Fourth Generation

7. Christian Ludwig Theodor "Chris" MEVIUS was born on 14 April 1851 in Muhl Rosin, Kreis Rostock, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia).^{2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11} According to his birth records at the LDS Library in Salt Lake City, his surname was originally "Mevius." However, the spelling "Meveus" was used on the birth records of his children. His surname was listed as "Mails" in the 1900 and 1910 Census records, and his children used that spelling. The spelling "Mevius" is also contained in some family information.

(His birth records lists his birth place as "Muhl Rosin, Badeniek County, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Mecklenburgiche Sippenkanzlei." His birth place was listed as "Mecklenburg, Germany" in the 1920 Census of his daughter Mabel. This is a map of the Muhl Rosin area of Mecklenburg.) He was baptized on 20 April 1851 in Muhl Rosin, Kreis Rostock, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia).³ He lived in Badendiek, Kreis Rostock, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Province, Preussen (Prussia) in 1851.¹² Chris lived at his home in Grant Township, Portage County, WI in November 1884.¹¹ In the marriage registration record, his occupation was listed as "Workingman." He emigrated in 1885 from Preussen (Prussia).⁹ The 1900 Census record indicates that he emigrated in 1885 and had been in America for 15 years. That is believed to have been an error, because his wife and son Carl reportedly emigrated in 1884, and he is believed to have emigrated before they did. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.⁹ His household consisted of Christ, born April 1851, age 48, married 16 years, born in Germany, occupation "Farmer," emigrated in 1885; Paulina, born April 1861, age 38, born in Germany, emigrated in 1886; son Carl, born March 1882, age 17, born in Germany, emigrated 1886; daughter Emma, born July 1887, age 12, born WI; daughter Mabel, born March 1888, age 11, born WI; daughter Bertha, born Dec 1891, age 9, born WI; daughter Ella, born March 1895, age 5, born WI; and son Alfred, born Oct 1896, age 3, born WI.

(Grand Rapids Township was later renamed Wisconsin Rapids.) Chris appeared in the census in 1905 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.¹³ His surname was listed as "Mails" and his occupation was "Farmer." He appeared in the census in 1910 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.¹⁰ His household consisted of Christ, age 59, born in Germany, occupation "Farmer, General Farm;" Lena, 51, born Germany; their daughter, Mabel (name not clear), 21, born Wisconsin; daughter, Bertha, 18, born WI; daughter, Ella, 15, born WI; and son Alfred, 13, born WI.

(He and his wife could not be located in the 1920 Census in any state and it is not known where they lived. It is possible that he had died before mid-1920 when the census was conducted, and Pauline may have married John Cashner before then.)

. He appeared in the census in 1920 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.⁷ He and his wife were living with their son Albert. His occupation was "Farmer, Retired." Chris died on 21 July 1920 at the age of 69 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.^2,6,14,15

Obituary Notes: "Chris Mails, one of the pioneer settlers of Grand Rapids, died at his home last Saturday after a long illness. The deceased was 69 years of age and is survived by a wife and four grown children. The funeral was held from the home on Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. C. A. Meilicke officiating. Interment was made in Forest Hill Cemetery."

. He was buried in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.² in the Forest Hill Cemetery.

Christian Ludwig Theodor "Chris" MEVIUS and Karoline Pauline "Lena" NIKOLAIZIG were married on 28 November 1884 in Kellner, Grant Township, Portage County, WI.^{6,9,10,11,14,16,17} at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wisconsin Rapids. Their witnesses were Heinrich Forban and Carl Muller.

His name was listed as "Christian Ludwig Theodor Stevens" in the Wisconsin Marriage Records and in the marriage registration record, and his father's name was listed as "Carl Stevens." It is not known why that surname was recorded, but it is possible that a mistake was made in transcribing his surname from the original marriage document to the registration record--"Meveus" to "Stevens."

Their son Carl was born in Germany in March 1883 and Lena was listed by her maiden name on the ship's records, so they apparently did not marry until after arriving in America.

The 1900 Census record indicates that they had 9 children, of which 6 were still living. At the time of the 1910 Census, 4 were still living. It is not known why they used the surname of "Mails" for their children. They used the same name on their own gravestone.
Karoline Pauline "Lena" NIKOLAIZIG, daughter of Daniel NIKOLAIZIG and Caroline GROHS, was born on 3 April 1859 in Strzyzew, Kreis Schildberg, Posen Province, Preussen (Prussia).^{2,6,7,11,18,19} (Her birth place was listed as "Mecklenburg, Germany" in the 1920 Census.)

(Her surname was clearly listed as "Nikolaizig" in her marriage registration record.) She was baptized on 6 April 1859 in Strzyzew, Kreis Schildberg, Posen Province, Preussen (Prussia).² She emigrated in November 1884 from Preussen (Prussia).^9,15,17,19 on the ship "Polaria" from Hamburg to New York City with her son Carl.. The were traveling in the aft steerage section with two trunks.

Her surname was listed as "Nicolaisicg," but it is believed to have been spelled "Nikolaizig." They arrived on 21 November 1884. (According to the 1900 Census, she emigrated with her son Carl in 1886.) Lena appeared in the census in 1900 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.⁹ She appeared in the census in 1905 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.¹³ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.¹⁰ She was listed as "Lena Mails." Lena appeared in the census in 1920 in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, WI.⁷ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Byrd Township, Goochland County, VA.^2,20 She was listed as "Lena," was living with her husband John, and they married when she was 62 and he was 53 (about 1922). The census record listed her year of immigration as 1885.

After the death of her second husband in 1933, Lena moved back to Tomah, Wisconsin, and lived with her daughters until she died. She died on 6 June 1935 at the age of 76 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wood County, WI.^2,6,14,15

Obituary Notes: "Mrs. Lena Mails Cashner, for fifty years a resident of the town of Grand Rapids, passed away at 7:50 o'clock last evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. M. Atwood, Route 1, after an illness of three days following a stroke. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Baker Chapel, with Rev. F. W. Hyslop officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Cashner, who was born in Germany, was first married to Chris Mails, who passed away in 1917. Later she married John Cashner, who died in 1932. Nine children were born to the first union, five preceding the mother in death. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. A. M. Atwood of Biron, Mrs. Fred Neitzel of Tomah, and Mrs. Lyle Cronk of Beloit, and one son, Alfred Mails of Chicago, also seven grandchildren.

The body will remain at the Baker Funeral Home until after the services."

. Lena was buried in Wisconsin Rapids, Wood County, WI.² in the Forest Hill Cemetery.

Christian Ludwig Theodor "Chris" MEVIUS and Karoline Pauline "Lena" NIKOLAIZIG had the following children: