My Maternal Grandfather
He isn’t missing any longer, but his history is compelling enough to relate to my family. My mother’s mother, Florence, called him Lieb as did his friends and associates. Sometimes he used Lieb or was referred to as Lieb in city directories and US Censuses.
From the beginning:
1869: William was christened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Salem Zion United Church of Christ on June 26, 1869. His christening name was Wilhelm Carl Jacob Dickhaut. William thought he had been born in Trenton, New Jersey, but in 2017, I discovered the baptismal record from the church in Philadelphia. His parents were Karl Dickhaut and Auguste Wilhelmine Ottilie Reinecke. The sponsors were Jacob and Johanna Oesterle, the same Jacob Oesterle who was the witness to the marriage of William’s parents in the same church in 1867. I believe the name “Jacob” was given to him because of the sponsor, Jacob Oesterle.
1870: William and his parents were listed in the 1870 US Census of Winslow Township, Camden County, New Jersey. This township is right across the river from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are listed as
Charles Dickhout 26, laborer, Germany; and
Oteliee Dickhout 22, wife, Germany; and
William Dickhaut, 1, New Jersey.
1872: Brother Hermann was born. No record was found. He says born in PA
1875: Sister Agnes was born. No record was found. She says born in NE
1878: Omaha, Nebraska. Mother Ottilie married George Lieberknecht. Her maiden name is listed as Schultz.
1880: US Census, Omaha, Nebraska. Family of George Lieberknecht:
George Lieberknecht, 31, compositor
Otillie, 31
William, 11
Herrman, 8
Agnes, 4
William, 2
Henry, 6/12
1889: Marriage to Mary A. Carter Oct. 16, 1889, in Omaha, Nebraska.
1890: William lived in South Omaha, Nebraska
1891: Daughter, Olive M. Lieberknecht, was born 18 Oct. 1891 in Omaha, Nebraska.
1893: Pressman at Omaha Printing with his step-father, George Lieberknecht,
1894: son William born 6 Jan 1894 in Omaha, Nebraska
1895: Divorce from Mary A Carter
1896: Cordova Alaska. William’s business card.
1897: Kidnapped Olive from Omaha, Nebraska, according to a newspaper article and a story written by Olive when she was in high school in New Jersey.
1898: Marriage to Cornelia A Allen, 33. June 7, 1898. Council Bluffs, Iowa. Groom: W C Lieberknecht Dickhaut, 30. Groom’s father, Chas. Dickhaut, mother, Ottelia Schulz
1899:
1900: US Census Jersey City, New Jersey:
William Lieberknecht, 30, machinist
Cornelia Lieberknecht, 35
Olive, 8
Margaret, 6
1903: William filed a patent 9 Sep 1903 New York City, New York
1904: William assigned a patent 8 Aug 1904 in New York City, New York
1905, 6, 7: William hand wrote a consent to Mrs. Smith to be the guardian of Olive.
1908: Daughter, Ottilie, was born 20 Sep 1908 in Jersey City, New Jersey, mother was Florence Wenzel.
1910: US Census Detroit, Michigan:
William C. Lieb, 40, job printing
Florence S. 27
Ottilie, 1-7/12
1911: daughter, Barbara, was born 9 Sep 1911 in Santa Barbara, California
1914: Arizona. WC Lieberknecht helped with mine drilling. An article in the Arizona newspaper mentions it.
1915: El Paso city directory
1917: El Paso, Texas
1918: William and Florence return to Oxnard from Texas
1920: US Census Oxnard, Ventura County, California
1920: US Census Santa Barbara, California
1921: Voter Registration, Santa Barbara County
1929: Marriage to Anna Weis Urban 29 Jan 1929, Oakland, Alameda Co., California
1930: US Census, San Jose, California:
William C Lieberknecht, 61, Machinist, printing press
Anna Lieberknecht, 50
1938: San Jose, Santa Clara County, California
1945: William Lieberknecht died in Santa Clara Hospital, San Jose, California, and was buried in the Santa Clara Mission Catholic Cemetery.
It’s really William’s father, Karl Kaspar Dickhaut, who is missing.