The No Treadle Sewing Machine

My second great grandfather, George W. Fritz, was born in Iowa. After he died, he was buried in a cemetery in his hometown of Blakesburg. I don’t know whether he lived in Washington or Iowa when he died.

Other than George having married Birdie Fowler, and their having two kids while in Washington, I had no information on George’s life. They lived in Iowa in 1885 (1885 Iowa State Census), and their kids were born in Washington in 1892 (Hazel Fritz) and 1984 (Howard Fritz). George passed away in 1898, and Birdie was back in Iowa in 1900 (1900 US Federal Census).

As it turns out, while in Washington, George started a company selling sewing machines.

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Benedict or Frederick…What’s in a name?

I’m certain many genealogists have encountered it. The sought for record remains elusive. No matches turn up. Finally you decide to check some of the matches you know are wrong, and there it is: the record you were searching for was right in front of you the whole entire time.

This is what happened with me and my third great grandpa, Benedict Fritz. Or should I say…Frederick?

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