While researching my great grandfather, Carl Desens, I found a surprise on the 1900 Federal Census. In addition to Carl, his wife Augusta and their children there is Dorothea Zoschke listed as Carl’s mother-in-law living with them.[1] Dorothea would be my great grandmother, Augusta’s mother, taking me back another generation. But I knew that Augusta’s maiden name was Gabbi (Gabbie, Gabbei). I knew this from my grandmother, Helen Desen’s marriage record and from Church Records.[2][3] If Dorothea’s name is not Gabbi, then she must have remarried. The 1900 Federal Census lists Dorothea as a widow, her birth year as 1828, her age as 72, and year of immigration as 1890.[4] I searched ship records for Dorothea Zoschke and did not find her, however I did find a Dorothea Gabbei coming to the US on 27 May 1890 from Bremen and Southampton to New York aboard the ship Elbe.[5] She is 64 years old and her occupation is a Gentleman’s Servant.[6] There is a two year age difference between the documents, but the year of immigration is the same. She must have remarried here in the US, but I have been unable to find a record of it. Dorothea died in 1901 and is buried in Concordia Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.[7]
If I had not already known my great grandmother, Augusta’s maiden name, I might have thought that it was Zoschke and gone down the wrong path. It’s always nice to find a surprise when you least expect it.
Week 7 Suprise on Census 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks
Copyright © 2026 Gail Grunst
[1] Year: 1900; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 294; Page: 53; Enumeration District: 1182; FHL microfilm: 1240294. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
[2] “George Manfroid marriage Record to Helen Desens,” Wheaton, DuPage, Illinois, 22 March 1919. Original located at DuPage County Government Offices, 505 N County Farm Road, Winfield, DuPage, Illinois.
[3] “Confirmation Record for Helen Desens,” born 23 March 1900, confirmed 5 April 1914, St. St John Congregational book 1908 – 1926, Page 227. Book located at John Lutheran Church, 305 Circle Ave., Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Year: 1890; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 549; Line: 12; List Number: 732. Source Information: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.