Since this blog mostly highlights the stories of Lutherans in Perry County, it is a bit unusual that today’s tale begins with the birthday of a lifelong Catholic. Albert Anton Meyer was born on September 25, 1899, so today would be his 125th birthday. Albert was the son of Hugo and Catherine (Schnurbusch) Meyer. He was almost certainly baptized at a local Catholic parish, but since we do not have many Catholic records, I am not able to say for certain which one. Albert was just a baby when he shows up in the 1900 census. He was the younngest of 6 Meyer children in this entry, and his father was a merchant in the Union Township.

Next, we find Albert in the 1910 census at the age of 10. This time, his father is called a farmer. You might notice that most of the Meyer children were boys, and several of Albert’s older brothers were helping their father on his farm.

I am going to approach today’s story a bit differently because the marriage in this case takes place so late in the characters’ lives. So, we now will take a look at the woman who would eventually become the bride. Her name was Meta Louise Deimund, who was born on August 9, 1903. Meta was the daughter of Edward and Louise (Guth) Deimund. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. Since the Immanuel, Perryville church records are now searchable on Ancestry.com, I am able to display an actual image of her baptism record.

Meta is found in the 1910 census at the age of 6. Her father was a construction worker in Perryville.

Let’s now look at what these two were doing in the next decade. When the plat map atlas was produced for Perry County in 1915, we find the Hugo Meyer land located right near the Catholic church in Apple Creek, lending credence to the likelihood that Albert’s baptism record would be found in that church’s books.

Albert had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. This document gives him a Biehle address and calls Albert a farmer.

In the 1920 census, Albert was 20 years old and helping his father with the farming.

At that time, Meta was a teenager. This time, her father was just called a laborer. You can see that most of the Deimund children were girls.

Fairly early in her life, Meta had this photograph taken.

Let’s move on to the 1930 census. First, we find Albert, at the age of 30, as the only child still living with his parents. He was still farming with his father.

Meta, at the age of 27, was called a telephone operator, and her father was a bricklayer. They were still living in Perryville.

Both Albert and Meta were still single when the 1940 census was taken. Albert is called 29 years old in this census entry, but he must have been 40. He was still working on the farm and living with his parents.

Meta was working at the shoe factory in Perryville when the 1940 census was taken. Her sister, who had married Robert Smith, and her family, were also living with the parents.

Albert had a World War II draft card completed in 1942. It says his employer was E.A. Rowden in Uniontown. He is given an Apple Creek address.

Albert Meyer married Meta Deimund on February 19, 1949. For two previously unmarried folks back in those days, these two were rather old for their first marriage. Albert was 49 years old, and Meta was 45. These two were married at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Perryville.

There were no children born to this pair. We find them in the 1950 census in which Albert is called a laborer at a baker shop, and Meta was still working at the shoe factory.

Meta Meyer died in 1971 at the age of 67. Her church death record is found in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville.

Meta’s death certificate below says she died of cancer.

Albert Meyer died in 1980 at the age of 80. He died too recently to view his death certificate. Albert and Meta are buried in separate cemeteries, indicating that each of them remained faithful to their Catholic and Lutheran faiths. Albert is buried in the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery and Meta in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, both located in Perryville.

Just yesterday, I was talking with some friends about an upcoming workshop sponsored by the Perry County Historical Society having to do with preserving gravestones. That workshop will be held at the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. Now, a day later, I have written this story about a man buried in that cemetery, which has only shown up rarely on this blog. How coincidental is that? The image below gives information about the Gravestone Preservation Workshop if you are interested in attending.

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