When you see a title like the one above, you are likely to assume that the story will involve more than one marriage. You would be correct about today’s post. Also, like several other recent stories, this one involves someone who would be celebrating his 125th birthday today.
Julius Adolph Weber was born on February 3, 1898, the son of Adolph and Caroline (Horn) Weber. He was the first child of 10 born to his parents. A previous post was written about Julius’s parents titled, Hardware, Ice Cream, Mail, Merchandise, Food, Music, Beer. Julius would also have been a grandson of the rather notable Charles Weber, an original 1839 immigrant who later became a judge in Perry County. Julius was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. Our German Family Tree has the following description of Julius’s baptism record.
[PerryvilleMO]: Julius Adolf Weber, Born 3 Feb 1898 & Baptized 13 Feb 1898 by Rev Griebel to Adolf Weber & Caroline nee Horn, Sponsors: August Beckmann, Caroline Lange & Michael Fassold
Julius is found in the 1900 census at the age of 2. His father was a hardware dealer in Perryville. Right above his family, you will see the entry for Charles Weber and his household. Charles was a probate judge.
Before the next census was taken in 1910, Julius’s father established a hardware store in Altenburg. Julius was 12 years old in his next census entry.
The Weber Hardware Store is shown in the photo below.
This building still stands. It has been several types of businesses over the years. The people of Altenburg now mostly remember it as being a tavern under several different proprietors. It has been closed for a few years, and now there is construction activity going on there again. I am not aware how this building will next be utilized, but the rumors about it are circulating.
We know that the Weber family was still in Altenburg in 1912 because Julius was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in that year. His younger brother, Adolph, would have likely been confirmed in 1914, but he does not have a confirmation record in the Trinity books, so I think the Weber family moved back to Perryville shortly after Julius’s confirmation. When Julius had a World War I draft registration completed in 1918, he was living in Perryville and working as a lineman for the Perry County Telephone Company.
When the 1920 census was taken, we find Julius at the age of 21 living in Perryville with his parents. His father was a traveling salesman.
Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Julius’s wife. Her name was Albertine Isabelle Hornberger, who was born on February 15, 1897. Albertine was the daughter of Michael and Margaret (Hacker) Hornberger, whose story was told in the post, The Hornberger-Hacker Household. Albertine was the 4th of 9 children in her family and was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. She is found in her first census in 1900 at the age of 3. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township.
In the 1910 census, Albertine had just turned a teenager.
Like so many other young ladies back in those days, Albertine later went to St. Louis to find work. She is found living in the Lewis White household and working as a servant in the 1920 census.
Julius Weber married Albertine Hornberger on May 17, 1925 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville (I think). The marriage license for this couple is pictured here, and it says Pastor Lohmann performed the ceremony. He was the pastor in Perryville. However, the Friedenberg Remembrances book implies that these two were married there.
An article about this wedding appeared in the Perry County Republican.
Julius was also a musician who played the violin. I located several articles in the Perry County Republican that referenced his musical ability. I will display 2 of them. The second one mentions that Werner Weber, Julius’s brother, was also a musician playing a stringed instrument.
This couple’s only child, a girl named Elvira, was born in 1928. In the 1930 census, we find Julius, Albertine, and Elvira, along with two of Julius’s brothers. Julius and his brothers were all involved in operating a tin shop.
Julius Weber died in 1933 at the age of 35. His death certificate says he died in St. Louis. It gives his occupation as a sheet metal worker.
An obituary in the Perry County Republican gives more details about his death. It is displayed in 2 images that can be clicked to enlarge
Albertine would get married again. Her second husband was Harry Van Voelker, who was born on October 11, 1886, the son of William and Mary (Gibler) Voelker. I am not going to go into detail about Harry’s life, but I will tell you that he was previously married twice. He had married Hedwig Preusse in 1909 and Helen Welland in 1913. Albertine Weber married Harry Voelker on June 27, 1937 at Immanuel, Perryville. Once again, it was Rev. Lohmann who performed the wedding for Albertine.
The Voelkers are found in the 1940 census living in Perryville where Harry was a 53 year-old barber.
The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Harry was still a barber, and Albertine’s daughter, Elvira, was living with them with her family. She had married Kenneth Stearns and had a young child named Sandra.
Harry Voelker died in 1962 at the age of 75. We can take a look at his death certificate.
Albertine Voelker died in 1969 at the age of 72. Her death certificate is pictured here.
Albertine and both of her husbands are buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.
There were several facts in this story that attracted me to it. One was that the birthday boy was a grandson of Charles Weber, who has shown up on this blog on many occasions because of his notoriety. Another was the fact that this boy also had a mother whose maiden name was Horn, and he would later find a Hornberger to be his bride. The son of this mother who had been a Horn was also a musician, but one that did not play a horn. The connection to a famous historic building in Altenburg that still stands was another factor. I just wish I had some photographs of these people. All in all, this story proved to be quite interesting to me.