Today’s post is a result of two researchers working together in an attempt to solve some confusion between two names that appear in our German Family Tree. Those two researchers are very good friends of our museum and research library. Those two are Dale Kirmse and Lori Adams. Since Dale lives in Florida and Lori … More Confusing Two Heinrichs
Maria Margaretha Mahnken was born on August 9, 1882. She was actually a third-generation Maria Margaretha Mahnken. Her grandmother, Maria Margaretha Miesner, had married Peter Mahnken, so she became a Maria Magdalena Mahnken. That couple had a daughter by the name of Maria Margaretha Mahnken. Then we get to today’s Maria Margaretha Mahnken, who has … More What the Fiedler-Mahnken Couple Had in Common
The title for today is what I would call a German mouthful. It contains two surnames, one of which is still a fairly common name in East Perry County. That surname is Preusser. The other surname quickly disappeared. The only records I could find for any Schlanstedt’s were for a mother and her daughter who … More Schlanstedt from Halberstadt-Preusser from Frauenprieβnitz
If you place the German words of today’s title into Google Translate, you will find the English translation to be “master farmer”. A girl’s birthday led me to share the story of her and her husband, whose surname was Meister, a farmer from Frohna. I will begin with the Meister. Emil Meister was born on … More Meister Bauer
The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Zacharias (King James Version spelling of his name) and his wife, Elizabeth who had a son named John. We often refer to him as John the Baptist. In the case of John the Baptist, he was the only son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Today, I will tell … More The Son of Zacharias
Heinrich Gotthilf Kaufmann is our birthday boy today. He was born on August 4, 1852, the son of George and Regina (Goethe) Kaufmann. His father, George, was a teenager when he arrived in Perry County as a member of the New York Group in 1839. His parents were married not long before Rev. Gotthold Loeber’s … More Kaufmann Kinder Casualties
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 … More Ernst and the Pastor’s Daughter
I enjoyed working this fine Sunday afternoon at the Lutheran Heritage Center. Upon arriving I walked around, and after 16 years as the director here, I am still amazed at the new things I notice—even in exhibits I’ve created myself. As a historian in material culture, I am naturally fascinated by objects, documents, art, and … More Symbols of Our Stories
August 2, 1908 was the wedding day for the couple I will discuss in today’s post. That marriage is included in our German Family Tree because it took place at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois. The bride was part of an Arbeiter family that has shown up on this blog before. The groom has … More Carolina and the Teacher’s Son
Ella became an Eggers. She and her husband, called Tom, would be part of what became known as Eggers and Company in Farrar, Missouri. I will attempt to tell their story today. Normally, I would prefer to allow our friend, Fred Eggers, tell this story that is so connected to his family, but I couldn’t … More Eggers & Company – Tom and Ella’s Story
