A rather large Pfeiffer family tree grew in the Shawnee Township after the original Peiffer man arrived in America in 1870 You will read about that man, Herman Pfeiffer, today. I have already written a post about his son, Herman Pfeiffer, Jr. called, Herman and Hilda. Today’s main character is often referred to as Herman Pfeiffer, Sr. His story begins back in Germany.

Herman Pfeiffer was born on April 27, 1842 in Wuitz, Germany. Herman was the son of Christian Gottlieb and Johanne Sophia (Ritter) Pfeiffer. I am able to display his German baptism record.

When Herman was 28 years old, he traveled to America aboard the ship, Frankfurt. The passenger list for that ship shows Herman traveling by himself. That ship arrived in New Orleans in May of 1870.

It did not take Herman long to locate his bride in America. Let’s take a look at her. She was named Anna Louise Klaus, who was born on November 4, 1852. That makes her today’s birthday girl. She would be celebrating her 173rd birthday today. Louise was the daughter of Casper and Catherine (Wehmueller) Klaus. Louise was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. We can take a look at her baptism record from that congregation’s books here. The surname is spelled Claus on this document.

Louise is found in the 1860 census at the age of 8. Her father was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township.

Next, we find Louise in the 1870 census as a teenager. Her occupation is just called help, along with a few other sisters.

Herman Pfeiffer married Louise Klaus on July 27, 1871 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. The church marriage record for this wedding is shown below.

I am also going to display 2 civil marriage records for this event from Cape Girardeau County.

Our German Family Tree lists 12 children born to this couple. The first 3 children were baptized at Trinity, Friedheim. The remaining children were all baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. When the 1880 census was taken, this pair had 3 children. Herman and a man named Theodore Vogel were both called blacksmiths. They were living in Pocahontas.

It would be helpful to see the 1890 census to determine what was happening with this family, but we cannot see that year’s census because it was destroyed in a fire. The next census we can view is the one taken in 1900, and in that year’s entry, the Pfeiffer’s were living in the Shawnee Township. Herman was a farmer, and there were 6 children still living with their parents. The last Pfeifer child had been born in 1896.

The last census in which we find Herman Pfeiffer, Sr. was the one taken in 1910. At the age of 67, he was still farming in the Shawnee Township. Two sons were helping him on his farm.

At a later time in their lives, Herman and Louise had these photographs taken.

Herman Pfeiffer, Sr. died in 1916 at the age of 73. His death certificate below says he died of pneumonia.

Louise is found in the 1920 census as a widow. She was living in the household of her son, Oswald and his family. Oswald was a farmer in the Shawnee Township.

Louise Pfeiffer died in 1925 at the age of 72. Her death certificate says she also died of pneumonia.

Herman, Sr. and Louise Pfeiffer are each buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Shawneetown. Their gravestones look almost identical, and even the background looks the same, but they are each inscribed differently.

This Pfeiffer couple and the descendants of their Pfeiffer children take up a full 10 pages of our German Family Tree. I know that when I brought up this Pfeiffer name at breakfast this morning during our men’s Bible class, there were several Pfeiffer names mentioned who still live in this area. And it all started with a man arriving in 1870, finding a Friedheim bride, and getting married in 1871.