Ken Craft, the creator of our ZionRoots Project, is an amazing genealogist. He has contributed so many resources that we have in our museum’s research library. Ken also married a Noennig, and today’s story will lead us into that family.

We begin in a different family in which we find today’s birthday girl. Amanda Clara Mathilda Kaufmann was born on April 2, 1898, so today would be her 125th birthday. Amanda was the daughter of Gotthilf and Martha (Heins) Kaufmann. I wrote a story about Amanda’s parents back in 2021 titled, Martha and a Multitude of Kaufmann Males. Of the 7 children in this Kaufmann family, Amanda was the oldest and the only girl. All of the Kaufmann children were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Below is an image of Amanda’s baptism record from Trinity’s books.

Amanda shows up in her first census in 1900 at the age of 2. Her father and several of his single brothers were farmers in the Brazeau Township. Amanda and her mother were the only females in this household.

A photograph of the school children attending Trinity Lutheran School in Altenburg was taken in 1908. Amanda has been identified in this photo. She is in the second row from the front, the second girl from the left.

I have enlarged a portion of the above photo to help you identify Amanda.

In the 1910 census, we find Amanda at the age of 12. By this time, Amanda had several younger brothers. She and her mother were still the only females in the family.

Now, we will turn our attention to the Noennig family. Amanda would get married to Arthur Johannes Noennig, who was born on July 5, 1890. Arthur was the son of Gottfried and Emma (Kuehnert) Noennig. A few other posts have highlighted this Noennig family…Wife, Mother, Grandmother of the Noennig Clan and Apples and Appliances. Arthur was child #3 in a family of 10. All of the Noennig’s were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. We can take a look at an image of Arthur’s baptism record below.

Arthur is found in his first census in 1900 at the age of 10. By that time, there were already 8 children in this household. Arthur’s father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

In a Noennig binder that we have in our research library, we have the Noennig family photo displayed below that was reportedly taken in 1907. Arthur is in the back row, the second son from the left. The youngest boy was born in 1901.

I found a photo of Arthur in a class while attending Trinity Lutheran School. This 1904 photo has certain students identified with numbers. Arthur is #23 in the front row. By the way, the 2 class photos in this post show the class in front of the building that is now part of our museum.

In the 1910 census, we do not find Arthur living in Perry County. He is found as a 19 year-old hired hand in the Henry Arbeiter household in the Fountain Bluff Township near Jacob, Illinois.

Arthur Noennig married Amanda Kaufmann on May 24, 1917 at Trinity, Altenburg. The church record for this wedding is pictured here.

We can also take a look at the marriage license for this pair.

When Arthur had a World War I draft registration completed in 1917, just a month after his wedding, he was back living in Altenburg and working as a farmer.

Also happening in 1917 was the 400th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation. The photo shown here was taken on that special occasion. I suppose you could play the game, “Where’s Arthur and Amanda?” with this picture.

Arthur did spend some time in the military during that war. His military record is shown here. It does not appear that he was sent overseas.

According to our German Family Tree, Arthur and Amanda had 4 children. We find the Noennig’s in the 1920 census, still having an empty nest. Arthur was a farmer.

Next, we find the Noennig household in the 1930 census with 2 sons and a daughter. This time Arthur was working at odd jobs.

Arthur’s parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1935. Gottfried and Emma, along with their children and grandchildren, had a group photo taken. Amanda and Arthur are the 3rd and 4th ones from the left, seated in the middle row.

In the 1940 census, we find the Noennig’s with all 4 children.

It appears that shortly after 1940, Arthur moved his family to St. Louis for a while. His World War II draft card completed in 1942 says that was where he was living and that he was working for the McQuay-Norris Company.

The McQuay-Norris Company specialized in making piston rings for automobiles. Below is an ad that I found for that business.

Arthur returned to Altenburg before the 1950 census. In that year’s entry, it says that Arthur was farm helper at an orchard. That would have been his brother, Theodore’s, orchard. Theodore not only grew apples, he operated an appliance store, complete with gasoline pumps, on the east side of Altenburg.

The photo below supposedly shows Arthur spraying some apple trees in that orchard.

Amanda Kaufmann died in 1968 at the age of 70. We can view her death certificate which states that she died at the Perry County Memorial Hospital.

Arthur Noennig died in 1975 at the age of 84. He died too recently to view his death certificate. Arthur and Amanda are buried together in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Altenburg.

We are in the process of planning our upcoming Immigration Conference, scheduled for October. We are looking forward to seeing Ken Craft again. He has always been one of our presenters.