The Stueve family is another one of those surnames that presents all kinds of challenges for a researcher. Today, you will be told the story of a man by the name of Claus Johannes Stueve. I can tell you that there are numerous men in the Stueve family that carried the name Claus Stueve. I can add that there are numerous men who carried the name John Stueve. I can even tell you that today’s character is not the only one to carry both the names of Claus and John. At least, I think my research of today’s character was made easier because he moved to Kansas, so at least he wasn’t living amongst other men who carried similar names. Plus, another factor that made it somewhat easier is that this branch of the Stueve’s’ changed the spelling of their name to Stuive after they moved to Kansas.

Claus Johannes Stueve was born on February 17, 1880, the son of Charles and Dorothea (Eggers) Stueve. I will add that this child had a grandfather by the name of Claus Johannes Stueve. That Claus J. Stueve had a son by the name of Claus Johannes Stueve, but he had all female children. Regardless of that, today’s birthday boy was not a “Junior”, but his father likely named him after his grandfather. Early in his life, today’s character went by the name, Claus, in certain documents, but after moving to Kansas, he went by the name John. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. Below is an image of his baptism record. Please note that one of his sponsors was a John Stueve.

The only census in which we find Claus Johannes living in Perry County was the one taken during the year of his birth, 1880. I have shown an image here that includes all previously-mentioned Claus Johannes Stueve’s. The infant Claus in this entry would have called Claus, Jr., Uncle Claus. Are you confused yet?

It is reported by those in the Stueve family that the Charles Stueve family moved to Kansas around 1888, with a brief stop in Prairie City, Missouri before getting there. They first settled in Linn, Kansas. That is where we find them in the 1900 census. If I read it correctly, Charles was in a business involving farm implements, and Claus, now called John C., was a 20 year-old blacksmith.

It was in Linn that Charles Stueve operated a store. It was also because of the accounting system used in that store that Charles changed the spelling of his surname to Stuive. That store is pictured below.

It was in Linn, Kansas that John Stuive found his bride. Her name was Maria Katharina Lohmeyer, who was born on May 29, 1881 in Sollitt, Illinois. I found it useful to switch over to an Ancestry.com family tree that focused on the Lohmeyer family. That tree enabled me to find several more photos to attach to this post. Below is a photo of Maria’s parents, August and Fredericka (Thoms) Lohmeyer.

The Lohmeyer tree says Maria was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Sollitt. In 1887, we notice that children in this Lohmeyer family were beginning to be born in Linn, Kansas. Maria is found in the 1900 census at the age of 19. Her father was a farmer.

John C. Stuive married Maria Lohmeyer on August 30, 1902. A Kansas marriage affidavit can be viewed here.

I can display the wedding photo for this couple.

In 1903, these Stuive’s, including John’s parents, made another migration. They moved to Sylvan Grove, Kansas. The map below shows the locations of both Linn and Sylvan Grove.

When the 1910 census was taken, we find the John Stuive family living in the Pleasant Township in Lincoln County. This couple’s only child, a son named Albert, was listed in this entry. John was a farmer.

I do not know when this photo was taken of John C. Stuive, but he was still fairly young.

In 1918, John had his World War I draft registration completed.

Next, we find the Stuive’s in the 1920 census. Right below the Stuive’s, you will see the Rudolph Gerhardt household. Rudolph had married John’s sister, Dora Stuive. Their story was told in the post, Rudy and Dora.

The 1930 census shows the Stuive family with their 23 year-old son, Albert.

The last census we can view for this family was the one taken in 1940. This time, they were shown living in the town of Sylvan Grove and having an empty nest. John’s occupation is difficult to read. Ancestry.com transposes it as “penye man”.

In 1942, John had his World War II draft card completed. This document says that John was working at Sylvan Cash Hardware at the age of 62.

In 1946, John and Mary had this photograph taken.

Marie Stuive died in 1948 at the age of 67; John Stuive died in 1966 at the age of 85. These two were buried in the Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery in Sylvan Grove.

Now you know the story of Claus Johannes Stueve, who moved to Kansas and became John Stuive.