Margaret Schindler

Lifespan: c. 1873 – ?

Summary

Born c. 1873 in Lexington, Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Daughter of German-born parents (names unknown). Married John H. Kendall on February 2, 1892 in Le Center, Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Six children (3 sons, 3 daughters). Lived in Lexington Township, Le Sueur County (1900, 1910).

Relationships

• Husband: John H. Kendall (1870–1944) — m. Feb 2, 1892, Le Center, MN (license issued Jan 29, 1892)
• Parents: Unknown — both born in Germany (per 1900 census)
• Children (6 — 3 sons, 3 daughters):
  • Mary Jane Kendall (Dec 11, 1893–1971) — direct line. m. Frederick John L Schmidt
  • William E. Kendall (c. May 1895–?)
  • John H. Kendall Jr. (c. 1896–1896) — died as infant, ~15 days old
  • Hazel Victoria Kendall (c. Jan 1898–1968)
  • Noah Nathan Kendall (Oct 6, 1900–?)
  • Delta Kendall (1907–1919) — died at ~12

Sources

• Marriage License, Le Sueur County District Court, Jan 29, 1892 — primary source. “John Kendall” and “Maggie Schindler”, both of Le Sueur County. Clerk: Jacob Gish, Le Sueur Center. Ceremony Feb 2, 1892.
• 1900 US Census, Lexington Township, Le Sueur County, Minnesota — primary source. Household #199/2046. “Margarett” Kendall, Wife, born Apr 1866(?), age 34(?). Children in household: Mary (Apr 1895, age 5), Wm (May 189?, age ?), Hazel (Jan 1898, age 2). Parents’ birthplaces: both Germany.
• Le Sueur County birth register: “Mary A. Kendall” (Dec 11, 1893) — mother “Maggie Kendall” age 21, born Lexington, MN
• Minnesota birth record: Noah Nathan Kendall (Oct 6, 1900) — mother Margaret Schindler, age 26, born Minnesota
• Return of Deaths, Town of Lexington, 189_ — line 6: “John H. Kendall”, Male, age ~15 days. Father: John H. Kendall, birthplace Lexington. Mother: Margaret Kendall, birthplace Lexington.
• FamilySearch (birth, marriage, children)

Research Notes

Birth year discrepancy

• 1900 census: born Apr 1866, age 34 → birth c. 1866
• 1893 birth register (Mary Jane’s birth): mother age 21 → birth c. 1872
• 1900 birth record (Noah): mother age 26 → birth c. 1874
• FamilySearch: 1873
• The 1866 date from the census is likely wrong — it conflicts with all other sources. Birth c. 1872-1873 is most consistent.

Parents

• Both parents born in Germany — confirmed by 1900 census
• No names found. Schindler is a German surname (means “roofer” or “shingler”)
• Margaret was born in Lexington, MN — her parents were German immigrants who settled in Le Sueur County before 1873
• Next steps: Search for Schindler families in Le Sueur County on 1870 and 1880 censuses. Margaret would be in her parents’ household as a child (~age 7 in 1880). A Schindler household in Lexington Township with a daughter Margaret born c. 1872-1873 would identify the parents.

Name variants

• “Maggie” — marriage license (1892), Mary Jane’s birth register (1893). Her everyday name.
• “Margarett” — 1900 census
• “Margret” — 1930 census
• “Anna M Kendall” — 1920 census. The “Anna M” is unexplained — possibly a middle name, possibly enumerator error. 1930 census reverts to “Margret.”

Family notes

• Son Allen Noah Schmidt (Mary Jane’s child) was named after Margaret’s son Noah Nathan Kendall — the uncle-nephew naming pattern
• Infant son John H. Jr. died c. 1896 at ~15 days old — buried in Lexington area
• Daughter Delta died 1919 at ~12 — cause unknown
• By 1920, living in Cordova Township, Le Sueur Co (per census)