With today being the Third Week in Advent, three candles will be lighted on Advent wreaths in lots of Lutheran churches. The birthday girl for today’s post is Louise Marie Mehner, who was born on December 17, 1880. If she was still alive today, she would have to blow out 143 candles on her birthday cake. Louise was the daughter of Friedrich and Elizabeth (Hillemann) Mehner. Louise was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, and since that congregation’s books were burned in a fire, we cannot view her baptism record. Louise is a bit unique. She was born during the year of a Federal census, but too late to make it into her family’s entry in the census. The 1890 census was also burned in a fire so we cannot view Louise in that census. Then, she was married as a teenager before the 1900 census, so we never see Louise in a census when she was single. If we were able to see Louise in a census, it would be quite a large entry because there were 11 children born into her Mehner family.

Louise would marry a man named Eberhardt Gustav Popp, who was born on February 23, 1879. Eberhardt was the son of George and Elizabeth (Klemp) Popp. Eberhardt was also baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Since Eberhardt was born prior to the 1880 census, we do find him in that census at the age of 1, but that is the only one in which he was unmarried. His father was a farmer in the Salem Township.

Eberhardt Popp married Louise Mehner on May 21, 1899 at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. We can view the Missouri marriage license for this couple.

I located this photo of Eberhardt Popp which was taken fairly early in his life. It is a cropped photo. Perhaps the woman we cannot see is Louise. Maybe one of our readers might have access to the complete photo.

According to our German Family Tree, Eberhardt and Louise had 7 children. Just one died at an early age. The 1900 census shows this young couple with their first baby, a boy named Ruben. Eberhardt was a farmer in the Central Township.

In 1910, we find the Popp’s with 3 children, and they were then living in the Salem Township.

In the plat maps produced for Perry County in 1915, we find the Eberhardt Popp farm located not far from Longtown. Right next to his farm was that of August Mehner, who I think was Louise’s brother. Perhaps that was the farm on which Louise grew up.

Eberhardt had his World War I draft registration completed when America entered that war. He is given a Menfro address. I found evidence that he sometimes used the spelling Everhart. That is his name and how he signed on this form.

The 1920 census shows the Popp household with 5 children. All but one of them were daughters.

Next, we find the Popp’s in the 1930 census. Their last child, another daughter, had been born in 1920. Eberhardt was being helped on his farm by his son, Ruben.

The last census in which we find Eberhardt was the one taken in 1940. At the age of 61, he was still farming. Ruben Popp had married Oneida Funke on Christmas Day in 1938. That young couple was living in this household.

Two years later, despite being in his 60’s, Eberhardt was required to complete a World War II draft card.

Later that same year, Eberhardt died at the age of 63. His death certificate is displayed below.

Louise is still found in the 1950 census living with her son, Ruben, and his wife.

Louise Popp died in 1969 at the age of 88. 

Eberhardt and Louise Popp are buried together in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Longtown.

I find it interesting that several women connected to this Popp/Mehner pair married Lutheran pastors. Louise’s sister, Emilie Mehner, married Rev. Rudolph Norden. A previous post was written about that Mehner marriage titled, A Mehner Mother Amongst a Passel of Pastors. Also, two of Eberhardt and Louise’s daughters married pastors. Their daughter, Louise, married Rev. Herbert Schaan, who was a pastor in Canada when he got married. I have no idea how a Canadian pastor became acquainted with a farmer’s daughter in Perry County. Another daughter, Hilda, married Rev. Raymond Krueger, who was the son of the pastor at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. Perry County is not only known for producing men who became full time church workers. Perry County women also often became dedicated pastor’s wives.