Our birthday boy for today is Ruhland Johann Wilhelm Starzinger, who was born on September 16, 1894. That means he would be celebrating his 130th birthday today. Even though his baptism record indicates his first name was Ruhland, he went by the name, Roland, during his life. He was the son of John and Rosa (Heiner) Starzinger. A previous post on this blog told the story of Roland’s parents…Pocahontas Starzinger – With Rose and Lena. Roland’s baptism record shown below was just the 2nd such record in the newly formed Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.

Roland is found in his first census in 1900 at the age of 4. His father was a farmer in the Shawnee Township.

Roland’s mother died in 1905, and his father then married Lena Dede in 1906. Roland was a teenager when he is found in the 1910 census. He was not living with his parents at that time. He was living with his uncle, Charles Starzinger, and called a hired man.

Roland had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. This form says Roland, at the age of 22, was farming for himself near Pocahontas.

Now, we will turn our attention to the woman who would become Roland’s bride. Her name was Marie “Bertha Emma Exler, who was born on May 12, 1895. She was mostly called Mamie during her life. She was the daughter of Fritz and Emma (Steeg) Exler. Mamie was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills. A transcription of her baptism record is pictured here.

I was not able to locate the Exler family in the 1900 census, so the only one in which I found Mamie as a single woman was the one taken in 1910. Mamie was 15 years old at the time. She was not living with her parents. She was part of the Theodore Gerlach household. Theodore’s wife was Mamie’s sister, Laura.

How Mamie Exler became acquainted with Roland Starzinger is not known to me. Roland and Mamie were married on December 15, 1918 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills. A church record for this event is shown here.

I am also able to display 2 different civil records of this couple’s marriage. First, here is the standard Missouri marriage license.

Next, we can take a look at a marriage certificate.

Our German Family Tree lists 3 children born to Roland and Mamie, all of which were baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. In the 1920 census, this couple was living with Roland’s parents, and they had their first child.

The other 2 children were born in the 1920’s, so when we take a look at their 1930 census entry, the Starzinger’s had all 3 of their children in the household.

In that same year’s census, Roland’s parents are found living in the town of Pocahontas. That was also the year that Cape Girardeau County had an atlas of plat maps produced. Just east of Pocahontas on the map below, you will see land owned by Jno. Starzinger. I figure that it was Roland that was doing the farming on that land.

The 1940 census includes just 2 children in the Starzinger household. Their teenage son was helping Roland on his farm.

Roland had a World War II draft card completed in 1942.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. The Starzinger household consisted of Roland, Mamie, and their son, Dillman’s, family.

Mamie Starzinger died in 1963 at the age of 67. This document gives her name as Emma Bertha Starzinger. She died at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Roland Starzinger died in 1965 at the age of 70. We are also able to view his death certificate.

Both Roland and Mamie Starzinger are buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Pocahontas.

This Pocahontas pair was made up of two folks who went most of their lives being called names that did not appear on their baptism record. I suppose this area is not much different than others, but I am amazed at how many of the local men and women are referred to by some sort of nickname that was pinned on them.