One of my reasons for choosing today’s birthday girl is that an unexpected guest walked through the doors of our museum a few days ago. His surname was Winter, and his father and I taught in nearby schools in Memphis several years ago. His Winter family tree includes some Winter’s who have appeared on this blog before. So, when I found Laura Winter, who was born on April 3rd, and is also connected to that Winter family tree, I could not resist telling her story.

Let me set the scene first. Included in the Gesellschaft that arrived in Perry County in 1839 was Johann F.F. Winter who was the first teacher at Trinity Lutheran School in Altenburg. Teacher Winter never married, so he had no descendants. However, in the 1850’s, at least 2 of Teacher Winter’s nephews came to America and settled in Perry County. Those nephews got married, had families, and have plenty of descendants. I know that some of those descendants became Lutheran teachers because I taught with or near two of them during my career. Our recent guest came from one of those nephews, and today’s birthday girls comes from the other one.

Laura Emma Winter was born on April 3, 1889, making today her 135th birthday. Laura was called Lulu on some documents, but I am going to call her Laura. She was the 4th child of 5 that are listed in our German Family Tree born to Gottfried and Selma (Thomas) Winter. All of the Winter children from this family were baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. Laura’s baptism record is displayed below.

When Laura can be viewed in her first census in 1900, she was 11 years old. Her father was a farmer in the Hubble Township of Cape Girardeau County.

The only other census in which we find Laura unmarried was the one taken in 1910. This time, the Winter family was living in the city of Jackson, Missouri, and her father was called a laborer for a hauling company.

Now, we will turn our attention to the man who would become Laura’s husband. His name was William Hohler, who was born on October 16, 1893. William was the son of Frank and Minnie (Heider) Hohler. I do not know where William was baptized. He is not included in our German Family Tree. In his first census entry, his family was living in the Byrd Township of Cape Girardeau, which is where Jackson is located. William was 7 years old, and his father was a farm laborer.

Next, we find William in the 1910 census as a teenager. The Hohler family was living in Jackson where William’s father and 2 of his uncles were working at a saw mill.

In 1917, William had his World War I draft registration completed. It said that William was working on the J.W. Schuette farm in Whitewater.

Even before World War I broke out, William enlisted in the Missouri National Guard. An enlistment form for him that was completed in 1916 is pictured here. It also states that he was working on the Schuette farm.

William did go off to serve during World War I. His military record below indicates that he was severely injured in September of 1918.

William Hohler married Laura Winter on May 19, 1919. The Missouri marriage license for this couple is shown below. They were married by a justice of the peace.

I found no evidence that William and Laura had any children. In the 1920 census, these newlyweds were living in Jackson where William was a day laborer.

The 1930 census indicates that William was working for the railroad.

In the 1940 census, it says William was doing home chores. I cannot help but wonder if the injuries William got during the war may have had an impact on his ability to work and have children, but that is just speculation on my part.

William had a World War II draft card completed in 1942. It says his employer was the Missouri Pacific Railroad in Jackson.

The last census the public is permitted to view is the one taken in 1950. William is called a laborer for the city power and light company.

Laura Hohler died in 1959 at the age of 70. Her death certificate below says she died at the St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

William Hohler died in 1968 at the age of 74. His death certificate says he was a railroad section hand during his life.

William and Laura Hohler are each buried in the Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

There would be no more Winter descendants to come from this branch of the Winter family tree. There were no descendants to come from the Teacher Winter branch either. However, that does not mean that the Winter family tree is a small one. There were plenty of Winter descendants from the other branches. In closing, let me display to you a plaque that can be seen on the building that once housed the Concordia-Trinity Lutheran School in Altenburg. It recognizes the service of Teacher Winter, the first Lutheran teacher in Perry County.