In a previous post, Meister Klempners, the story was told of some Meister’s who had migrated to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. A few of these Meister’s established a plumbing business there. Today, you will read another story of a Meister and his bride migrating to that same city. What makes this story a bit challenging is that today’s Meister has no connection to the other Ft. Smith Meister’s in our German Family Tree. That does not mean that their is no connection. I will present evidence that these Meister’s could very well be related to the main character in today’s post.

Herman Meister was born on June 6, 1857 in Goßnitz, Germany. Herman was the son of Herman and Christine (Adler) Meister. Herman’s parents came to America in 1880 on the ship, Main. Two different census entries say that Herman came to this country in 1880 also, but he must have come on a different ship. Herman’s father is found living in Perryville in 1900 and later found living with another of his sons in Leavenworth, Kansas, which is where he died.

Today’s main character, Herman, on the other hand, must have at some point lived in or near the Shawnee Township of northern Cape Girardeau County. He would get married before we can see him in a census entry, so we will now look at the woman who would become his bride.

Martha Wilhelmina Lydia Bruhl was born on January 19, 1866. Martha was the daughter of Frank and Wilhelmine (Guenther) Bruhl. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. We can view an image of her baptism record below.

Martha’s mother must have died prior to the 1870 census, and her father may have felt that he could not care for Martha. We find Martha living with August Guenther in that year’s census. August was likely Martha’s grandfather. I find it hard to understand that a 63 year old man who appears to have lost his wife would be better equipped to raise Martha. Perhaps it was determined that the 15 year-old daughter of August, Anna, would be better suited to raising the 5 year-old Martha.

If I have this figured correctly, Frank Bruhl would marry 4 more times during his life. When the 1880 census was taken, Martha was back living with her father and his 4th wife, Maria Landl. Her father was a carpenter in the Shawnee Township.

Herman Meister married Martha Bruhl on March 20, 1884, making today this couple’s 140th wedding anniversary. These two were married at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. The church record for that event is pictured here.

We can also view this pair’s Missouri marriage license.

According to family trees on Ancestry.com and later census entries, this couple’s 1st child was born later in 1884, but that child’s baptism record is not found in our German Family Tree. Another child, a daughter named Hedwig, was born in 1887 and baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. A birth record for their 3rd child indicates that he was born in Cape Girardeau in 1888.

It must have been around 1890 that Herman and Martha moved their family to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Another Meister child was born in Arkansas in 1891. I am thinking that Herman may have been the first Meister to show up in Ft. Smith. The Meister family that was discussed in the previous post that I mentioned says that the family of Anton Meister moved to Barry County, Missouri just prior to 1900. Then some of Anton’s sons moved later to Ft. Smith. I think this is evidence that Herman Meister was related to Anton.

The 1900 census shows the Meister household with 5 children. He was called a stationary engineer. That was a term used for men who operated the machinery in a factory or shop.

Next, we find the Meister’s in the 1910 census. Their household contains quite a collection of family members. It included their daughter, Hedwig (Hattie), who had married Victor Plante, and a few of Herman and Martha’s grandchildren. Herman had the same job.

A 1910 city directory for Ft. Smith lists several people with the surname, Meister. Some of them are the Meister’s that had come from Barry County. Albert, Arthur, and Benjamin are sons of Herman and Martha. There are 2 Ben’s in this directory. The other one who was a plumber was a son of Anton Meister from Barry County. Tony Meister was named after his father, Anton. I think this is more evidence that all of these Meister’s were related. What else would explain that these Meister’s who had roots back in our area ended up all living in Ft. Smith. I don’t think it was coincidence.

The Herman Meister household is then found in the 1920 census. Three children and 2 grandchildren were listed in this entry.

Martha Meister died in 1924 at the age of 57. Arkansas makes death certificates available on Ancestry.com, so I can show you hers. It says she died of cancer of the liver and pancreas..

Herman is still found in the 1930 census. At the age of 72, Herman no longer had an occupation. A son and a grandson were truckers.

Herman Meister died in 1938 at the age of 81. We can also view his Arkansas death certificate. This document says he was a stationary engineer at an iron works.

Both Herman and Martha Meister are buried in the Oak Cemetery in Ft. Smith. They each have an entry on Findagrave.com, but neither one has a gravestone photo.

I have to admit that I think all of these Meister’s, if they remained Lutheran, would have been members of First Lutheran Church in Ft. Smith, which was founded in 1843. That congregation has a long and rich history.