More than One Dude With an Atypical Name

My personal research has reminded me that one always needs to remember that just because the same atypical name appears in different places does not mean it is they are the same person. There were two men named Christian Trautvetter who were German natives living in Illinois in the 1870s/1880s. They are different men. One is in Kansas in the late 1880s until his death and the one in this image remained in Peoria until he died. If you think you’ve found your guy–track down that “new person” in later records in that area. Thats a good way to reduce the chance you assume that people who are the same are not.