Where did CHW Krückeberg Live in 1870?

Precisely where in Preble township did the family of Carl Heinrich Wilhelm Krückeberg and his wife Caroline Wilhelmine Maria Kleinschmidt live on 15 July 1870, when they were enumerated in the U.S. Census. On whose property did they live, their own or land that was former Kleinschmidt land?

Background

In the 1870 U.S. Census, on 15 July 1870, Carl Heinrich Wilhelm Krüeckeberg age 34 (according to the census) and his wife Caroline Wilhelmine Marie Kleinschmidt are living in Preble township; however, ten years later, on 3 June 1880, they are living in Union township, according to the 1880 U.S. Census. Carl is, then, age 45. Caroline Wilhelmine Maria grew up in Preble township. Perhaps this was land her parents (or their close silbings owned)?

Plan

  1. The Plat Maps for the 19th century Adams, Indiana, are in the Adams county, Auditos Office, open from 8am to 4pm.

  2. Thereafter find who was first awarded a land patent to that tract.

  3. Using this, trace the ownership of that tract using Adams county land records.

  4. Look into Indiana Tax Records for Adams county. See the FamilySearch wiki page on Indiana Taxation

Strategy

To determine the exact location where a family lived in 1870 using the township, range, section, and aliquots, even though the census itself doesn’t provide this information, follow these steps:

  1. Census Records and Neighboring Households While the census doesn’t directly list township, range, and section information, the order in which households were enumerated can offer clues. People were usually recorded in the order in which the census taker visited their homes. By identifying the names of neighbors and nearby households, you might be able to cross-reference property records, land patents, or maps.

  2. 1870 County Land Records and Plat Maps Plat Maps from the 19th century often show land ownership by section, township, and range. Check for Adams County plat maps (often available through the county recorder’s office, historical societies, or local libraries). You may find a specific family’s name listed on these maps along with their township and section. You can also look for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office (GLO) records. These records show land patents and transactions from the federal government to individuals, which often include the township, range, and section numbers. The BLM GLO website (glorecords.blm.gov) allows you to search for these records by name and location. 3. Land Deeds If the family owned property, the deed records at the Adams County Recorder’s Office should include the legal description of the property, including township, range, section, and sometimes aliquots (divisions of a section like NE ¼). You can request a search for deeds from that era.

  3. Historical Atlases Many counties published historical atlases that included detailed maps showing landowners and their parcels. These maps often identified the township, range, and section numbers, sometimes along with aliquot parts. Look for an atlas published close to 1870 for Adams County, Indiana. These can sometimes be found in local libraries, genealogical societies, or online archives.

  4. Homestead and Land Patent Records If your family acquired land through the Homestead Act or another land grant, their legal land description (township, range, and section) would be in these records. The National Archives or BLM GLO records could help here.

  5. County Tax Records

    These are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. Search the catalog for "Adams, Indiana".

Done to Date

  • The Adams County Library in Decatur has Plat books, but the earliest was published around 1903. The other earliest dates from around 1950.

The prior 1870 census page (to that for CHW Krueckeberg and his family) shows the family of Charles Heckman and his wife Christina. She is likely Christine Maria Bleeke (1828-1921), the daughter of Johann Heinrich Philip Bleeke (1797-1883) because she is 42 on 15 July 1870, and a Sophia Blakey age 17 lives with the family. Her age of 17 corresponds with the 1853 birth date for Sofia Louise Bleeke, 27 March 1853-4 May 1934, the daughter of Christian Friedrich Bleeke, 7 May 1821-17 March 1899.

TODO: Check even earlier pages and later pages of census.

References