Now that we have the books of Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim included in our German Family Tree, I have been finding quite a few stories to write about people with the surname, Kester. It seems that not only has that congregation had Kester’s in their membership, but they have not spread out to other local congregations very much. I tell the story of today’s Kester couple because they would be celebrating a very special wedding anniversary today.
George Kester was born on the Fourth of July in 1854. He was the son of Henry and Wilhelmine (Grossheider) Kester. The original Kester’s in this area arrived in 1838, a year before the large group of Saxon immigrants arrived in Perry County in 1839. George was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. We can view his baptism record here.
George is found in the 1860 census at the age of 10, although I think he was several years younger. His father was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township.
Next, we find George in the 1870 census as a teenager. He was called a farm hand, but this time his father was called a blacksmith.
Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become George’s bride. Her name was Louisa Maria Bangert, who was born on May 15, 1854. Louise was the daughter of Wilhelm and Catherine (Eichmeier) Bangert. The original Bangert’s in this area had arrived in 1847. Like George, Louise was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. Although she was baptized in Friedheim, her family likely lived in the Lixville vicinity. Louise’s baptism record is pictured below.
I figured that the baptism records for Louise and George would be found close to one another in the Trinity, Friedheim books. The image below demonstrates how there is only one other baptism record between the one for Louise (above) and the one for George (below).
Louise is found in the 1860 census at the age of 5. Her father was a farmer in the Union Township of Bolliinger County.
The Bangert’s are found in the 1870 census living in the same township. Louise was 16 years old at the time.
George Kester married Louise Bangert at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim on November 16, 1875. That makes today this pair’s special 150th wedding anniversary. We can take a look at this couple’s church marriage record here.
I can also display 2 different civil marriage records for this event from Cape Girardeau County.
Our German Family Tree lists 7 children born to George and Louise. Their first child was baptized at Trinity, Friedheim, but the rest of them do not have baptism records in the GFT. In the 1880 census, the Kester’s had just one child in their household. George was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township.
Since we cannot view the 1890 census, the next census entry in which we find the Kester’s was the one taken in 1900. All 7 of their children had been born by that time. All 7 are found in this census entry. All but one of them were boys. By then, a few of the Kester sons were helping George on his farm.
During the next decade, some of the Kester sons were getting married off, so when the 1910 census was taken, we find 5 children still living with their parents. Three sons were helping with the farming.
In the 1920 census, the Kester’s had just their son, Henry, living with them. Henry would never get married. George and Louise were both in their 60’s.
The Kester household consisted of the same trio when the next census was taken in 1930.
Louise Kester died in 1938 at the age of 84. Her death certificate gives hepatitis as her cause of death.
George is found as a widower in the 1940 census. He and his single son, Henry, made up the household. Neither of the two men had an occupation listed.
George Kester died in 1944 at the age of 90. I was unsuccessful at finding George’s death certificate. Both George and Louise Kester are buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Friedheim.
I find it a bit puzzling that we do not find most of the Kester baptism records in the books of Trinity, Friedheim. With that exception, this couple appears to be one of those pairs who were born, baptized, married, died, and were buried while being members of the same congregation. Also, since this couple had 5 boys who got married and had families, there were plenty of descendants who carried the Kester surname onto the next generation.