Yesterday, I told the story of a girl who married a Lutheran teacher’s son.  It just so happened that I ran across a story for today in which a young man married his pastor’s daughter.  That tale begins with a birthday that took place on this day, and in this case, that birth did not occur around here.  It wasn’t even in the state of Missouri.  This girl’s birth took place in Minnesota.

Lydia Tabea Winkler was born on August 3, 1875 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, so today would have been her 145th birthday.  She was the daughter of Rev. Robert and Christiana (Ordung) Winkler.  Lydia’s father was a Lutheran minister whose congregation was located in Fergus Falls when she was born.  Lydia was the firstborn child in her family.  In 1880, Lydia can be found in the census for St. Louis, so her father must have taken a call to a church in that city.

In 1899, Rev. Winkler became the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells.  He would serve that congregation from 1899-1917.  We find the Winkler family living in the Shawnee Township of Cape Girardeau County in the 1900 census.  Lydia was 24 years old.

Now, we turn our attention to Lydia’s future husband.  His name was Ernst Joseph Schuppan, the son of Ludwig and Rosina (Lehner) Schuppan.  I wrote a post several days ago about Ernst’s grandparents.  That post was titled, Vogel and Schuppan Connections.  Ernst was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells.  Here is his baptism record.

Because he was born after 1880, the first census in which we find Ernst must have been the one taken in 1900.  However, after much searching, I could not find him.  I know his mother died when he was just 4 years old, and Ernst was not living in his father’s household in the 1900 census.  I suspect at the age of 19, Ernst may have been “working out” at someone’s farm or learning a trade while living in someone else’s household.

On June 6, 1909, Ernst Schuppan married Lydia Winkler at Immanuel, New Wells.  Here is the church record for that wedding.

We can also view this couple’s marriage license.  Lydia’s father is listed on this form as the pastor who performed the ceremony.

This couple can be seen in this entry from the 1910 census.  At this point, they had no children.  I have included a few other households of interest.  We find Ernst’s older brother, Louis, and his family.  Pastor Winkler must have also been living nearby, as well as a Vogel family that comes from the Frohna Vogel’s that were written about in that earlier post.  Ernst is called a merchant in this entry, although I did not display that column.

All three of the Schuppan children were born in the next decade.  We find this household in the 1920 census.  The children’s names were Bertha, Martin, and Helen.

In 1926, Lydia died at the age of 50.  Her death record in the New Wells books says she died suddenly.  Here is her death certificate.

Ernst is still found in the 1930 census. All three children are still living in his household.  Ernst is called a retail merchant in a general store.

Right next to the Schuppan household in the above census was the household of William Meyr, and he was also called a merchant in New Wells.  I suspect these two were in the general store business together.  Ernst was still alive for the 1940 census, but I was unable to locate him.  I looked in the households of each of his children, but was unsuccessful.

Ernst died on the day after Christmas in 1953 at the age of 72.  Here is his death certificate.

This death certificate says Ernst was “sitting on chair and fell over dead”.  That’s not something you see very often on death certificates.

Ernst and Lydia are both buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in New Wells.

Ernst Schuppan’s story includes the fact that he operated a general store in New Wells.  I have often asked folks around here if they have any old photos showing the businesses in either New Wells, Shawneetown, or Pocahontas.  Such photos seem to be non-existent.  I know that our museum would love to have photos showing the “downtown” areas of these little towns in northern Cape Girardeau County.  It would have been great to show Ernst Schuppan’s store in this post.

==================================

Just a quick note.  If you ever look at the number of cumulative views we have on our website which can be found in the right margin, you may have noticed that we are nearing the half-million mark.  I know that is a benchmark I am looking forward to.  It should be another one of those times when a little party may have to take place in Altenburg.  Less that 10,000 views to go.  Keep reading.

=================================

Thanks to our museum’s friend, Roy Fassel, we now have this photo of the Schuppan Store in New Wells.