I will eventually get around to a girl who was born on March 29th, but first, I will discuss a boy that was born on our nation’s birthday, July 4, 1850. His name was Peter Wirth, Jr. As you can conclude, his father was also named Peter. His mother was Anna (Adler) Wirth. We have photos of Peter, Jr.’s parents.
I was unable to find any information about Peter, Jr.’s baptism. He first appears in a census in 1860 at the age of 10. His father was a farmer.
Next, we find Peter in the 1870 census when he was said to be 18. I think that age is incorrect. He was working on his father’s farm.
Peter was married twice. His first marriage took place in 1875. Let’s take a look at his first bride. Her name was Eleanore Schuetz who was born on August 12, 1857. Her parents were Conrad and Barbara (Maisel) Schuetz. She was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, Missouri. Peter Wirth married Eleanore Schuetz on November 10, 1875. We can view this couple’s civil marriage record.
On August 16, 1876, a girl named Kunigunda Wirth was born, but not long before her first birthday, she died on August 6, 1877. Not long after that child’s death, Eleanore Wirth died on November 1, 1877, leaving Peter as a widower. Peter would marry again in 1879, so let’s take a look at his second bride.
Hanna Emilie Magwitz was born on March 29, 1860, so she would be 161 years old today. Her parents were Christian and Caroline (Hornemann) Magwitz. In Emilie’s case, there is a dispute over the year of her birth. Her baptism record from Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar shown below says she was born in 1861, not 1860.
This year of birth does not make sense when you find Emilie in the 1860 census.
Since the Salem church records have been recopied, I think it is possible that a mistake was made there. The baptism record is the only one that uses the 1861 year of birth.
Next, we find Emilie in the 1870 census at the age of 10. Her father was a farmer.
On April 6, 1879, Peter Wirth married Emilie Magwitz at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. We can take a look at the church record for that wedding.
This couple can be found in the 1880 census living in the Salem Township. They had not had any children yet, but there was a 12 year-old orphan by the name of Amalie Stelling living with them.
Perhaps one of our readers will know who Amalie Stelling was and why she was living with the Wirth’s. The GFT only has this information, and I do not think she was Margaretha Stelling. Margaretha is found in the 1880 census living with her parents.
A son was born to Peter and Emilie in August of 1880, but that child died in October. Then, in 1882, a daughter named Sarah was born. She would be their last child and the only one that lived to adulthood and married. The 1900 census, the one that is so difficult to read, shows this Wirth household.
The year, 1908, was a dreadful year for Emilie Wirth. In fact, the month of Demember, 1908, was dreadful. On December 6th, her daughter, Sarah, died. Sarah had married Martin Schuessler and had a daughter, Erna, in 1906. Her death left Martin as a widower with a very young child. Then, on December 23rd, Emilie lost her husband. Peter Wirth was buried on Christmas Day according to his death record below.
Just a quick note that Martin Schuessler remarried and had a whole bunch of children. The only girl among his 9 children was a woman who I knew as Lucille Schlichting. She was a wonderful woman of faith.
Emilie Wirth never remarried. We find her in the 1910 census living with her son-in-law and grandchild, Erna. Martin would remarry later during that same year.
Next, we find Emilie in the 1920 census. Erna is listed as living in her household, but we see Erna’s father and his family listed right underneath Emilie’s entry.
The last census in which we find Emilie was the one taken in 1930. Erna had married Henry Hadler, and Emilie was living with that family in the Bois Brule Township.
Emilie Wirth died in 1933 at the age of 73. Since she died after 1910, we can view her death certificate.
There are records of Emilie’s death in both the books of Salem Lutheran, Farrar and Trinity Lutheran, Point Rest. Henry Hadler and his family were members of Trinity, Point Rest, but Emilie was buried in Salem’s cemetery. In fact, both Peter and Emilie Wirth are each buried in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Farrar. Emilie’s death certificate and gravestone give further credence to her being born in 1860.
Emilie Wirth had a distinction that no wife or mother would ever want to have. She had a husband and two children, and she outlived all three of them.