In the 1880 census in St. Louis MO, there is a Samuel DUPONT, age 36, occupation teamster, cited as born in MO and father and mother born in MO. His wife is Gertrude, age 37, born in Prussia, which at the time included areas bordering Alsace-Lorraine in France.
There are five children named FREIN in the household also born in Prussia: Annie, age 17; Josephine 14, Louisa 12, Henry 10 and Carrie 7. Josephine's year and place of birth, given name of her mother, residence in St. Louis and occupation as a servant all match known information about my
great-grandmother Josephine FREIN (1866-1949) who married Charles Wesley WILLIAMS 3/12/1888 in Spokane WA.

Does anyone have additional information about this family of FREINS and/or the stepfather Samuel DUPONT

Hi,
My Frein family relatives are from DuQuoin, IL. I believe they originated from Alsace-Lorraine. My great, great grandfather was married to a woman named Anna Marie Witthauer. She was widowed (as far as my records indicate in 1901) and married a man named "? Radtke". Some of them (Freins) then migrated to southern Illinois. Do you think there is any connection? Thanks for your help.
Sandy

Information handed down in the family was that my great-grandmother Josephine Frein was from Alsace Lorraine. This 1880 census has her mother Gertrude as born in Prussia -- and in the 1820s when she was born much of the Alsace area was part of Prussia. The census says Josephine and her siblings were born in MO, but that isn't what the family "story" says.

I haven't revisited these records for several years, but I do show some correspondence with descendents of a Henry Frien who was in the same St. Louis 1880 census. They show that he later moved to Smithton IL (abt 60 miles from DuQuoin), and is buried there. Don't know the relationship of this Henry with my Freins, other than that family tradition is that Gertrude's father's name was Henry. Hypothetically this Henry Frein could be a brother of Gertrude(?).
I spent some time on the Rootsweb Frein family message board some years ago, and I seem to recall that other Frein lines also had origins in Alsace Lorraine.

Hello,
My father's name was Edward Daniel Frein (born in Taylor Springs, IL 1926-1999) and his great uncle was Henry Frein (but from family stories I thought Uncle Henry 1899-1938(called "Heinie) never married). My grandfather was Edward John Frein 1898-1962, my great grandfather was John Frein born abt. 1862-1901 and my great, great grandfather was Peter Frein born abt. 1831-1916 in Prussia. Peter was married to Angela Kellerman from Prussia. That's as far back as I've been able to go. Do you think we are related? I have some information on Peter Fraen (abt 1832--home in 1850 U.S.Census was in Fountain, Monroe, IL) and Getrout Fraen--their children were Peter, John, Elizabeth, Henry, Jacob, Jos and Lan Fraen.
Thanks.
Sandy (nee Frein) Mechler

Sandy,

I am not sure if we are related, but I do have a copy of an email I received in 2001 that has some information regarding "Peter and Angellia Killiman Frein". Please send me an email to chwilliams@lbl.gov so that I have your email address, and I will scan that message and send it to you.

Charlie

My email is smechler@sbcglobal.net. Thank you for your help.