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Married:
- The marriage of "Heinrich Wilhelm Aufder Har," of "Teklenburg" and "Sophia Christina Elisabeth Schoppenhorst-Stilke," of "Teklenburg" was recorded in the register of the German Evangelical Church on Charrette, at Holstein, Missouri (known since 1957 as Immanuels United Church of Christ). "Heinrich AufderHar" and "Ludwig Stilke" were witnesses at the ceremony.
There is a question raised by the dual surname of the bride in this record.
This couple's first child, Wilhelmina Elsabetha, died in infancy in 1858. In the record of that death from the same published church archives, the mother is identified as "Sophia Shoppenhorst (Stilke)." In all subsequent records relating to the births and deaths of her children, when her maiden surname is given, it is simply Schoppenhorst.
In the published records of the church at Holstein, Sophia is never specifically identified as a widow, as was the case for a number of brides in the years preceding and following the entry for Sophia's marriage in 1856. Between 1840, when the church's death register begins, and 1857, the only entry for someone with the surname Stilke is for "Christina Elisabeth Stilke, nee Schröer," who died on 3 July 1856 at the age of 54 years, 2 months. No additional information about relatives was provided. The first male bearing the Stilke surname in the death register is Ludwig, who died on 10 April 1866 at the age of 60 years. The register states that he was born on 16 September 1806 "in Lauenburg."
Interestingly, a Ludwig Stilke was the sponsor at the baptism in 1859 of "Wilhelm Ludwig Aufderhar," the second child of "Wilhelm Aufderhar" and "Sophia nee Schoppenhorst."
Rather than indicating a previous marriage, Sophia's dual surname may hint that although she was born a Schoppenhorst, she was raised in a Stilke household from an early age. An example of this occurrence may be found in the case of another member of the family. Frederike Charlotte Begemann was born 1 January 1866 in Truxton, Lincoln County, Missouri. Her mother passed away in 1868 and her father remarried later that same year. Frederike eventually ended up living with her mother's brother, Adolph Wehrmann, in Higginsville, Lafayette County, Missouri (at least 140 miles away, as the crow flies). At her confirmation in the local church in 1880, her name is given as "Friederike Begeman-Wehrmann."
At present, this remains pure speculation. A closer examination of the church, census and other records for Holstein and the surrounding area may answer these questions more satisfactorily.
Census (family):
- According to the 1860 U.S. enumeration, the household (assigned to the Holstein post office) consisted of William "Aufderher," a 27 year old master mechanic, born in Prussia; Sophia "Aufderher," 22 years old, born in Prussia; Lewis "Aufderher," age 1, born in Missouri; A. "Hosenjager," an 18 year old mechanic, born in Missouri; and, Fredrick "Hosenjager," a 23 year old gunsmith, born in Prussia.
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