The story you will read about Henry Sittner today will also lead us to three other surnames, Rudisaile, Halter, and Hoehn. This tale includes the early deaths of several folks. It also includes a type of business that has only shown up on this blog a few times. That is a pool hall. I will begin with Henry, but we will eventually get around to a birthday girl.

Heinrich August Sittner was born on December 19, 1866, the son of August and Wilhelmine (Mehner) Sittner. Henry was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we are unable to view his baptism record. I was unable to locate an 1870 census entry for this Sittner family, so the first one that I can display for Henry was from the census taken in 1880. He was 13 years old, and his father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

Henry would get married prior to the 1900 census, so we will now look at the woman who would become his first wife. Her name was Rosella Ann Rudisaile, who was born on April 16, 1865. Rosella is our birthday girl for today, and it would be her 160th birthday. Rosella was the daughter of William and Harriet (Hoffmann) Rudisaile. I am not aware of where she was baptized, but I know that she was buried in the cemetery of Luther Chapel in Biehle, so perhaps her baptism record would be found in that church’s books, which our museum does not have. Rosella is found in the 1870 census at the age of 6. She is called Ann in this entry. Her father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

Next, we find Rosella in the 1880 census. She was a teenager at the time.

Henry Sittner married Rosella Rudisaile on November 19, 1893. They were married at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we cannot view this couple’s church marriage record. However, we can see their Missouri marriage license below.

Henry and Rosella had no children. We find this couple in the 1900 census living in the Cinque Hommes Township. Henry was a farmer.

In the 1910 census, we find Henry and Rosella, along with a young man named William Rudisaile who was working as a laborer on Henry’s farm. William must have been related to Rosella, but I was not able to determine how.

Rosella Sittner died in 1913 at the age of 48. Uterine cancer is given as the cause on her death certificate.

As said before, Rosella is buried in the Luther Chapel Cemetery in Biehle.

Now, I will take a bit of time looking at the early life of Henry’s second wife. Her name was Ottilia Anne Matilda Hoehn, who was born on January 9, 1871. She was often called Tillie, so that is the name I will use. She was the firstborn child of Ferdinand and Dorothea (Rauh) Hoehn. She was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Tillie is found in the 1880 census at the age of 9. Her father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

In 1885, Tillie was confirmed at Cross Congregation near Longtown. That confirmation record is displayed below.

Tillie would get married prior to the 1900 census, so I will now discuss the man who would become her first husband. His name was Gottlieb Halter, who was born on August 29, 1870 in Germany. He came to America in 1887. Gottlieb Halter married Tillie Hoehn on September 19, 1897 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. The church marriage record for this event is shown here.

The Missouri marriage license for this pair can also be viewed.

Gottlieb and Tillie are found in the 1900 census living in Perryville. Gottlieb was a harness maker.

Gottlieb and Tillie had one child, a daughter born in 1901. That child’s baptism record from the books of Immanuel, Perryville is shown below.

Gottlieb Halter died in 1906 at the age of almost 36. His obituary below says he was sick for while prior to his death, but it does not say what the illness was.

Gottlieb Halter is buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

On October 3, 1915, the widower, Henry Sittner, married the widow, Tillie Halter. This couple has its church marriage record in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. It says they were married in the church parsonage.

We can also take a look at their Missouri marriage license.

No additional children were born to this pair. In the 1920 census, we find the trio of Henry, Tillie, and Marie Halter, Tillie’s daughter. Henry is called the conductor of a pool hall.

An article was published in the Perry County Republican in 1920 about Henry’s pool hall.

Another article in the same paper had been printed in 1918 prior to the 1920 census.

In the 1930 census, the Sittner’s were still living in Perryville, but Henry had no occupation. Included in their household was a man named Martin Dippold.

Henry Sittner died in 1931 at the age of 64. His death certificate below says he died of pneumonia.

I located 2 obituaries for Henry. One was published in the Perry County Republican and the other in the Perry County Sun. You may have to click on the thumbnails to enlarge them.

Tillie is found as a widow in two more census entries. Below, we find Tillie living by herself in her 1940 census entry.

In her last census entry, Tillie was once again living with her daughter, Marie, in 1950.

Tillie Sittner died in 1953 at the age of 82. Breast cancer is a cause of death on her death certificate.

We can also take a look at 2 obituaries printed in the same 2 newspapers for Tillie.

Henry and Tillie Sittner are buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville, but only Henry has a gravestone photo on Findagrave.com.

I did not realize how many death records, gravestone photos, and obituaries I would be able to display when I first started researching the lives of the characters in this story. I guess it is like not knowing how many pool balls will make their way to the pockets when a person breaks the rack to start a billiards game.