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The Mystery of Louise Kleiner, Solomon Barfuss, and Adolph Schlatter

Adolph Schlatter

My paternal grandparents are Adolph (Adolf) Schlatter and Emma Waldner.  Their basic information is: 

• Adolph Schlatter
  • Born 11 October 1863, Ganterswil, Switzerland.
  • Died 26 November 1930, Cleveland, Mississippi.
• Emma Waldner
  • Born 26 December 1884, Bozen, Austria
  • Died 1 May 1948, Cleveland, Mississippi.
• As of January 2009 I have not been able to determine the date of their marriage.

Among the family material that my mother had at time of her death (Annie Lee Richardson Schlatter, b. 20 October 1924, d. 18 March 2007) were:

• A small notebook that Adolph Schlatter used as a diary, and,

• Adolph's application for US citizenship (never completed due to his death).

 By analyzing these two documents along with information I found in Ellis Island immigration records and New York City marriage records, I determined: 

• An entry in the 1930 federal census beside Adolph Schlatter’s name states that he was 40 years old at his first marriage.  He was born in 1863, thus, his first marriage would have been in 1903.
• According to notes in Adolph’s memorandum book, Adolph and Louise Kleiner Schlatter were in Memphis in November 1903.   They were in Memphis and Senatobia, Mississippi, from November 1903 until August or September 1908.
• I have copies of advertisements from the Senatobia, MS, newspaper from 1904-05 for the City Bakery operated by "Mr. Schlatter."
• Adolph's notebook has several stamps from a rubber stamp that read "City Bakery, Senatobia, Miss."
• Notes in the memo book have Adolph, Louise and “Baby Louise” in Switzerland September 1908 through July 1910.
• The memo book lists travels by Adolph and Louise around the region of Zurich, including numerous references to Geroldswil.
• In view of this information, it appears that Adolph and Louise were married in 1903, possibly in Memphis.  At some point in 1903 – 1904 they moved to Senatobia and remained there until August or September 1908 when they returned to Switzerland.

Louise Kleiner; first wife of Adolph Schlatter

 Louise Kleiner (information on passenger manifest on Ellis Island website)

• Entry document for Louise Kleiner.  Entered US 22 November 1900.  Age 23 (Date of birth:  1900 – 23 = 1877)
• Female, single; able to read and write
• Hometown:  Geraldsweil, Switzerland (Note similarity of Geraldsweil on the passenger manifest to Geroldswil in Adolph's notebook.)
• Occupation:  barmaid
• Final destination: Memphis
• Notations in column 16 say she is going to join aunt in Memphis, Tenn
• The name listed directly below Louise Kleiner’s name is:  Solomon Barfuss, age 43, US citizen, saloon keeper from Memphis.

 Louise Kleiner

 According to a partially-legible entry on the inside front cover of Adolph Schlatter’s memo book, he was married to:  Louise Schlatter, Kleiner.  Her hometown was Geroldswil, Canton Zurich, Switzerland – name of the town is mostly illegible, but, a map of the Zurich area shows the town of Geroldswil.

It appears that LOUISE KLEINER and LOUISE KLEINER SCHLATTER are the same person.

Repeating information that is presented above:

• An entry in the 1930 federal census beside Adolph Schlatter’s name states that he was 40 years old at his first marriage.  He was born in 1863, thus, his first marriage would have been in 1903.
• According to notes in Adolph’s memorandum book, Adolph and Louise Kleiner Schlatter were in Memphis in November 1903.   They were in Memphis and Senatobia, Mississippi, from November 1903 until August or September 1908.
• Notes in the memo book then have Adolph, Louise and “Baby Louise” in Switzerland September 1908 through July 1910.
• The memo book lists travels by Adolph and Louise around the region of Zurich, including numerous references to Geroldswil.
• In view of this information, it appears that Adolph and Louise were married in 1903, possibly in Memphis.  At some point in 1903 – 1904 they moved to Senatobia and remained there until August or September 1908 when they returned to Switzerland.

 Solomon Barfuss

 At this point, I need to introduce Solomon Barfuss. 

In searching for evidence of Louise Kleiner’s entry to the US and other information about her, I discovered a ship manifest showing immigrants who entered the US on 22 November 1900 on the ship Kensington, sailing from Antwerp.  Information on this manifest is as follows: 

 These two names are listed together – one above the other – on the ship manifest. 

After considerable searching, I located a source of New York City marriage records online where I found the following entry:

 On 24 November 1900, Solomon Barfuss married Luisa Kleiner in Manhattan

I suspect the Solomon Barfuss and Louise Kleiner who entered the US on 22 November 1900 are the same Solomon Barfuss and Luisa Kleiner who married in Manhattan on 24 November 1900.

I also found in the Ellis Island records evidence that Solomon Barfuss had entered the US previously. 

 The Solomon Barfuss who entered the US in 1899 and 1900 appear to be the same person.  The individual who entered in 1889 may or may not be the same person. 

Results of further research:  Divorce, Marriage, Divorce

In January - March 2010, my brother and I researched the Louise Kleiner, Solomon Barfuss, and Adolph Schlatter connection -- my brother John did most of the work.  John found documents on the Shelby County (Memphis), TN, website that answered our questions.

•  Louise Kleiner and Solomon Barfuss were, indeed, married.

•  They were divorced in Shelby County, MS, in October 1905.

•  In March 1906, a marriage license was issued in Shelby County, MS, for Adolph Schlatter and Louise Kleiner.

•   Louise and Adolph lived in Senatobia, MS, where he operated a bakery until they returned to Switzerland in August 1908.

•  In October 1910, Adolph and Emma Waldner arrived at Ellis Island, NY.  They were married in September 1910 and settled in Shaw, MS.

•  In January 1911 Adolph filed for divorce from Louise in the Shelby County, TN, court.  In June 1911 he asked that the suit be dropped.

For details on Adolph's marriage to Louise, go to this article on Adolph where I have posted documents including:  (1) divorce proceedings between Louise Kleiner and Solomon Barfuss; (2) marriage license for Adolph Schlatter and Louise Kleiner; (3) divorce proceedings for Adolph and Louise; and, (3) Solomon Barfuss's death certificate.

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