On June 19, 1866, Richard Petzoldt and Johanna Lindner were united in marriage at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg.  Rev. Theo. Koeberle performed the ceremony.  Today would have been their 150th wedding anniversary.  It appears to be only the second marriage performed by Rev. Koeberle after he replaced Rev. Schieferdecker in 1866.

Richard arrived in America along with the rest of his father’s family in 1849.  His father, Friedrich Florian Petzoldt, is mentioned in the following way in the book, Chronicles of the City of Lengenfeld:

“In the year 1848 we hear of the first Lengenfelder, master fabric maker August Petzoldt, who emigrated to North America, where (in 1849) his family and his brother Friedrich Florian Petzoldt (also a master fabric maker) followed.  They are supposed to have settled somewhere along the Mississippi River.”

Johanna Christine Lindner’s father was Johann Christian Gottlob Lindner, a weaver who had traveled to America aboard the Johann Georg with the original group of immigrants.  She was born in 1848 and was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna.

Richard and Johanna had nine children who grew to adulthood.  There were also a few that died in childbirth or very early in life.  There are quite a few residents of East Perry County nowadays who can trace their roots to the Petzoldt brothers who arrived here in 1849.

One other note of interest.  Richard’s father, Friedrich Florian Petzoldt is known around here for having one of the most interesting tombstones.  It is the tombstone with his picture carved on it.  It can be found in Immanuel’s cemetery.