The woman who is one of the main characters in today’s story had two husbands during her lifetime and both of them had served time in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. I often begin these posts with a birthday boy or girl, and there is certainly such a person for today’s story, but I choose to begin with the woman who was married twice.

Theresa Schindler was born on June 26, 1844, the daughter of a man named Joseph Schindler and a woman who had the maiden name of Weller. Theresa was born in the United States, but I failed to locate any more information for her early life prior to her first marriage. So, I will now take some time to look at the man who would become her first husband.

Johann Casper Vogt was born on April 12, 1830, so he is today’s birthday boy. Casper (or Caspar or perhaps even Kasper) would be 195 years old today. He was born in Germany, and I am able to display a transcription of his German baptism record. Casper was baptized in Gerabronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. This baptism record gives his parents’ names as Johann and Ann Margaretha (Raichardt) Vogt.

Not much is known about Casper’s early life either. He came to this country at some point in time and the first indication of him being in this country is the fact that he became a soldier in the Civil War. A Civil War pension record for Casper indicates that he was in the 58th Illinois Infantry.

It was not long after the Civil War ended that Casper Vogt must have gotten to know Theresa Schindler. These two were married on November 28, 1868. Someone has inserted information on Family Search which says this couple was married at Emanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson, Missouri. I am not familiar with that congregation. I am able to display 2 different civil marriage records for this couple. Here is the first one. It says that Rev. Frederic Keis (or Kies) performed the wedding.

The other one is displayed below.

According to our German Family Tree, Casper and Theresa had 5 children, all of which were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. When the 1870 census was taken, there was just one young child in the Vogt household. Casper was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township.

It turns out that the above census would be the only one in which we find Casper and Theresa. Casper died in 1879 at the age of 49, leaving Theresa as a widow with 5 rather young children. Theresa was the head of the Vogt household when the 1880 census was taken. Since the oldest child was just 11 years old, Theresa must have needed help if she was to maintain the family farm. A young man, Henry Wilke, was living in their household and was said to be a farm laborer.

As said earlier, Theresa married again. Her second husband was a man named Johann Carl Friedrich Oehl, who was born on January 10, 1837. Family Search says he was born in Berndorf, Waldeck-Pyrmont, Germany. Frederick was the son of Friedrich and Elisabeth (Schneider) Oehl. I am not able to display a German baptism record, but in Frederick’s case, at least I can demonstrate that he came to this country by himself aboard a ship, Logan Marsh, which arrived in this country in 1858. He was described as a 22 year-old farmer.

In 1860, Frederick was living in the household of Frederick Isenberg in the Apple Creek Township. Both of the Frederick’s in this household were called farmers.

Frederick Oehl also served as a soldier in the Civil War prior to getting married. In 1868, Frederick Oehl married Johannette Pohlmann at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. I am not going to go into detail about Frederick’s first wife. The church record for this wedding is displayed below.

I am also able to let you take a look at a civil marriage record for this event.

It appears that Frederick and Johannette had 5 or 6 children. None of their children ar found in the Trinity, Friedheim records, and I was unable to locate their family in the 1870 census. Then, in early 1880, Johannette died as a result of childbirth complications with their last daughter’s birth. Frederick is found as a widower in the 1880 census living in the Whitewater Township. There were 5 rather young children in his household. I am absolutely amazed that this entry says that his 10 year-old daughter was keeping house.

Frederick Oehl married Theresa Vogt on June 24, 1881 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. These two were married by Rev. Voigt, so we have a Pastor Voigt conducting the marriage for a Mrs. Vogt.

We can also take a look at a civil marriage record for this pair.

Two more children were born to Frederick and Theresa, and both of them were baptized at Trinity, Friedheim. It is not often that I get to view a census entry from 1890 because the only ones that are available are ones which were for people that were veterans of the Civil War. We have such an entry for the people involved in this story. The entry shown below actually mentions Theresa and both of her husbands.

The Oehl’s are found in the 1900 census with 4 Oehl children and 1 Vogt granddaughter. Frederick was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township, and he had the help of 2 older sons.

Frederick Oehl died in 1901 at the age of 65. On the occasion of his death, a tribute to him was published in a Jackson newspaper. It especially recognized his Civil War experience.

Theresa is found in the 1910 census in which she is once again a widow. She was living with 2 step-children and the same granddaughter we saw in the 1900 census. Theresa is called the farmer, and her single son, Henry, was called a farm laborer.

Theresa Oehl died in 1918 at the age of 74. Her death certificate can be viewed here. This is the only document on which we find the few tidbits we know about her parents.

Theresa and both of her husbands are buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Friedheim. Casper’s gravestone calls him Johann K. Vogt.

The main characters in this post came from a variety of different directions, but each of them, including Frederick’s first wife, Johannette, ended up in the Lutheran cemetery in Friedheim.