Today’s couple was made up of a pair of Perry County natives, both from Friedenberg, but for some unknown reason, these two were married across the river in Chester, Illinois. It is that wedding date that led me to this story. I will begin with the groom.

Heinrich Carl Popp was born on November 22, 1874, the son of George and Elizabeth (Klemp) Popp. His parents were married in 1873, and Henry was their firstborn child. Henry was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we cannot view his baptism record. Henry is found in the 1880 census at the age of 5. His father was a farmer in the Salem Township. Henry’s Popp grandparents were also included in this census entry.

Because we cannot view the 1890 census, this would be the only census entry in which we find Henry as a single person. So, let’s take a look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Rosina Anna Knoll, who was born on November 6, 1875. This girl was mostly called Rosa during her life, so I will do so as well. Rosa was the daughter of John and Katherine (Hermann) Knoll. She was also baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Rosa was 5 years old when the 1880 census was taken. The Knoll family is found on the next census page after the Popp family in the Salem Township entries, so these two families were probably close neighbors. Rosa’s father was also a farmer. Rosa’s Hermann grandmother was included in this household.

Henry Popp and Rosa Knoll would be celebrating their 128th anniversary today because they were married on May 28, 1895. As mentioned earlier, they were married in Illinois. An Illinois marriage record is pictured here.

This wedding reportedly took place in Chester, Illinois, so I took a look for a marriage record in a binder we have in our research library from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Chester. I was not successful. I had my hopes up because if that wedding took place at that Lutheran church, it likely would have been conducted by Rev. J.A.F.W. Mueller, who was the pastor of that congregation at that time. Rev. Mueller (who we call “Alphabet” Mueller) was the first graduate of Concordia Seminary when it was located in Altenburg.

According to our German Family Tree, Henry and Rosa had 8 children, but not many of them lived past childhood. The baptisms of these children took place at a variety of Perry County Lutheran churches. These included Peace, Friedenberg, Salem, Farrar, and Zion, Crosstown. This couple appears together in their first census in 1900. They were living in the Bois Brule Township where Henry was a farmer. At this time, the Popp’s had 2 children, both daughters. Right below the Popp household, you will see that of Rosa’s widowed mother, Katharine.

Next, we find the Popp’s in the 1910 census with 2 children, a daughter and a son. The daughter named Anna D. in the previous census died in late 1900. A young man named Alvin Mehner was living in their household and doing farm labor. He was also called a partner.

In the Perry County plat maps produced in 1915, we find a piece of land owned by Henry Popp located on a map of Menfro. I know that I have already written a post about another Henry Popp, but I think this land was owned by Rosa’s husband.

Henry had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. He gives his address as Menfro.

The 1920 census shows this Popp couple with 2 teenage children, along with a baby that was born in late 1919. As you can conclude, several of the babies born to this pair died at rather young ages.

The 1930 census would be the last one in which we find Henry. He is listed as living by himself in the Bois Brule Township and laboring on a farm.

Rosa, on the other hand, is found living in Perryville with her daughter, Martha, who had married Emil Ochs. The Ochs couple had no children yet, so it doesn’t appear that Rosa was living with them to help with a baby. Rosa’s youngest daughter, Evelyn, was just 10 years old. Perhaps Henry and Rosa wanted their child to attend school in Perryville. Henry and Rosa are both identified as being married in these two census entries.

During the same year as that census, 1930, there was a tragedy in this Popp family. Henry and Rosa’s son, Paul, died horribly as a result of a farm accident. An article appeared in Perry County Republican about that death. Paul was only 23 years old when he died.

Henry Popp died in 1936 at the age of 61. His death certificate below says he died of cardiac failure.

When the 1940 census was taken, we find Rosa still living with the Ochs family in Perryville. Her son-in-law was a mechanic at a bus company garage. Her daughter, Evelyn, was teaching school.

Rosa was still alive in 1950, but I failed to find her in that year’s census. Rosa Popp died in 1959 at the age of 83. We can also take a look at her death certificate.

Henry and Rosa are each buried in the Peace Lutheran Cemetery in Friedenberg.

I would have guessed that a bride and a groom that were both baptized and raised while at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg would have been married at that congregation. However, they were married in Illinois. This is another case in which there must be a story to explain this, but I do not know it.