Back in 2017, I wrote the story of one of the original Muellers who came to America with the Gruber Group at the end of 1839. His name was Christoph Mueller. The link below will take you to his story.
We have this photograph of Christoph and his wife, Caroline (Franke) Mueller.
Several months after that post, I told the story of one of Christoph’s sons, Adolph Mueller. The link below will take you to that story.
We also have a photograph of Adolph and his wife, Martha (Koenig) Mueller.
Today, I move on to the next generation to tell the story of one of Adolph’s sons. His name was Ernst Heinrich Mueller, and he was born on December 5, 1892. He was baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. I am away from Altenburg for a few days, so I cannot show any church records today.
Back in March of this year, I wrote another post about Ernst’s younger brother Rudolph Eugene Mueller. You can find his story by clicking on the link below.
In that article, the photograph shown below was published. It includes three of the Mueller boys, including Ernst. Ernst is the oldest one in this photo.
Meanwhile, about six years after Ernst was born, Martha Luehrs was born on October 13, 1898. She was the daughter of Herman and Sophia (Stueve) Luehrs. She was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. Before I move on, allow me to say that around here, the name Luehrs is pronounced, Leerz. I will also remind you that in these parts, Mueller is pronounced Miller.
Let me just mention here that Oscar Mueller, the youngest one in the above photo, would marry one of Bertha’s sisters, Ella Luehrs. Also, Oscar Mueller was the first of Adolph Mueller’s children to be baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar.
Below, we find Ernst Mueller’s World War I draft registration. This form says Ernst was born in Farrar, lived in Menfro, and registered for the draft in Longtown.
I first thought that Ernst did not serve in the military. I found this record of an Ernst Mueller who did serve, but I did not think it was the right person because it gives his middle initial as R. and it says he was from Frohna.
However, I then found this other military record which has data corresponding to the above form and shows Ernst’s birthday as December 5, 1892. It also has the correct date of death. So I changed my mind.
There is no indication that Ernst went overseas during that war, but it does say he came out of the military with a 40% disability. Maybe this disability has something to do with the statement made on his WWI draft registration that says he had trouble with his eyes.
Ernst Mueller and Bertha Luehrs were married on April 27, 1919 at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. This is their marriage license.
Here we see this couple’s wedding photograph.
Our German Family Tree shows nine children being born into this family. The first two children were baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown, Missouri. The rest of them were baptized in Farrar.
Ernst died in 1982; Bertha died in 1990. I found a photo of Bertha’s gravestone in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Farrar, but not one for Ernst. He is said to be buried there.
Judging from where I see some Mueller property in a 1915 map, it appears they lived in the same vicinity where you now find the Mueller Fencing Company. I am not around my local experts to ask if this is the family that originated that fencing business, but maybe someone could add a comment to let me know if this is true or not. I do know that Ernst is shown as a farmer in all the documents I found that listed his occupation.
Ernst Mueller shared his birthday of December 5th with a daughter and granddaughter. Bertha passed away on December 2 and her funeral was held on December 5th.
Ernst and Bertha Mueller had 10 children, 2 boys and 8 girls. I am the youngest one. I live in Perryville. Florence Mueller Steffens.
The Mueller Fencing company was started by a Grandson Donald Mueller.
Thanks so much.