
Not long ago I was working on researching the family of John and Ida Kube, who settled in Watertown, Wisconsin after emigrating from Germany in the 1850s. According to The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin (published in 1879) they had four children who grew to adulthood:
Laura, born 7 Jan 1861
Alfred, born 15 November 1863
Ida, born 25 July 1867
Adolph, born 26 May, 1871
It was fairly easy for me to research three of these children: there were plenty of records online providing direct evidence for the marriages and children of Laura (m. Charles Stickney), Alfred (m. Levina Showalter) and the youngest son Adolph (m. Estella Ash). However, the youngest daughter Ida was a bit of a puzzle - there was conflicting evidence all over the place, with family trees (sourced and unsourced) providing misinformation. As I went through the evidence, and discarded one theory after another, it struck me - it wasn't enough for me to know that these were incorrect. I needed to write up my findings, in order to direct future generations to the correct family.
Was Ida Kube the wife of Otto Gericke? In 1930 Otto and Ida D. Gericke were living in Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisconsin.[1] Their children were Wesley (1898-1974), Sarah (b.1902) and John C. (1906-1969).[2] The birth record for John Carlyle Gericke states that his mother’s maiden name was Ida Strauss.[3] In addition, Wesley Gericke’s 1974 death record also states his mother’s maiden name as Strauss.[4] On the 1900 census of Lake Mills, Jefferson, Wisconsin, Ida D. Gericke indicated her birth date as Nov. 1869.[5]
William Gehrke died in 1936, and is also buried in Western Cemetery.[11] His second wife Eda is buried there, also, having died in 1941.[12] However, she shares a gravestone with Herman Bartelt, who died in 1911.[13] A look at the 1910 census shows Herman and Ida Bartelt living in Lawrence, Grant County, Minnesota.[14] On the 1900 census, Ida Bartelt indicated that she was born July 1866, which most closely matches the information we have.(15)
Evidently after Maria Gehrke and Herman Bartelt died, their widower and widow married. Eda Bartelt Gehrke’s death certificate needs to be obtained, with the knowledge that the accuracy of that information depends upon the informants, who may have been her stepchildren. It does not appear as though Ida/Eda had any children. She is the most likely candidate for the daughter of John and Ida Kube.

