Likely Leimer Link?

Herman Leimer has just one record in our German Family Tree. That record indicates that he came to Perry County from Prairie City, Missouri to get married in 1881. Below is an image of Herman’s entry in our GFT.

There are 7 pages of Leimer’s in our German Family Tree, but the above entry is the only one for Herman. The other Leimer’s can be found mostly in Shawnee Township near Pocahontas. I will attempt to tell Herman’s story today because today was his birthday.

Herman Leimer was born on March 10, 1857 in Goisern, Austria. Goisern is shown on the map below. It is located not far from the German border.

Herman was the son of Anton and Anna (Huber) Leimer. We have a photo of Herman’s parents.

Anton Leimer brought his family to America in 1867. They travelled aboard the Prinz Albert. This family can be seen on the passenger list below. This is a passenger list from the time they left Hamburg, Germany. Herman was 9 years old.

Leimer family – *Prinz Albert* passenger list – Hamburg 1867

The Leimer family is found in the 1870 census for Prairie Township in Bates County, Missouri. That is the area where several Perry County natives settled right after the Civil War. Herman was 13 years old at the time.

Next, we find the Leimer household in the Rockville Township of that same county.

Before we look at Herman’s marriage, let’s take a look at his future wife. Her name was Theresia Edlinger who was born on November 4, 1862 in the same area of Austria as Herman’s birthplace. Her parents were Leopold and Katherine (Straf) Edlinger. One of the amazing facts about today’s story is that the Edlinger family came to America on the same ship in 1867. On the passenger list for the Prinz Albert when it landed in New York in 1867 shows both the Leimer and Edlinger families. Theresia was 5 years old.

Edlinger and Leimer families – Prinz Albert passenger list – New York 1867

Although I didn’t find the Edlinger family in the 1870 census, we do find them in the 1876 Missouri state census living in Cape Girardeau County.

1876 Missouri state census – Cape Girardeau County, MO

We then find this Edlinger family in the 1880 census in which we find them living near Pocahontas, Missouri. By this time, Theresia’s mother had died.

On June 19, 1881, Herman Leimer married Theresia Edlinger. This marriage record is found in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. It states that Herman was a farmer from Prairie City.

Leimer/Edlinger marriage record – Immanuel, Altenburg, MO

Herman’s parents each died in 1883 and 1893. They are buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Prairie City.

Anna and Anton Leimer gravestones – Zion, Prairie City, MO

I believe Herman took his new wife back to Prairie City where he raised his family. The 1900 census is the next one we can look at. There were 5 children in the family at that time. I think there would be 7 children in all born to this couple.

At this point, I want to tell you that I found evidence that two of Theresia Edlinger’s siblings also ended up in Bates County, Missouri. First of all, her sister, Anna Maria married Herman’s brother, Ferdinand Leimer in 1883 and lived in Rockville Township for a while. Also, her brother, Leopold Edlinger, who died at the early age of 22, is buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Prairie City.

Leopold Edlinger gravestone – Zion, Prairie City, MO

A piece of paperwork included with his will that was filed in Oklahoma gives the places of residence of some of his siblings.

Herman Leimer moved his family before the 1910 census. In that entry, this family was living in the Crawford Township of Osage County, Missouri.

In 1911, Theresia Leimer died at the age of 48. Her death certificate says she died of breast cancer and was living in the village of Freedom, Missouri.

After his wife’s death, Herman moved back to Prairie City. In the 1920 census, we find him as a farmer in the Prairie Township.

When the 1930 census was taken, Herman was living with his son, William, and his wife who lived in the Bacon Township of Vernon County, Missouri, which was not far from Prairie City.

It appears that Herman left one of his daughters back in Freedom, Missouri. Louise had married Henry Bossaler, and it was with that family that we find Herman in the 1940 census for Crawford Township. Herman was 83 years old.

Herman Leimer died in 1945 at the age of 88. His death certificate is displayed here.

Even though Herman had lived quite a distance from his wife’s grave site for many years, he ended up being buried in the same cemetery when he died. They are each buried in the Pilgrim Lutheran Cemetery in Freedom, Missouri. That congregation celebrated their 150th anniversary not too long ago, as did Zion Lutheran Church in Prairie City.

Herman and Theresia Leimer gravestones – Pilgrim, Freedom, MO

I am thinking that the Leimer family that ended up in Prairie City may have stopped in this area after arriving in the United States before finding out that other folks from here were finding inexpensive farm land in Bates County.

Church records for the Leimer’s from Shawnee Township can mostly be found in the books of St John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. That is the same congregation that the Edlinger family’s records can be found for their time in this area. Those Leimer’s also came from the same area of Austria as Herman’s family. I cannot help but think that there is a good chance that the Pocohontas Leimer’s were related to the Prairie City Leimer’s somehow. I just do not know how.