Gloria: My next door neighbor here in Ann Arbor is a SODT. Her mother, Betty Sodt, about age 75 or so, lives in Manchester on the family farm. I know that their father/husband died about 5 to 10 years ago. I've forwarded your query onto Brenda Sodt Foster (my neighbor/ Betty's daughter) and perhaps she will contact you. I'll also print a copy of this and show it to Betty next time she is here next door visiting. I don't recall Betty's maiden name, as she is a SODT by marriage. Also, I know there are SODT's buried in Bethlehem Cemetery here in Ann Arbor - - I see a SODT monument when I go there to tend my family graves. I'll stop and take a picture next time I'm there - - perhaps today. Lastly, "Lewick" is most likely LUICK - - as I remember Brenda saying they are related to the Luicks, and that Luick was often spelled or "Americanized" differently. Maybe Betty's maiden name is Luick? There's a building in downtown Ann Arbor called the LUICK building. Sue Perry Ann Arbor, Mi ----- Original Message ----- From: <GScott113@aol.com> To: <MIWASHTE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2003 12:14 AM Subject: [MIWASHTE] puzzle - Sodt & related familes > Hello everyone, > > In trying to get one of my many connected lines in the Manchester area > finished, I've run into a frustrating puzzle. The answers may be in obits, but I'm > far away in central Illinois. > > The puzzle begins with William Sodt (1863-"1891") who married Christina > Feldkamp (1860-1900). Supposedly they were married in December of 1885. When they > both died fairly young, their children were raised by Frank Koebbe in more or > less the role of foster father. William & Christina Sodt are buried at Rowes > Corners Cemetery. > > According to my info from cousin David Koss, the children I have for them are: > Ben - married Thelma (maiden name unknown), lived in Jackson several decades > ago. > Bertha - married Martin Wackenhut, lived either at Saline or across the line > in Clinton. > Esther - married Lambert Gieske, lived at Manchester. > Lydia - married William Kleinschmidt, lived near Manchester. > George H. - married Minne (maiden name unknown), lived at Jackson. > Mabel - married Clarence Voegeding, lived near Manchester. > Reuben - married Ruth (Lewick?), lived at either Chelsea or Manchester. > Alvin - married Margaret (maiden name unknown), lived in Ann Arbor. > > David didn't have birth or death dates for any of the children except Reuben, > so I've done my hunting on the SSDI & the Washtenaw County death index (a > fantastic resource!), & what I've found has created the puzzle...... > > I found a Benjamin Sodt (died Oct. 1971) & a Thelma Sodt on the SSDI whose > last residence was Kalamazoo County. But Benjamin was born in 1882. > I found Lydia Kleinschmidt (died 5 Dec. 1961) & William Kleinschmidt, both of > Freedom Township. But Lydia was born in 1883. > I couldn't find Bertha Wackenhut, but I found Martin Wackenhut (died Jan. > 1966), & he was born in 1882 so I'm sure he's the right one. > Esther, George H., Mabel & Reuben have been found, & their dates fall within > the right time frame. Well, George H. (died July 1965) was born in October of > 1885. > Then there's Alvin Sodt. The only one I found (& it can't be a very common > name) died Aug. 1971, last residence Ann Arbor. Also found Margaret Sodt, last > residence Ann Arbor. So that fits. But Benjamin was born in 1897, which > would have been 6 years after his father's death! > > So the puzzle is..... > A) Do we have the right marriage date for William & Christina? > B) Is the "1891" on William's tombstone really "1897"? I'm thinking it's > possible that the top bar on th "7" may have been erased by time if it wasn't > carved very deep. The lettering style might make it look like a "1" now. (It > looked like a "1" many years ago when David saw it, too.) > > I'd love to know what the obits say for Benjamin, Lydia, Bertha & Alvin. (I > imagine obits for William & Christina would be harder to find.) Does anyone > have access to obits for them, or knowledge of them? This is driving me a wee > bit buggy! > > P.S. If I owe anybody a letter, I'll get to you eventually. Due to > circumstances beyond my control I'm several months behind on everything. I just > thought the Sodt connections would be easy to get entered...... silly me!!! > > Gloria Landwer Scott > > ______________________________