Spletter genealogy

Dear List,
Still, am researching Johann Spletter, b.16 Jan 1834 and d. 20 Sep 1917,
Milton twp. Rock Co. Wisconsin. He and his wife, Wilhilmenia Gess
arrived at port of Baltimore in August 1867. Ship unknown. The port
arrival records were destoryed in the National Archives fire. He resided
in Elm Grove, WI. My grandfather William was born there. He(william)
changed the spelling of SPLETTER to SPLITTER. I have clues that the
family might have left Germany from Koeingsbert Stadt, Ospreussen,
Preussen (sp.Koenigsberg). Also, he might have been born near Tilsit,
Sovetst, Russia. Apparently, there is a village 'Splitter(shplit'er)' in
Kaliningrad oblast, formerly in East Prussia, near Tilst. There are a large
community of persons living in Lorraine, KS, who arrived in US with the
"SPLITTER" spelling. Cannot connect with this group(yet).
I have been unable to find any records related to Germany.
Any help would be appreciated.
Bill Splitter, Huntington Beach, California

Bill,
   I was looking at some of the census records of your g-grandfather. Was
   his wife, Minnie, really lots older than the husband? (1905 WI census
   says 96 to 73).
   Do you have any idea of the port they left from? If they left from the
   Hamburg port, I think it might be worthwhile looking through the ships
   that sailed at a time that would arrive in Baltimore in August of
   1867. If there was truly a huge difference in their ages, that would
   stand out in the records.
   Cheryle

Cheryl,
Danke for repling to this query.
Bill