Zellhoefer, Anna (Mrs )-[101] ^{1 2}

   Cause of her death was Died in childbirth.

  General Notes:

UPDATE 21 Jan 2004 received from Mani Hertlein a copy of church record for ANNA DOROTHEA MUELLER of Urphertshofen, believing this was the probable wife Anna of John Michael Zellhoefer. In checking further, Anna Dorothea Muellter is listed in OAB #927 as born 27 Sep 1823, died 20 Apr 1916. This is the person presently posted as the long-lost wife Anna, but the death date rules that out.

This is RonKZ's opinion about Anna & the four children w/JMZ before her death in 1858.

From the family lore as detailed by Myron KIotz, the twins George & Sophia were adopted by Klotz about 1862. Lyle Cady says the adoption was 1864. Whatever the year, giving the kids up for adoption seems without reason in those years.

JMZ went off and left his family in 1864 to fight in the Civil War. It seems difficult to understand how he could have volunteered that, what with the family farm, second wife Elnora, plus Anna's four children and plus the four more children of or with Elnora. Certainly Elenora had her hands full!

Then 6 Jan 1865 JMZ died in Kentucky - he wasn't shipped home to the family, but was instead buried there in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville.

One can easily visualize a legal process following JMZ's death and probate; an affidavit was filed 10 Feb 1865 as to the marriage of JMZ & Elnora. So now it's up to Elnora to manage all the affairs of property and deal with "his children, her child/chilren, and their children", said by JMZ's obituary to be a total of eight children, and the whole bunch of them under 11 years of age, hardly big enough to be of much help around the farm. Clearly Elnora had an overwhelming task in caring for all this!

In later census years Elnora's neighbors were no longer the same - for no let's assume she sold the farm, but she did remain in Sullivan Township. Perhaps she moved into Rome?

The first four children of JMZ in that household had no blood tie to Elnora. So George and Sophia were given to the Klotz's, probably in early 1865, when they would have been 6 years old.
In Jefferson County at that time were Giese, Mueller, Luetscher and Massueger, all related surnames also found in Sauk County. Being both the Zellhoefer's & Klotz's were Evangelical, and that JMZ's brother George was an evangelist circuit rider, probably some connection was made between George & Rev Peter Massueger of the Denzer EUB church. Why were these kids not simply taken under the wing of Mike's siblings George, Leonhart, or Christine (m.Deberiner)?

In the 1870 census, only Elnora's daughters Laura and Margaret remained in the household. All 4 of the JMZ/Anna children were missing, as were Augustina & Anna, who would have been only 12&13 years old at that time.

It seems fairly safe to assume then that Fredrick & ?Anna the unknown? were also given for adoption - perhaps some digging will find them with other Zellhoefer's?

  Research Notes:

Family lore held that the parents of the Twins in this family were John Michael Zellhoefer and Elizabeth Pfeffer, but something is very wrong with that.

"Anna" was discovered by the following index reference from DJCGS:
"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." [actually from Der Christliche Botschafter]

The actual obituary contains nothing more as to either names or places. No records whatsoever are found in Wisconsin. Her death date and married surname match the family lore. As of December 2003 we may be finally close to finding more of Anna and the marriage back in Germany.

There is a marriage certificate in Jefferson County for John WELLHOEFER and Elizabeth Pfeffer m 17 Sep 1848. The 1850 census finds John M W... & Anna E with no children. The 1860 census finds John M W...and Elizabeth, alive and with 2 children, not 4, no twins, and no matching names. Conclusively, then, Elizabeth Pfeffer was NOT the wife of John Michael Zellhoefer as per the family lore.

The headstone in Riverview East is listed as "washed", which helps not at all. Anna is not listed amongst the headstones of Riverview East.

  Noted events:

• Alt. Birth: per obituary, 1823, Uphershofen b.Steinsfeld. Obit of Mrs John Michael "Anna" Zellhoefer says Anna came from Urpherhofen c.1853. Urphershofen was found b.Steinsfeld about 20 miles distant and, while not certain, "without the <t>" is probably incorrect because this whole bunch was essentially around Obernzenn.

• Immigration: from Bavaria, 1853, Urphertshofen b. Obernzenn. source: Anna's obituary in Der Christliche Botschafter

• Misc: burial, 1858, Riverview East, Rome WI. Myron Klotz referred to a "washed" headstone.
RonKZ thinks he and we don't know if grave occupant was
a. Elizabeth's
b. George & Sophie's mother
c. John Michael Z's wife
who could be all or none of them the same person!

Anna married Johann Konrad 'Mike' Zellhoefer-[10] [MRIN: 733], son of Johann Joseph Zellhoefer-[9] and Anna Margaretha Hofmann-[1679], est 1853. (Johann Konrad 'Mike' Zellhoefer-[10] was born on 17 May 1825 in Brachbach, Obernzenn, NEA ³, christened on 4 Aug 1825 in Obernzenn, NEA, died on 6 Jan 1865 in Louisville KY and was buried in Cave Hill cemetery Louisville Kentucky.)

  Marriage Notes:

This marriage is my "last" really critical brick wall, as I've exhausted every conceivable angle back around Obernzenn to find some record of "Anna" and her ancestry. We don't at all KNOW they were married in Germany, and it looks more and more as if they were married later in the USA somewhere, that being after June 1853 when JMZ landed.

Marriage certificate was ordered from Wisconsin Historical Society Jan 2003 and from Jefferson County Registrar but not found.

But JMZ stated "single" as he received his permission to emigrated in March 1853. No record of their marriage exists in their church in Obernzenn, and Urphershofen b.Steinsfeld was also check without success. There was no "Anna" listed next to JMZ on the ship to Amercia, and the few other Anna's on that ship don't fit, so apparently they were NOT married until after each had arrived in America, although a check on consulate marriage in Hamburg may be needed.

After arriving in America, it is possible that JMZ while on his way to Wisconsin stopped in New Jersey to visit brother Fredrich, and/or in Pennsylvania to vist brother Jacob, thus maybe he got married "on the path"?

All their 4 children were born in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, but again no birth certificates are of record.