About two years ago, I wrote the post, Brazeau Harness Maker, which told the story of August Roth, who was once the saddler who operated a shop in downtown Brazeau, Missouri. Today, I will tell the story of one of the sons who was born into the family of that harness maker. That son is today’s birthday boy. The map of Brazeau shown here indicates where the Roth harness shop was located right across the road from the Brazeau School and next to the blacksmith shop.

Albert Ludwig Roth was born on June 19, 1900, so today would be his 125th birthday. Albert was the son of August and Julia (Bruhl) Roth. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. An image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books is displayed below.

Albert was born too late to be included in the 1900 census, so the first one in which we find him is the 1910 census. Albert was 9 years old, and his father was a harness maker with his own shop. I have every reason to believe that this was the harness shop located in Brazeau.

When Albert had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918, he is given a St. Louis address. He is called an inspector, but at the time he had this form filled out, he was unemployed.

In the 1920 census, Albert was still single and living in St. Louis. He was a boarder in the Otto Buettner household, and had no occupation listed. Otto was from Perryville, and he had married Albert’s sister, Dora.

I found evidence that both Otto and Albert were attending Washington University in St. Louis in 1920. Otto was studying civil engineering, and Albert was studying chemical engineering. Albert’s information found in that year’s yearbook is shown here. He had several positions of leadership and was also playing football.

In that same yearbook, we see Albert as a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, which was chemical fraternity. Albert is sitting at the far right.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Albert’s bride. Her name was Florence Emilie Schueller, who was born on April 14, 1905. Florence was the daughter of Charles and Lena (Pfeiffer) Schueller. I am not aware of where she was baptized. We find Florence in the 1910 census at the age of 5. Her family was living in the Meremac Township in St. Louis, and her father was a farmer.

In the 1920 census, Florence was a teenager and her father had become a mail carrier in St. Louis.

Albert Roth married Florence Schueller on November 10, 1927 at Bethany Lutheran Church in St. Louis. The collection of Missouri Synod records on Ancestry.com includes some from the books of Bethany, which no longer exists. The church marriage record for the Roth/Schueller wedding is pictured here.

The Missouri marriage license for this couple can also be viewed. Rev. Adolph Behnke was the pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church at that time.

Albert and Florence had one child, a girl named Virginia, who was born in 1928. In the 1930 census, we find Albert, Florence, Virginia, and one of Albert’s sisters, Hattie, living in this household. Albert is called a buyer for a packing company.

Next, we find the Roth’s in the 1940 census. In addition to the trio of Roth’s, we find Albert’s widowed mother living with them. Albert was a purchasing agent for a packing company.

Albert had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. This document demonstrates that Albert was employed by the Krey Packing Company, which was in the business of packing meat products..

A photo of the Krey Packing Company building is shown here.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. Albert still had the same job. There was a roomer in their house named Albert Ruth. Yes, that means that there was an Albert Roth and an Albert Ruth living in the same household, and they were both around the same age. I can just imagine the two Albert’s patronizing the same corner bar and introducing themselves to the bartender with their two similar names. It might just cause some confusion as well as some laughter.

Albert Roth died in 1970 at the age of 69. His death certificate below says that he died while being a patient at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis. It calls him a retired purchasing agent for the Krey Packing Company.

Albert’s obituary was printed in a local newspaper. It says that prior to moving to St. Louis, he had attended Cape Normal Business College in Cape Girardeau.

The obituary says Albert was a member of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, which is an episcopal congregation. A photo of that church is shown here.

Florence Roth did not die until 1993 at the age of 87. Her obituary can be read below.

Both Albert and Florence Roth are buried in the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

It is not every day that I get to write about a man who went to a prestigious college to become a chemical engineer. I also suspect that if you looked at the parents of other chemical engineering students that you would not find many that are the sons or daughters of saddlers. But that is the case today.