Every once in a while, I run across a person who never married when I am searching for a story to write. I have discovered that, when I do, I sometimes find a sibling of that person who also remained unmarried for a lifetime. I find it interesting that so often these unmarried siblings end up living their entire lifetimes together. Today goes one step further. I found a situation in which there were 3 unmarried siblings, two men and one woman, who are found in the same census entries from cradle to grave. I am going to begin with the oldest of the three, who happens to be today’s birthday boy.

All three of these siblings are found in the family of Friedrich (Fritz) and Mary (Lintner) Bergmann. Alvin Heinrich Bergmann was born on March 30, 1887, so today would be his 137th birthday. He was the oldest child in this family. All of this family’s church records are found in the books of Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so I am unable to display any of them. Because we are also unable to view the 1890 census, all 4 of the children of Fritz and Mary would be born before we can view them in their first census entry in 1900.

The second child in this family, another son named Louis John Bergmann, was born on June 24, 1890. Next, Augusta Anna Barbara Bergmann was born on April 15, 1893. Augusta would be the only child in this Bergmann family who would get married. The last child, a girl named Esther Emma Katherine Bergmann, was born on April 29, 1897. So, when the 1900 census was taken, we find the Bergmann household shown in the image below. In addition to the Bergmann’s, there were two young men, Roy Barber and Otto Lintner, living with them and helping Fritz on his farm in the Central Township.

A later plat map produced in 1915, shows the location of the Fritz Bergmann farm. It was found in the neighborhood of Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, not far from Perryville.

The 1910 census shows just the members of the Bergmann family. Alvin and his father were working the farm according to this entry.

Both Alvin and Louis were required to complete World War I draft registrations in 1917. First, here is the one for Alvin.

Here is Louis’s registration form. Both he and his brother, Alvin, said they were farming for themselves on these forms, even though I think they were farming together with their father.

Louis did get drafted into the military for that war, but his record below indicates that he did not go overseas.

When the 1920 census was taken, we see the Bergmann’s entry below. Augusta is no longer in the household because she had gotten married. Alvin, Louis, and Esther were 32, 29, and 21 years old at this time.

The 1930 census would be the last one in which we find the parents, Fritz and Mary. Fritz was 69 years old and no longer farming. Alvin and Louis were doing that work.

Fritz and Mary died in the 1930’s, leaving the 3 single siblings in the Bergmann household in 1940. Esther is called the housekeeper.

When World War II broke out, once again, both Alvin and Louis were required to complete draft cards. Here is the one for Alvin.

Now, here is the one for Louis.

Esther’s name is given on both of these forms as the person who will always know your address.

One more census entry including these 3 siblings, the one taken in 1950, can be viewed by the public.

Despite being the youngest of the Bergmann’s, Esther was the first to die. She died in 1959 at the age of 62. If I read her death certificate correctly, she died of breast cancer at the Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville.

Alvin and Louis both died in the 1970’s. Alvin died in 1973 at the age of 86. His death certificate says he died at the Sunrise Retirement Home in Perryville.

Louis died a year later in 1974 at the age of 84. Perhaps next year, we will be able to view his death certificate, but as of now, the public can only view Missouri death certificates up until 1973. I wonder if Louis was also a resident at the Sunrise Retirement Home. Perhaps he and his brother, Alvin, shared a room at that facility.

All 3 of the single Bergmann’s are buried in the Peace Lutheran Cemetery in Friedenberg. The 2 brothers share the same gravestone, and Esther has her own.

I cannot help but think that Alvin and Louis must have felt lost once their sister, Esther, died. Esther was the housekeeper and cook for these 2 bachelors for a lot of years. When she died, Alvin was 72 and Louis was 69. Could these older men be able to learn how to cook for themselves and be disciplined enough to keep a house clean? I would be curious to take a look at the 1960 census to see if these two bachelors were still living on the farm, or if they had moved to the retirement home in Perryville right away.