Family of Christoph Wilhelm Heinrich JENS and Wilhelmine ZEIGLER

Christoph Wilhelm Heinrich JENS (1832-1900)

Wilhelmine ZEIGLER (c. 1833-c. 1874)

Frederick JENS (c. 1855- )

Fredericka JENS (c. 1858- )

August JENS (1860- )

Henry JENS (c. 1861- )

Charles JENS (c. 1861- )

Elizabeth JENS (1866- )

Albert JENS (1870- )

Christoph Wilhelm Heinrich JENS¹

Male

William

Johann Hartwig Friedrich JENS ( - )

Magdalena Dorothea SCHRALL ( - )

The August 1860 census shows he is 27 years old which would put his calculated birth year between August 1832 and August 1833 and it notes his birthplace as Mecklenburg. The June 1870 census notes his age as 38, with his calculated birth year of June 1831 to June 1832 and his birthplace as Mecklenburg. The June 1880 census shows he is 47 years old placing his calculated birth year between June of 1832 and June of 1833. The June 1900 census lists his birth on January of 1832.

On the 1900 census he is listed as having been in the U.S. for 42 years and a naturalized citizen immigrating in 1858.

He had worked enough or saved enough to have a personal wealth of $50. No other members of the family had an occupation in 1860.

The 9th Ward in 1870 includes all that part of the city lying west of Seventh and north of Vliet Street. The household consisted of a 26 year old female, Wilhelmina likely his wife and four minor children.

The household consists of eight persons including Wilhelmine and six children. Two children were noted on the 1860 census including Frederick and Frederika. August who is not listed may have died in the interim. Four new children are noted on this census. A pair of twins Charles and Henry age 9, Elizabeth age 4, and Albert age 4 months.

Working as a laborer he had managed to increase his personal wealth to $200 and had real estate valued at $1200. It is noted that the census enumerator lists that he could not write.

This household had two adults and five minor children living. The two adults are listed as being married, William and a new person Christiane who is a 32 year old female. This is probably the same household as the 1870 census because the head of the household is the same name and age and he is a farmer, three of the minor children are also listed on the 1870 census. William has a new wife with three new children under the age of four leading to conclude that his first wife likely died between 1870 and 1880 and he remarried.

He is listed as a "Farmer" with no months unemployed. On this census it is noted that he can both read and write.

In 1900 he is listed as widower and living with his four sons William Jr., Herman, Adolph and Ernst. Adolph and Ernst have been born since the last available census between 1880 and 1900. Their ages reflect this.

There is also a servant living in this home named Steffin Lina, aged 64 and a widower. She is listed as having one child still living.

William listing his occupation as "Capitalist" is interesting because it connotes his rise over time and increase in wealth. He owned his home free of mortgage and listed no months of unemployment. He also has a servant named Lina Steffin (age 64) living in the same household.

<b>Williamsburg Heights

</b>Williamsburg Heights is bounded by Capitol Drive to the north, Holton Street to the east, Keefe Avenue to the south and I-43 to the west. Some consider Williamsburg as a section of the newer Harambee neighborhood to the south.

In the 1800s, when memories of the frontier were still fresh in Milwaukee, the area that became Williamsburg (named for William Bogk) was a farming district. Scores of farmers, most of them German immigrants, settled in the area. Comfortably beyond the city limits, (North Avenue), they patronized their own trading center that they referred to as Williamsburg. The Green Bay road, between Burleigh Street and Keefe Avenue, was the spine of the little settlement. At its peak, Williamsburg boasted a flour mill, greenhouses, feed stores, harness shops, blacksmiths, bakeries, and its own post office.

At Port Washington Rd there were a growing cluster of businesses on Green Bay Avenue – the heart of old Williamsburg. The residential sections were dotted with German saloons, German stores, and dozens of German churches. Most of the area's breadwinners were skilled artisans and tradesmen.

In 1891, Williamsburg, by then a suburban community of blue-collar workers, became part of Milwaukee. In the same decade, the Pabst Brewery purchased Schuetzen Park (now Clinton Rose Park) and developed it as an amusement park. The beer garden remained, but the rifle range was replaced by a roller coaster, a miniature railroad, a carousel, and a fun house called Katzenjammer Castle. The area continued to grow after 1900. The tide of home-seekers washed down the ridge to Keefe Avenue before 1910 and finally reached Capitol Drive in the 1920s. Old Williamsburg became an island of older homes and shops in the heart of the neighborhood.

The homes here are dominantly bungalows, the nearly universal favorite of the 1920s, with 2- and 3-story Milwaukee duplexes scattered among them. Williamsburg Heights and Williamsburg Triangle also form the primary borders and constituents of the 5 Points Neighborhood Association, Inc. (5PNA). Expanded borders are described on the 5pna website.

By the late 1960s African Americans began moving in. Relations were more peaceful with the newer group and their older ethnic European neighbors when compared to other parts for the city. The neighborhood was quite stable through this period of change. The former Oak Club was adapted as the Shiloh Tabernacle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_neighborhoods_of_Milwaukee

85 pages of probate records to review.

Probate and Will Records found for William Jens valued his estate at $40,000 in 1900. (Worth about $1,000,000 in 2016.

Wilhelmine ZEIGLER

Female

Johann ZEIGLER (c. 1796- )

-

The 1860 census notes she is 26 years of age which would put her birth year as 1834 and it notes his birthplace as Mecklenburg.

From the census records it is likely she was living with her husband William, and her three children Frederick, Frederika and August (who was only one month old at the time of the census). In addition a 64 year old male by the name of Johann Zeigler was living in the household which is likely to be Wilhelmine's father.

She was living with William who was likely her husband and six minor children where certainly her children. Of note, August who was noted on the 1860 census is not listed on this census leading one to surmise he may have died in the interim. Johann Zeigler, who was noted in 1860 to likely to be her father is not listed on this census and may have died in the time between 1860 and 1870.

According to directions given to census enumerators <i>"women doing domestic labor for themselves or their families without receiving a wage were to be classified as "keeping house." </i>It is noted that the census enumerator lists that she could not write.

Frederick JENS

Male

Fritz

The 1860 census notes his age is 5 years old which would put his birth year at 1855 and it notes her birthplace as Mecklenburg.

He was living with two adults, William and Wilhelmine who were likely his parents and two other siblings. He was 5 years old at this time. On this census his name was noted as "Fritz".

The census record lists two adults William aged 38 and Wilhelmine, aged 36 who are likely his parents and five younger siblings.

The older male in the household who was assuredly his father worked as a farmer, it is likely Frederick worked with his father.

Fredericka JENS

Female

The 1860 census notes her age as 2 years old which would put her birth year at 1858 and it notes her birthplace as Mecklenburg. The 1870 census notes her age as 12 years old which would put her birth year at 1858 and it notes her birthplace again as Mecklenburg.

She was living with two adults, William and Wilhelmine who were likely her parents. Two other siblings were noted in the household at this time.

She was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly her parents and five other siblings.

August JENS

Male

On the 1860 census his age is noted as 1/12 which puts his birth year and month as July of 1860 and it notes his birthplace as Wisconsin.

He was living with two adults, William and Wilhelmine who were likely his parents. Two other siblings were noted in the household at this time.

Henry JENS

Male

On the 1870 census his age is noted as 9 which puts his birth year in 1861 and it places his birthplace as Wisconsin. The census also notes a sibling at the same age named Charles, probably a twin.

He was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly his parents and five other siblings.

Charles JENS

Male

On the 1870 census his age is noted as 9 which puts his birth year in 1861 and it places his birthplace as Wisconsin. The census also notes a sibling at the same age named Henry , probably a twin.

He was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly his parents and five other siblings.

Elizabeth JENS

Female

The June 1870 census lists her age as 4 years old which puts her birth year between June 1865 and June 1866. She is listed as being born in Wisconsin. The June 1880 census lists her age as 14 with a calculated birth year between June 1865 and June 1866. This census also list her birthplace as Wisconsin and her parents birthplaces as Mecklenburg.

She was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly her parents and five other siblings.

By 1880, Elizabeth was earning enough income sewing to be considered by the census enumerators to be employed.<i> "Children "too young to take part in production" or at school were not considered gainfully employed, but children who earned money "regularly by labor, contributing to the family support, or appreciably assisting in mechanical or agricultural industry" were to be reported with an occupation." (Ruggles and Menard 1994)</i>

Albert JENS

Male

The June 1870 census lists his age as 4/12 which makes him four months old in June of 1870, putting his birth month in February of 1870. This is noted on the census under "Birth Month". He is listed a being born in Wisconsin. In June 1880 he is noted to be 10 years putting his calculated birth year between June 1869 and June 1870. He is noted to be born in Wisconsin and his parents born in Mecklenburg.

He was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly his parents and five other siblings.

He was living in a household with two adult males, William and Wilhelmine, most assuredly his parents and five other siblings.