Joseph Wenzinger and Johanna
Wagner Wenzinger were the patriarch and matriarch of the Wenzinger family in America, with numerous descendants spread across the country.
Joseph Wenzinger was born in Switzerland on March 20, 1846, "in the little town of Melstorf," according to his grandson Carl Joseph Wenzinger (Sr). According to
Joseph's death certificate, his father (also named Joseph Wenzinger) and mother, Rose, were both born in Switzerland. Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1864 and settled in Philadelphia.
Johanna Frederika Wagner was born in Nordheim, Germany (near Heilbronn) on October 26, 1845. According to
Johanna's death certificate, her parents were Johan B. Wagner and Johanna Kyriss. Johanna immigrated to the United States in 1869 (ref. 1900 U.S. Census) and settled in Philadelphia, where she met her future husband.
Johanna and Joseph married on April 11, 1871, in Philadelphia. They were parents to six known children, of whom only two survived to adulthood. (Scroll down to see details of their children.) Joseph and Johanna are known to have lived in a number of locations in Philadelphia:
→ 1877: 38 N. 6th St. (per
daughter Annie's death certificate, Dec 10, 1877)
→ 1880: 38 N. 6th St. (per
1880 U.S. Census)
Joseph's occupation is listed as "deals in liquor."
Also living at the same address with the family were :
• Albert Hotz, age 23, whose relationship to Joseph was listed as "servant" and whose occupation was "bar keeper"
• Edwin Gessler, age 35, whose relationship was "lodger" and occupation was "keeps restaurant"
→ 1883: 236 N. 2nd St. (per
son Joseph's death certificate, Apr 1, 1883)
→ 1890: 2046 Belane (per
daughter Josephine's death certificate, Aug 4, 1890)
→ 1900: 2225 Clearfield St. (per
1900 U.S. Census)
• Joseph's occupation is listed as "saloon keeper"
• Son Charles's occupation is shown as "bartender"
→ 1910: 937 40th St. (per
1910 U.S. Census)
• Joseph's occupation is listed as "own income"
• Charles's occupation is shown as "courier" and "news paper"
→ 1918: 3135 N. Front St. (per
son Charles's WWI draft registration, Sep 12, 1918)
→ 1920: 3135 N. Front St. (per
1920 U.S. Census)
• Joseph is shown as having no occupation (he is now 73 years old)
• Charles's occupation is listed as "hardware" (Prohibition is now the law)
Joseph died October 4, 1923, at his home at 3135 N. Front St. (per
death certificate). His grave is located in the Wenzinger family plot in
West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, PA (near Philadelphia).
Based upon the addresses shown on Joseph's death certificate (dated October 4, 1923) and on son Carl's marriage license (dated December 20, 1924), it is conjectured that the extended Wenzinger family (Johanna, Charlie and Martha, and their children) moved to the house at 7201 Oxford Ave. some time between October 1923 and December 1924.
→ 1930: 7201 Oxford Ave. (per
1930 U.S. Census)
Johanna died on May 1, 1935, while living with her son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Martha Wenzinger, at the Oxford Avenue home (per
death certificate). Her grave is also located in the
West Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Descendants of Johanna Frederika Wagner and Joseph Wenzinger
(1) Unnamed child, age 7 months (d. Jul 7, 1872, of cholera), buried in Glenwood Cemetery (no longer exists). Remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
(2) Lilly Louise Johanna Wenzinger Redifer (b. Aug 29, 1873; d. 1944)
Spouse: Andrew Perry Redifer (b. Sep 22, 1867, d. Mar 14, 1927)
Daughter: Bertha Cecilia
Redifer Miller (b. 1897, d. 1992)
Son: Andrew Perry Redifer (b. 1899, d. 1963)
Son: Joanne
Redifer McAdams (b. 1905, d. 1982)
(3) Charles Joseph Wenzinger (b. Mar 7, 1875; d. Jan 10, 1963)
Spouse: Martha Elizabeth
Noll Wenzinger (b. 1877, d. 1951)
Charles and Martha were married on November 6, 1900, in Philadelphia.
Daughter: Florence Wenzinger (stillborn, Nov 24, 1901)
Son: Carl Joseph Wenzinger Sr. (b. Jan 10, 1903, d. Dec 1988)
Son: Edward Jacob Wenzinger (b. Oct 10, 1906, d. 1981)
Daughter: Martha Elizabeth Wenzinger (b. Apr 12, 1910; d. Apr 12, 1910), premature birth
(six-month pregnancy); buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia (4301 Front St.)
Daughter: Elizabeth ("Betty," "Sis")
Wenzinger Morgan (b. Sep 12, 1912, d. Aug 19, 1995)
(4) Anna Rosina "Annie" Wenzinger (b. Apr 18, 1877; d. Dec 10, 1877, age almost 8 months, of effusion on brain). Buried in Glenwood Cemetery (no longer exists). Remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
(5) Joseph Heinrich Wenzinger (b. Sep 5, 1882; d. Apr 1, 1883, age 7 months, of convulsions). Buried in Glenwood Cemetery on Apr 4, 1883 (per records of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church). Cemetery no longer exists; remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
(6) Josephine Elisabeth Fredericke Wenzinger (b. Feb 15 1886; d. Aug 4, 1890, age 4 yrs 8 months, of diphtheria), buried in Glenwood Cemetery (no longer exists). Remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
Joseph Wenzinger and Johanna Wagner Wenzinger were the patriarch and matriarch of the Wenzinger family in America, with numerous descendants spread across the country.
Joseph Wenzinger was born in Switzerland on March 20, 1846, "in the little town of Melstorf," according to his grandson Carl Joseph Wenzinger (Sr). According to Joseph's death certificate, his father (also named Joseph Wenzinger) and mother, Rose, were both born in Switzerland. Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1864 and settled in Philadelphia.
Johanna Frederika Wagner was born in Nordheim, Germany (near Heilbronn) on October 26, 1845. According to Johanna's death certificate, her parents were Johan B. Wagner and Johanna Kyriss. Johanna immigrated to the United States in 1869 (ref. 1900 U.S. Census) and settled in Philadelphia, where she met her future husband.
Johanna and Joseph married on April 11, 1871, in Philadelphia. They were parents to six known children, of whom only two survived to adulthood. (Scroll down to see details of their children.) Joseph and Johanna are known to have lived in a number of locations in Philadelphia:
→ 1877: 38 N. 6th St. (per daughter Annie's death certificate, Dec 10, 1877)
→ 1880: 38 N. 6th St. (per 1880 U.S. Census)
Joseph's occupation is listed as "deals in liquor."
(2) Lilly Louise Johanna Wenzinger Redifer (b. Aug 29, 1873; d. 1944)
Spouse: Andrew Perry Redifer (b. Sep 22, 1867, d. Mar 14, 1927)
Daughter: Bertha Cecilia Redifer Miller (b. 1897, d. 1992)
Son: Andrew Perry Redifer (b. 1899, d. 1963)
Son: Joanne Redifer McAdams (b. 1905, d. 1982)
(3) Charles Joseph Wenzinger (b. Mar 7, 1875; d. Jan 10, 1963)
Spouse: Martha Elizabeth Noll Wenzinger (b. 1877, d. 1951)
Charles and Martha were married on November 6, 1900, in Philadelphia.
Daughter: Florence Wenzinger (stillborn, Nov 24, 1901)
Son: Carl Joseph Wenzinger Sr. (b. Jan 10, 1903, d. Dec 1988)
Son: Edward Jacob Wenzinger (b. Oct 10, 1906, d. 1981)
Daughter: Martha Elizabeth Wenzinger (b. Apr 12, 1910; d. Apr 12, 1910), premature birth
(six-month pregnancy); buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia (4301 Front St.)
Daughter: Elizabeth ("Betty," "Sis") Wenzinger Morgan (b. Sep 12, 1912, d. Aug 19, 1995)
(4) Anna Rosina "Annie" Wenzinger (b. Apr 18, 1877; d. Dec 10, 1877, age almost 8 months, of effusion on brain). Buried in Glenwood Cemetery (no longer exists). Remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
(5) Joseph Heinrich Wenzinger (b. Sep 5, 1882; d. Apr 1, 1883, age 7 months, of convulsions). Buried in Glenwood Cemetery on Apr 4, 1883 (per records of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church). Cemetery no longer exists; remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
(6) Josephine Elisabeth Fredericke Wenzinger (b. Feb 15 1886; d. Aug 4, 1890, age 4 yrs 8 months, of diphtheria), buried in Glenwood Cemetery (no longer exists). Remains reinterred at another cemetery in Philadelphia.
