The 1870 United States census showed Charles Messerknecht (age 32, born in Germany, farming) living in New Lenox, Will County, Illinois. He lived with Fred (age 37, born in Germany, farmer) and Fredricka (age 62, born in Germany).
The 1880 United States census showed Charles Messerknecht (age 40, born in Germany, laborer) living with his brother Fred (age 47, born in Germany, farmer) and his brother’s wife (age 28, born in Prussia) in New Lenox, Illinois. Fred’s family consisted of Caroline (age 6, born in Illinois), Frederick (age 5, born in Illinois), and John (age 8 months, born in Illinois). Charles’ mother Fredricka (age 80, born in Germany) also lived with her sons.
The 1880 United States census showed Charles Messerknecht (age 37, born in Germany, laborer) married to Friederika (age 35, born in Germany) and living in Dubuque, Iowa. Children Friedrika (age 13, born in Iowa), Anna (age 12, born in Iowa), John (age 10, born in Iowa), August (age 6, born in Iowa), Louisa (age 8, born in Iowa), and Frank (age 2, born in Iowa) also lived with the couple.
The 1885 Iowa census showed Charles Messerknecht (age 42, born in Germany, laborer) married to Ricke (age 40, born in Germany) and living in Dubuque, Iowa. Children Annie (age 16, born in Iowa), John (age 15, born in Iowa), Lizzie (age 13, born in Iowa), August (age 11, born in Iowa), Frank (age 7, born in Iowa), and Clara (age 5, born in Iowa, twin), Bertha (age 5, born in Iowa, twin), and Mahla (age 2, born in Iowa) also lived with the couple.
The 1895 Iowa census showed Charles Messerknecht living in Dubuque, Iowa.
The 1900 United States census showed Charles Messerknecht (age 57, born in September 1842 in Germany, brickyard proprietor) married to Mary (age 37, born in January 1863 in Germany) and living in Waseca, Minnesota. Children Clara (age 19, born in July 1880 in Iowa), Sophia (age 11, born in July 1888 in Iowa), and Katie (age 9, born in March 1891 in Iowa) also lived with the couple.
Charles Maiserknecht died August 7, 1908, in Waseca County, Minnesota.
Page 420. Charles Messerknecht, proprietor of the brick yard at Waseca,
Page 421. Minn., died from dropsy after an illness of nine or ten weeks. He was 69 years of age and leaves a widow and several grown children. (Brick and Clay Record, Kenfield-Leach Company, Chicago, IL, September 1908, Volume XXIX, Number 3)