William Carl Jacob Lieberknecht nee Dickhaut

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:  My grandfather, 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.

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 found. He says born in PA
1875: Sister Agnes was born. No record found. She says born in NE
1878: Omaha, Nebraska. Mother Ottilie has 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
Herman, 6/12

1889: William's marriage to Mary A. Carter Oct. 16, 1889, in Omaha, Nebraska.
1890: William lived in South Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha City Directory
1891: Daughter, Olive M. Lieberknecht, was born on 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, from William's business card.
1897: William kidnaps Olive from Omaha, Nebraska. 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: unknown

1900: US Census Jersey City, New Jersey:
William Lieberknecht, 30, machinist
Cornelia Lieberknecht, 35
Olive, 8
Margaret, 6 (Cornelia's daughter)

1903: William filed a type casting 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 wrote a consent note to Mrs. Mary Smith to be the guardian of Olive.
1908: Daughter, Ottilie (Audrey), was born 20 Sep 1908 in Jersey City, New Jersey, mother is Florence Wenzel. Florence states she had a previous child.

1910: US Census Detroit, Michigan:
William C. Lieb, 40, job printing
Florence S. 27
Ottilie, 1-7/12

1911: daughter, Barbara Rosemarie, was born 9 Sep 1911 in Santa Barbara, California
1914: Arizona. WC Lieberknecht helps 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 (they must have been moving to SB at the same time).
1920: US Census Santa Barbara, California (had just moved into SB on W. Cota St.)

1921: Voter Registration, Santa Barbara County
1929: William's 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 is buried in the Santa Clara Mission Catholic Cemetery next to Anna, his 3rd or 4th wife who predeceased him. 

It's really William's father, Karl Kaspar Dickhaut, who is missing.