It came to my attention, from various cousins from different branches of my family, that "cousin" CARL WINZIG was actually the illegitimate child of my gr-grandmother, ANNA (WINZIG) SCHMIDT. As the story goes, before Anna came to this country, she worked as a domestic for a family back in Germany. She was raped by her employer, and Carl's birth was the result. The circumstances of Carl's birth must have been deeply wrapped in shame because Carl was not acknowledged as her son, but as a German Winzig "cousin" and he is not buried with his mother at Mt. Calvary. Rather, he is buried with her sister MARY (WINZIG) BUSCH's family. I am touched by the brief, hard life of my unacknowledged Uncle Carl. He bore the stigma of events beyond his control.
~Mike Cronk, 1 August 2011

NOTE: And, as this seems to have been a closely guarded family secret, Carl's death certificate does not list his true parentage.

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1900 U.S. CENSUS, GRAND RAPIDS (9th Ward), WALKER TWP., KENT CO., MI, 12 June 1900
Schmidt, August P. (Head), 47, b. Aug. 1852, Germany (Parents b. Germany), Married 8 Yrs., Came to U.S. in 1856, Naturalized, Meat Market
Schmidt, Anna (Wife), 39, b. May 1861, Germany (Parents b. Germany), Married 8 Yrs., Mother of 6 Children - 5 Living, Came to U.S. in 1890
Schmidt, Anna M.(Daughter), 22, b. Apr. 1878, MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. MI), Sales lady - Dry Goods
Schmidt, Carrie M. (Daughter), 19, b. July 1880, MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. MI)
Schmidt, Rosa (Daughter), 17, b. June 1882, MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. MI), Sales lady - Dry Goods
Schmidt, Louisa (Daughter), 7, b. Nov. 1892, MI (Parents b. Germany, At School
Schmidt, Paul (Son), 4, b. June 1895, MI (Parents b. Germany
Schmidt, Leona (Daughter), 3, b. Jan. 1897, MI (Parents b. Germany
Schmidt, Rudolph (Son), 1, b. Feb. 1898, MI (Parents b. Germany
Schmidt, Erna (Daughter), 7/12, b. Oct. 1899, MI (Parents b. Germany
WINZIG, CARL (Nephew), 15, b. June 1884, Germany (Parents b. Germany), Came to U.S. in 1893, Chair maker
Live at 197 W. Broadway.