A wedding took place on this day 150 years ago, and I will be telling the story of that bride and groom today. Because the wedding took place at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg and both the bride and groom were each baptized at that congregation, I will not be able to display any church records for this story. That is because Peace Lutheran’s church records were destroyed in a fire. I will begin with the groom.

Christian Ochs was born on March 28, 1847, the son of Conrad and Catherine (Kaiser) Ochs. Christian was the 5th and last child in his family. As I said, Christian was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. He is found in the 1850 census at the age of 2. Christian’s father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

Next, we find Christian in the 1860 census. He was 13 years old at the time, and his family was living in the Cinque Hommes Township. I do not think that necessarily means that the Ochs family had moved, but new townships were added in the previous decade.

I found evidence that Christian’s 3 older brothers served in the Union Army during the Civil War, but Christian was probably just a bit too young to serve. Christian is found in one more census entry as a single man in 1870. His mother had died in 1860, and his father is found living with Christian’s older brother, Henry in 1870. Christian, on the other hand, was living in the household of his brother, Michael Ochs, who had married Ellen Meyer. Christian was helping his brother on his farm.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Christian’s bride. Her name was Marie Kunigunda Knoll, who was born on October 29, 1853. Mary, as she was called during her life, was the daughter of John Michael and Anna (Amschler) Knoll. Like Christian, she was baptized at Peace, Friedenberg. Mary is found in the 1860 census at the age of 7. Her father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

In the 1870 census, we find a good reason that Mary Knoll and Christian Ochs became a couple. The Knoll family can be found just above the Michael Ochs household, including Christian. The Knoll’s and the Ochs’s were neighbors.

Christian Ochs married Mary Knoll on October 14, 1874, thus making today their 150th wedding anniversary. They were married at Peace, Friedenberg by Rev. Voigt. We can view a civil marriage record for this couple from Perry County. This record includes some other couples who were married at that congregation by Rev. Voigt.

According to our German Family Tree, this couple had 4 children, all of which were baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. All of these children lived to adulthood. When the 1880 census was taken, there were 3 children in the Ochs household. Christian was a farmer in the Central Township.

The next census we can view for the Ochs’s is the one taken in 1900. All 4 of their children are found in this entry. Mary’s widowed mother was also living with them.

Mary Ochs died in 1903 at the age of 49. She died prior to Missouri keeping death certificates, but we can take a look at a short article that was published in the Perry County Republican concerning Mary’s death. Even though the article is very short, the newspaper displayed it in two columns, so I have to display it here in two images that you may have to click to enlarge.

Christian Ochs is found in the 1910 census as a widower. Two unmarried children were still living with him. His son was helping Christian on his farm, and his daughter is called the housekeeper.

In 1915, plat maps were produced for Perry County. Christian’s farm is located outside Perryville where the Friedenberg community existed. This map also displays the fact that Michael Ochs and Michael Knoll were indeed neighbors, having adjacent properties not far east of Christian’s farm.

The 1920 census was the last one in which we find Christian. This time there were 3 unmarried children living with their father. All 3 of those children never married. I might have to tell their stories in a future blog post.

Christian Ochs died in 1924 at the age of 77. We can view his death certificate below.

An obituary for Christian also appeared in the Perry County Republican.

Both Christian and Mary Ochs are buried in the Peace Lutheran Cemetery in Friedenberg.

I will add that later on, all of Christian and Mary’s children were buried in this same cemetery. Also, if you look at the next census taken in 1930, you will find the 3 unmarried children still living in the same household and likely living on the same farm on which they were born and raised.

The wedding of an Ochs and a Knoll united two very prominent names from the Friedenberg congregation. I referred in the title to this being on OK couple, but I actually think they were much better than OK.