The birthday girl for today’s post is Babette Margaret Schmidt, who is not part of my Schmidt family tree. Margaret was born on March 16, 1885 in Zedersitz, Germany. She was the daughter of John and Margaret (Schmidt) Schmidt. Photos of Margaret’s parents are shown here.

When Margaret was just 3 years old, the Schmidt’s came to America and settled in Perry County. Several members of this family are shown on this passenger list from the ship, Weser, that arrived in New Orleans in 1888.

The Schmidt’s became members of Cross Lutheran Church near Longtown for a while when that congregation was still active. When her mother died in 1896, her death record is found in that congregation’s books, and she is buried in their cemetery. However, that congregation would close not long after that, and a new congregation had been established in 1897 called Zion Lutheran Church, in Longtown. In 1899, Margaret was confirmed at that church. We can see her in this list of the confirmands from 1899 at Zion.

Margaret is found in the 1900 census at the age of 15. Her father was a widower at that time and farming in the Salem Township.

Margaret would get married the next year when she was just 16 years old. The man she would marry was Louis William Wingerter, who was born on June 14, 1879. Louis was the son of Martin and Mary (Merkel) Wingerter. I found evidence that the Wingerter’s were Catholics, so Louis’s baptism record is likely found in the books of a local Catholic parish. Louis is found at the age of 11 months when the 1880 census was taken. Ludwig (as he is called in this entry) was the firstborn child in his family. The Wingerter’s were living in the Salem Township.

Since we cannot view the 1890 census, the next census in which we find Louis was the one taken in 1900. Louis was 20 years old and working on his father’s farm.

Louis Wingerter married Margaret Schmidt on August 15, 1901. The marriage license pictured here says that they were married by Charles Swan, who was a justice of the peace. It also says they were married in Judge Swan’s office. I think Charles Swan was living in Wittenberg at that time.

I am able to display this couple’s wedding photograph.

After they were married, this couple migrated across the Mississippi River to Illinois. Their first child born in 1903 was born and died in Missouri, but their second child was born in Illinois. They must have moved to Illinois in the middle of that decade. The Wingerter’s are found living in Rockwood, Illinois when the 1910 census was taken. Louis was a farmer. There were 2 children in the family, and one of Louis’s sisters was living with them.

The map below illustrates that Rockwood is directly across the Mississippi River from Perry County downriver from Chester.

Louis had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. He is given a Rockwood address and was farming.

It must not have been long after this document was completed that the Wingerter’s made another move. In the 1920 census, we find this family living in Granite City, Illinois, which is found across the river from St. Louis. Louis was the operator of a roller mill. There were 4 children in their household. I will add that at least one of Margaret’s sisters also lived in Granite City for a lot of years.

The Wingerter’s were still living in Granite City when the 1930 census. Just 3 daughters were in their household, along with William Wingerter, who was Louis’s brother. This time, Louis was called a truck driver.

The photo below has been published on Ancestry.com, but it does not say when it was taken or who the children are, but it does say that it is a photo of Margaret Wingerter.

By the time of the 1940 census, Louis and Margaret had moved back to Rockwood, and Louis was back to being a farmer. This couple had an empty nest.

It may have been about this time that this photo of Margaret with a calf was taken. It certainly looks like a farm setting.

Louis had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. He is given a Rockwood address. That means Louis was living in Rockwood when both of his military draft documents were recorded, but most of his time in between, he was a resident of Granite City.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Louis and Margaret had moved to Chester where the 70 year-old Louis no longer had an occupation.

The photo below is reportedly one of Louis and Margaret on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, so it must have been taken in 1951.

Louis Wingerter died in 1956 at the age of 77; Margaret Wingerter died in 1973 at the age of 88. I found this obituary for Margaret. It mentions that she had 3 sisters living in Granite City.

Louis and Margaret Wingerter are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Chester.

This Wingerter/Schmidt story is one that has its beginnings in Perry County, Missouri, but most of their tale takes place in Illinois. It is also yet another story that unites a Roman Catholic groom with a Lutheran bride. The fact that Margaret’s obituary says that she was a member of the Lutheran church in Chester is evidence that at least she remained a Lutheran. Perhaps someone from this family could tell us if Louis remained in the Catholic faith throughout his life.