I have a different view this morning as I write this blog. I’m sitting on the deck of a home located on the shore of Lake of the Ozarks. While this deck offers an outstanding vista, it also presents a blogging problem. I am not in Altenburg where all of the church records are located in our museum’s research library, so I will not be able to display any of those today.
Today’s story begins with the birth of Michael Hacker. He was born on September 7, 1872, the son of Andrew and Bridgetta (Friedmann) Hacker. That makes today Michael’s 149th birthday. I have these photos of Michael’s parents.
Amilia Hacker Kirmse – Mother – Brigretta Hacker
Michael was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so, even if was in Altenburg, I would only be able to show the information we have from the book, Friedenberg Remembrances, for him. The first census in which we find Michael is the one taken in 1880. His family was living in the Union Township of Perry County. I suspect their family farm was located near the village of Longtown. Michael was 8 years old at the time.
The above census entry is the only one in which we find Michael as a single person. We will turn our attention to his future wife. Adeline Anna Bergmann was born on May 17, 1875, the daughter of Michael and Mary (Bergmann) Bergmann. She was the product of one of those Bergmann/Bergmann marriages. Like her future husband, Adeline was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Adeline is found in her first census in 1880, in which we find her family living in the Central Township. Adeline was 5 years old, and her father was a farmer.
Michael Hacker married Adeline Bergmann on February 18, 1896. Their marriage license indicates that they were married by Rev. Guemmer in Longtown.
Rev. Guemmer was the pastor in Friedenberg, and Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown did not get established until 1897, so the marriage record is not found in the books of that congregation (although I cannot look to make sure). Our German Family Tree lists 5 children born to this couple, and all 5 were boys. The GFT does not include baptism records for the first 2 children, but the last 3 were baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown.
Michael is not listed as a founding member of Zion, Longtown, but his father is.
When the 1900 census was taken, we find the Michael Hacker household living in the Salem Township of Perry County. I have to display this entry in two images, and it is included in the infamous census record of Salem Township that is so difficult to read. Adeline’s brother, Herman Bergmann, was living in their household. The first 2 sons of this couple had been born by this time.
I found an article published in 1902 in the Perry County Republican that describes some land transfers involving Michael Hacker.
In the 1910 census, we find the Hacker family back in the Union Township (where Longtown is located). All 5 sons are listed.
When the 1915 plat maps were produced for Perry County, we find some property owned by M. Hacker just outside Longtown.
In the same year as the plat maps were produced, the article shown below was printed in the Perry County Sun describing the new home that Michael Hacker was building in Longtown.
The 1920 census shows the following Hacker household, once again in the Union Township.
The 1930 census indicates that Michael, Adeline, and their family had moved again. This time they were living in the Central Township (likely in Perryville). Michael is given no occupation, but his son, Willard, was working as an edge trimmer in the shoe factory.
One of their sons, Ernst Hacker, died in 1932 of pneumonia, leaving his young wife as a widow. The last census in which we can view the Michael Hacker household was the one taken in 1940. Michael and Adeline had an empty nest and were living in Perryville. Once again, no occupation was given for Michael. He and Adeline were in their 60’s.
Adeline Hacker died in 1945 at the age of 70. She died at the St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau. I found a newspaper article that said she had a stroke in September of that year.
The Perry County Sun included this obituary for Adeline. I will display two images that can be clicked to enlarge them.
Michael Hacker died in 1959 at the age of 86. His death certificate says he died at the Deal Nursing Home in Jackson, Missouri.
Michael and Adeline Hacker are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.
I have written several posts now in which a couple spends the earlier years of their lives farming in Perry County and then moving into the city of Perryville later on. This story of the Hacker’s and their boys is yet another one of them.