It would be Edna Klaus’s 130th birthday today. She was born August 16, 1893 in Friedheim, Missouri. Edna was the daughter of Henry and Anna (Arning) Klaus. She was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. Her baptism record gives her complete name as Edna Theresa Friedericke Klaus. An image of her baptism record from that congregation’s books is shown here.

The Klaus family is found living in the Apple Creek Township of Cape Girardeau when the 1900 census was taken. Edna was 7 years old at the time. Her father was a farmer.

The Klaus family relocated during the next decade. When Edna was confirmed in 1907, her record for that event is found in the books of Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. The Trinity, Friedheim records have yet to be included in our German Family Tree, so this is the first record we find in the GFT for Edna. It also turns out to be the only record to be found in that index.

When the Klaus family moved to Farrar, Edna’s father also changed occupations. In the 1910 census for the Salem Township, we see that Henry is now called a retail merchant. Edna was 16 years old at the time.

Henry and his son, Herman operated the Klaus & Son Store in Farrar which is shown in the photo below. That store would later become the Eggers Store.

In the next census taken in 1920, we see that Edna was no longer living in Perry County. She was living in St. Louis in the household of Fred Kramer. She is called a stenographer for a battery company. Here’s where it gets interesting. Right above the Kramer household is that of Bert Suycott. One of Bert’s sons, Forrest Suycott would become Edna’s husband.

In a 1917 St. Louis city directory, we find Edna living at 1226 Armstrong.

I also found Forrest Suygott in a 1916 St. Louis city directory. He was living at 1222 1/2 Armstrong. In other words, Edna and Forrest did not just live close to one another. They were next door neighbors. So, it is not difficult to understand how they became acquainted.

Let’s backtrack to look at the early life of Forrest David Suycott. He was born on October 7, 1889, the son of Wilbert and Jennie (Hoover) Suycott. Forrest was born in Rossville, Illinois. He is found in his first census in 1900 at the age of 10. He was the oldest child in his family. His father was a brakeman.

When the 1910 census was compiled, the Suycott’s were still living in Illinois, but this time they were found in St. Elmo, Illinois. For some unknown reason, Forrest’s father is not listed in this entry.

In 1917, Forrest had his World War I draft registration completed. It still gives him a St. Elmo address, but, as I showed earlier, we find him living in St. Louis in 1916. This form states that Forrest was a railroad brakeman.

Forrest did serve in the military during that war. His military record shown below says he was inducted into the military in Taylorsville, Illinois, but his address is given as 1222 Armstrong in St. Louis.

Forrest did get sent overseas for about a year. A passenger list for the troop ship, Guiseppe Verde, includes Forrest’s name. It gives his father’s address as 1222 Armstrong in St. Louis.

I think Forrest Suycott married Edna Klaus sometime in 1920 after they each were recorded in that year’s census as being single. I base that upon the record below that comes from a St. Louis newspaper. Since I am not subscribed to Newspapers.com, I cannot see what the reference in the paper says.

This Suycott couple had just one child, a son named Forrest Suycott, Jr., who was born in 1922. We see this small family in the 1930 census living in Villa Grove, Illinois. Forrest was called a conductor for a steam railroad.

In 1936, Edna’s parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Farrar. The photo shown below was taken of his family that includes Edna. The caption will guide you to which one she is.

The Suycott’s were still living in Villa Grove when the 1940 census was taken. Forrest still had the same occupation.

I did not find Forrest Suycott in the 1950 census, but I did find evidence that he was a resident of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Danville, Illinois.

I found the this photo of this National Home in Danville.

Forrest Suycott died in 1951 at the age of 62. Edna Suycott would not die until 1987 when she was 94 years old. I managed to locate this short obituary for Edna. She died in Macomb, Illinois.

Both Forrest and Edna Suycott are buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Danville, but Findagrave.com does not include gravestone photos.

Before I quit, let me say that this couple’s son, Forrest Suycott, Jr., like his father, served time in the military and fought in a war. He also apparently spent his life as a music educator. I found his obituary interesting. You can read it below.

I guess you could say that today’s birthday girl, since she married a man whose family included several who worked for the railroad, took a sort of train ride through her life.