Ernst Theobald Telle is today’s birthday boy. Especially if you are a regular reader, when you are told the surnames of his parents, you would know that this story begins in Uniontown. Ernst was born on January 20, 1897, so today would be his 128th birthday. Ernst was the son of Reinhold and Anna (Hopfer) Telle. Not that long ago, I wrote a post about Ernst’s parents titled, Uniontown Telle/Hopfer Twosome. That couple had 11 children, and Ernst was the second child. All of those Telle children were baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. We can view Ernst’s baptism record below.

Ernst is found in the 1900 census at the age of 3. His grandfather, Andrew Telle, was the head of the household, and Ernst was one of 3 Telle grandsons listed. Ernst’s father was helping Andrew on his farm in the Union Township.

In the previous post about Ernst’s parents, I displayed this plat map that demonstrates how close the Telle farm was to Uniontown.

Next, we find Ernst in the 1910 census as a teenager. He and his older brother were helping their father on his farm.

Ernst had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. It indicated that he was no longer living with his parents in Uniontown. He was a blacksmith living in Gordonville, Missouri.

Ernst did get called into military service during that war, but his military record below says he was not sent overseas for combat. He spent time at Camp McArthur in Texas.

Ernst would get married prior to the 1920 census, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Elda Hermine Siemers, who was born on July 29, 1894. Elda was the daughter of Herman and Mary (Eggimann) Siemers. She was born near Gordonville, Missouri. Elda is found in the 1900 census in the entry below, only she is called Ida. The age given on this entry looks like a 4 that has been changed to a 5. An age of 5 makes more sense if she was born in 1894. Her father was a farmer in a rural area close to Gordonville.

The only other census entry in which we find Elda prior to getting married was the one taken in 1910. She was 15 years old and still living with her parents in the same location.

Ernst Telle married Elda Siemers on February 9, 1919. It is interesting to me where this wedding took place. It did not take place in either Gordonville or Uniontown, Instead it took place in Kimmswick, Missouri. I am sure the wedding took place there mostly because Ernst’s uncle, Rev. M.M. Telle was the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Arnold. We can take a look at the marriage license for this couple. It is a document from Cape Girardeau County, but it indicates that the wedding took place in Kimmswick. Both the bride and groom were said to be from Gordonville.

We can also take a look at this marriage certificate for Ernst and Elda.

Later census entries give evidence that this couple had 3 children. When the 1920 census was taken, these two had yet to have a child. Included in their household was a public school teacher named Lenore Rafferty. Ernst was a blacksmith in Gordonville.

The Telle’s 3 children were born during the next decade. The Telle’s had also made a move. In the 1930 census, we find them living in Cape Girardeau. Their 3rd child, born in 1927, was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. The previous children were baptized in Gordonville. This time, Ernst is called a machinist for an automobile company. I have written a few other posts that have told the story of a man who started off as a blacksmith who transitioned to become an auto mechanic. It makes some sense that a man who worked with metal and his hands would change to working on automobiles when they became more popular and the market for blacksmiths diminished.

The 1940 census displays the same household members. Ernst was a mechanic for the Groves Auto Company. That company would later be named the Ford Groves Motor Company and still exists in Cape Girardeau.

Ernst had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. His employer was the Groves Motor Company.

The last census we can view, the one taken in 1950, shows Ernst and Elda with an empty nest. Ernst was called a mechanic for an auto sales agency.

Elda Telle died in 1957 at the age of 62. Her death certificate below says that she died of pancreatic cancer at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Elda’s obituary is shown here. This obituary states that the Telle’s made the move to Cape Girardeau in 1924.

Ernst Telle died in 1966 at the age of 69. We can also take a look at his death certificate.

Ernst’s obituary can be read here.

Elda and Ernst Telle are each buried in the Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

I have written several posts that have told about Perry County natives that move away from their home towns later in their lives. Probably the two most common destinations for these folks are St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. Ernst’s story adds another stop along the way, This Uniontown boy would first make a move to Gordonville and find a bride, prior to spending the rest of his life in Cape Girardeau.