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H0024 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

Emma J. Wix

Born in Missouri in 1900 and died in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, in 1979.

born 6 Apr 1900 in Missouri, United States died 31 Jan 1979 in Blue Earth County, Minnesota

Also written Emma J. Hegnauer, Emma Hegnauer

Emma J. Wix was born on 6 April 1900 in Missouri.1–3 Her mother's maiden name was probably Williams, the parent's surname given in the Minnesota death index.1 Her parents have not yet been identified.

Emma married Christian Herman Hegnauer, a farmer's son from Pleasant Gap Township in Bates County and a grandson of the Swiss settler Leonhard Hegnauer. When and where they married has not been found, but in 1935 both were living in rural Bates County. By April 1940 they had moved to the village of Mapleton, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, where Christian was a traveling salesman and Emma kept house.3 She was named on his draft card there in 1942.4 Christian died at Mankato on 27 November 1951.5

Emma survived Christian by 27 years; no second marriage is known. She died in Blue Earth County on 31 January 1979, aged 78, and was buried in Union Cemetery, Mapleton, where Christian lies.1–2, 6

What we know

Proven

  • Birth in Missouri, 1900
  • Death in Blue Earth County, 1979
  • Burial at Mapleton, 1979
  • 3 homes, from the census and other records

What's still open

  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Sources 1–3

1 Minnesota, Death Index, 1979
2 United States, Social Security Death Index, 1900
3 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Mapleton village

Source 4

4 Minnesota, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

Source 5

5 Minnesota, Death Records and Certificates, 1951

Source 6

6 Find a Grave, memorial 151553064, 1900

Life in time

with the history around it

6 Apr 1900

Birth, Missouri, United States

proven Sources 1, 2, 3, 6

How we know

  1. 1900 Birth 6 Apr 1900 · Missouri, United States · proven

    The Minnesota death index, the Social Security Death Index and Find a Grave give 6 Apr 1900. The 1940 census gives her birthplace as Missouri and an age that points to about 1901. No birth record has been found.

    Sources 1, 2, 3, 6

  2. 1935 Residence Bates County, Missouri · proven

    Rural Bates County: her residence on 1 April 1935, from the 1940 census.

    Her own line of the 1940 census.

    Source 3

  3. Second World War, 1939–45
  4. 1940 Residence Mapleton, Blue Earth · proven

    Wife of Christian Herman Hegnauer, traveling salesman; housework.

    Emma J. Hegnauer, born in Missouri, wife of Christian Herman Hegnauer, in the village of Mapleton; index entries attached to the family tree (image not read).

    Source 3

  5. 1942 Residence between Feb 1942 and Jan 1979 · Mapleton, Blue Earth · proven

    Named on her husband's draft card at Mapleton (1942); his widow (1951); died in Blue Earth County (1979) and buried at Mapleton.

    Her husband's 1942 draft card and his 1951 death record at Mankato name her; the Minnesota death index places her own death in Blue Earth County, and she is buried at Mapleton.

    Sources 1, 4, 5, 6

  6. 1979 Death 31 Jan 1979 · Blue Earth County, Minnesota · proven

    The Minnesota death index gives Emma J. Hegnauer, born 6 Apr 1900, died 31 Jan 1979 in Blue Earth County; the SSDI (January 1979, Minnesota) and Find a Grave agree. The certificate has not been seen.

    Sources 1, 2, 6

  7. 1979 Burial after 31 Jan 1979 · Mapleton, Blue Earth · proven

    Union Cemetery, Mapleton, where her husband was buried in 1951 (Find a Grave).

    Find a Grave places her grave in Union Cemetery, Mapleton; the burial date is not given.

    Source 6

  • proven
  • history around the life

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Places in this life

4 places, in order
1 2 3 4
  1. 1 Missouri, United States Birth 6 Apr 1900
  2. 2 Bates County, Missouri Residence 1935
  3. 3 Mapleton, Blue Earth County Residence 1940 · Residence between Feb 1942 and Jan 1979 · Burial after 31 Jan 1979
  4. 4 Blue Earth County, Minnesota Death 31 Jan 1979

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

This page Emma J. Wix 1900–1979
Husband Christian Herman Hegnauer 1897–1951
Compare with… Pan, zoom and follow the family through the whole study, or see how Emma J. Wix is related to anyone else in it.
Family tree

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Records

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Births and baptisms 1 record · 1901
  • about 1901 probable Birth “Emma J Hegnauer” Missouri, United States Ancestry · O00166
Deaths and burials 3 records · 1979
  • Jan 1979 proven Death “Emma Hegnauer” Minnesota, United States FamilySearch · O02701
  • 31 Jan 1979 proven Death “Emma J. Hegnauer” Blue Earth County, Minnesota FamilySearch · O03351
  • 31 Jan 1979 proven Burial “Emma J Wix Hegnauer” Union Cemetery, Mapleton Find a Grave · O03998
Census, land and residence 3 records · 1935–1979
  • 1935 probable Residence “Emma J Hegnauer” Bates County, Missouri Ancestry · O00167
  • 1940 probable Residence “Emma J Hegnauer” Mapleton, Blue Earth County Ancestry · O00168
  • Jan 1979 proven Residence “Emma Hegnauer” FamilySearch · O02473
Military 1 record · undated
  • date unknown proven Draft registration “Emma J Hegnauer”, other FamilySearch · O03948
Also cited as evidence: 2 records filed under relatives
The evidence 6 facts with their grades, 6 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth 6 Apr 1900 Missouri, United States proven 1 , 2 , 3 , 6
Residence 1935 Bates County, Missouri, United States proven 3
Residence 1940 Mapleton, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States proven 3
Residence between Feb 1942 and Jan 1979 Mapleton, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States proven 1 , 4 , 5 , 6
Death 31 Jan 1979 Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States proven 1 , 2 , 6
Burial after 31 Jan 1979 Mapleton, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States proven 6

Research notes

  • Identity: Emma J. Hegnauer, born in Missouri about 1901, wife of Christian Herman Hegnauer in the 1940 census at Mapleton, is the Emma named on his 1942 draft card and as his spouse in his 1951 Minnesota death record.3, 4, 5 Emma J. Hegnauer who died in Blue Earth County in 1979, born 6 Apr 1900, is the same woman: the county, the name and the birth year fit, and Find a Grave has her in Union Cemetery, Mapleton, with Christian.1, 2, 6 The facts come from the Ancestry tree's attached census record and FamilySearch's indexes; no image has been read.
  • Placing her (maiden name): The family tree gives her no parents and uses her married name. Find a Grave calls her "Emma J Wix Hegnauer", placing Wix where a maiden name normally stands, and the Minnesota death index gives a parent's surname, Williams, which is evidently her mother's maiden name (the index records the mother's maiden name).6, 1 Wix is therefore accepted as her probable maiden name, with a mother born Williams. It is possible that Wix was a name from an earlier marriage; this has not been ruled out, since she was at least 30 when first recorded with Christian. Her Missouri birth and her residence in Bates County in 1935 suggest a Bates County family.
  • Leads: a Wix household with a daughter Emma, born Apr 1900, in the 1900 or 1910 census of Bates County or neighbouring counties, with a wife née Williams; the marriage of Christian H. Hegnauer and Emma J. Wix (Bates County marriage records, about 1920–1935); her Minnesota death certificate, which would name both parents.
  • Name: people.csv calls her Emma J Hegnauer; this record uses Wix as her surname at birth.
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.

Working notes

  • Emma J. Hegnauer, wife of Christian Herman H0022; maiden name Wix probable (Find a Grave), MN death index parent surname Williams

Sources

  1. 1

    "Minnesota, Death Index, 1908–2002," database, FamilySearch, Emma J. Hegnauer, died 31 January 1979, Blue Earth County, Minnesota; born 6 April 1900; parent's surname Williams [evidently her mother's maiden name]. FamilySearch record V47D-FZM

    In the archive: O03351

  2. 2

    "United States, Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch, Emma Hegnauer, born 6 April 1900; died January 1979, Minnesota. FamilySearch record J1G5-ZZ6

    In the archive: O02701

  3. 3

    1940 U.S. Federal Census, Mapleton village, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, E.D. 7-35, sheet 1A, Emma J. Hegnauer (wife, born about 1901, Missouri; housework; residence in 1935 rural Bates County, Missouri) in the household of Christian Herman Hegnauer (born about 1897, Missouri; traveling salesman); roll m-t0627-01908; database with images, Ancestry.com (index entries attached to the family tree; image not read).

    In the archive: O00166 , O00167 , O00168 Ancestry

  4. 4

    "Minnesota, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940–1947," database with images, FamilySearch, Christian Herman Hegnauer, registered 14 February 1942, Mapleton, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, with Emma J. Hegnauer named on the card. FamilySearch record QLF9-B3X7; FamilySearch record QLF9-11DY (index read; the card has not been read).

    In the archive: O03948 , O03185

  5. 5

    "Minnesota, Death Records and Certificates, 1900–1955," database, FamilySearch, Chris Hegnauer, died 27 November 1951, Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota; born 1897; parents Chris Hegnauer and Anna Wirtz; spouse Emma. FamilySearch record FD86-Q9C

    In the archive: O02605

  6. 6

    Find a Grave, memorial 151553064, Emma J Wix Hegnauer (6 Apr 1900 – 31 Jan 1979), Union Cemetery, Mapleton, Blue Earth County, Minnesota (findagrave.com/memorial/151553064); memorial 151553063, in the same cemetery, is her husband Christian Herman Hegnauer (1897–1951).

    In the archive: O03998

Cite this page H0024

Evidence Explained

Hegnauer One-Name Study, “Emma J. Wix (H0024, 1900–1979),” hegnauer.family (https://hegnauer.family/people/h0024-emma-j-wix/ : accessed 28 September 2026).

Chicago (notes)

“Emma J. Wix (H0024, 1900–1979),” hegnauer.family, Hegnauer One-Name Study, accessed September 28, 2026, https://hegnauer.family/people/h0024-emma-j-wix/.

H0024 is this person's permanent number in the study. Names get respelled; the number never changes, so the link and the citation keep working.

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