Oscar Emanuel Rauh is today’s birthday boy, being born on September 28, 1895. If Oscar was alive today, he would have to blow out 130 birthday candles. Oscar was the son of Charles and Louisa (Bergmann) Rauh. He was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we are not able to view his baptism record. Oscar shows up in the 1900 census at the age of 4. His father was a farmer in the Union Township. Included in the Rauh household was an 11 year-old adopted son named Lewis Cogle and a hired hand named Edward Unterreiner.

By the time Oscar was confirmed, the Rauh’s became members of the new Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown. That is where Oscar was confirmed in 1909. When the 1910 census was taken, we find the Rauh household still living in the Union Township. Oscar was a teenager at that time.

Oscar had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. By that time, the Rauh family had relocated to Pocahontas, and Oscar was farming with his father. This form says that Oscar was in poor health.

Apparently, Oscar’s poor health did not keep him from being drafted because he did serve in the U.S. Army during that war. His World War I military record below says he was sent overseas from September of 1918 to July of 1919.

After he died, an application for a military headstone was made. It gives a few more details of his service.

After the war, we find Oscar in the 1920 census. He was back living with his family, this time living in the Shawnee Township. Oscar was called an auto mechanic, and his father was farming.

Oscar would get married during the next decade, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his wife. Her name was Elsa Anita Gerler, who was born on March 17, 1901. Elsa was the daughter of Frederick and Bertha (Lehner) Gerler. Elsa was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. We can view her baptism record from that congregation’s books below.

A photo of Elsa at a rather young age is shown here.

Elsa is found in the 1910 census at the age of 8. Her father was the manager of a flour mill. I do not know if it had this name at that time, but the flour milling business in Pocahontas became known as the Bowman Milling Company.

In the 1920 census, Elsa was 18 years old, and this time, her father was called a farmer.

The photo below of the Fred Gerler family has Elsa standing in the back on the right.

Oscar Rauh married Elsa Gerler on September 24, 1922 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas. The church marriage record for this couple can be seen here.

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

A wedding photograph of Oscar and Elsa is displayed here.

It is not often that I not only get to show the wedding couple, but also the wedding party, but that is the case today.

Oscar and Elsa had 3 children, all girls. All of them were baptized at Zion, Pocahontas. All 3 of them had been born before the 1930 census. In that census entry, it says that Oscar was a miller at the flour mill in Pocahontas.

When the 1940 census was taken, we see that Oscar was still working at the flour mill.

When the United States entered World War II, Oscar was again required to register for the draft. His draft card below gives him a Pocahontas address and says he was the manager of the Bownman Milling Company.

During our last immigration conference, we toured the Bowman Milling Company in Pocahontas. The photo below shows the group at that mill. We have another immigration conference planned for later this coming month. It is not too late to register for it. Just click on the Conference tab in the menu above for information.

A photo of Oscar and Elsa was taken later in their life that is shown below.

The 1950 census is the last one the public can view. In that year’s entry, we find Oscar and Elsa with an empty nest. Oscar is called the mill manager.

Oscar Rauh died in 1969 at the age of 73. His death certificate below says he died of arteriosclerosis.

Elsa Rauh died in 1974, also at the age of 73, and she had the same cause of death.

Oscar and Elsa Rauh are each buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Pocahontas. Oscar’s gravestone has a plaque that recognizes his military service.

The Rauh Family Tree is quite large, and there are plenty people around that still carry the Rauh surname. However, because Oscar and Elsa had just daughters, this particular branch has no more descendants who carry the Rauh surname.