Because of multiple marriages, today’s post will contain more surnames than most, and they all happen to be names that could be associated with the town of Frohna. By the time you are done reading, you will see references to the names Mueller, Petzoldt, Schilling, Schuessler, Lueders, and Palisch.

I am going to begin with a woman by the name of Anna Maria Petzoldt because she is the glue that holds this story together. Anna was born on November 24, 1857, the daughter of Wilhelm and Theresa (Schuessler) Petzoldt. Anna was not a descendant of “The Face” Petzoldt, although I think there was some sort of connection between them. The birth of Anna was one of those tragic ones. Her father died after she was conceived, but before she was born. So, when she was born, her mother was a widow. Anna was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can take a look at her baptism record.

Anna’s mother would marry Friedrich Schilling in 1858, so when we see Anna in her first census in 1860, she was living in a blended Schilling/Petzoldt family. Anna was 3 years old.

I was unable to find Anna in the 1870 census. I almost figure that the census taker just missed her in the household of her parents, which I did find. When a Missouri state census was taken in 1876, the Schilling household is included, and Anna Petzoldt is found living with them at the age of 18.

Now, we will take a look at the man who would become Anna’s first husband. His name was William Joseph Mueller, who was born on May 4, 1853. Joseph was the son of Wilhelm and Johanna Sophia Emilie (Weber) Mueller. Joseph was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. Below is his baptism record.

Joseph also had a tragic childhood. His mother died when he was 3 years old. His father then married Theresa Barth in 1857. However, his father died in 1860 before the census was taken. So, Joseph is never shown in a census with his parents. When the 1860 census was taken, we find Joseph living with his stepmother, who was only 14 years older than he was.

In 1870, Joseph was living in the John Schuessler household. John was the brother of Anna Petzoldt’s mother. Joseph was listed as 18 years old at the time, but I think he was only 17.

Joseph Mueller married Anna Petzoldt on May 2, 1878, making today their 144th anniversary. When Anna’s mother married a Schilling, Anna ended up a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg, and therefore we find the church record for this wedding in that congregation’s books.

We can also view the civil marriage record for Joseph and Anna.

Joseph and Anna had 5 children, but two of them died early All of their children were baptized at Concordia, Frohna. We find this Mueller household in the 1880 census. The census taker used the Amercanized spelling, Miller, in this entry.

First of all, a child had been born to Joseph and Anna in 1879, but died as an infant. Secondly, there was a 9 year-old Joseph Mueller that is called an adopted son. I did not take the time to figure out who his parents were. Emmanuel Mueller was Joseph’s brother, and there were two young men in the household who were helping on Joseph’s farm.

Joseph Mueller died in 1889 at the age of 35, leaving Anna as a widow. Joseph was buried in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna, but Findagrave.com has no gravestone photo for him.

Anna Mueller is found in the 1900 census with 3 remaining children, all in their teens. I find it interesting that Martin Poppitz, one of the young farmhands in the 1880 census, was listed right above the Mueller household in this entry.

On April 22, 1902, Anna Mueller married Charles Lueders. Charles was a widower whose wife, Susannah (Palisch) had died in 1899. This couple was married at Concordia, Frohna. Here is the marriage license for this pair.

I will not go into detail about the early life of Charles Lueders because his story was told in the post, Lueders/Palisch: Marriage or Competition? Anna and Charles are found in the 1910 census in which Charles is called a postmaster. He helped operate the Lueders Store in Frohna.

Anna (Petzoldt)(Mueller) Lueders died in 1919 at the age of 61. We can view her death certificate below.

Anna was buried in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna.

Anna’s life, as well as some others associated with her, included plenty of hardship. But, like so many others like her that have been described on this blog, she remained faithful until death.

Yesterday, a special event took place in East Perry County. Nelda Koeberl was honored at a dinner for her many years of service. She has been a Lutheran teacher in the Altenburg/Frohna area for 45 years, as well as 50 years total teaching experience. She is retiring when the school year ends in a few weeks. I have to wonder how many children Nelda has taught over the years that have had the surnames Petzoldt, Mueller, Schuessler, Schilling, Lueders, and Palisch.