My father was a sheet metal worker who lived much of his life in North St. Louis. That is where I was born and raised. I am going to tell the story of another man who was a sheet metal worker in North St. Louis today, but this man’s story does not begin there. His origins were south of that big city, and he made his way into our German Family Tree.

Edward Charles Emde was born on April 20, 1868, the son of Friedrich and Lisette (Behle) Emde. Edward’s parents had been married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim in 1855, and that couple had several children baptized over the years at that congregation. However, when Edward was born, his family was living in Ironton, Missouri. Edward was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pilot Knob, Missouri. That congregation had been started by Rev. J.F. Buenger in 1861, who was a pastor in St. Louis at that time. During the Civil War Battle of Pilot Knob, the Lutheran church served as a hospital for Union soldiers. Edward is found in the 1870 census at the age of 2. He was the youngest child in his family. His father was said to be laboring in a furnace.

Edward’s father died in 1874 and is buried in the Iron Mountain Lutheran Cemetery. I think his death may have precipitated the Emde family’s move back to the Friedheim area prior to the 1880 census. In that entry, Edward was a farm helper at the age of 12.

In 1881, Edward was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. We can view his confirmation record from that congregation’s books below.

Edward would get married prior to the next census we can view in 1900, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become Edward’s wife. Her name was Margaret Catherine Moersch, who was born on June 17, 1870, so today would be her 155th birthday. Based on family tree evidence on Ancestry.com, Margaret had a twin brother named Andrew. These twins were the children of Paul and Rosina (Frasch) Moersch. They were born in the state of New York. I could not pin down an exact date, but family trees say that Rosina, Margaret’s mother, died in 1870, so I think it is possible that she died as a result of childbirth complications. We find Margaret in the 1880 census at the age of 10 living in St. Louis. She is called Catherine in this entry, but future censuses would call her Margaret. If she had a twin brother named Andrew, he is not found in this census entry. However, I know that there is an Andrew Moersch who is buried in St. Louis, and his gravestone gives him the same birthday as Margaret, and it says that he was also born in New York. Margaret’s father is called a farmer.

Edward Emde married Margaret Moersch on August 31, 1890 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Olivette, which is found in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Interestingly, Immanuel had been organized by Rev. J.F. Buenger in 1844, so Edward was both baptized and married in congregations that had been started by Pastor Buenger. I am assuming that Edward must have moved to St. Louis prior to this occasion. A transcription of some records from that congregation are found in the Missouri Synod collection on Ancestry.com. Here is what they have for this wedding. It is listed as wedding #3 and does not contain much information. It doesn’t even include a date for the marriage.

A Missouri marriage license gives us the date for this wedding. The pastor who performed the wedding ceremony was Rev. R. Winkler, who was the pastor of Immanuel, Olivette at that time.

It appears that the Emde’s had 6 children. When the 1900 census was taken, there were 3 children in the Emde household. Edward was a tinner in St. Louis.

Next, we find the Emde’s in the 1910 census. There were 5 children in their family, and Edward was doing sheet metal work.

One more child was born during the next decade, so when we find the Emde’s in the 1930 census, we find one son who was less than 10 years old. Edward was called a tinner for a cornice works company.

The 1940 census shows Edward and Margaret with just 2 children living with them. Edward is called a sheet metal worker.

Edward Emde died in 1936 at the age of 68. His death certificate says he died of pneumonia. It says he was employed as a sheet metal worker for the Powers & Boyd Company which was in the roofing business.

Margaret Emde died in March of 1940 at the age of 69. Since I failed to find her in the 1940 census, I assume she died prior to the census being compiled. Her death certificate says she also died of pneumonia.

Edward and Margaret Emde are each buried in the Lake Charles Park Cemetery in St. Louis.

Way back in the recesses of my memory, I seemed to remember that there was person named Edward Emde in my past somewhere. Upon searching some old yearbooks from my time at Lutheran High School North in St. Louis, I found an Edward Emde who was in the class of 1966. I was in the class of 1968, so he was two years older than me. Here are some photos I found in my 1965 yearbook in which Edward was a junior. The probable reason for me remembering that name was because he was an athlete who was on the football and basketball teams. He is #35 in the football photo, and the basketball photo has a caption that helps identify him.

Edward also attended Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois after he graduated from Lutheran North. Here is Edward’s photo from a 1969 yearbook from that college.

I tried to find a connection between the two Edward Emde’s, but I could not confirm one. I have to wonder whether the Edward Emde that I remember ever became a Lutheran educator like I did. If he did, I don’t recall running across him in any way during my teaching career. Maybe one of our readers can provide us with more information about him and whether he is connected to today’s Emde story.