If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I have written several posts about couples that I describe as Ridge Romances. They were couples that had their roots on The Ridge located north of Altenburg. You will be reading about yet another one of these romances today. We will begin with the groom because he is today’s birthday boy.

Ernst August Stueve was born on this day, January 31st, in 1888. Ernst was the son of Claus and Margaretha (Steffens) Stueve. He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Below is an image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books. It is in two images.

Ernst can be found in his first census in 1900 at the age of 12. His father was a farmer on The Ridge.

Next, we find Ernst in the 1910 census at the age of 23. He was not living with his parents. He was a farm laborer in the Martin Fischer household.

The photo below shows a rather young Ernst Stueve.

Now, we will turn our attention to the early life of Ernst Stueve’s future wife. Her name was Ida Emilie Weber. Ida was born on February 3, 1894, the daughter of Herman and Wilhelmina (Hoffmann) Weber. So, Ernst and Ida had birthdays within days of each other, but Ernst was 6 years older. Ida was also baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Below is an image of her baptism record in two images.

The first census in which we find Ida was the one taken in 1900. She was 6 years old at the time. Her father was a farmer. This entry for the Weber family spills over two census pages. Ida is found on the first page. If you look at the second page, the household under the Weber’s was the Stueve household, and you will see Ernst Stueve listed there.

When Ida was confirmed in 1907, she had this photograph taken.

When the plat maps were produced in 1915, we find the Herman Weber and Clause Stueve farms located quite near each other on The Ridge.

Ernst Stueve married Ida Weber on April 28, 1914 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. We can take a look at the marriage license for this couple.

The wedding photograph for this couple is displayed here.

Ernst had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. It doesn’t appear that Ernst ended up serving during that war.

According to our German Family Tree, this couple had 4 children, two girls followed by two boys. We find this Stueve household in the 1920 census. We see the two daughters in this census entry.

The photo below must have been taken when this couple was young.

Next, we find the Stueve family in the 1930 census.

In 1939, Ernst and Ida celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and had this family photo taken.

The last census we can view was the one taken in 1940. The two sons can be found in this entry as teenagers.

Ernst had his World War II draft card completed in 1942 when he was 54 years old. Apparently, Ernst had moved to Cape Girardeau County and was working for Cape Sand Company.

I think the photo below was taken on the occasion of Ernst and Ida’s 50th anniversary, which would have occurred in 1964.

Ernst Stueve died in 1966 at the age of 78. His death certificate says he died at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

We can also take a look at his obituary.

Ida Stueve died in 1974 at the age of 80. Here is her obituary.

She died too recently for us to view her death certificate. Ernst and Ida are each buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in New Wells, Missouri.

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I cannot resist posting this photo that was taken of Ida Stueve sitting in a tree. It appears to me that the tree was used as a post for a clothes line. I’ll just add the editorial comment that this is something that my wife might do.

Earlier this morning, I appealed to Diane Anderson for help with this story. I figured Ernst and Ida were Dianes’ grandpa and grandma. She shared the following information with me. First of all, Diane informed me about the following information.

They moved to New Wells by 1940, selling their farm in Wittenberg/Altenburg area to Rudolph & Clara Schilling.  I don’t know why.  Their two sons may not have been interested in working on the farm..Both sons worked elsewhere by 1940 and both served during World War II.  Unfortunately I have not obtained the deeds yet, so I don’t know the exact date or year of the sale.  Attached is the narrative I have on them.  

I would also add that Rudolph and Clara Schilling were Gerard Fiehler’s grandma and grandpa, as well as my uncle and aunt. Diane also sent me this narrative that was written by another relative of hers. It describes several events that took place after 1940.

 Per Sharon (Nebel) King: Ernst and Ida farmed near Altenburg.  The German language was used in their home.  Their children learned English when they started to school.  Ernst served on the school board for Immanuel Lutheran School.  Before the start of school one year, he painted the classroom blue.  Upon their return to school the children complained that the blue color hurt their eyes.  They wanted to know why the classroom had been painted blue.  Ernst explained that blue was the color of paint that had been furnished him.  Ernst volunteered the use of his team of horses during the remodeling of Immanuel Lutheran Church.  Every fall, Ernst would take part of his crop of pears to Altenburg to sell to the townspeople.  After selling their farm, they moved to Cape Girardeau and lived on the Bend Road.  Ida bought a French Provincial bedroom set.  This bedroom set was used by their granddaughters Sharon and Vicki while they were in California.  In 1948, they moved to California where their sons Leo and Ervin lived. There Ernst worked in an orchard.  Upon their return they lived in Illinois and near Old Appleton, Missouri.  They lived last for 13 years at New Wells, Missouri.  There Ernst had a garden in which a weed was never found.  Ernst worked for local farmers and dug graves for the church cemetery.  They raised pigs which were butchered for their meat.  Their son-in-law Roland Gerler directed the butchering and made the homemade sausage.  Sausages made were summer, liver, headcheese, and blood sausage.  The hams were hung in the smoke house to be cured.  They also kept chickens and a milk cow. The eggs were always gathered whenever they made a trip to the outside.  Ida always made her cooked cheese for family gatherings such as their birthdays which were celebrated together.  Ida would always arise by 3:00 a.m. to bake her homemade bread.  She embroidered her feedsack dish towels with designs from her cookie cutters and enjoyed raising flowers.  Ida wrote through her life to several of her teachers, F. Englehardt and J. Saebens.  In April, 1964, Ernst and Ida celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a dinner for their family and wedding attendants.  In the afternoon an open house was held for relatives and friends.