Wilhelmina was born in Kloster, Oldenberg, Germany, on the north coast, on Christmas Day in 1835, and was baptized at Abbehausen, on Feb. 4, 1836, according to the church register. Her father, Johann Berend Wulff (see picture) was b. 30 December, 1791, Neustadt, parish Strückhausen, Oldenburg, and was an overseer of a large estate, and apparently fairly well-to-do. He made two trips to America to visit relatives in Milwaukee; Wilhelmina and a sister came along in 1851 to work in homes in Milwaukee. Johann made a second trip to the United States in 1866. He had stayed about ten years the first time, but only about one year the second time. Wilhelmina's mother was Anne Lucie Heye, born 24 September, 1801, Neustadt, parish Strückhausen, Oldenburg. (Thanks to Jane Dresser for this information.)
A niece Eliza Wulff wrote in her autobiography: "Aunt Minnie (Wilhelmina), as she was called, would go care for neighbors during a severe smallpox epidemic in which the death rate was very high," and also that "she cared for their children when her husband was a soldier in the Union army." She also prepared the dead for burial, while Friedrich "Fritz" Spannaus (father of her son-in-law Edward), was the local coffin-maker.
Wilhelmina died in 1897, reportedly of Bright's Disease.
(Biographic data compiled by Ruben Spannaus)
note from:
Jane Dresser
Simsbury, CT
"I believe she died in 1897, rather than 1898 - however, there is no state death certificate for her, and the newspaper issues for that year have not survived.
"Her husband, Herman Schulenberg, is buried in the Schulenberg Family Plot in Arlington Public Cemetery, along with his son, Friedrich (Fred) Schulenberg and his wife, Martha Meier Schulenberg, and Fred and Martha's daughters, Pearl L. C. Schulenberg and Laura Schulenberg Dresser. Family lore says Wilhelmina was very active in St. Paul's Church, so that is perhaps why her family buried her there."
Grandaughters:
Pearl L Schulenberg (1895-1973)
Laura A Schulenberg Dresser (1902-1994)
A niece Eliza Wulff wrote in her autobiography: "Aunt Minnie (Wilhelmina), as she was called, would go care for neighbors during a severe smallpox epidemic in which the death rate was very high," and also that "she cared for their children when her husband was a soldier in the Union army." She also prepared the dead for burial, while Friedrich "Fritz" Spannaus (father of her son-in-law Edward), was the local coffin-maker.
Wilhelmina died in 1897, reportedly of Bright's Disease.
(Biographic data compiled by Ruben Spannaus)
note from:
Jane Dresser
Simsbury, CT
"I believe she died in 1897, rather than 1898 - however, there is no state death certificate for her, and the newspaper issues for that year have not survived.
"Her husband, Herman Schulenberg, is buried in the Schulenberg Family Plot in Arlington Public Cemetery, along with his son, Friedrich (Fred) Schulenberg and his wife, Martha Meier Schulenberg, and Fred and Martha's daughters, Pearl L. C. Schulenberg and Laura Schulenberg Dresser. Family lore says Wilhelmina was very active in St. Paul's Church, so that is perhaps why her family buried her there."
Grandaughters:
Pearl L Schulenberg (1895-1973)
Laura A Schulenberg Dresser (1902-1994)
Wilhelmina was born in Kloster, Oldenberg, Germany, on the north coast, on Christmas Day in 1835, and was baptized at Abbehausen, on Feb. 4, 1836, according to the church register. Her father, Johann Berend Wulff (see picture) was b. 30 December, 1791, Neustadt, parish Strückhausen, Oldenburg, and was an overseer of a large estate, and apparently fairly well-to-do. He made two trips to America to visit relatives in Milwaukee; Wilhelmina and a sister came along in 1851 to work in homes in Milwaukee. Johann made a second trip to the United States in 1866. He had stayed about ten years the first time, but only about one year the second time. Wilhelmina's mother was Anne Lucie Heye, born 24 September, 1801, Neustadt, parish Strückhausen, Oldenburg. (Thanks to Jane Dresser for this information.)
A niece Eliza Wulff wrote in her autobiography: "Aunt Minnie (Wilhelmina), as she was called, would go care for neighbors during a severe smallpox epidemic in which the death rate was very high," and also that "she cared for their children when her husband was a soldier in the Union army." She also prepared the dead for burial, while Friedrich "Fritz" Spannaus (father of her son-in-law Edward), was the local coffin-maker.
Wilhelmina died in 1897, reportedly of Bright's Disease.
(Biographic data compiled by Ruben Spannaus)
note from:
Jane Dresser
Simsbury, CT
"I believe she died in 1897, rather than 1898 - however, there is no state death certificate for her, and the newspaper issues for that year have not survived.
"Her husband, Herman Schulenberg, is buried in the Schulenberg Family Plot in Arlington Public Cemetery, along with his son, Friedrich (Fred) Schulenberg and his wife, Martha Meier Schulenberg, and Fred and Martha's daughters, Pearl L. C. Schulenberg and Laura Schulenberg Dresser. Family lore says Wilhelmina was very active in St. Paul's Church, so that is perhaps why her family buried her there."
Grandaughters:
Pearl L Schulenberg (1895-1973)
Laura A Schulenberg Dresser (1902-1994)
A niece Eliza Wulff wrote in her autobiography: "Aunt Minnie (Wilhelmina), as she was called, would go care for neighbors during a severe smallpox epidemic in which the death rate was very high," and also that "she cared for their children when her husband was a soldier in the Union army." She also prepared the dead for burial, while Friedrich "Fritz" Spannaus (father of her son-in-law Edward), was the local coffin-maker.
Wilhelmina died in 1897, reportedly of Bright's Disease.
(Biographic data compiled by Ruben Spannaus)
note from:
Jane Dresser
Simsbury, CT
"I believe she died in 1897, rather than 1898 - however, there is no state death certificate for her, and the newspaper issues for that year have not survived.
"Her husband, Herman Schulenberg, is buried in the Schulenberg Family Plot in Arlington Public Cemetery, along with his son, Friedrich (Fred) Schulenberg and his wife, Martha Meier Schulenberg, and Fred and Martha's daughters, Pearl L. C. Schulenberg and Laura Schulenberg Dresser. Family lore says Wilhelmina was very active in St. Paul's Church, so that is perhaps why her family buried her there."
Grandaughters:
Pearl L Schulenberg (1895-1973)
Laura A Schulenberg Dresser (1902-1994)
Family Members
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- Saint Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery Schulenberg or Wulff
- Arlington Schulenberg or Wulff
- Sibley County Schulenberg or Wulff
- Minnesota Schulenberg or Wulff
- USA Schulenberg or Wulff
- Find a Grave Schulenberg or Wulff
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