Erwin Heinrich George Ochs is today’s birthday boy. He was born 125 years ago on April 10, 1899. Erwin, sometimes called Ervin or even Irvin, was the son of Adolph and Rosetta (Elbrecht) Ochs. He was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we cannot view an image of his baptism record. Erwin is found in the 1900 census at the age of 1. Erwin’s father was a farmer in the Central Township.

Next, we find Erwin in the 1910 census at the age of 11. What makes this census entry interesting is that Erwin’s future bride is found in the Meyer household listed right below the Ochs household. I have highlighted both Erwin Ochs and Stella Meyer in the image below.

In the plat maps produced in 1915, we see that the Adolph Ochs farm is right next to the Emmett Meyer farm. They were both in the vicinity of Perryville and Friedenberg.

Erwin had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. It states that he was working for his father on his farm.

Erwin would get married in 1920, but the census for that year was taken prior to his wedding. He was 20 years old and working on his father’s farm.

Now we will take a look at Stella Ochs, who was born on May 23, 1902. Stella was the oldest child of Emmett and Rosa (Knoll) Meyer. I located a photo of Stella’s parents.

Stella was also baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. She shows up in her first census in 1910 at the age of 7. It is the same entry that was shown earlier for Erwin. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township.

All 6 of the children in the Meyer family were girls. We have this photograph of 5 of those sisters that was taken rather early in Stella’s life. I think the youngest girl in this picture was born in 1911. Stella, the oldest, is standing in the back.

It is a bit surprising to me that Erwin was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown, but Stella was confirmed to Peace, Friedenberg. I am able to display Stella’s confirmation photo.

In 1920, Stella was 17 years old and still living with her parents.

Despite the fact that both Erwin and Stella were both living in Perry County during 1920, they were married in St. Louis on November 22, 1920. The St. Louis marriage record below says the wedding was conducted by Rev. R. Kretzschmar, who was the pastor at Emmaus Lutheran Church at the time.

I was able to locate this photo of Erwin and Stella.

Based on future census entries, I think this Ochs couple had 2 children. I located a 1926 city directory for Albuquerque, New Mexico that includes both Erwin and Stella. Erwin was called a farmer, and Stella was a waitress. Stella should not have been called a “Miss”.

In the 1930 census, we discover that this couple had relocated to Denver, Colorado. Erwin was a driver for a laundry company. This couple had no children yet, but 2 of Stella’s sisters were living with them.

When the 1940 census was taken, the Ochs family was living in Maple Grove, Colorado, which is near Denver. Erwin was a farmer. This couple still had no children.

The 1950 census still has this pair living in Maple Grove, but this time, there are 2 children listed in their household, both born in the previous decade. Erwin was still farming at the age of 51.

I do not know when this couple moved back to St. Louis, but that is where they both died. Erwin Ochs died in 1976 at the age of 77; Stella Ochs died in 1986 at the age of 83. Both died too recently to view their Missouri death certificates. Each of them has an entry on Findagrave.com for the Oak Grove Cemetery in St. Louis, but neither one has a gravestone photo.

Erwin and Stella’s story began very close to home for both of them. They might have even walked to school together when they were young. However, they managed to venture forth to distant states, only to return back to their home state in the end.