Julius Gotthilf Poppitz had quite an unusual childhood. His mother died before he was even 3 years old. Right after he turned 3, he got a new stepmother. When he was about 7 years old, his stepmother died. At the age of 8, he got his second stepmother. Then when he was just 9, his father died. And if that isn’t enough, when he was just 11 years old, he was being raised in another household.

Gotthilf’s baptism record from Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg says he was born on July 29, 1849, which would mean that today is his 175th birthday. Gotthilf was the son of August Wilhelm and Justine (Schmidt) Poppitz. He was born in the Seelitz community. An image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books is shown here. A translation of this record says he was baptized at home.

I did not check the Trinity books for evidence, but this must have been one of the last, if not the last, baptisms to be done by Rev. Gotthold Loeber. This baptism took place on July 31st, and Pastor Loeber died on August 19th.

Gotthilf is found at the age of 1 in the 1850 census. His grandfather Johann Christian Poppitz, was the head of this household. His grandfather was called a farmer, and his father is called a laborer.

As said before, a lot happened in Gotthilf’s family during the next decade. Both of his parents died, and his father’s third wife was a widow with children from her husband’s 3 different wives. In the 1860 census, His stepmother, Caroline (Metzner) Poppitz was living in Altenburg with 3 children. Each child in this entry was from a different mother. You will also notice that Gotthilf is not in this entry.

Gotthilf is found in that year’s census living with the Johann Traugott Schlimpert family in Seelitz. Rosina Schlimpert was a Poppitz and Gotthilf’s aunt. Gotthilf was 11 years old at the time.

In 1864, Gotthilf was confirmed at Trinity, Altenburg. It is at this point that we see the beginning of a debate about Gotthilf’s birthday. The birthdays of each confirmand are given in this record, and we see that Gotthilf’s birthday is first given as July 4, 1849, but the 4 is crossed out and replaced with a 29. We are presented with more evidence of confusion at the time of his death when we see a birthday of July 4, 1849 on both his death certificate and etched on his gravestone. Regardless of whether Gotthilf was born on July 4th or July 29th, you are reading his story today.

I was unsuccessful at finding Gotthilf in the 1870 census, but I did find him in an 1872 St. Louis city directory. It says he was a cabinet maker. I will also state at this time that there was also a young man named Traugott Kluegel in this city directory. Traugott was born in Perry County in 1848 and confirmed the year before Gotthilf. Gotthilf and Traugott undoubtedly knew each other well during their childhood.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Gotthilf’s bride. Her name was Pauline Caroline Pechmann, who was born on September 7, 1852. Pauline was the daughter of William and Maria (Seelen) Pechmann. She was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis. Her baptism record is pictured here.

Pauline is found in the 1860 census at the age of 8. Her father operated a china and glassware store in St. Louis.

Next, we find Pauline in the 1870 census as a teenager. Her father had the same business, and Pauline, along with her older sister, were workers in a book binding company.

Gotthilf Poppitz married Pauline Pechmann on October 3, 1875 at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis. We can take a look at the church record for this event.

In an 1878 St. Louis city directory, we see Gotthilf as part of a business known as Kluegel & Poppitz. He and Traugott Kluegel had gone into a furniture business together.

We find 7 children born to Gotthilf and Pauline who were baptized at Trinity, St. Louis. When the 1880 census was taken, we find 2 children in their family. Included in their household was Traugott Kuegel and some other tradesmen. Gotthilf and Traugott are each called furniture dealers.

By the time of the 1900 census, we find 4 children in the Poppitz household. A few of their teenage children were in the work force. Gotthilf is still called a furniture dealer.

In a 1903 St. Louis city directory, we see another name has been added to Gotthilf’s business. We also see the name, Kirchhoff.

The 1910 census shows 3 children still living with their parents. Gotthilf was in the same type of business.

In a 1917 city directory, we no longer see the name Kluegel in business with Gotthilf. We see the business called Poppitz, Kirchhoff & Gausch. In a 1920 census, we see that Traugott Kluegel had started a wagon making business of his own.

The last census in which we find Gotthilf is the one taken in 1920. Gotthilf was still in the furniture business.

Gotthilf Poppitz died later in 1920 at the age of 71. Cancer of the stomach is given as his cause of death on the document below. This form says Gotthilf was born on the 4th of July.

I was unable to locate Pauline in the 1930 census. She is found as a widow in the 1940 census. She was living with her single son, William, who was working as a druggist.

Pauline Poppitz died in 1943 at the age of 91. We can also view her death certificate.

Gotthilf and Pauline Poppitz are buried together in the Concordia Cemetery in St. Louis.

After a rather traumatic childhood, Gotthilf Poppitz managed to learn the furniture trade and went into business with his boyhood acquaintance, Traugottt Kluegel. Although I did not mention it earlier, Gotthilf and Pauline had a set of twins in 1879. That was not the only set of twins to be found in the Poppitz family tree. A previous post titled, Poppitz Pairs, told the story about how Ernst and Mallinda Poppitz had 2 sets of twins. Twins must be in the Poppitz genes.