Hugo Heinrich Theodore Ruehling would be celebrating a special birthday today…his 125th. Hugo was born on March 1, 1899, the son of Henry and Christiana (Walther) Ruehling. Hugo was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, Missouri. His baptism from that church’s records is pictured here.

Hugo was just an infant when the 1900 census was taken. The Ruehling’s had their first 2 sons in their household. Henry and Christiana had 5 consecutive sons followed by their lone daughter. Hugo’s father was a farmer in the Shawnee Township.

Next, we find the Ruehling’s in the 1910 census. In this entry, you can see the 5 Ruehling sons. Hugo was 11 years old at the time. Hugo would get confirmed at Zion, Pocahontas 3 years later in 1913.

In 1918, Hugo had his World War I draft registration completed, and we find him living in Cuming County, Nebraska. I have previously included several such World War I draft registrations for young men from this area who spent time in that area of Nebraska during those years. They would find work and end up registering for the draft there. Some would come back, and some would stay. Hugo was farm hand for Charley Jugel in Bancroft, Nebraska.

Hugo was one of those young men who returned home at a later time. In the 1920 census, we find him once again living with his parents in Pocahontas. All 6 of the Ruehling children are included in this entry. Hugo was helping his father with the farming.

Hugo was one of those men who did not get married at a young age. He also was one who did not always stay at home and live with his parents. When the 1930 census was taken, he was living in Towner, Colorado and farming with his partner, Ervin Pfeiffer, another Pocahontas personality.

In a 1931 article published in a Jefferson County, Missouri newspaper, it described an automobile/bus crash that involved Hugo Ruehling.

Both Hugo and Ervin returned to Missouri before the next census. In the case of Ervin, he got married in 1935 in Perryville and became a farmer in the Shawnee Township. Hugo returned also, and in the 1940 census, he was still single and living with his parents.

Now, we will turn our attention to the woman that would become Hugo’s wife. Her name was Hilda Koeberl, who was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1913. That means she was about 14 years younger than Hugo. Hilda was the daughter of Andrew and Ida (Wallmann) Koeberl. The Koeberl’s were members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, so I am unable to display an actual image of her baptism record from that church’s books. We do have a binder with information found in that congregation’s records. Below is the information concerning Hilda.

Hilda is found in her first census in 1920 at the age of 6. It is in this census entry that we find the first evidence indicating how Hugo got to know Hilda. Right below the Koeberl household, you will see that of Hugo Ruehling’s family. That Ruehling household was was shown earlier in this post. Like Hugo’s father, Hilda’s father was a farmer in the Shawnee Township.

When the 1930 census was taken, at the same time when Hugo was farming in Colorado, Hilda was a teenager in Pocahontas.

Next, we find the 26 year-old Hilda still living with her parents and still single when we find her in the 1940 census. And once again, we see her parents’ entry just above the Ruehling household which included the 41 year-old Hugo.

The plat maps for Cape Girardeau that were produced in 1930 show just how close the Ruehling farm was to the Koeberl. farm. They were indeed next-door rural neighbors.

Hugo Ruehling married Hilda Koeberl on January 25, 1942 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. The Missouri marriage license for this pair is shown below.

There is a note in the St. John’s information about Hilda shown earlier that says Hilda transferred her membership to Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas in the same year as her marriage. Also, during that same year, Hugo was required to complete a World War II draft card. His new wife’s name appears on that form.

The only census entry we can view that has Hugo and Hilda as a married couple is the one taken in 1950. The Ruehling’s were living with Hugo’s parents, and had two children. As far as I know, these were their only two children.

At some point in time when she was older, Hilda had this photo taken.

Hugo Ruehling died in 1974 at the age of 75; Hilda Ruehling died in 2008 at the age of 94. These two are each buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Pocahontas.

Hugo spent much of his life living very near to the woman who would become his bride, although he resided in two other states at times in his life. Hilda lived all her life in Pocahontas and was aware that Hugo had left to live elsewhere on occasion. Then, it was likely that Hilda just got married, hopped the fence to live in her neighbor’s house. She then raised her family with her parents enjoying the opportunity to have a few of their grandchildren conveniently nearby. As Mr. Rogers used to say, it was all a “beautiful day in the neighborhood”.