Zwig, Zwieg, Swig, etc.

Today I am adding information about Charles/Carl Zwig, Swig, Zwieg, etc. and his family to my Family Tree Maker program.  Here are some details about this line of our family . . . Beckie Zwig married Johnson Arnold in Lyman Township in 1886.  They are the parents of my grandfather, Ernest Arnold.

I did not note a date on this article but I believe it was from 1996.  It was published in the Gilman Star.  At that time I was living in Gilman, Illinois, with my son.  I responded to the ad, and over the years Patti Belden helped me add to my documents about the Zwig line. Much of this information came from Patti. 
Patti and her husband came to the Lyman Township Cemetery; Mom, Jackie and I met them there to help in her genealogy searches in Lyman Township.  Patti's connection was through the Wagner line.  Becky Zwig Johnson's sister is Emma Zwig.  Emma married Patti's great grandfather, Henry Wagner.  So Patti and I did not share DNA, just family information.

 

A previous post on this blog with more info about Patti:

http://amosarnoldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Zwig%20Wagner%20Emma

I guess the most frustrating in the Zwig research is the spellings of the names.  On this marriage license of Johnson Arnold and Becky Zwig, Becky signs her name "Becky" even though the license has her name spelled "Beckie." 

It is Charles Zwieg, Tena Hermann, and Beckie Zwieg.  But it does give a birthplace of the bride, Germany.

The headstones of Carl and Ernstine Zwig located in Lyman Township Cemetery, Roberts, Ford County, Illinois, more name spelling variations.

 

Carl Zwig and Ernstine Zwig.

Lyman Township Cemetery records show that a William Hermann who died 12 February 1885 is buried in this same plot as Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Zwig. There is no stone for this burial. I would assume a brother to Ernstine Hermann Zwig.  More research.  Not sure where the following note came from.

 

Obit for Carl Zwig. 

--Newspaper Clipping.  No identification.


Don't believe everything you read in old papers.  The following article has it all screwed up. Carl Zwig died at the home of Mrs. Johnson Arnold according to the death certificate. His name is not Zwick and his daughter would be Mrs. Johnson Arnold.

--Paxton Record.  25 May 1909.



Ernstine Zwig Obit. 

--Paxton Record.  29 August 1907.  Page 2.

Carl Zwig and Ernstine Hermann, a married couple, probably arrived in the USA in the year 1872 or 1873.  I believe William Hermann, Ernstine's brother may also have come with them (just a guess.)  Becky Zwig Arnold, their oldest daughter was born in Germany in October of 1869, and Emma Zwig Wagner was born in DelRey, Iroquois County, Illinois, in 1873. 

Emma Zwig, her life story is a little more complicated . . .  

Emma married Henry Wagner 28 March 1892.  This was the second of three marriages for Henry. 
He first was married to Minnie Harter who died at the age of 17 on 17 December 1891, six days after giving birth to their daughter, Alice.  Minnie is buried at Lyman Township Cemetery, but no stone can be found per Find A Grave.
Henry Wagner then married Emma Zwig 28 March 1892.  Henry and Emma had one son Charles Wagner.  Emma raised Minnie's daughter as her own. 
And after Emma died in 1940, Henry then married Delia Snyder on 7 December 1943. This was the third marriage for Delia also.  Married March 1895 to Roberts Bridges and married in 1921 to J. W. Snyder, former mayor of Gilman, Illinois.  Delia is buried at Lyman Township Cemetery.

 

Henry and Emma's children:
Alice (the biological daughter of Henry Wagner and Minnie Harter Wagner) married William Wagner
   Children:  Verleda E., Wayne, Maynard

Charles married Bess Kelso
   Children: Kelso, Mary Beth

Above Photo:  Henry Wagner.

Above Photo:   This is only a guess.
Standing in the back L to R:  Charley Wagner, Kelso Wagner, Henry Wagner (Henry was identified in this photo by Patti Belden.) 
Middle row, Emma Zwig Wagner, Alice Wagner
Front row:  Mary Beth Wagner
More Research.  Have posted to the RIH Facebook page for comments on identifications.

I have in my notes that Emma was first married to John Wagner.  I can't find any supporting documentation for this entry.  More reseach.  (I don't think this is true.)

Articles

Some interesting articles I gleaned from newspapers.com relating to Johnson and Beckie (Zwig) Arnold.

--Paxton Record.  11 December 1919.  Page 7.

This article leads me to believe they lived somewhere else prior to the corner of Adda and Locust Streets location. It states "They will reside in the residence property which they purchased some time ago . . ."  They must have been renting out this home to the Forster/Foster family.  I saw an article that said Johnson lived on North Street (but I can't find it now of course.)  More research. 
They must not have lived in the North Street home very long, as the next two articles are their purchase of the Locust Street home in
1920.  

--Roberts Herald.  1 September 1920.  Page 5.



--Paxton Record.  25 November 1920.  Page 1.

--Map of Lyman Township.  1916.

The Burn's Addition is to the west of the High School Gym in Roberts, across Locust Street.  I believe Johnson and Beckie lived in the little yellow home on the corner of Adda and Locust.  We remember it as the home where the Bob Hoover family lived.  I thought my great grandparents built this home, but the above article states it was the residence property of the Baylers.   

I found the following article about the North Street home, but not sure it
makes sense.  The wording in the article is very confusing (as some of these older newspapers obviously had no proofreaders.)
More research.  What home on North Street did Johnson own? 
 

--The Pantagraph.  Bloomington, Illinois.  14 January 1922.  Page 12.

 

 --Paxton Record.  29 September 1938.  Page 7.

 

So Johnson and Beckie purchase a home in Roberts some time prior to 1919 (several years prior) on North Street.  They move into this home in 1919.  Then the next year, they purchase the home on Locust Street (above photo.)  Here they will live out their lives.  Both Johnson and Beckie died in 1938.  And the above article talks of the sale in 1938 to Mr. Fred Sturm.

 

No Arnolds here, but a nice shot from the front yard of the home on Locust Street.  Some Roberts ladies. 

Jerry Sturm identified some of them when I posted this photo on the Roberts History Group Facebook page:  "Starting on right, first lady not sure, next is my Grandma Ida Sturm, not sure, sure, Mrs Seng or Schuler?, Gerty Sturm, not sure last two. Picture was taken at Fred and Ida Sturm's front yard across from high school."

Johnson & Beckie Arnold Stone

--Buried Lyman Township Cemetery. Roberts, Ford County, Illinois.

This stone is maybe 5-7 rows from Route 115 and rather to the middle, but a little more to the south.  And as you can see from the photo not far in from one of the cemetery gravel roads.  The stone engravings face the west.

Beckie O.

--1900 United States Federal Census.  Lyman Township.  Ford County.  Illinois.

A middle initial for Beckie and all family members.  I wonder what her middle name is?  I checked 1910, 1920, and 1930 census also.  No middle initials for anyone listed. More research needed.

Beckie (Zwig) Arnold Obit 1938

 

 

--Roberts Herald.  30 March 1938.  Page 1.

Mrs. Beckie Arnold Funeral Notice

--Grandma Mildred Arnold has written a birth date.

Some Dates

AMOS ARNOLD COMES TO ILLINOIS --PART 2--

Continuing . . .

Johnson Arnold married Rebecca Swigg (Zwig, Zwieg).  They had eight children:  Amos - died in infancy, Clyde, Roger, Michael, David, Henry, Ernest, and Samantha. 

I have yet to find an adult photo of Johnson Arnold, but Beckie Zwig Arnold appears in many Arnold family photos.  If any family member has a photo of Johnson Arnold, please email me jandowell@hotmail.com

Johnson Arnold

Becky (Zwig) Arnold

 

--From the History of Ford County, Illinois.  1985. 

Johnson D. Arnold (1862-1938) was born in Schuyler Falls, New York, the second child and first born son of Amos and Lora.  He married Beckie Swig (1869-1938) April 6, 1886.  Her parents, Carl and Ernstine Swig, were both born near Piro in North Germany as was Beckie.  Johnson and his wife set up housekeeping in a small home on the land given to them by Amos and Lora.  This home was later moved to the present site where the home still stands with additions made through the years.

 

This would be the location where the home stood when I lived there and what it looked like when I lived there.  My dad, mom and I moved into this home shortly after my dad was discharged from the Army.

My Grandma Mildred Arnold's address book has in Grandma's handwriting recorded the date of their moving into town and our moving on to the farm. September 1955.  I assume we moved in to the home shortly after Grandma and Grandpa moved to town. 

 

And as I suspicioned the home had additions and alterations over the years.  Mom thinks possibly the far west end of the home may have been the original as it had a small attic above this room and a door toward that faced the north, but really opened to nowhere (just the middle of the back yard.)

 

 

 

 

They also built a small home on the North East corner of the North 80 for Beckies' parents to live out their lives. 

 

I was in this small home that Beckie and Carl lived in.  I always envisioned it sitting at the end of the primary lane at the farm, but this document states the home was on the North East corner of the North 80, putting the home on the hill at the end of the lane over the ditch to the north of the main home.  This two room framed home sat just to the south of the main house when I lived on the farm.  A sidewalk ran from our home and extended past the "cob shed." We called it the cob shed.  I did enter it on a few occasions, but it was very dilapidated by the late 1950's.  I so wish I had a photo of this small home.  For more details and pics of the buildings on the farm see this post:  https://amosarnoldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Farm

This previous post details the wedding of Johnson David Arnold and Beckie O. Zwig:  https://amosarnoldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/04/mr-and-mrs-johnson-arnold.html

Johnson and Beckie Arnold had 8 children, I will document all info separate for them and add the link here as I complete each.

Wagner Connection with Emma Zwig

 

--Paxton Weekly Record.  29 October 1959.

I do remember that Alice Wagner was someone special to Grandma and Grandpa Arnold. Alice would have been a niece of Beckie's and a first cousin to Grandpa Ernest Arnold. I think Alice maybe later married a Shambrook. Ray possibly. Anyone else recall? I think they lived in the home Ronnie and Sandy Shambrook lived in on Weldon Street. Just three homes to the east of our home, behind the Congregational Church. Ray would sit on the front porch and watch television.

Golden Wedding Anniversary

From the Roberts Herald dated 8 April 1936 an article re Johnson and Beckie's anniversary celebration.
Johnson and Beckie are the parents of seven sons and one daughter:

Amos Silas (died in infancy) 
Clyde Chester (died in young manhood)
Michael Ralph (lived in Minnesota)
David Johnson (lived in Minnesota)
Roger (lived in New York)
Henry Stukley (lived in Michigan)
Ernest Linn (lived on the homestead)
Samantha Elizabeth (Mrs. Fred Rueck, lived south of Roberts)

The most interesting from this newspaper clipping, "united in holy wedlock at the home of the bride's parents, which was known as the Canada Smith farm".  I have never heard this before.  What or where was the Canada Smith farm?  Can't wait to talk to sister Jackie about this.  Is this in Lyman Township?

 

Below:  A cleaner copy of the same article from the Ford County Press, Melvin, Illinois, dated 9 August 1936.  Page 3.

 

The "Canada Smith" farm's location on this plat of Lyman Township dated 1901. 

 

 

The Smith farm is directly to the west of the property of Amos Arnold.  So Carl and Tena Zwigg lived across the road from Amos and Lora in 1886 per this wedding anniversary article.  More research. 

The Smith family relocated from Canada to a farm three miles north of Roberts referenced in this biography of J. P. Smith:

https://archive.org/stream/historyoffordcou02gard#page/578/mode/2up/search/smith

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Arnold

So 130 years ago, this Wednesday, April 6, Beckie Zwieg married Johnson Arnold in Roberts, Illinois.  6 April 1886.  Beckie's father, Carl Zwieg, must sign for his daughter as she is only 17 years old. 
Some of the details on the marriage license which may not be readable on the computer are Johnson's info: occupation, farmer; age next birthday, 24; place of birth, New York.  And Beckie's info: (No occupation is asked of course.) age next birthday, 18; place of birth, Germany. This certificate also states the bride's mother's maiden name, Tena Hermann.  Married at Roberts in the County of Ford. Witness to the marriage are Chris Anderson and Peter Olsen.