Over the years, there have been some pastors who have served Lutheran congregations in Perry County that had roots in this county. Perhaps one of the most notable was Rev. Adolph Vogel, who was born in Frohna and went on to serve Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg for many decades. Rev. A.M. Lohmann was baptized at Trinity, Altenburg and later became the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. And if we go just across the river to Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois, you will find that congregation has been served in the past by Pastors Estel, Haertling, and Petzoldt, all names found in our German Family Tree. We presently have Rev. John Hellwege who is the pastor for the dual parish of Salem Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church in Crosstown. He, too, although he was not born in Perry County, can trace his roots back to some Hellwege’s who arrived in Perry County a long time ago. Today, I will tell the story of Pastor Hellwege’s great-grandfather, who was also named John.

Gottfried Johannes Hellwege was born on January 27, 1868, thus qualifying him to be today’s birthday boy. Today would be John’s 157th birthday. John was the son of Henry and Friederike (Winter) Hellwege. His father, Henry Hellwege, is rather famous around here for having 4 wives, and John was a son of wife #4. John was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. We can view his baptism record here.

John is found in the 1870 census at the age of 2. His father was a farmer and carpenter in the Brazeau Township.

Next, we find John at the age of 12 in the 1880 census. He was one of several sons in this family.

At some point in time, this Hellwege family became members of Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. That is where John was confirmed in 1883. John would get married prior to the next census we can view in 1900, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his first wife. Her name was Ernestine Maria Mathilde Feig, who was born on February 19, 1877. Mathilde was the daughter of Gotthold and Anna (Popp) Feig. Mathilde was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Her baptism record is pictured here.

Mathilde is found in the only census in which she was unmarried in 1880. She was 3 years old, and her father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township. She was the oldest child in her family.

John Hellwege married Mathilde Feig on May 15, 1898 at Trinity, Altenburg. The church record for that occasion is shown below.

We can also take a look at this couple’s Missouri marriage license.

This couple had 2 children, a daughter named Erna and a son named Oscar. These two were baptized at Concordia, Frohna. Oscar was not born until 1902, so when we look at the Hellwege’s in the 1900 census, we find just Erna in their household. There was also a farm laborer named Theodore Blanken living with them. This census was submitted on June 23rd, and Erna died on July 7th, so this would be the only census entry in which we find her. John, like his father, was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

Mathilde Hellwege died in 1903 at the age of 26. She died prior to the time when Missouri kept death records, and her church death record does not give a cause of death. Mathilde is buried in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna. That congregation later placed simple markers in their cemetery for people from that church who were buried but had no other grave marker. Mathilde has such a marker, and it used the name, Ernestine, not Mathilde.

As a result of his wife’s death, John was left with a young son who was not even a year old. I am not aware of how he dealt with the care of that young child during the next few years. John would get married again in 1905, so we will now look at the woman who became his second wife.

Anna Rosina Dorothea Schuessler was born on August 24, 1875, the daughter of Gottfried and Mary (Jahn) Schuessler. Anna was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. Her baptism record from that church’s books is pictured here.

Anna is found in the 1880 census at the age of 5. Her father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

When the 1900 census was taken, Anna was not living with her parents. She, like many other young ladies from Perry County, made her way to St. Louis where she found work in another household as a servant or maid. Anna was living in the E.E. Miller household. She was 24 years old at the time.

John Hellwege married Anna Schuessler on October 1, 1905 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. The church marriage record for that wedding is displayed below.

The Missouri marriage license for this pair can also be viewed.

Another son, Edwin, and another daughter, Flora, were born to this couple. Just Edwin was born before the 1910 census was taken, so in that entry, we find two sons in the family, one from John’s first marriage and one from his second. John was still farming, but this time, they were living in the Union Township.

Flora Hellwege was born in 1911, but she died as a baby. The 2 children born to John and Anna were also baptized at Concordia, Frohna. Then, at some point during the next decade, the Hellwege’s moved to St. Louis. John was a machine man at a machine shop, and his son, Oscar, was a machinist at an auto repair shop.

The 1930 census says that John, at the age of 62, was working as a finisher for a furniture company. Oscar was a draftsman for an auto company, and Edwin was a clerk for a refrigerating company.

The 1940 census indicates that John was no longer working. Their son, Edwin, and his wife were living with John and Anna. Edwin was a bookkeeper at a hospital.

Anna Hellwege died in 1944 at the age of 69. We can view her death certificate here. She died right before Christmas in St. Louis, and she would then be buried in Frohna on the day after Christmas.

John is found in the 1950 census as a widower. He was living with his son, Edwin, and his wife in St. Louis. Edwin was a clerk at a drug company.

John Hellwege died in 1952 at the age of 84. His death certificate says he died at the City Hospital in St. Louis. His usual occupation is called a woodworker for a planing mill.

John and Anna Schuessler are each buried in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Frohna.

This past Sunday, the Gospel reading had Jesus saying that no prophet was acceptable in his hometown. I do not see evidence of that kind of attitude existing here in our local Lutheran history. It appears to me that the pastors who have served this area in the past have been very revered. Rev. John Hellwege, whose grandfather was Oscar Hellwege, arrived in Perry County recently, and from what I have heard, he is serving his congregations very faithfully. Prior to taking a call here, he was a professor of historic theology at Concordia Seminary in Edmonton, Canada. I know that I was thrilled when I discovered his area of expertise. And not only that, but he has also blessed us by bringing his wife with him. Denise Hellwege is an answer to many prayers of the people who run our museum. She is presently serving as our museum director and doing an outstanding job in her role.

I have to tell one more Hellwege story. The coach of the very first football team at my alma mater, Concordia, Seward, was Walter Hellwege, another descendant from the Perry County Hellwege’s. Professor Hellwege was still around when I attended Concordia, but he was quite old by that time.

Recently, another Perry County native, Courtney Meyer, who also coached the football team at Seward, was in town for a visit and told me this story.

Courtney said that when he was named the head coach, he was presented with the old whistle that was once used by Coach Hellwege. Courtney told me that recently he had the honor of passing on that whistle to the current coach at Concordia. So the Hellwege whistle has been passed along and the tradition of quality football at that university continues. Concordia had a very good season this year with a signature win over Northwestern College, last year’s NAIA national champions. Perhaps it was due to the whistle.