Some Frohna Braeuner’s

Early Braeuner’s in East Perry County were found having their records in the Altenburg churches. However, we see a Braeuner family in today’s tale that moved to Frohna sometime in the late 1870’s. We will look at a Frohna Braeuner couple today.

Anna Margaretha Ross was born on June 4, 1865, so today would have been her 156th birthday. Margaretha was the daughter of Johann and Gertrude (Distle) Ross. The Ross family begins to appear in church books in Frohna in 1853 when their first child was baptized. Margaretha was the 5th of 10 children in her family. She, like all of her siblings, was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. An image of her baptism record from that congregation’s books is shown here.

Braeuner/Ross marriage record – Concordia, Frohna, MO

Margaretha is found in the 1870 census living in the Brazeau Township. She was 6 years old at the time.

1870 census – Brazeau Township, MO

The Union Township was formed after the 1870 census, and it is in that township that we find the Ross family in the 1880 census. Their family is found in pages of that census that were lost until a few years ago. Margaretha’s father died in 1877, so the head of the family was her widowed mother, Gertrude. Margaretha was a teenager at the time.

1880 census – Union Township, MO

We will now take a look at Margaretha’s future husband, Christian Gotthold Braeuner. Gotthold was born on September 1, 1866, one of a set of twins, the sons of Franz and Rosine (Thurm) Braeuner. Gotthold’s twin brother, Friedrich Ernst, died as an infant. The twins were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Below is Gotthold’s baptism record.

Gotthold Braeuner baptism record – Immanuel, Altenburg, MO

Here is the baptism record for Friedrich Ernst Braeuner.

Friedrrich Ernst Braeuner baptism record – Immanuel, Altenburg, MO

I pulled out all the stops to find Gotthold in the 1870 census, but I was unsuccessful. His mother died in 1879, so she does not show up in the 1880 census entry shown below.

1880 census – Brazeau Township, MO

Gotthold Braeuner married Margaretha Ross on November 14, 1897 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can take a look at the church record for this occasion.

Braeuner/Ross marriage record – Concordia, Frohna, MO

We can also view the marriage license for this couple.

Braeuner/Ross marriage license

Our German Family Tree lists 3 children born to this pair. When the 1900 census came out, we find this Braeuner household. They had their first child by then. Gotthold was called a day laborer.

1900 census – Brazeau Township, MO

Next, we find the Braeuner family in the 1910 census. All 3 children are listed, and Gotthold was a farmer this time.

1910 census – Brazeau Township, MO

The 1915 plat maps for Perry County show where the Braeuner farm was located near Frohna.

G Braeuner land map – 1915

The map for the Village of Frohna also points out some land with the name, G Braeuner.

G Braeuner land map – Village of Frohna – 1915

The 1920 census is next to view. About the only thing that changed was the fact that everyone was 10 years older than in 1910.

1920 census – Brazeau Township, MO

Next, we can take a look at the 1930 census. At that time, just their son, Rudolph was living with Gotthold and Margaretha.

1930 census – Brazeau Township, MO

Gotthold Braeuner died in January of 1940, so he would not be found in the 1940 census. Gotthold was 73 years old when he died. His death certificate is displayed here.

Gotthold Braeuner death certificate

Margaretha is still found in the 1940 census as a widow. Her son, Rudolph, was living with her, and he was called a farmer. I found no evidence that Rudolph ever married.

1940 census – Brazeau Township, MO

Margaretha Braeuner died in 1953 at the age of 87. Her death certificate is displayed below.

Margaretha Braeuner death certificate

Both Gotthold and Margaretha Braeuner were buried in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna. Gotthold’s gravestone is much easier to read than Margaretha’s.

I do not know of any folks with the surname, Ross, left in this area. There are Braeuner’s, but not from Gotthold’s branch in the Braeuner family tree. Recently, a Braeuner family transfered from Trinity, Altenburg to Concordia, Frohna, so I do know that there are once again Braeuner’s attending church in Frohna.


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