I know that Valentine’s Day takes place on February 14th, but today I will highlight the story of a Valentine who would be celebrating his birthday today, so I figure for him it is a Valentine’s Day of a different sort.

Valentine Bergmann was born on November 7, 1836, so today would be his 188th birthday. Valentine was the son of Valentine and Mary (Hess) Bergmann and born in Sprenklengen, Germany. When he was 21 years old, Valentine made the voyage to America aboard the ship, Havre, in 1857. His name is found on this image from that ship’s passenger list below.

In the 1860 census, Valentine is found living in the Albert Fischer household. Albert, along with Valentine and another young man were called wagon makers in the Brazeau Township.

Valentine got married shortly after the above census was taken, so we will now look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Catherine Lang, who was born on June 1, 1843. She was the daughter of Johann and Anna Marie (Fassold) Lang. Since she was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, we cannot view her baptism record. However, her information found in the Friedenberg Remembrances book says that she was born in Longtown. Catherine is found in the 1850 census at the age of 7. Her Lang family was living in the Brazeau Township where her father was a farmer.

The only other census entry in which we find Catherine unmarried was the one taken in 1860. Even though this entry says they were living in a different township, it is likely that a new township had been added in Perry County, and the Lang’s were still living on the same farm.

Valentine Bergmann married Catherine Lang on May 23, 1861 at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. We cannot look at a church marriage record, but we are able to view 2 different civil marriage records from Perry County. Here is the first one. It was Rev. Theodore Gruber who performed the wedding.

The second Perry County marriage record is shown below.

According to our German Family Tree, there were 9 children born to this couple. All of them except the last one born in 1881 were baptized at Peace, Friedenberg. The last one was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. When the 1870 census was taken, there were 4 children in the Bergmann household. Valentine was a farmer.

When Valentine and Catherine were fairly young, the photographs below were taken. Since the background is the same, it is likely that the photos were taken on the same day.

As it turns out, the last census in which we find Valentine was the one taken in 1880. Valentine was still farming.

Later in their marriage, Valentine and Catherine had this photo taken of them together.

Valentine Bergmann died in 1885 at the age of 49. I am unaware of a cause of death for him. Valentine was buried in the Peace Lutheran Cemetery in Friedenberg.

Catherine Bergmann married again in 1886. Her second husband was Henry Sonnenberg, who was from Chester, Illinois. I do not know how Catherine and Henry became acquainted. Catherine married Henry on October 10, 1886. This couple was married at Peace, Friedenberg, and we can view this Missouri marriage license for them.

Here is a photo of Henry.

In the 1900 census, we find the Sonnenberg couple living in Chester. Henry was a farmer.

Next, we find this couple in the 1910 census. Henry had no occupation listed, so we can conclude that he had retired from farming.

The last census in which we find Henry and Catherine was the one taken in 1920. These two were still living in Chester.

Henry Sonnenberg died in 1922 at the age of 87; Catherine Sonnenberg died in 1928 at the age of 85. These two are buried together in the Evergreen Cemetery in Chester.

This story which began with the birth of Valentine Bergmann in Germany. He ventured forth to Perry County, Missouri where he spent the remaining days of his life. Valentine had found a bride in Perry County, but after his death, she remarried and moved across the Mississippi River as the wife of a Sonnenberg. It is there that she died and was buried.