In today’s tale, a man from Frohna marries a woman from Perryville, and then this couple spends several years of their lives in St. Louis. Then, after his wife’s death, the husband returns to Perryville for the remainder of his days. The story begins with a birthday boy.

George August Popp was born on May 24, 1889, so today would be his 136th birthday. George was the son of August and Caroline (Hoffstetter) Popp. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can take a look at his baptism record from that congregation’s books shown here.

George is found in the 1900 census that says he was 12 years old, although I think he was only 11. His father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

The plat map below shows the proximity of the Popp farm to Frohna.

Next, we find George in the 1910 census at the age of 21. He was living with his aunt and uncle, the Hoffstetter’s, in Perryville. George was called an apprentice at a baker shop. His uncle was a house carpenter.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become George’s bride. Her name was Claudia Barbara Christina Bergmann, who was born on January 12, 1894. Claudia was the daughter of Gottlieb and Fredericke (Bergmann) Bergmann. That means she was the daughter of a Bergmann who had married another Bergmann. Claudia was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. Her baptism record is pictured here.

Claudia is found in the 1900 census at the age of 6. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township.

In the 1910 census, Claudia was a teenager and still living with her parents.

George Popp married Claudia Bergmann on June 2, 1915. This pair was married in St. Louis at Zion Lutheran Church. The collection of Missouri Synod records on Ancestry.com includes the church marriage record for this couple.

We can also look at this St. Louis civil marriage record for this pair.

A few years after their wedding, George had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. He is given a St. Louis address and called an auto mechanic.

In the 1920 census, George and Claudia are found living in St. Louis, and George is once again called an automobile mechanic. This pair had no children.

It turns out that the last census in which we find Claudia was the one taken in 1930. Claudia is called a packer of drugs, and George had the same job as before. George and Claudia continued to have no children. Patrick and Olinda Manley were boarders in their household. Olinda was Claudia’s sister.

Claudia Popp died in 1934 at the age of 40. I am unable to decipher the cause of death on her death certificate below. She died in St. Louis, but it also indicates that she was going to be buried in Perryville.

An obituary for Claudia found in the Perry County Republican gives the only evidence that this couple had a child. It says Claudia died as a result of childbirth, and the child died right away also.

George must have moved back to Perryville after his wife’s death. In the 1940 census, George was a widower and a boarder in the Ross Hotel in Perryville. He is called a private chauffeur. Edna Lueders was the manager of the hotel.

A previous post was written about the Ross Hotel in Perryville that was operated by Rudolph and Edna (Ross) Lueders. That post was titled, Keepers of the Hotels. By the time of the 1940 census, Edna was a widow. Below is a photo of Edna Lueders. I will also add that George’s grandmother was a Ross.

George had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. It says he worked for a lumber company. Edna Lueders is called the person who would always know his address.

We can see George in one more census entry in 1950. He is called a truck driver for a lumber company. George was still living at the Ross Hotel which was still managed by Edna Lueders.

George Popp died in 1968 at the age of 78.

Although George’s death record is found in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, he is not buried in their cemetery. He and his wife, Claudia, are buried in the Home Cemetery in Perryville.

I find it interesting that Claudia’s gravestone says she was a sister, and George’s gravestone says he was a friend.

George Popp spent quite a few years residing at the Ross Hotel in Perryville. I believe he was not just a boarder there, but I think he was also related to the manager, Edna Lueders. A photo of that hotel is shown here.