This post will highlight a couple that united two early families that settled in the Shawnee Township in the 1860’s and 1970’s. Yesterday’s post’s main male character was named Gustav. You will read about another Gustav today. We will begin with him, and eventually get around to our birthday girl.

Gustav Adolph Koenig was born on September 14, 1867, the son of Zacharias Lorenz and Mary (Ackermann) Koenig. Gustav was born in Germany, but he certainly did not live there long. He and his family arrived in the United States in July of 1868 when he was still a baby. His family made the voyage to this country aboard the ship, Schiller. We can see the Koenig’s on this portion of that ship’s passenger list. Gustav is called a suckling on this list.

Gustav is found in the 1870 census at the age of 3. His family would eventually make their way to the Shawnee Township, but early on, they were living in Altenburg. Gustav’s father was working on a farm.

At some point during the 1870’s, the Koenig’s moved to the Shawnee Township, which is where we find them in the 1880 census. Gustav was 12 years old in this entry.

If we could view the 1890 census, we would still find Gustav as a single man, but since we cannot view that document, we will now turn our attention to the woman who would become his wife. Her name was Marie Magdalene Tiedemann, who was born on May 29, 1874, so today would be her special 150th birthday. Mary was the daughter of Herman and Margaretha (Luehrs) Tiedemann. Mary was also a baby when she came to America. She was even younger at the time when she came than Gustav was when he came. The Tiedemann family arrived in this country in October of 1874. We see Mary’s family on this passenger list from the ship, General Werder.

The Tiedemann’s are found in the 1880 census living in the Shawnee Township. Mary was 6 years old, and her father was a farmer.

Gustav Koenig married Mary Tiedemann on January 14, 1892 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. We can take a look at the church marriage record for this couple below.

The German Family Tree lists 8 children born to this pair. The first 2 children were baptized at Immanuel, New Wells, but the rest of them were baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. We find this Koenig couple in the 1900 census with their first 3 children. Gustav and Mary were listed as being part of the household of Gustav’s father, Zacharias, who by then was a widower. Gustav was helping Zacharias on his farm.

Gustav’s father died in 1908, so we do not find him in the 1910 census. The Koenig family had gotten considerably larger during the previous decade. Gustav was farming with the help of his oldest son, Adolph.

One more child was born into this family prior to the 1920 census. The 3 oldest children in their household at this time were all girls, with the 2 youngest ones being boys.

Next, we find the Koenig’s in the 1930 census. They were living in the village of Pocahontas where Gustav was called a repairer in a harness shop. None of the Koenig children were left in their household, but Mary’s elderly father, Herman Tiedemann, was living with them.

The last census in which we find Gustav Koenig is the one taken in 1940. Gustav was repairing shoes in his harness shop in Pocahontas. Gustav’s older sister, Emma Wallmann, who was a widow, was also living with Gustav and Mary.

I am able to display this photograph of Gustav and Mary which was taken later in their lives.

Gustav Koenig died in 1945 at the age of 77. His death certificate below says he had some sort of heart problems. His business was listed as harness shop on this form.

Mary Koenig is found in the 1950 census as a widow. She was living with one of her daughters, Bertha, who had married Arthur Puchbauer. However, Arthur had died in 1945, so Bertha was also a widow. Two of Bertha’s sons were also in this household. They were living in Jackson, Missouri.

Mary Koenig died in 1958 at the age of 83. Her death certificate states that she was living in Cape Girardeau at the time of her death.

Gustav and Mary Koenig are buried together in the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Pocahontas.

I have previously written posts about some of Gustav and Mary’s children. Now, you know the story of their parents. I find it interesting that a man and a woman who both made voyages aboard sailing ships across the Atlantic Ocean as infants managed to later find each other and become husband and wife.