Back in 2019, I wrote a post, Perry County to Idaho…with a Stop in Kansas. It told the story of Richard Palisch, a local native, who spent some time in Sylvan Grove, Kansas before moving farther west to end up in Twin Falls, Idaho. Today’s post will tell of another local native who made her way through Sylvan Grove before making a move to Twin Falls. Today’s birthday girl was a Wunderlich. In another previous post, Wayfaring Wunderlichs, we discover that an older brother in this Wunderlich family made his way to Sylvan Grove. That Wunderlich man eventually returned to this area. But that is not all. Yet another post was written about another Wunderlich brother who migrated to Sylvan Grove, only to move farther west to California. That post was titled, California Wunder(lich). And if that is not enough, there was another Wunderlich brother in that same family who moved to Sylvan Grove and remained in Kansas for the rest of his life. That may have to be another story I write on this blog someday.

So, let’s begin by looking at this Wunderlich birthday girl. Emma Ottilie Wunderlich was born on November 20, 1866, so today would be her 158th birthday. Ottilie was the daughter of John and Mary (Bendel) Wunderlich. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. We can look at an image of her baptism record below.

I really tried hard this time to locate this Wunderlich family in the 1870 census, but once again failed. So, the first census entry in which I found Ottilie is the one taken in 1880. Ottilie was 14 years old, and her father was a farmer in the Shawnee Township. That was the same year that Ottilie was confirmed at Immanuel, New Wells.

It would be really helpful if we could view the 1890 census. I suspect that we would find Ottilie living in or near Sylvan Grove, Kansas. I know that it must have been about 1890 or shortly after that Ottilie would get married. So, let’s turn our attention to the man who would become her husband.

Ernest G. Thaemert was born on March 1, 1866 in Medina County in Ohio. Ernest was the son of George and Karolina (Krause) Thaemert. I am unable to determine where he was baptized. Ernest is found in his first census entry in 1870 at the age of 4. His family was living in the Liverpool Township of Medina County where his father was a farmer.

The Thaemert’s made a move prior to the 1880 census. Ernst was 14 years old in the entry below which finds his family living in Columbia Township in Kansas. That was about 15 miles south of Sylvan Grove. The last Thaemert child who was still a baby in this entry was the only Thaemert to be born in Kansas, so this family must have moved to Kansas not long before 1880. Ernst’s father was still farming.

I failed to find any documentation on the marriage of Ernest Thaemert and Ottilie Wunderlich, but it must have taken place sometime around 1890. Their first child was born in 1892. According to a family tree on Ancestry.com, Ernest and Ottilie had 10 children, but that tree included an Amalia and a Molly who were said to be both born in 1899. I think this couple had only 9 children. When the 1900 census was taken, the Thaemert’s had 5 children in their household. They were living in or near Sylvan Grove. Ernest was a farmer.

Next, we find the Thaemert’s in the 1910 census. They were still living in Sylvan Grove and had all 9 of their children listed in this entry.

At some point during the next decade, the Thaemert’s moved to Idaho. The 1920 census shows them living in the Clover Township, which is found not far from Twin Falls. There were just 4 children remaining in their household, and Ernest was still farming.

The last census in which we find Ernest and Ottilie was the one taken in 1930. These two were both in their 60’s and were living with their son, Edwin, and his family in Twin Falls. Ernest had no occupation. Edward was a laborer for the canal company. In 1905, a dam had been built on the Snake River in Twin Falls and a series of canals provided irrigation for local agriculture.

Ottilie Thaemert died in 1937 at the age of 70. Because Idaho is a state that has made their death certificates available to Ancestry.com, we are able to view the one for Ottilie below.

Ernest Thaemert died a year later in 1938 at the age of 72. We can also view his Idaho death certificate.

Ernest and Ottilie Thaemert are buried together in the Twin Falls Cemetery.

Ottilie’s father died in 1905 when several of his children were living in Sylvan Grove. Ottilie’s mother died in 1924 when the Thaemert’s were already living in Idaho. Both of her parents remained in the New Wells area throughout their lives. I cannot help but wonder if Ottilie’s parents may have traveled to Kansas to visit their children. It may have been more difficult for her mother to make the trip all the way to Idaho at a more advanced age. However, I also have to wonder if the Thaemert’s ever made their way back to Ottilie’s place of birth at some point in their lives. One must certainly think that they may have returned for the burial of her parents in New Wells. Especially when her mother died, the Wunderlich children would have had to travel from a variety of faraway places to attend her funeral.