Flora Hermine Thekla Meyer is today’s birthday girl. She was born on June 25, 1896, so if she was still alive today and her family threw her a party, she would have to blow out 128 candles on her birthday cake. Flora was the daughter of John and Clara (Guemmer) Meyer and baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. That means she was baptized by her grandfather, Rev. Henry Guemmer, who was the pastor of Peace Lutheran at that time. Flora is found in the 1900 census at the age of 4. She was the firstbon child in this Meyer family. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township.

Next, we find Flora in the 1910 census as a teenager. Since he had only one son who was still in school, John, Flora’s father, had a few young hired hands to help him on his farm.

Flora would get married before the 1920 census, so we will now take a look at the man who would become her husband. His name was Theodore Arthur Mecker, who was born on February 20, 1896, the son of Jacob and Caroline (Weinrich) Mecker. He was the 6th of 9 children born into this Mecker family. Theodore was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. A transcription of his baptism record is shown here.

Theodore is found in the 1900 census at the age of 4. There were 7 Mecker children in this household at that time. Theodore’s father was a farmer in the Central Township. There were also 2 boarders in this entry, one a farm laborer and one a servant.

In the 1910 census, Theodore was a teenager. He was not called a farm laborer, but I suspect he was helping his father on his farm. His other older siblings were all girls.

Theodore had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. His address was given as Perryville, and he was called an automobile driver for Fred Mecker. Our German Family Tree does not establish how Fred was related to Theodore, but I was able to determine that Fred was about 10 years older than Theodore, so I’m thinking that they were cousins.

Theodore was called into service during that war and did spend some time overseas. A record of his military service is pictured here.

According to the above form, Theodore returned from Europe in March of 1919. Theodore Mecker married Flora Meyer about 8 months later on November 23, 1919. These two were married at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Flora’s grandfather had died in 1912, so he was no longer the pastor at Peace. Below is an image of this couple’s Missouri marriage license.

Our German Family Tree lists just 2 children born to Theodore and Flora, but I think this couple had 4 children. All of them were girls. No children were born yet when the 1920 census was compiled. Theodore was a farmer in the Bois Brule Township.

The 1930 census shows the Mecker’s living in the Central Township. There were 4 daughters in the household, along with Theodore’s widowed father.

Next, we find the Mecker household in the 1940 census. Their youngest daughter, Dorothy, had died in 1937 at the age of 8 as a result of appendicitis. So, in this entry, we find just 3 daughters.

Theodore had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. This form says Theodore was unemployed.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. It says that Theodore and Flora, both at the age of 54, were doing chores on a farm.

Theodore Mecker died in 1963 at the age of 67. We are able to view his death certificate. It says Theodore died of congestive heart failure. It also says Theodore was a clerk at the Fassold Feed Company in Perryville.

A photo was taken of Flora Mecker later in her life.

Flora Mecker died in 1982 at the age of 87. We are unable to view her death certificate. Theodore and Flora are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

At some point in time, in a family photo of Flora’s Meyer family was taken. It includes both Theodore and Flora. It is the only photo I located that includes the both of them. The caption identifies all the people in the picture.