In order to better understand the possible inter-relations among "my" Wagenknechts and other Wagenknechts living in Toledo in the late 1800's, I have undertaken a study of all the Wagenknecht families who immigrated and settled in Toledo sometime between 1850 and 1860. Resources available to me at this time include census enumerations, Ohio death certificates, and city directories from 1877 to 1899. (Toledo city directories were published as far back as 1858 but I don't have access to those documents at this time.)

Many of the details of my research can be found at my Wagenknecht Wiki (http://wagenknecht-gen.wikispaces.com) and I will continue to update information there as I process it. I will share my conclusions and some interesting results here for the benefit of other Wagenknecht researchers.

Although my original focus was on the families of Fred J Wagenknecht and August Carl Wagenknecht, I found a third Wagenknecht family who immigrated to Toledo between 1850 and 1860. This only became evident when I realized how interchangeable the surnames Wagner (and variations) and Wagenknecht were for this group. I found Wagenknecht/Wagner families appearing for the first time in Toledo in the 1860 census. All three families, listed as Wagner, are clustered together (households 1060, 1061, and 1063) on page 132 and
133 of the 2nd Ward City of Toledo, Lucas, Ohio.

Here are the three families:

Frederick J Wagenknecht (b. abt. 1825, Germ.)
+ Dora Peters (b. 1832, Germ.)
Charles (b. abt. 1857, OH)
Frederick J Jr. (b. 1859, OH)
Ernst (b. 1860, OH)
John E (b. 1862, OH)
Louis (b. 1871, OH)
William C (b. 1876, OH)

Carl Wagenknecht (b. abt. 1827, Germ.)
+ Agnes "Margaret" Sherman (b. 1823, Germ.)
John C. (b. 1859, OH)

August Carl Wagenknecht (b. 1826, Germ.)
+ Dora "Mary" Geist (b. 1839, Germ.)
Sophia J. (b. 1854, Germ.)
Carline (b. 1859, OH d. infant)
Dorrity E. (b. 1860, OH)
Charles J. (b. 1864, OH)
August F. (b. 1867, OH)
Louis C. (b. 1869, OH)
Mary Ann (b. 1871, OH)
Albert William (b. 1876, OH)

Other Wagenknechts immigrated and settled in Toledo in later years (around 1880) but I have been focusing on those families closest to "my" Wagenknechts (August Carl and Dora)

Surprises:
I had a heck of a time finding Fred's family in 1870, but finally came across Fred "Brown" with a family composition identical to what one would expect, including mother-in-law Augustas Peters, on p. 38 of the 2nd Ward City of Toledo, Lucas, Ohio.

Sometimes, an individual was listed in a city directory under both Wagenknecht and Wagner (or Wagener, Waggner, etc.), showing the same residence address.

Mysteries:
I have yet to locate Charles and Agnes in 1870.

According the to city directories,Fred J. Wagenknecht's family lived at 77/510 State St. (old/new address) continuously from at least from 1877 to 1899. Yet the 1880 Census shows the family at the location of their grocery store on Cherry St. and another family is listed at 77 State:

Shultz, Martin 48 laborer b. Prussia
Johanna 50 b. Baden
Spinner, F. (dau) 19 Tailoress
Joe (son) 17 Wagon Maker
Edward (son) 15 laborer
Caroline (dau) 11

Who are these people?
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Please check out the details on the Wagenknecht Wiki (I've posted a spreadsheet with the city directory information).

If you have any further information to offer, please let me know.

Regards,
Kevin Bowman