Two years ago, a post was published with the title, George’s Girls. It told the story of George and Mathilda (Elbrecht) Bingenheimer who had 6 children…all girls. Today, you will read the story about one of those girls, who also happens to be today’s birthday girl.

Oneida Lena Bingenheimer was born on May 23, 1897, so today would be her 125th birthday. Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown was established shortly after Oneida’s birth, so her baptism record is not found in that church’s early records. Her baptism record would have been included in the books of Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg that later were burned in a fire. Oneida is found in the 1900 census when she was 3 years old. Her father was a farmer.

Ten years later, we find Oneida in the 1910 census.

Oneida is one of those people who shows up single in the census that was taken during the same year as her wedding. She was 22 years old at the time.

Oneida’s husband was going to be Ludwig Johann Oswald Funke, who was born on October 19, 1899. Ludwig was the son of Adolph and Clara (Hacker) Funke. Ludwig’s parents have the distinction of being the first folks that were married at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown, and Ludwig was their first child. Below is the marriage record for Adolph and Clara from the Longtown books.

Adolph was also one of the charter members of Zion Lutheran Church, as is depicted in this excerpt from that congregation’s history.

Ludwig’s baptism record from Zion’s books is pictured here.

Ludwig shows up in his first census in 1900. His father was a hardware merchant.

Next, we find Ludwig in the 1910 census at the age of 10. This time, his father was called a carpenter.

In 1918, Ludwig had his World War I draft registration completed. He was just 18 years old at the time. He was working on the farm of Peter Wills, who had married Oneida Bingenheimer’s sister, Della, in 1914.

Ludwig, like Oneida, was found in the 1920 census as a single person during the year of his marriage. Ludwig is called a barber with his own shop.

I have written a previous post, Longtown’s Hair Hacker, that told of another Longtown barber, Emmanuel Hacker. Emmanuel would have been Ludwig’s uncle.

Ludwig Funke married Oneida Bingenheimer on May 2, 1920 at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown. We can view their church marriage record.

The marriage license for this couple is displayed below.

Ludwig and Oneida had 2 children, both boys, according to our German Family Tree. When the 1930 census was taken, they had just their first child. Ludwig was working in the shoe factory located in Perryville. Oneida, here called Nita, was a telephone operator.

Another son was born in 1932, so we find this Funke household in the 1940 census. Ludwig worked in the shipping room of the shoe factory.

Ludwig was required to complete a World War II draft card in 1942. This form gives Ludwig’s employer as the International Shoe Company.

The International Shoe Factory in Perryville is shown in the photo below.

I was able to find Ludwig and Oneida in the recently-released 1950 census. Both Ludwig and Oneida continued in the same occupations as we saw in the 1930 census.

Ludwig Funke died in 1966 at the age of 66. His death certificate says he died at the Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville.

Oneida Funke died in 1981 at the age of 83, too recently to view her death certificate. Ludwig and Oneida are buried together in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Longtown.

This story contains some early records from the books of Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown. It gives me the opportunity to share with you the fact that this year, 2022, happens to be the 125th anniversary year for Zion. I have gotten wind that this congregation has made some plans to celebrate that special event. It should be a great occasion. I will send my early congratulations. And while I’m at it, I’ll send a “Happy 125th Birthday” to Oneida also.