Maria Sarah Koenig was born on this date 146 years ago. Apparently, she went by the name Sarah during her lifetime. There was no “h” at the end of her first name when she was baptized, but on almost all documents in her lifetime, her name was spelled Sarah. Her mate for life was a man by the name of Ludwig Detjen. As was the case with many German men named Ludwig, he later used a more Americanized version of that name, Louis.
Sarah was born on January 10, 1874, the daughter of Herman and Mary (Jacob) Koenig. She was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar, Missouri. Here is her baptism record.
The first census in which we find Sarah was the one taken in 1880 for Salem Township. This large family extends over two census pages, so I have to show it in two images.
The 1880 census is the only one in which we find Sarah as a single woman because she was married before the census taken in 1900. Now let’s take a look at Louis Detjen.
Louis Detjen was born on January 12, 1872, the son of Claus and Engel (Ficken) Detjen. A story about Louis’s parents was posted on the blog titled, Claus’s Angel. Another post was written about one of Louis’s sisters, Lena Detjen. That post was titled, Claus’s Angel Had a Baby. Like his future wife, Louis Detjen was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. Below is an image of his baptism record. I know there is some debate around here as to whether Louis’s mother had the maiden name Ficken or Finken.
Louis’s family can also be found living in the Salem Township in the 1880 census. It appears that Louis was the oldest child in the family, but another child was baptized in 1870 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna, but it appears that child must have died.
On November 3, 1898, Louis Detjen married Sarah Koening at Salem Lutheran Church. We have the church record for that wedding.
I also found the marriage license for this couple.
It wouldn’t be long before this couple was found in a census in 1900. By that time, they had their first child, a girl. The 1900 census for Salem Township is one that is very difficult to read, but I am going to display the entry for the Detjen family anyway. Louis and Sarah were living in the same household as Louis’s parents. The census taker placed a sister between Louis and his wife on this entry.
Four sons were born into this Detjen family during the next decade. Louis spent his whole life living in the Salem Township and working as a farmer. Here we find this family in the 1910 census. The head of the household was still Louis’s father, Claus Detjen.
One more child, a daughter, was born in the next decade. In the 1915 atlas of plat maps for Perry County, we find the Detjen farm located just north of Farrar.
We next find this Detjen household in the 1920 census. This time, Louis is described as the head of the household despite the fact that his parents were still living with them.
Louis’s mother died in 1928, so she cannot be found in the 1930 census.
Claus Detjen died in 1934, so he is no longer part of the 1940 census, but this time, we see one of Louis’s sons, Ernest, and his family living in this household, including a 3 year-old grandchild.
Sarah Detjen died just two years after the above census was taken. She died in 1942 at the age of 68. Here is her death certficate.
Louis died in 1959 at the age of 87. We also can view his death certificate.
Louis and Sarah are both buried in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Farrar.
Another Detjen story written on this blog was titled, Farrar Fastballs. That post mentioned Dean Detjen, who is a descendant of Louis and Sarah somehow, but I am not certain from which of the Detjen sons he comes from. Dean now operates a gun shop in Farrar.
There may not be so many folks still around with the Detjen surname, but there are certainly plenty with the name Koenig. I think it is one of the most plentiful surnames around East Perry County.
