Eleonora Friedericka Bergmann is today’s birthday girl. She was born on November 9, 1864, the daughter of George and Barbara (Adler) Bergmann. Friedericka was the baby of the family, the last of 9 Bergmann children. She was likely baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. We cannot view the actual records from that congregation since they were burned in a fire. Friedericka shows up in her first census in 1870 at the age of 5. In this entry, she is called Eleonora. Her father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

Next, we find Friedericka in the 1880 census as a teenager. This time the family is found living in the Salem Township. I think that is because the Salem Township was newly established, not because this family moved. This time she is called Lenora Fredk.

Now, we will take a look at the man who would become her husband. His name was Gottlieb Bergmann, who was born on September 2, 1860. He was the son of John and Sophia (Poehner) Bergmann. Gottlieb was the 4th of 6 children in this Bergmann family. He was also likely baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Gottlieb was born too late in 1860 to be found in that year’s census, so we do not see him in a census entry until 1870. He was called 8 years old, but I think he was 9 or 10. His father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

The 1880 census gives a more accurate age for Gottlieb. He was 19 years old and working on the family farm. His father had died in 1873, so his mother was the head of the household and was said to be farming. It was likely that the two sons, Gottlieb and Frederick, were doing most of the farm work.

Gottlieb Bergmann married Friedericka Bergmann on December 27, 1885 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. It appears to be another one of those situations in which the couple got married very soon after the Advent season was complete because Lutheran pastors would not marry people during that penitential season. This is not the first marriage involving a Bergmann marrying a Bergmann to be found on this blog. In fact, this was not even the first Bergmann/Bergmann wedding to take place in Friedericka’s family. Her older sister, Maria Bergmann, had married Michael Bergmann in 1871. Michael Bergmann came from yet another Bergmann clan. We can take a look at a transcription of the marriage record from the books of Immanuel, Perryville below.

The marriage license for this couple is also available for us to view.

Our German Family Tree lists 5 children born to Gottlieb and Friedericka. All of these children were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. We cannot view another census until the one taken in 1900, and by that time, there were 4 children in the household. Their last child was born later in 1900 after this census was taken. Gottlieb was a farmer all his life.

The 1910 census for this Bergmann family has to be displayed in two images. All 5 children are included in the household.

Next, when Gottlieb and Friedericka were in their 50’s, we see them in the 1920 census. The Bergmann’s had an empty nest.

The last census entry in which we find Fredericka was the one taken in 1930.

Fredericka Bergmann died in 1937 at the age of 72. Her death certificate shown below indicates that she died of a stroke.

An obituary for Friedericka was published in the newspaper. It is shown here.

Gottlieb Bergmann is still found in the 1940 census in which we find him still farming at the age of 78. He was living by himself.

Gottlieb Bergmann died in 1944 at the age of 83. We can also look at his death certificate.

An obituary for Gottlieb was also published in the newspaper. It says that the previous December, he had some surgery done in St. Louis.

Gottlieb and Friedericka Bergmann are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

Today’s tale is one of those that required me save all the new images I collected for the story in the same folder….the Bergmann folder. That folder is one of those that is growing quite large with lots of images. It’s likely to grow even larger considering how many Bergmann clans that can be found in our German Family Tree.