Today’s birthday boy is a man named Harry S. Flentge, who was born on February 15, 1890. That means that today would be his 135th birthday. Harry was the son of Edward and Dena (Young) Flentge. His death certificate says that he was born in Jackson, Missouri. Tragedy struck in this Flentge family when Harry was just an infant. Harry was born in February, and his mother died in July. When the 1900 census was taken, we find Harry at the age of 9. He was living with his widowed grandmother and his unmarried uncle. They were living in the Byrd Township, where Jackson is located, and Harry’s Uncle August was a butcher.

When the 1910 census was taken, we find Harry living with his father, who had gotten married again. Harry was 20 years old at the time. Harry, his father, and a boarder name Hugo Miller were all butchers in Cape Girardeau.

Now, we will turn our attention to the woman who would become Harry’s bride. Her name was Emma Rosina Maria Schenck, who was born on June 8, 1889, so she was just a bit older than Harry. Emma was the daughter of John and Barbara (Fassold) Schenck. Here are photos of Emma’s parents.

Emma was born in Perryville and baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in that city. An image of her baptism record from that congregation’s books is displayed here.

Emma is found living in Perryville at the age of 10. She was the oldest child in a rather large Schenck family. Her father was an engineer.

When the 1910 census was taken, Emma was no longer living with her parents. She and her sister, Gertrude, were living in Cape Girardeau and working in a hotel operated by Alfred Salzgeber. Emma was a chamber maid and Gertrude was a waitress. This puts Emma and her future husband, Harry Flentge living in the same city in 1910. It would explain how they became acquainted. Perhaps the hotel got its meat from the butcher shop where the Flentge’s worked.

Harry Flentge married Emma Schenck on June 15, 1914. We can view this couple’s marriage certificate below. The wedding was conducted by Rev. Wilder, who was the pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.

Our German Family Tree only lists 4 children born to Harry and Emma, but family trees on Ancestry.com list 9 children. After their wedding, it looks as if this couple spent a bit of time living in New Madrid, Missouri. Harry had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917, and he is given a New Madrid address. It says he was an express agent for Wells-Fargo.

The Flentge’s must not have remained there very long because in the 1920 census, we find them living in the Herrin Township in Illinois which is located near the town of Marion. Harry was called a meat cutter. They had 2 children in their household.

By the time of the 1930 census, the Flentge’s had made their way to Perryville, where they would spend the rest of their lives. This time, Harry was called a shoe maker who had a shoe shop. Six children were in the household.

The ad that was printed in the Perry County Republican that is pictured here says his shop was called the Mohawk Shoe Repair Shop.

In the 1940 census, there were 7 children in the Flentge household. Harry was back to being called a cutter at a meat market. Two children were employed at the shoe factory.

Harry had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. We find an interesting connection on this document. It says Harry’s employer was Simon Shuford, whose World War II draft card says that the person who would always know his address was Harry Fritz, who operated the Hotel Perry. Harry Fritz was also married to Emma’s sister, Gertrude. The 1940 census shows Simon Shuford living in the Hotel Perry.

I located these two photographs of Harry and Emma on their Findagrave.com sites.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. Harry was still butchering, and there were still 4 sons living with their parents in Perryville. Three sons were part of the work force.

Harry Flentge died in 1966 at the age of 76. His death certificate says he died of lung cancer and pneumonia while being a patient at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau. This document also says that he was a night watchman.

Emma Flentge died in 1972 at the age of 83. She died in Effingham, Illinois, probably while living with one of her children. Harry and Emma Flentge are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

Harry Flentge’s trip through life involved him working at several different jobs in several different locations. However, the one that he seems to return to the most often had to do with meat cutting. It just so happens that as soon as I publish this story, I will be heading to a nearby house to participate in an annual event where some pig butchering will take place.