I consider the highlight of today’s post will be noted at the very end of this article. I made one of those occasional trips to the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery here in Altenburg this morning in hopes of locating a gravestone that is not included on the Findagrave.com site for this cemetery. Often on such excursions, I leave disappointed, but not this morning. I will be displaying the photo of a gravestone later that will give our friend, Diane “Miss Findagrave” Anderson a job to do. I have confidence that Diane will add this gravestone with the associated information about the person buried there to Findagrave.com. I get satisfaction from doing my little part to adding to sources such as this so future people who are researching this family can tell their ancestor’s story more completely.

One of the highlighted characters in today’s story is Franz (Francis) Friedrich Walther, who was born on February 18, 1845 in Germany. Franz was the son of Johann Gottlieb and Christiane Sophia (Martin) Walther. The Walther family came to America aboard the ship, Diana, in 1851. Their family is listed (incorrectly spelled as Walder) right above the Heinrich Oehlert family, as is seen in the passenger list below. Franz is listed as being 6 years old.

Here is what is interesting about the Walther’s and the Oehlert’s. Heinrich Oehlert’s wife was Christiane nee Walther Oehlert. Our German Family Tree lists Christiane as an older sister of Franz Walther, but I think that is incorrect. In the German marriage record for Heinrich and Christiane shown below, it says Christiane’s mother was not Martin, but Dietzmann.

Having said that, I think the fact that the Walther’s and Oehlert’s are shown on this passenger list together, along with the fact that they both settled in Perry County, is evidence that Franz Walther and Heinrich Oehlert’s wife, Christiane, were related somehow.

Franz is found in the 1860 census at the age of 15. He is given the name, Friedrich, and his family’s surname is once again given as Walder. Franz was a laborer on his father’s farm in the Brazeau Township.

During the Civil War, Franz served in the Union Army. A record of his military service is pictured below.

Next, we find Franz in the 1870 census. Franz (called Francis) was still single and living with his parents at the age of 24.

Now, we will turn our attention to the woman who would become Franz’s wife. Her name was Maria Weseloh, who was born in Germany on February 22, 1847. We are able to view her German baptism record below. This document says she was the daughter of Heinrich and Dorothea (Schulermann) Weseloh.

Most of the Weseloh’s listed in our German Family Tree have their church records in the books of Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois. Perhaps Maria is related somehow to those Weseloh’s, but I cannot document it.

Maria travelled to America by herself aboard the ship, Holsatia, in 1870.

Franz Walther married Maria Weseloh on November 21, 1872, so today would be this couple’s 151st wedding anniversary. This pair was married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg, but the wedding took place during the time we find the marriage version of the Koestering Hole. However, we are able to view a Perry County civil record of this marriage.

Our German Family Tree lists 9 children born to this couple. Not all of them lived to adulthood. In the 1880 census, we find the Walther household with 4 children. The head of the household was Franz’s father. Also in the household was Franz’s younger brother, Herman, who was the operator of the Walther Store that has been mentioned several times on this blog before. Franz is not given an occupation on this entry.

That census entry would be the last one in which we find Franz. He died in 1898 at the age of 53. That left Maria as a widow with quite a few children still living with her. The 1900 census shows 4 children still living with their mother. A farm worker named Rudy Lohmann was also in this household.

Next, we find Maria in the 1910 census. She was living with her son, Henry, and his family.

I was unable to find Maria in the 1920 census even though I know she was still living. I even think she was still living with her son, Henry, but I was unable to find Henry’s household in that year’s census either. Maria Walther died in 1925 at the age of 77. Her death certificate shown here says she died of liver cancer.

Both Franz and Maria Walther are buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Altenburg. The first photo on the left displays a close up of the gravestone I found this morning for Franz. It definitely contains the name Walther. Also, his grave site is found between two people who are listed before and after him in the Trinity Lutheran Church death records. The evidence is very clear that the middle photo is indeed Franz’s gravestone.

So, Diane, I am blessing you with more work to do today (or whenever you find the time).