You will be reading the story of Henry Ziegler today. You will discover that, although he did not have a typical East Perry County surname, both of his wives did. You will also likely be amazed at some of the differences between his two wives. Let’s start with Henry.

John Henry Ziegler was born on February 12, 1869, the son of Fred and Elizabeth (Helmich) Ziegler. Henry was born in Blue Point, Illinois which is not far from Altamont. The area around Altamont is one which has been populated by a bunch of German Lutherans, similar to the vicinity of East Perry County. Henry was likely baptized at one of the area’s Lutheran churches. Then, in 1879, a church was built at Blue Point. Henry’s father was likely instrumental in building that church which is shown in the photo below.

In a short paragraph about the history of Blue Point, we find out that Henry’s father was once an operator of a store in Blue Point.

Blue Point has already appeared on this blog. For one thing, there was once a Pastor Schuricht and a Teacher Schuricht who served the Lutheran church in Blue Point at the same time. It is almost certain that Henry was a student in the school when the Schuricht’s were there.

Henry is found in the 1870 census. It says he was 2 years old, but I think he was just one.

Next, we find Henry still living in the same location when the 1880 census was taken. He was listed as being 10 years old.

Now, we need to turn our attention to the woman who would become Henry’s first wife, Josephine Christiane Weber, who was born on April 17, 1866. Josephine was the daughter of August and Catharina (Falgheder) Weber. She was born in Altenburg, Missouri and baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church. Her baptism record can be viewed here.

Josephine’s mother died in 1868 when she was just 2 years old. Her father then married Gesche Urban prior to the 1870 census. Josephine is found in the 1870 census at the age of 4. Her father was working in a flour mill in the Brazeau Township.

Josephine’s father died in 1874, so when the 1880 census was taken, her stepmother was the head of the household.

Josephine’s stepmother died in 1883, leaving Josephine as a teenager with no parents. We also enter a time period which is like a black hole because we cannot view the 1890 census. Here is what I think happened, but I have no proof. Josephine’s brother, Emanuel Weber, got married to Anna Preusser in 1890, and that couple ended up living in the Fountain Bluff Township in Illinois and attending Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. I think Josephine may have gone to live in the Jacob area also.

A big mystery in this tale is how Henry Ziegler managed to get acquainted with Josephine Weber. Maybe Henry also moved to Jacob, Illinois, but I have no evidence of that. Henry Ziegler married Josephine Weber on February 10, 1895 at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. We can take a look at the church marriage record for their wedding. This is one of those very detailed marriage records done by Rev. Estel.

According to our German Family Tree, just one daughter was born to this couple. Henry and Josephine are found in the 1900 census living in the Fountain Bluff Township with their daughter, Edna. Henry was a farmer.

The 1910 census is the last one in which we find Josephine. A GFT record says that Henry Ziegler transferred his church membership to Murphysboro in 1910. That is where we find the Ziegler’s living in this census entry. Henry was still farming.

Josephine Ziegler died in 1919 at the age of 53, leaving Henry as a widower. In the 1920 census, we find Henry living by himself and working as a house carpenter in Murphysboro. By that time, his daughter, Edna, had gotten married.

Henry would get married again, probably later in 1920. So, let’s take a look at his second wife. Her name was Martha Mathilda Rodewald, who is today’s birthday girl. Martha was born on February 22, 1899, so today would be her 125th birthday. If you have done the math, you realize that Martha was 30 years younger than Henry. She was not even alive when Henry had gotten married in 1895. Martha was the daughter of Charles and Anna (Brueckner) Rodewald. Martha’s parents had gotten married in 1898 in Farrar, Missouri and then moved to Jackson County, Illinois. Martha was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. Her baptism record is pictured here in 2 images because it stretches over 2 pages.

Martha was just an infant when we find her in the 1900 census. Her father was a farmer in the Fountain Bluff Township.

Next, we find the Rodewald’s living in the Degognia Township, also located in Jackson County, when the 1910 census was taken.

Martha was no longer living with her parents when the 1920 census was taken. She was a servant in the household of Emanuel Weber in the Fountain Bluff Township. Emanuel, if you recall, was the brother of Henry Ziegler’s first wife, Josephine. This is likely how Henry became acquainted with Martha.

I was unable to find documentation for the wedding of Henry Ziegler and Martha Rodewald, but a later newspaper article mentions that they were married in 1920. Family trees on Ancestry.com list 7 children born to Henry and Martha. If I have it figured correctly, Henry was 68 years old when Martha gave birth to their last child. We find Henry and Martha in the 1930 census with 5 children. Let me add that if Henry’s daughter, Edna, from his first marriage would have still lived in his household, she would have been older than Martha, his second wife.

The 1940 census for the Ziegler’s includes all 7 of the children born to Henry and Martha.

Henry Ziegler died in 1946 at the age of 77. Since I was unable to locate Martha and her remaining children in the 1950 census, I have to bring this story to an end here. Martha Ziegler died in 1966 at the age of 67. Henry and his two wives are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery outside Murphysboro. I think Josephine’s birth year is mistakenly given as 1867. She was born in 1866.

Today’s post may include a record for this blog. If you look at the birth years of Josephine (1866) and Martha (1899), the age difference between Henry’s two wives was 33 years. I know I have written stories about men who had 2 wives with age differences of 20+ years, but I don’t think I have written a story in which there was a 30+ years difference between 2 wives. I find it amazing.