My father was born and raised in Wittenberg, so that place is very special to me. Wittenberg is now a ghost town, but at our museum, we try to keep its story alive. I remember a story that my father told. I do not know why this story has remained in my failing memory, but … More Donating and Transplanting an Organ
The tale for today begins with a baby girl being born on this date 125 years ago. Hetwig Susanna Groh was born on June 8, 1899 in Jacob, Illinois. Susanna was the daughter of Ernst and Anna (Schuessler) Groh. Both of Susanna’s parents grew up in East Perry County, Missouri, but then after her father … More Groh Girl Becomes Pastor’s Wife
Friedrich Raymond Ruehling was born on June 7, 1874, so today would be his special 150th birthday. Frederick was the son of Herman and Pauline (Petzoldt) Ruehling. He was the firstborn child and baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. An image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books is shown below. I have … More Fred and Katie – New Wells Ruehling’s
A German Lutheran surname appeared in Perry County in the 1840’s and became a rather prominent one. That surname is Wirth. I will attempt to tell the story of the Wirth man who I believe was the first one to show up here, and will also discuss his two wives. I have already written several … More The Original Wirth’s
One of the students who was part of the first class that attended the Log Cabin College in Alternburg in 1839 was a young girl named Lydia Buenger, who was called Liddy. Lydia was the daughter of Christiane Buenger, who I call Mama Buenger. She is the featured character in my book, Mama Buenger: Mother … More Another Liddy Buenger Namesake
I just cannot seem to resist a bicentennial birthday, and I found one for today. Johann George Amschler was born on June 4, 1824, so he qualifies for that distinction today. And it just so happens that I have already written a post about him and his wife, so I am republishing that story today. … More Pioneer Amschler’s Bicentennial Birthday
I do not often drift away from telling a German Lutheran story, but today, I will enter the world of our German Roman Catholic friends in Perry County. I think today’s bride and groom only managed to get into our German Family Tree because the last name of the groom is Meister. That surname has … More Henry and Emma – Highland Neighbors
I have already written a bunch of stories about Perry County natives who moved to St. Louis to spend most of their remaining lives there. In some cases, a man or a woman leaves for St. Louis prior to their marriage and finds their spouse in St. Louis. My father was such a person. There … More August Ross – St. Louis Street Car Man
I think it is the fact that we just recently remembered those who lost their lives during military service on Memorial Day that led me to tell the story of Walter Weber. This will likely be a short story because Walter was one of those men who was killed in action at a very young … More Private Walter A. Weber – Killed in Action
