Elizabeth Rabe

Lifespan: December 12, 1846 – 1918

Summary

Born December 12, 1846 in Germany. Married John Schmidt (b. 1822, Mecklenburg) — 24-year age gap. Five children. Lived in Cleveland, Le Sueur County, Minnesota (1880) and Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio (1910). Died 1918 in Greenlawn, Fairfield Township, Butler County, Ohio, age 72. Buried in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.

Relationships

• Husband: John Schmidt (b. 1822, Mecklenburg) — 24 years older
• Children:
  • Elizabeth Schmidt (c. 1856–1918, born Illinois)
  • Mary Schmidt (Dec 15, 1859–Mar 28, 1909, born Illinois)
  • Charles Frederick Schmidt (Dec 13, 1864–May 16, 1920, born Joliet, IL)
  • Amelia Ann Schmidt (c. 1866–?, born Minnesota; age 14 in 1880 census)
  • Emilie Schmidt (1882–1966)

Sources

• FamilySearch (birth, death, residence, burial)
• 1880 US Census, Cleveland, Le Sueur County, Minnesota (line 40)
• Mary Schmidt death certificate, Nicollet County, MN (1909) — confirms “Elizabeth Rabe” as mother’s maiden name

Research Notes

• Born in Germany — Mary’s death certificate lists mother’s birthplace as Germany. 1880 census says Prussia.
• Census age correction: We initially read her 1880 census age as “56” (implying birth c. 1824), but FamilySearch gives birth Dec 12, 1846 and death 1918 at age 72 — both consistent with birth 1846. The handwritten age was likely 34, not 56. Lesson: even direct census reads can be wrong on ambiguous handwriting.
• The 24-year age gap with John is real, not an OCR error as we previously assumed.
• Moved to Ohio later in life — both she and John were in Columbus/Ohio area by 1910. Died in Butler County (Greenlawn, Fairfield Township) in 1918, buried in Columbus.
• Informant on Mary’s 1909 death certificate was “Elizabeth Schmidt, St. Peter, Minn.” — likely daughter Elizabeth, not this Elizabeth Rabe (who was in Ohio by 1910).
• FamilySearch lists both Emilie (1882–1966) and Amelia Ann (1882) — but 1880 census clearly shows Amelia age 14. FamilySearch’s 1882 birth year for Amelia Ann is wrong; she was born c. 1866. Emilie is a separate younger child born 1882 when Elizabeth was 36.
• Source hierarchy: Census images read directly > original documents > FamilySearch computed data (multiple confirmed errors on this family)