Today’s post will include some new names. One is a brand new surname for this blog, and the first names of the bride and groom in today’s marriage are also ones that are not that common. The only familiar name we see today is that of Muench, the surname of the bride, and she is today’s birthday girl.

Leoneta Elisabeth Caroline Muench was born on July 15, 1899, thus making today her 125th birthday. Our German Family Tree spells her first name as Leonida, but I am going to use the spelling of her name as it appears on her gravestone, Leoneta. She was the daughter of Michael and Barbara (Hoehn) Muench. Leoneta was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. We can view a transcript of her baptism record.

Leoneta is found as a baby in the 1900 census. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township of Perry County.

Next, we find Leoneta in the 1910 census. This time, her family was living in Perryville where her father was a teamster.

Now, we will turn our attention to the man who would become Leoneta’s husband. His name was Russie Oral Killough, who was born on March 21, 1893. Russie was the son of John and Hulda (Moore) Killough. He was born in Mansfield, Missouri which is located near Springfield. Russie’s mother died in 1898, so when we see him in his first census in 1900, his father was a widower with several children. Russie’s father was a farmer. A woman, Bessie Gray, was included in this household as a housekeeper. I’m sure that John needed help with the housekeeping and raising his children.

Russie’s father died in 1904, so at the age of 11, he was an orphan. I was unsuccessful at finding Russie in the 1910 census. I suppose he could have been taken in by relatives or friends, or perhaps placed in a foster home or orphanage.

When Russie had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917, he was living in St. Louis. This form says he was an inspector at a shoe factory, but it also says he was unemployed at the time.

Russie Killough married Leoneta Muench in St. Louis in 1918. I found possible dates for this marriage as April 8th or April 18th. I was unable to find any documentation for this event. What I do know is that shortly after their wedding, Russie was called to serve his country during the war. His military record below says he was inducted on July 6, 1918. He went to McArthur, Texas for training, but it does not appear that he went overseas.

I was once again unsuccessful at finding a census entry for the Killough’s in 1920. However, I found pretty definite documentation that this couple’s first and only son, John Russie Killough, was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1920.

The next census I found for Russie and Leoneta in 1930 finds them living in Pueblo, Colorado with their son. Russie was called a cobbler at a shoe shop.

In the 1940 census, the Killough’s are found living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Russie was still in the shoe business.

Russie had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. It gives him a Colorado Springs address.

In the last census we can view, the one taken in 1950, we find the Killough’s still living in Colorado, but this time they were living in Greeley. Russie and Leoneta were both in their 50’s, and they had an empty nest.

Russie died in 1966 at the age of 73. He died in Cheyenne, Wyoming at what is called a VAC. It must have been a veteran’s hospital. He is called a retired shoe repairer on this document.

Leoneta Killough died in 1984 at the age of 85. Russie and Leoneta are buried together in the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Greeley.

I will put this story in the category in which we find one lonely church record in Perry County that leads us to faraway places. When I find one of these stories, it almost always ends up teaching me more about American geography. This tale made me more familiar with cities in Colorado.