Multiple Marriages in the 1910 Census

The United States federal census provides a framework for tracing families every ten years (except the mostly destroyed 1890). Later census forms asked more detailed questions of all members of households.

Marital status became a question in 1880.

The 1910 census asked two questions about marital status:

Question 8. Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.

Question 9. Number of years of present marriage.

Questions on the 1910 federal census.
Questions 8 and 9 pertained to marital status.

Enumerators were to mark answers in accordance with rules that are not reflected on the census form. The rule for question 8: ". . . if this is the first marriage, write 'M1,' but if this is the second or subsequent marriage, write 'M2' (meaning married more than once)."

Instructions to the enumerator about how to record the answer
to Question 8 about marital status

Answers on the census can be wildly inaccurate. But the 1910 census can mislead the researcher with the answers about marriage. M1 means first marriage, but M2 means more than one marriage, not necessarily the second marriage.

We will look at two people to illustrate this question in the 1910 census, Albert Baldwin Duryea (1853-1924) and Minnie Tuthill (1870-1941).

Albert Baldwin Duryea

Albert was the son of George Winfield Duryea (1823-1892) and Barbara Ann Savidge (1825-18xx). He was born around 1853, probably in Montgomery, Somerset County, New Jersey.

On March 18, 1882 Albert married Margaret Lear Heavener (1851-1903) in Upper Black Eddy, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This union produced two children, Paul Gamble Duryea (1883-1966) and Edwin Jayne Duryea (1886-1942).

On May 6, 1905 Albert married Virginia Stryker (1854-1907) in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Virginia was the widow of William S Barr. She died two and a half years later from cancer of the bowels.

Marriage certificate
Albert B Duryea and Virginia S Stryker
married May 6, 1905
in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey

On May 15, 1908 Albert married Elizabeth Tinsman Morris (1850-1925) in Trenton.

Marriage certificate
Albert Baldwin Duryea and Elizabeth Morris Comly
married May 15, 1908
in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey

This brings us to the 1910 census. Albert Duryea and his wife Elizabeth were enumerated in Trenton with a boarder, William Hillpot.

1910 federal census in Trenton, New Jersey
Household of Albert Duryea

For Question 8, "M2" is written for the marital status of Albert and Elizabeth. Elizabeth had at least one prior marriage (looks like "Comly") on her marriage certificate to Albert. We found three marriages for Albert. This is an illustration of M2 properly indicating more than one marriage and not second marriage.

Close up of 1910 federal census
Albert was on marriage number 3. "M2" was the correct response.

Minnie Tuthill

Tuthill or Tuttle and variations is a popular name from Suffolk County, New York. Minnie was born around 1870 in Riverhead to Albert Daniel Tuthill (1846-1920) and Hannah Erskine (1847-1927).

Minnie's marital history is vague at times, but we will see what we can see.

On January 10, 1887 Minnie C Tuthill married John Edwin Duryea in Riverhead- according to the New York State Marriage Index. As of this writing, New York is still refusing to release genealogical copies of records.

In the 1900 census, Minnie Gusswiller was enumerated in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey with her husband, Frank Gusswiller. They were married for nine years. She had six children, four still living, listed with birth years from 1888 through 1899, all using the surname Gusswiller.

John E Duryea died February 22, 1901 in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. 

Death certificate of John E Duryea
died February 22, 1901
in Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

If Minnie Tuthill married Frank Gusswiller around 1891, she would have need to have divorced her first husband, John Duryea. I use "if" because I have not found a possible entry in the marriage indexes for Minnie and Frank in New Jersey, New York, and New York City.

This brings us to the 1910 census. Minnie Woodin and her husband, William Woodin, were enumerated in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York. His marital status was "M1," married five years. Her marital status was "M2," married five years. She had ten children, six still living. With them were five children. Four children were named Gusswiller and were ages 9 through 19. William Woodin, final child, was three years old.

1910 federal census in Poughkeepsie, New York
Household of William Woodin

Close up of 1910 federal census
Minnie was on marriage number 2 or 3. "M2" was the correct response.

The answer "M2" means that she was married at least twice and is not indicative of whether she and Frank Gusswiller actually married.

Minnie continued marrying after the 1910 census. In the 1920 census, Minnie Woodin, married, was still in Poughkeepsie, but without a husband. From the New York State marriage indexes we find that on October 20, 1920 Minnie M Trythill aka Gussweller married John Henry in Beacon, Dutchess County; on July 27, 1937 Minnie Henry married Charles Hults.

Minnie M Hults died December 25, 1941 in Poughkeepsie.

Obituary of Minnie M Hults (born Tuttle or Tuthill)
December 27, 1941

Minnie's husbands as far as I can tell:

1887  John Edwin Duryea (1867-1901)

18xx  Frank X Gusswiller (1862-19xx)

19xx  William J Woodin (1868-19xx)

1920  John Henry (18xx-19xx)

1937  Charles Hults (1865-1954)

Minnie's children as far as I can find:

Edith Mabel May Duryea (1888-1943)

Everett Tuthill Duryea (1890-1937)

Elnora Frances Gusswiller (1893-1893)

Theresa Tessie Gusswiller (1895-1975)

Frances Gusswiller (1897-1898)

Ivon Albert Gusswiller (1898-1969)

Elsie Gusswiller (1901-1991)

William James Woodin (1906-1983)

Leon Ellsworth Woodin (1910-1987)

A note about Edith, the daughter of John E Duryea and Minnie Tuthill: she had a troubled life. She was born May 16, 1888 in Jersey City.

Birth certificate
Edith Mabel Duryea
born May 16, 1888 in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey.
First child of John E Duryea and Minnie M Tuthill.

Newspaper article from the Evening Journal of Jersey City November 21, 1907.
"Mrs Gussmiller angry at her arrest."

In the 1910 census, Edith "Gusswiller" was an "inmate" at Laurel Hill in Secaucus, Hudson County. This institution housed those who were mentally ill or infirm. It was also called Snake Hill, or Hudson County Insane Asylum, and still exists today as "Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital." Edith was still there in the 1920, 1930, and 1940 censuses, but under the name Duryea, not Gusswiller.

This is why I think that the baby named "Peter Duryea or Gussweller" was hers. I did not find a birth certificate for him, but he was issued a death certificate. He died at the Hudson County Insane Hospital on January 21, 1913 from inanition. His date of birth was December 13, 1912. He was "out of wedlock." Only his mother was listed on his death certificate- "Edith Duryea or Gussweller."

I searched unsuccessfully for a marriage between Duryea and Gussweller. With the additional information gathered about Minnie Tuthill and her daughter, Edith Duryea, I think that Peter was the baby of Edith.

Death certificate of Peter Duryea or Gussweller.
Died January 21, 1913 at the Hudson County Insane Hospital in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Age 1 month. Mother- Edith Duryea or Gussweller.
Burial at Laurel Hill. Undertaker Alms House.

Burials at Laurel Hill were unmarked, which was not an unusual practice at such institutions. Laurel Hill burials included not only people from the insane asylum, but also from the alms house, tuberculosis hospital, and jail. Records were kept, but supposedly Hudson County cannot find them today. In 2002, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority sought to extend part of the Turnpike (Interstate 95) into the burial area and found bones and artifacts when construction crews started digging. It is thought that over 10,000 people were buried in this area.

When Edith Duryea died in 1943, she too was buried in an unmarked grave at Laurel Hill. Her usual address was in Poughkeepsie, connecting her to her late mother's residence since at least 1910.

Death certificate of Edith Duryea
died December 29, 1943 in Secaucus, Hudson County, New Jersey
at the Hudson County Hospital for Incurable Diseases.
Burial at Laurel Hill.

For pictures and further reading on Laurel Hill and the burials, see Weird New Jersey and this article from NJ dot com.

When reviewing the 1910 census, be mindful that the answer "M2" for a married person means that this is at least the second marriage. You would still need to use other records to discover marriages and their disposition.

The Two Samuel Vanderhoofs

Sometimes two people share similar facts, causing confusion to later generations who try to sort through records to craft accurate family trees.

This happened with two men named Samuel Vanderhoof. Both men were born about 1811 in Morris County, New Jersey. We know they were two different people because they are listed separately in the census and because one relocated to Wisconsin. Family trees and hints at Ancestry intermingle the two individuals as one.

1880 federal census
Town of Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
Samuel Vanderhoof, age 72.
With wife and children.

The Samuel Vanderhoof pictured in the 1880 census in Wisconsin married Eleanor Anderson in New Jersey. They moved to Wisconsin in the early 1850s. He is likely a son of Jacob Vanderhoof (1772-1847) and Ann Hopler (1772-1841), though no documentation of this has surfaced yet.

The Samuel Vanderhoof who remained in New Jersey was the son of Cornelius Vanderhoof and maybe Catharine Smith.

1880 federal census
Boonton Township, Morris County, New Jersey.
Samuel Vanderhoof, age 69.
With second wife, Sarah, and her son, Walter Stiers.
Samuel's daughter, Mary Catherine, is with husband Charles Struble
in the first listed household.

New Jersey Samuel Vanderhoof married Julie Ann Vanderhoof in the early 1840s. She was the daughter of Abraham Johannis Vanderhoof (died 1836) and Catharine Kierstede. Julie died between the 1870 census and Samuel's remarriage in 1878. 1876 is her year of death on her gravestone in Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery in Boonton, but I have not found a record of her death filed with the Archives. Presumably Samuel and Julie were cousins on their Vanderhoof lines, but I have not determined how at this point in the research.

Samuel and Julie had a daughter who lived to adulthood and had children. She was born around 1842 and used two different given names, Mary and Catherine, which added to the confusion of this branch. On January 1, 1862 in Boonton she married Charles Struble (1840-1926). Mary/Catherine died in 1898.

On August 21, 1878 Samuel Vanderhoof remarried to Sarah Ann Moore (1812-1894) in Rockaway Valley. This was Sarah's third marriage. Her first husband was Samuel Garrison Stires (1815-1869). Her second husband was Washington Stickle (1806-1877).

Marriage record
Samuel Vanderhooff (Vanderhoof) and Sarah Stickle
married August 21, 1878
in Rockaway Valley, Boonton, Morris County, New Jersey.
Available on microfilm at the New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.

According to this marriage record, the parents of Samuel were Cornelius Vanderhoof and Catharine [no surname]. Samuel died February 21, 1886 in Rockaway Valley. His parents on the death certificate were Cornelius Vanderhoof and --- Smith [no given name].

Death certificate
Samuel Vanderhoff died February 21, 1886
in Rockaway Valley, Boonton, Morris County, New Jersey.
Available on microfilm at the New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.

As I sift through Vanderhoof records, the gains are generation by generation. Records are sparser in the first half of the 1800s. Marriages were recorded in Morris County prior to state-wide registration began in 1848, but names of parents were rare on these early marriage records.

Other articles about Vanderhoofs with the same names, places, and dates:

-Elizabeth Cook married Vanderhoof

-William Vanderhoof (born early 1860s)

-Peter Vanderhoof

Two Elizabeth Cooks, Wives of Vanderhoofs

In the ongoing effort to sort the Vanderhoofs of Morris County, New Jersey, we have the related family of Cook. 

My fourth great grandparents were Stephen Cook (1797-1853) and Elizabeth Vanderhoof (1799-1878). They were buried in the Cook Cemetery in Denville, which is now on the grounds of the golf course of The Rockaway River County Club. Here's an older article of me in Cook Cemetery.

Also in the Cook Cemetery is a footstone engraved EV. This is supposedly for Elizabeth Vanderhoof.

Memorial page at Find A Grave
Elizabeth Vanderhoof 1804-1882
Cook Cemetery in Denville, New Jersey

There exists a death certificate for Elizabeth Vanderhoof, age 78 years, died April 24, 1882 in Rockaway Township. Her father was David Cook. Burial was at the Cook Cemetery.

Death certificate of Elizabeth Vanderhoof. Died April 24, 1882, age 78 years.
Hibernia, Rockaway Township, Morris County, New Jersey.
Father- David Cook.
Buried at Cook Cemetery in Denville.

I thought that this Elizabeth was the wife of Richard Vanderhoof, a son of Jacob Vanderhoof (1772-1847) and Ann Hopler (1772-1841). Richard was one of the last children, born around 1815. Richard and Elizabeth were last seen together in the 1870 census in Rockaway. They had at least seven children from about 1835 through 1847. At least two of the death certificates of these children list the parents as Richard Vanderhoof and Eliza Cook. 

In reviewing the works of Louisa Caroline Freeman Hickerson, she proposed a remarriage of Richard Vanderhoof, as well as a remarriage of Richard’s father, Jacob, also to someone named Elizabeth Cook. 

The two women named Elizabeth Cook were probably double first cousins.
They married a father/son pair.

I suspect that Susan Wiggins and Jemima Wiggins were sisters. Two sisters married two brothers. Both couples named daughters Elizabeth Cook. One became the first wife of Richard Vanderhoof. The other became the second wife of Jacob Vanderhoof, the father of Richard Vanderhoof.

The Elizabeth Cook who married Richard Vanderhoof had two brothers, Stephen and William, who married Richard’s sisters, Elizabeth and Hiley.

The Elizabeth Cook who married the widower Jacob Vanderhoof had a brother, Chileon, who married Jacob’s daughter, Charlotte.

This becomes intertwined.

 

JACOB VANDERHOOF (1772-1847)

Jacob and his wife, Ann Hopler, are buried in her family’s cemetery, Demouth Burial Ground, in Boonton. The stones are difficult to read at this point in time. The date of death on Ann’s stone is February 27, 1841. There might be no other record of her death.

Current appearance of the Demouth Burial Ground in Boonton.
Picture taken October 11, 2025 by Jody Lutter.

 According to Freeman, “There was Jacob Vanderhoof who married Elizabeth Cook, a daughter of David and Jemima (Wiggins) Cook. From copies of land transactions it would seem that it is the same Jacob as above. Two sons: Jacob C. born 1843. David born 1844. Elizabeth was a widow before 1850.”

Information about Jacob Vanderhoof's supposed second marriage and the children of that union.

In 1842, Jacob Vanderhoof and wife Elizabeth sold property in Pequannock to William M Dixon. If this is the same Jacob, this would indicate that Jacob had remarried between the death of his first wife, Ann, in 1841, and the date of this deed in 1842.

Deed. Pequannock, Morris County, New Jersey.
Jacob Vanderhoof and wife Elizabeth transferred land to William M Dixon.
March 4, 1842

By 1850, Elizabeth was widowed and living in her father’s household with two Vanderhoof children: Jacob, age 7, and David, age 5. Note the prior household is Tunis.

1850 census. Township of Rockaway.
Household of David Cook, age 69.
Jemima Cook. Catherine Adle (daughter?).
Elizabeth Vanderhoof, age 46. Jacob Vanderhoof, age 7. David Vanderhoof, age 5.

In 1872, Elizabeth filed for a widow’s pension based on the service of Jacob Vanderhoof in the War of 1812. Jacob’s death was stated as April 6, 1846. The date on his gravestone is April 6, 1847. 

Widow's Pension War of 1812
filed by Elizabeth Cook, wife of Jacob Vanderhoof, 1872

The pension was denied because Elizabeth could not prove that she was married to Jacob before the Treaty of Peace on February 17, 1815. She stated that her name was Elizabeth Cook and that the marriage occurred between 1820 and 1824.

Statement of Elizabeth Cook explaining that she cannot recall exactly when she married Jacob Vanderhoof.
They probably married in 1841 or 1842.

David Vanderhoof died in November of 1876. His entry on the death ledger stated his parents’ names as Jacob and Elizabeth. 

Death ledger entry for David Vanderhoof, age 25.
Died November 1876- no day given.
Father- Jacob. Mother- Elizabeth.

David was buried in Cook Cemetery, according to the application for a military headstone. 

Application for military headstone of David Vanderhoof (1845-1876).
Private, Company G, 7th Regiment, New Jersey Infantry. Civil War.

What became of Jacob Vanderhoof, born about 1843? I am not sure as of this writing. As we have seen many times within this family, there was more than one person named Jacob Vanderhoof born in the 1840s. I will need to gather their documents before we have definitive paths.

RICHARD VANDERHOOF (1815-1892)

Richard was born around 1815. He married Elizabeth Cook, probably around 1834. I have not found an entry for this marriage in the records of Morris and Essex Counties. A marriage was announced in a Newark, Essex County newspaper for Richard Vanderhoof and Elisabeth Cook in 1834 by Reverend S Higgins. Also married at this time was Jacob P Hill and Eunice Sanderson. This couple lived in Newark. Eunice was buried in 1851 in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Newark.

Marriage announcement of Richard Vanderhoof and Elisabeth Cook, 1834.

In 1850, Richard Vanderhoof, his wife, Eliza, and their seven children were living in Rockaway. Elizabeth’s age is consistently a few years older than Richard’s age. The prior Cook household was Stephen Cook and Elizabeth Vanderhoof, my fourth great grandparents.

1850 census Rockaway Township, Morris County, New Jersey.
Household of Richard Vanderhoof and Eliza.

Freeman wrote that Elizabeth Cook was possibly the daughter of Henry I Cook who died around 1831. "In 1831 she signed her name as Eliza Cook." If she did marry Richard Vanderhoof, it was after her father’s estate was settled.

Information about Richard Vanderhoof, his marriages, and children.

There was an Elizabeth Vanderhoof who died May 13, 1871 in Denville. She was married. Her parents' names were not provided. Who was she?

Death ledger entry for Elizabeth Vanderhoof, age 58.
Died May 13, 1871 in Denville, Morris County, New Jersey.
No parents or spouse listed.
Cause of death- consumption (tuberculosis).

Eliza Vanderhoof, wife of Richard Vanderhoof, was buried at Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery. The date of death on this stone is August 30, 1875. I have not found a corresponding entry in deaths reported to the State of New Jersey. Freeman wrote, "Eliza seems to have died sometime about 1873-1875." Why did she not think that Eliza died as early as the 1870 census up until the time of her husband's remarriage?

Gravestone of Eliza, wife of Richard Vanderhoof
Died August 30, 1875. Aged 64 years.
Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery
38 Valley Road, Boonton, Morris County, New Jersey

Three months after the death of his first wife, Richard Vanderhoof, son of Jacob, married Jane, daughter of Joseph Tunis. The Tunis household was next to Richard’s stepmother in the 1850 census.

Marriage ledger entry for Richard, son of Jacob Vanderhoof,
and Jane C, daughter of Joseph Tunis.
November 25, 1875 in Denville.

Richard and Jane were last seen together in the 1885 state census in Rockaway. Richard’s estate was inventoried in 1892.

Inventory of Richard Vanderhoof by Peter F Cook and Edward Peer.
Dated April 21, 1892. Morris County, New Jersey.

April 5, 1892 is the date of death on Richard Vanderhoof's gravestone. I do not see a corresponding entry in any online death index in New Jersey.

Gravestone of Richard Vanderhoof
Died April 5, 1892. Aged 77 years.
Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery
38 Valley Road, Boonton, Morris County, New Jersey

The stones of Eliza and Richard are side-by-side.

Gravestones of Eliza and Richard Vanderhoof
Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Cemetery

Richard's second wife, Jane, died in 1919 in Eatontown, Monmouth County. Her daughters and siblings are mentioned, but not her husbands.

Obituary of Jane C Vanderhoof, 1919.
Her children were from her marriage to William H Drayton (1822-1863).

More documentation is needed to firm up these loose ends.

What became of Sarah Scherer?

Sarah Scherer, her first husband, William Schoenberg, and their seven children were all together in the 1925 New York State Census in Brooklyn. Sarah was 44 years old, or born about 1881. William was 43 years old, or born about 1882. The children ranged in age from twelve to 22.

1925 New York State Census
178 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York

By 1930, Sarah was a "widow," though the disposition of William has not been determined as of this writing. What became of her after the 1930 census was a mystery until the estate papers of Regina Phillips popped up on FamilySearch thanks to their full text search.

The names of Sarah's children appeared in accountings. Sarah's name was misspelled.

Estate of Regina Phillips, 1932, late of Queens County, New York

Sarah was described as Regina's niece. I guess that the connection is through Sarah's mother, Rosa Rubenstein (1853-1924), but the specific relationship is not clear as of this writing.

Parents and spouse of Regina Rubinsons (1870-1932)

Parents and maternal grandparents of Sarah Scherer (1881-19xx)

In 1890 in Manhattan, New York, Regina Rubinsons married Samuel Phillips (1870-1929). Her parents were Elias Rubinsons and Fany Goldberger.

Marriage certificate of Samuel Phillips and Regina Rubinsons
July 8, 1890 in Manhattan, New York.
Groom's parents- Israel Phillips and Amali Hönig.
Bride's parents- Elias Rubinsons and Fany Goldberger.

Samuel Phillips predeceased his wife in 1929. They had no surviving issue when Regina died in 1932.

Death certificate of Regina Phillips
died May 27, 1932 in Manhattan, New York.
Father- Edward Robinson. Mother- Dora Chonowksy.

The names of Regina's parents had morphed from Elias Rubinsons to Edward Robinson and from Fany Goldberger to Dora Chonowsky.

Regina's estate documents mention a change in Sarah's surname from Schoenberg to Koppel, along with the address 518 Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Koppel was the married name of Sarah's youngest daughter, Beatrice.

No marriage record for Sarah Scherer or Schoenberg to Mr Koppel was found in New York City, New York State, or New Jersey.

Using FamilySearch's search text function, Sarah's application for naturalization popped up. She filed twice- once under the name Sarah Koppel in 1942 and again under the name Sarah Mendlinger in 1946.

Declaration of Intention of Sarah Koppel
signed February 4, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York.

Declaration of Intention of Sarah Mendlinger
signed November 21, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York.

These documents are great because she provides a birthdate and place (April 15, 1881 in Sobolj, Megye, Hungary), date of immigration, marriages, and children. These are not necessarily accurate.

Plus we get a picture of Sarah!

Picture of Sarah Scherer attached to her 1942 Declaration of Intention

On the 1942 petition, she wrote that she married Jacob Koppel on June 15, 1931 in Brooklyn. I don't see this in the index of marriages.

On October 10, 1931, Sarah's youngest daughter, Bertha (called Beatrice in the naturalization document), married Bernard E Koppel, the son of Jacob Koppel and Lizzie Friedman.

Marriage certificate of Bernard E Koppel and Bertha Schoenberg
October 10, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York.
Groom's parents- Jacob Koppel and Lizzie Friedman.
Bride's parents- W [Aaron?] and Sarah Scherer.

Bertha, later called Beatrice, was born August 25, 1913 in Jersey City. The surname was misspelled "Schomberg" on the birth certificate.

Birth certificate of Bertha Schomberg
August 25, 1913 in West New York, Hudson County, New Jersey.
Father- William Schomberg. Mother- Sara Scherer.

On October 28, 1931, a correction was submitted to change the surname from Schomberg to Schoenberg. Four months earlier, mother Sarah had supposedly married Jacob Koppel. Yet she signed "Sarah Schoenberg" and not "Sarah Koppel" on the request for the correction.

Correction to birth certificate of Bertha Schomberg to Schoenberg
signed October 28, 1931.

A record does exist for Sarah's marriage in 1943 to Kopel Mendlinger. (Not the same person as Jacob Koppel.)

Marriage license of Kopel Mendlinger and Sarah Koppel
married January 10, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York.

Although marriages for Brooklyn in 1943 are supposedly all scanned and available online, this one was not. I ordered it through the mail. Cost was $18 and turn-around time was two months.

Available marriage records supposedly online at
New York City Department of Records and Information Services

Sarah's place of birth was Tisa Dop, Hungary. This is Tiszadob, Szabolcs, Hungary.

Map of Tiszadob, Szabolcs, Hungary on map of Europe 2025.

Sarah listed one prior marriage to Jacob Koppel. She omitted her first marriage to William Schoenberg. How did that marriage end? Did William die? Disappear? Divorce?

Sarah's marriage history as reported on her license to marry 1943

What became of Sarah Scherer? I do not know. I did not find a death record for her in New York City. 

Notes about the birth records of the children as listed on Sarah's petitions for naturalization:

Sarah had seven children that I discovered. The first, Dora (1903-1934), was deceased by the time of Sarah's petitions, which only asked about living children.

The second child was born February 2, 1905 in Manhattan. "Lena" was originally the name, but "Sadie" was written in read above the crossed out Lena. This is probably for Sadie, but where is Lena's birth certificate? Lena was child number 3.

Birth certificate of Lena [crossed out] Sadie Schönberg
born February 2, 1905 in Manhattan, New York.
Father- William Schönberg. Mother- Sarah Scherer.

I did not find a birth record for Abraham, child number 4. He could not not have been born on January 16, 1909 because the fifth child, Sam, was born July 29, 1909.

Birth certificate of Sam Schomberg born July 29, 1909
in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey.
Father- William Schomberg. Mother- Sarra Scherer.

Catherine, child number 6, was born February 21, 1911 in Jersey City, not February 2, 1912.