I briefly mentioned cows in yesterday’s blog post, so I guess it’s only right to begin today’s tale with a C.O.W. (Is that a cow’s tale?) Charles Oscar Weinhold was born on September 13, 1898, so he would be celebrating a special birthday today…his 125th. This morning we had a beautiful foggy beginning here in Altenburg, and I took this photo of some of the Jung cows in our pasture.

Charles was the son of Phillip and Martha (Bock) Weinhold. That qualifies Charles to be a member of what we affectionately call the “Dirt Weinhold’s”, the Weinhold’s who were farmers. Charles was child #2 out of 13 born to this Weinhold couple according to our German Family Tree. All of those children were baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. The baptism record for Charles, who was baptized as Karl, is pictured here.

Charles was very young when he shows up in his first census in 1900. His grandmother, Emilie Weinhold, was the head of that household. His father was a farmer in the Union Township.

Next, we find the Weinhold family in the 1910 census. Charles was 11 years old at the time, and the Weinhold household had become quite large.

Charles had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918, and we find that he was no longer working in Perry County. His address is given as Brazeau, but it says he was working for Benjamin Hilpert in Potter, Nebraska. Benjamin was another Perry County native. Charles gives his name as Charlie and signs it as Charlie on this form.

When the 1920 census was taken, we see that Charles was still living in the Cheyenne County of Nebraska and still working for Benjamin Hilpert.

Charles did not remain in Nebraska. He returned to Perry County and spent the rest of his life there. Now, we will take a little look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Maria Dorothea Brandes, who was born on February 6, 1901. Mary was the daughter of Conrad and Anna (Franke) Brandes. She was baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. Let’s take a look at her baptism record.

Mary had a tragic childhood. Her mother died in 1906, and her father died in 1907. The story of her parents were told in the post, A Uniontown Family Copes with Tragedy. The Brandes orphan children went to live with Ernst and Martha Rudert. Martha was Mary’s aunt, the sister of her mother, and you can see Ernst in the above baptism record as one of Mary’s baptismal sponsors. Ernst and Martha had some children earlier in their married life, but they died as infants, so at this time they were childless. We find Mary in the Rudert household when the 1910 census was taken. Mary was 9 years old at the time.

The last census entry in which we find Mary as a single person was the one taken in 1920. She was 18 years old at the time.

Charles Weinhold married Mary Brandes on April 8, 1923 at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. The church record for this event is displayed here. This document says Charles was a farmer in Point Rest.

We can also take a look at this couple’s Missouri marriage license which says Charles was from Menfro.

An article describing this wedding was published in the Perry County Republican. It includes the fact that this couple’s reception took place at the Ernst Rudert home.

Our German Family Tree lists 2 children born to Charles and Mary. Those 2 were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Point Rest. We find the Weinhold family in the 1930 census living in the Bois Brule Township, which is where Point Rest is found.

In the 1940 census, we find the Weinhold’s with their two sons.

Charles had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. It gives the Weinhold farm a Menfro address.

The last census we can view for this family is the one taken in 1950. Charles was still farming in the Bois Brule Township, and his 2 sons, both in their 20’s, were helping him.

Mary Weinhold died in 1970 at the age of 69. Her death certificate below says she died in Perryville.

Charles Weinhold died in 1974 at the age of 75, too recently to view his death certificate. Charles and Mary are buried together in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Crosstown.

I confess. When I find a “Dirt Weinhold” with the initials, C.O.W., I have to tell the story. It puts me in the Moo–d.