I wrote a story about a Kasten yesterday, and I found another one for today. The birthday boy for this post is Ludwig Wilhelm Kasten, who was born on February 25, 1895. That makes today his 130th birthday. Louis was the son of Rudolph and Augusta (Bingenheimer) Kasten and baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. Like many other boys who were originally named Ludwig, he was usually called Louis during his life. An image of Louis’s baptism record is displayed below.

In a previous post about Louis’s parents, The Kasten Ziegelbrenners, it was stated that his father started a brick making business in Jackson, Missouri in 1895, the same year as Louis’s birth and baptism. We find Louis living in the Byrd Township when the 1900 census was taken. That township is where Jackson is located. Louis was 5 years old, and his father was a brick maker.

Next, we find Louis is the 1910 census at the age of 15. His father was called a foreman at a tile and brick business.

I was quite surprised to see the information found on Louis’s World War I draft registration. He is given a Jackson, Missouri address but was called a clerk at the War Department in Washington, D.C.

It was in Washington, D.C. that Louis met the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Frances Mary Philpott, who was born on March 18, 1891 in McClure, Ohio. Frances was the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Anthony) Philpott. Frances is found in the 1900 census living in that town at the age of 9. Her father was a farmer.

The 1910 census shows the Philpott family living in the same location. Frances was 18 years old.

This biography of Frances’s life found on Findagrave.com explains how Frances became a nurse and made her way to Washington, D.C. during World War I and met Louis.

The above bio says that Frances got married on December 30th, but the Ohio marriage license shown here says that Louis Kasten married Frances Philpott on December 28, 1919. They were married in McClure, Ohio by Rev. William S. Philpott, who was Frances’s uncle. This form says Louis was a manufacturer in Jackson, Missouri. I suspect that he moved back to his hometown after the end of the war.

For some unknown reason, Louis is found in the 1920 census living in Jackson with his parents. He is said to be single, and Frances is not included. Perhaps she was still serving in the nurses corps, but that does not explain why Louis was not called married. It looks like Louis, along with a few brothers and his father were all in business together making tile and brick.

The Kasten’s had 3 children. Then, not long after their 3rd child was born, Frances died in 1927 at the age of 36. Her death certificate below says that she died of pneumonia.

Frances Kasten is buried in the Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Louis is called a widower in the 1930 census. He was living with his 3 children, and a younger sister named Edna. Edna was likely helping her brother raise his children. Louis is called the proprietor of a brick plant.

Louis would get married again. His second wife was Edna C. Langehennig, who was born on August 17, 1894. Edna was the daughter of Rev. William and Emma (Schmidt) Langehennig. I actually found a baptism record for Edna in the collection of Missouri Synod records on Ancestry.com, but I could not determine the church in which she was baptized. I think it may have been from the books of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Buckley, Illinois. A Langehennig child born in 1890 is buried in that congregation’s cemetery.

Rev. Langehennig became the pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Jackson in 1898 according to this list of early pastors at that church.

In future census entries, it says that Edna was born in Illinois. I am going to skip ahead to the 1920 census which shows Edna, at the age of 24. She was a public school teacher in Jackson.

Here is a photo of Edna that may have been taken prior to her marriage.

Louis Kasten married Edna Langehennig on August 13, 1939. The Missouri marriage license below says these two were married by Edna’s father, Rev. W.G. Langehennig.

In the 1940 census, the Kasten household included all 3 of the Kasten children along with their new stepmother. Also included in this entry was Edna’s father, Rev. Langehennig, who had retired in 1938 and by this time was a widower.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Louis is still in the brick manufacturing business. I find it interesting that his son, Vernon, was in the ceramic manufacturing business making pots.

Louis Kasten died in 1990 at the age of 94. I found this biography of Louis’s life on Findagrave.com.

Edna Kasten died in 1995 at the age of 101. Here is a short biography of Edna’s life.

Louis and Edna are buried together in the Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. Edna is given her maiden name on their gravestone.

The Kasten Masonry business is still in operation in Jackson. I know I have to visit their business periodically to get some water-treatment chemicals. Today’s story is a reminder that I need to visit this business soon.