Two hundred years ago, Justine Christiane Augusta Mueller was born in Paitzdorf, Germany. Justine was born on June 4, 1823, the daughter of Gottfried Heinrich and Maria (Rothe) Mueller. This Mueller family decided to become members of the Gesellschaft in the late 1830’s, an immigration society with plans to settle in the United States. Justine’s family became part of what became known as the Gruber Group, who were delayed from leaving Germany in November of 1838 when most of the ships sailed for America. This group instead arrived in November of 1839 aboard the ship, Johann Georg. We can see this family on that ship’s passenger list below. Justine was 16 years old at the time. She was the oldest of the Mueller children. Included with this family was Rosine Rothe, Justine’s grandmother.

We find the Mueller family (spelled Miller) in the 1840 census for Perry County. There were a couple of Gottfried Mueller families in the Gesellschaft, but the number and ages of the members of this family correspond with those of Justine’s family.

That would be the only census in which Justine was still single, so let’s take a look at the man who would become her husband. But before I tell you about him, let me say that there were 4 main Mueller clans who were part of the original immigrants. We have come up with names to describe them. Justine’s Mueller clan is called the “Zacharias Mueller’s”. The other Mueller clans are the “Schmidt Mueller’s”, the “Frohna Mueller’s”, and the “Alphabet Mueller’s”. Justine’s husband was from the “Alphabet Mueller’s”.

Johann Christian Friedrich Mueller was born on September 20, 1815 in Planena, Germany. Since there are several other Mueller’s with names similar to the ones in his name, I will call today’s character JCF Mueller. He was the son of another JCF, who had married Maria Christiana Martens. JCF was already 21 years old when his Mueller family made the decision to join the Gesellschaft and come to America. This set of Mueller’s travelled aboard the ship, Republik, which arrived in America in January of 1839 with most of the Stephanites. Since J.A.F.W. “Alphabet” Mueller, the first graduate of Concordia Seminary, Altenburg, was JCF’s brother, that qualifies JCF to be part of the “Alphabet Mueller’s”. We see this family’s members on that ship’s passenger list here. JCF’s father was called a tiler, a brick maker.

I did not find this Mueller family in the 1840 census. Then, on September 18, 1845, JCF Mueller married Justine Mueller. The church marriage record for this event is included in the books of Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. I have to display it in 2 images.

A civil record for this wedding can also be viewed. When Rev. Gruber went to record this marriage, he included another marriage as well.

Our German Family Tree lists 12 children born to this couple. That list includes 2 sets of twins. Several of the children did not make it to adulthood. When the 1850 census was taken, we find the Mueller household shown in this image. JCF is called Christian in this entry, and he followed in his father’s footsteps to become a brick maker. You can see that he had a brother, Zacharius Mueller, living in his household. That Zachariaus Mueller is where the term “Zacharius Mueller’s” originates.

Next, we find the Mueller’s in the 1860 census. There were 4 children in their household.

In this map drawn by the dentist, Doc Lottes, we see a brick yard located quite near where the Log Cabin College was originally built. Since I now own that land, I figure that the Mueller’s must have lived near my place. I know that I have done some digging on my property and have found soil that has plenty of clay in it.

By the time of the 1870 census, all of the Mueller children were born. None of the ones born in the 1860’s survived childhood, so all of the children in this entry were over 10 years old.

The last census entry in which we find either JCF or Justine is the one taken in 1880. JCF was a brick maker all his life. In fact, he carried the nickname, Ziegel, which means “brick” in German.

Ziegel Mueller died in 1889 at the age of 74. He died at the time when Perry County kept track of death records. We can view JCF’s death record below in 2 images.

JCF Mueller’s church death record is found in the books of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Justine almost made it to be included in the 1900 census, but she died in December of 1899 at the age of 76. I did not locate a Perry County death record for her. Her church death record is found in the books of Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. Because of where their death records are found, there is a grave site entry for JCF on Findagrave.com in the Trinity, Altenburg cemetery and a grave site entry for Justine in the Grace, Uniontown cemetery, but neither one of these two have gravestone photos.

Today, we wish a Happy Bicentennial Birthday to Justine Mueller, who didn’t have to change her maiden name when she got married to another Mueller.