I will be telling the story of John Mahnken today. This is not the first time for me to tell the history of a John Mahnken. One of the first Mahnken’s to arrive in Perry County was a John Mahnken. If I have it figured properly, I think today’s main character may have been named after his Uncle John Mahnken.
Johann Heinrich Mahnken was born on April 2, 1875, so that makes today his 150th birthday. John was the firstborn child of Friedrich and Maria (Mull) Mahnken. He was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. We can view an image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books below.
John is found in the 1880 census at the age of 5. His father was a farmer in the Salem Township.
Because we cannot view the 1890 census, John was in his 20’s before we can see him in another census in 1900. He was still single and helping his father on his farm. This is one of those entries from the 1900 census pages for Salem Township that are often difficult to read.
We find John in one more census prior to his marriage. In the 1910 census, John was 35 years old and still farming with his father.
Now, we will turn our attention to the woman who would become John’s bride. Her name was Gesche Margaretha Katt, who was born on June 28, 1880. Margaretha was the daughter of Barthold and Anna Maria (Sticht) Katt. She was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can look at her baptism record here.
The 1880 census that was recorded for Margaretha’s parents was submitted on June 16th during that year, so Margaretha barely missed being included in the document. We also cannot view the census taken in 1890. As it turns out, we never see Margaretha in a census entry with her parents. When the 1900 census was taken, she was living in the Charles Knox household and working as a servant. Charles Knox was a farmer in the Union Township.
Margaretha was actually not living far away from home. The map below show the Katt farm being adjacent to the C.B. Knox farm very near the town of Brazeau.
John Mahnken married Margaretha Katt on July 21, 1912 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. The church marriage record for this occasion is pictured here.
I am also able to display two civil records for this wedding. Here is the standard Missouri marriage license.
Below is a marriage document that looks more like a marriage certificate.
In the plat maps that were produced in 1915, we find a parcel of land labeled as John H. Mahnken just northeast of Farrar.
John had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. He is given a Farrar address and was farming.
Our German Family Tree lists 3 children born to John and Margaretha. When the 1920 census was taken, all 3 of the Mahnken children are in the entry. John was a farmer in the Salem Township. Also living with them was a young girl named Katherine Luehrs who was a maid.
Next, we find the Mahnken’s in the 1930 census. Their older son, Ernst, was old enough to be helping his father on his farm.
The 1940 census shows the same family members as seen previously. The children were all in their 20’s.
The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Their single son, Paul, along with his older brother, Ernst, who had married Oneida Mueller, and his family were included in this household. At the age of 75, John was still farming.
Both John and Margaretha Mahnken died in 1953. John Mahnken died in January at the age of 77. His death certificate is displayed below.
An obituary for John was published in the Perry County Republican.
Margaretha died in September of that year at the age of 73. Her death certificate can be seen here.
We can also read an obituary for Margaretha.
John and Margaretha Mahnken are buried together in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Farrar.
The Mahnken/Katt marriage was one made up of a Frohna bride and a Farrar groom. After their wedding, they spent the rest of their lives as members of Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar where all of their children were baptized.