Once upon a time in Altenburg, there was a Neubeck Store. A previous post, Dealer and Healer in Downtown Altenburg, told the story of that place of business. In that post, this advertisement for that store was included.

The owner of this store, George Neubeck, and his wife, Johanna (Grosse) Neubeck, had several children, only one of which was a boy. The boy died as a young child, so the Neubeck name from this branch of the Neubeck family tree was going to disappear. One of those daughters who lived to adulthood will be the highlighted character in today’s story. She was child #3. Emma Theresia Neubeck was born on October 9, 1874, so she would be celebrating her 150th birthday today. The first 3 children, including Emma, were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg. The remaining children were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Emma’s baptism record from the books of Immanuel is displayed below.

Emma is found in the 1880 census at the age of 5. Her father is called a merchant. The only boy, George, is one year old in this entry, but he died later in 1880.

I am going to show another photo that was in the previous post. It shows “downtown” Altenburg when the Neubeck Store was in existence. It is the white building on the right.

We have to proceed all the way to 1900 before we can view another census entry. Both of Emma’s parents died in 1898, so in this 1900 census entry, we find that Emma was the head of the household which included 2 of her younger sisters. All 3 sisters were called milliners (hat makers and sellers). Emma was 25 years old at the time.

It must have been at about this time that there was a business called Sister Neubech (notice the spelling change for this name). We have this invitation card on display at our museum.

Lulu (Louise) Neubeck married Dr. Theodore Estel in 1902. During the next decade, Emma and Antonette relocated to St. Louis. This time, Antonette is called the head of the household. These 2 sisters were still in the millinery business.

Now, we will turn our attention to the man who would become Emma’s husband. His name was Ferdinand Boss, who was born on July 19, 1867. He was the son of John and Johanna (Fehlings) Boss. Ferdinand was born in Irondale, Missouri, which is found in the mining area near Farmington. He is found in the 1870 census at the age of 4. His family was living in the Loutre Township in Montgomery County, Missouri, which is found near the city of Hermann. Ferdinand’s father was a school teacher. At this point, let me note that I have a good friend, Bill Boss, who once was a Lutheran teacher in Red Bud, Illinois. The person whose Ancestry.com family tree I used for this story also carries that name.

In the 1880 census, we find the Boss’s living in the Benton Township of Osage County. That is near the city of Linn, Missouri. This time, Ferdinand’s father was a farmer.

Ferdinand got married in 1890 to a woman named Caroline Sattler. That couple had 4 children, all boys, one of which died early. In the 1900 census, Ferdinand and his family were living in San Antonio, Texas, where Ferdinand was a fireman for the railroad.

By 1915, the Boss’s must have moved to St. Louis because that is where Caroline Boss died in 1915. I do not have documentation for it, but Ferdinand must have married Emma Neubeck prior to 1920. In that year’s census, we find Ferdinand and Emma living in Paragould, Arkansas where Ferdinand was called a trainman for the railroad. None of Ferdinand’s boys were still living with him.

Yet another move was made prior to the 1930 census. The Boss’s were living in Phoenix, Arizona when this census entry was completed. Ferdinand was the proprietor of a newsstand. Ferdinand and Emma are listed as lodgers in what might have been some sort of boarding house.

Ferdinand died in Arizona in 1939 at the age of 71. This Arizona death certificate says that his body would be taken to St. Louis for burial. His trade is listed as baggageman.

An obituary for Ferdinand was published in a Phoenix newspaper. Several other details about his life can be read here.

Another obituary was printed in a St. Louis newspaper. As in the previous image, this obituary made especial note of Ferdinand’s involvement in the Masonic Lodge.

The image above says Ferdinand was buried in the New Picker’s Cemetery, which has a different name now. I was unable to find an entry for Ferdinand in that cemetery on Findagrave.com.

Emma is still found living in Phoenix as a widow when the 1940 census was taken. She was the head of the household with no occupation and had two lodgers living with her.

Emma must have moved back to St. Louis because that is where she died in 1949 at the age of 75. This form says she was born in 1873, not 1874. Please note that the informant on this form was Miss Gladys Estel, who was living at the same address as the one given for Emma.

Emma Boss is buried in the Sunset Memorial Park in Affton, the same cemetery in which all the Mueller’s were buried that were discussed in yesterday’s post. Emma is called a beloved great aunt on this stone. I suspect that Gladys Estel was the one who had this relationship engraved on Emma’s stone.

Before I conclude this post, I want to return to the Neubeck Store. Not long back, our former museum director, Carla Grebing, and her husband, Kent, purchased the building that was once housed the Neubeck Store. They have done a marvelous job renovating it, and it now can be called a beautiful addition to downtown Altenburg.

As you might notice, this building has now been called Citizens on Main. It is given that name because later in its history, this building was used by the Citizens Electric Company. Carla has graciously provided me with a couple of photos of this building when it was housing Citizens Electric.

And here is another photo of the old Neubeck Store with the old Bank building in the background.

Also, recently the Grebing’s found some old hat stands in the attic of this building. They donated 2 of these hat stands to the museum, and they are used in our museum now to display a few old hats.

I am of the opinion that I would like to see women wearing hats like this again.