jr. (5).

(2)   Gayle Reuss (3).

v)     Grace Reuss (25).  Lives with mother Louisa.

vi)    Louise C. J. Reuss (23) married Roy Ostendorf (29).  Blue Island.

vii)  Wilbert Reuss (19).  Lives with mother Louisa.

                  

          d) William Willig (60) married Minnie Witdorp (55).  11701 Vincennes Ave.  

i)       Florence Willig (34) married Henry Schwaar (42).  9031 Paulina Street.             

ii)      Ethel Willig (28) married Ernest Graf (30).  9515 Hamilton Avenue.     

(1)   Shirley Graf (4).

(2)   Winifred Graf (2).

iii)    Ruth Willig (21), 11701 Vincennes Ave, later married George Frandsen (20), 10022 Malta Street.

          e) Charles Willig (57) married Anna Witdorp (51).  1520 W. 99^th Street.

i)       Emil Willig (26) married Genevieve Bannis (22).  11729 Church Street.

(1)   Raymond Willig (6).

ii)      Margaret Willig (21) married John Aldous Jr. (23). 1528 W. 99^th Street. 
 (1)  Shirley Ann Aldous. 

 (2)   NOTE: Mother of John Aldous Jr. (49) also attended.  7831 Ellis Ave.

          f)      John F. Willig (56) married Ida Mary Feddeler (52).  11831 Woodland Ave.

i)      Myrtle Willig (31) married John Vanderwall (34).  11709 Vincennes Ave.

(1)   Gordon Vanderwall (9).

(2)   Evelyn Vanderwall (6).

(3)   John Vanderwall, Jr. (2).

ii)    Gladys Willig (27) married Raymond Heckler (31).  12504 Maple Ave. [mistakenly identified as John]

(1)   Howard Heckler (7).

(2)   Gerald Heckler (4).

iii)    Herbert Willig (24) married Mabel (21).  7105 Stewart Ave.

iv)    Mildred Willig (19) married William Danner (24).  11701 Vincennes Ave.

 Party Attendees, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart Family.

2)     Wilhelmina Willig (68) (aka Anna Mina Willig) (married Fidel Steinhart).  Blue Island.

           a)    Amalia Steinhart (41) married Leonard Ames (42).  Blue Island.

i)       Leonard Melvin Ames. (19)

ii)      Mildred Ames. (14)

iii)    Irene Ames. (13)

           b)     (Oscar Steinhart married) Ada Yates (34).  Lived with mother-in-law Minnie. 

i)       Victor Steinhart (13).

           c)    Fidel Steinhart (37) married Anna Gebanes (37).  Blue Island.

i)       Dorothy Steinhart (12).

ii)      Jack Steinhart (5).

            d)  Amanda Erma Steinhart (34) married Cornelius “Nick” Buis (37).  (Evergreen Park)

 i)       John Buis (16), son of Cornelius by first marriage.

 ii)      Peter Buis (13), son of Cornelius by first marriage.

 iii)    Richard Buis (10), son of Cornelius by first marriage.

             e)    Arthur Steinhart (32) married Minnie (about 26). Lived with mother Minnie.

 i)       Joan Steinhart (10).

 ii)      Georgette Steinhart (7).

 iii)    Loydine Steinhart (6).

 iv)    Ardeth Steinhart (2).

             f)   Erwin Steinhart (28) married Mary Marshall (26).  Lived with mother Minnie.

 i)       Shirley Steinhart (7).

 ii)      Merle Steinhart (5).

             g)     Harold Steinhart (25).  Blue Island.

Party Attendees, Johann Conrad Willig Family.

3)     (Johann Conrad Willig (71) married Wilhelmina Reinhardt (68).)

           a)     Mary Willig (43) married August Littman (45).  Hammond.           

i)       Marie Littman (19).

ii)      Paul Littman (17).

iii)    Edward Littman (12).

iv)    Erwin Littman (11).

            b)   Louisa Willig (36) married Orville John Collins (35).  Hammond.

            c)    Roy Willig (27) married Margaret Ann Byrd (25).  Hammond.

 i)       Mary Lou Willig (3).

Party Attendees, Fred/George Willig Family.

4)     (Fred Willig married Elizabeth.)

                     a)   George Willig (64) (married Carolilne Moeller).  Hegewisch.  
                i) Annie Willig (27) married Albert Conrad (31).  Hegewisch.

Short Bio of John Willig

      John Willig was born on August 13 or 14, 1841, in Kassel, Germany, in the state of Hesse. He married Karoline Branholz in Hesse and their 2 eldest children were born in Hesse. In about 1864, they emigrated and came to Chicago. Six additional children were born in Illinois and all 8 of their children reached adulthood. John worked as a tailor and later became a road commissioner. His wife Karoline died in 1904 and one of his daughters, Lena, died in 1905. So, at the time the above picture was taken, he had suffered 2 significant losses. Six of his children attended his birthday party. The only children not attending were Lena, who was deceased, and Anna Addie, who was living in San Diego. John Willig died in the same year of his birthday celebration, on November 21, 1931, in Lockport Township, Will County, Illinois. Months later, he was buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery in Worth, Illinois, next to his wife.


Identification of Party Attendees

      As with any newspaper article, there are errors introduced during the publication. Since there was a logical order to the listing of party attendees, I believe I could determine who was intended, when there was no ready match. On the other hand, I could have introduced errors of my own.
      For example, the article lists Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Mary, William, and Catherine. This entry is immediately after the entry for August Willig, eldest child of John Willig. August Willig had a son William, who had children Mary Dorothea, William and Catherine, so this is who I assumed was intended.
      A second instance is the mention of George Willig of Hegewisch. I am quite certain this would be the George Willig working in Hammond as a machinist.  In addition, he is buried in the same cemetery as Johann Conrad Willig. His likely father Fred came to the U. S. in 1862 and was mustered into service in the Civil War from Chicago. He later moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where he died. His son George evidently returned to Chicago. This narrative, however, needs more exploration.  
      Initially, I thought that Mr. and Mrs. Albert Conrad were actually Johann Conrad Willig and his wife, but I have since determined that Albert Conrad married George Willig's daughter Annie! This makes more sense, since Albert is listed immediately after George. But this does raise the question, "Why didn't Johann Conrad Willig and his wife Wilhelmina attend the party?". They were 71 years old and 68 years old respectively.


Observations

      Finding this article was like hitting the mother lode! The celebration/reunion is a testament of the importance of family to the Willig clan. Some of the value placed on family may be related to the immigrant experience. The records of births, marriages and deaths recorded by the Lutheran church in the Chicago area were recorded in German! Many years later, in 1988, Great Aunt Annie and her son convened another Willig Family reunion in the Chicago area, keeping an old tradition in play.
      Having the celebration recorded in the local newspaper was an amazing legacy to leave to future descendants! Clearly, these people are related to each other. They share the Willig name, 3 of the immigrant ancestors were born in Kassel, Germany, and they all ended up in the Chicago area, attending the same party. The icing on the cake is that living descendants of John Willig, Wilhelmina (Willig) Steinhart and Johan Conrad Willig are DNA matches to each other!



Sources

1. Southtown Economist (aka Suburbanite Economist), 25 Aug 1931, page 3, column 1, “Willig Is Feted By Relatives”.
2. Photo of John Willig, taken in 1906, provided by Ancestry User “alyseb1”.
3. Ancestry, www.ancestry.com.
4. Family Search, www.familysearch.org.
5. Find A Grave, www.findagrave.com.