Hi, This List has been rather quiet lately, so I though I would throw out one of my Macoupin problems. Background: My Gr.Grandmother, Augusta (BARKOWSKI) SCHULTZ, b. 1868 came to Mt. Olive, Macoupin County in 1892 with her daughter, Maria, b. 1888, her husband Heinrich SCHULTZ (who is not suppose to be Maria's father), an infant, Friedrich Wilhelm Bernhardt SCHULTZ, who was b. Feb 1892, and d. 1 Aug 1892, shortly after their arrival in Macoupin Co., and possibly a daughter of Heinrich's, Sofie SCHULTZ, b. abt 1886 (and who may not have been Augusta's daughter). The following year, 1893, Wilhelm SCHULTZ was born to them on the 3 of May. On the 26 of July, Wilhelm Heinrich SCHULTZ (name as recorded in the church death record) died in a horrid mine accident (Mine # 8, room #1, entry 10 North). In January, 1895, Augusta Barkowski Schultz m. John Ernest Carl Hillmann in Immanual Lutheran Church, Mt. Olive. Four children were born to them, all in Macoupin Co. Meta 1895, Theresa 1897, Walter 1900, and John 1901. In June 1911, Augusta divorced John, and in Aug 1911, Augusta died in the Litchfield Hospital. Maria (my grandmother), was already married and living in Western North Dakota. Sixteen months (1912) after their mothers death, guardians were appointed for William, Theresa, Walter and John. Mata fibbed about her age, and signed the papers allowing the court to appoint guardians for the kids. William soon became of age (in 1914) and Maria may have retrieved the younger kids about 1914 - 1915. To my knowledge, none of the family remains in the Mt. Olive area. Problem # 1: I have been to Mt. Olive on several occassions, and I have birth and confirmation records on all the Hillmann children (except John's confirmation) from the churches. Seems that they alternated between Immanuel and Zion Lutheran. BTW, I was lucky enough to have been there and was able to photograph Immanuel before it was torn down. You can not believe the feeling I got standing in the church knowing my Gr.Grandmother was married there. Anyhow, I also found Williams baptism and confirmation. My Grandmother, Maria, I can find nothing on! I even have photocopies of the pictures of the confirmation classes for William & the Hillmann kids, but nothing on Maria. So, to back up a bit, in 1893 the Schultz' were living in Mt. Olive, the 1900 Census has the Hillmans living at Cahokia Township, and the 1910 Census has them at Mt. Olive Township. Maria would have been about 14 - 16 years old in 1902 - 1904. I was at the small country church in Cahokia Township and was told their early records burned. She, herself, told me that she used to ride a horse into Mt. Olive (with a couple of younger kids on behind) to go to school. They apparently all went to the German Lutheran Church School (I also have photo's of a couple of the classes). Any ideas where I might find Maria's confirmation? Problem # 2: Sofie Schultz. I have, now, two references to her (the church record of Heinrich's death says he left 3 children, and the ship passenger list has Sofie listed). She seems to have disappeared! Any ideas what happened to Sofie (Sophia ?)?? I am nearly a 1000 miles from Mt. Olive, so does anybody have any ideas I may have overlooked? I have spent hours in the court house (even in the dome and the basement), hours at Historical Society, and even hours at the Mt. Olive Public Library. I have been to the funeral home, and the cemetery (even found the plot, that is unmarked, thanks to the help of Ed, the funeral director). A couple of other small clues, the Hillmans were from Raymond (Montgomery Co.). I also have a postcard that talks about the funeral of their cousin (written my one of the Hillman kids) and it looks like the name is Raymond Shipman (it is hard to read). But could it be Raymond from Shipman? Soooo, can anybody help bring down my brick wall and help solve this? Sharon Buethner