I do not often tell the story of a lifelong bachelor, but that is what I will do today. In the case of today’s character, there is evidence that he spent almost his entire life living with members of his family. What makes this more amazing is the fact that he and other members of his family did not remain in East Perry County all their lives.

Arthur Emanuel Mueller was born on May 3, 1889, making today his 134th birthday. Arthur was the son of Heinrich Emanuel and Sophie Amalia (Grosse) Mueller. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. An image of his baptism record is displayed below.

Arthur is found in the 1900 census at the age of 11. All of the Mueller children were born before the 1900 census, so we see all 7 of them in this entry. Arthur was the middle child. His father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

In the plat maps produced later, there is an Emanuel Mueller farm located near Frohna, and I am reasonably certain that this is the place where Arthur was raised.

I am figuring that early in the 1900’s, Arthur’s family had this photo taken. I am also thinking that it is likely that the photographer, Paul Lueders, took this picture in the early days of his career as a photographer in Frohna. Arthur is second from the left in the back row.

Arthur was confirmed at Concordia, Frohna in 1903, and that would be the last church record we find for him in our German Family Tree, which lists records from all the local Lutheran churches. Arthur’s confirmation class is pictured here. He is one of 3 Mueller’s in his class.

The 1910 census is the only one in Arthur’s life in which we do not find him living with someone in this Mueller family. He is found living in the Maria Stueve household where he was working as a farm laborer. Maria, whose maiden name was Wichern, lost her husband, John Stueve, in 1897, leaving her as a widow.

In 1912, Arthur’s older brother, Oscar, married Maria Heise. That wedding took place in Frohna, and Arthur was in the wedding party. We see Arthur is the photo below of that wedding party. Arthur is one of the young men holding the cigar boxes, second from the right.

By the time when young men had to complete a World War I draft registration in 1917 or 1918, Arthur had moved away from Perry County. In his draft registration form below, we see his address given as Potter, Nebraska. It says he was working as a carpenter and also doing some farming with his older brother, John Mueller. John Mueller went on to build many churches in that area of the country over the years, including the one in Potter, Nebraska. Arthur likely worked on the Potter church as well. A previous post written by Eunice Schlichting mentions several Perry County natives who migrated to the Potter area. That post was titled, Praise God for Potter Parish.

When the 1920 census was taken, we find Arthur living in the Wilson Wagner household. The entry shown below illustrates how many members of the Mueller clan were living in and around Potter. First of all, Wilson Wagner’s wife, Clara, was one of Arthur’s sisters. We also see some single Mueller’s, Hugo, Frank, and Arthur. Then, in the entry below theirs, we find Oscar and Mary Mueller, the couple shown in the wedding photo above. All of the older males in this entry were farming.

Next, we find Arthur in the 1930 census living in the household of his brother, Frank, who had married Thekla Gemeinhardt, another Perry County native. Arthur was helping with the farming.

Arthur was a 50 year old bachelor in the 1940 census. He is listed all by himself, but right below his entry, we once again see Frank Mueller’s household. These two brothers were likely farming together.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Arthur and Hugo Mueller, his youngest brother, were partners on their farm. Both of them were bachelors. I might have to write Hugo’s story someday.

Arthur Mueller died in 1978 at the age of 88. He is buried in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery near Potter, Nebraska.

Most of the Mueller family highlighted in this post relocated to the area around Potter, Nebraska. Both of their parents, Emanuel and Sophia, died in the 1930’s in Frohna. I am thinking that quite a few Mueller children may have made the trip back to Perry County, perhaps together, for a pair of funerals held at Concordia Lutheran Church, where they were all baptized and attended church as children.