Claus Steffens is a main character in today’s post. His is not the first Claus Steffens to have his story told on this blog. And he is certainly not the first man with roots in the Hanover region in Germany to carry the name, Claus.
Claus Heinrich Steffens was born on December 6, 1890, so he is today’s birthday boy. If he had a birthday cake, he would have to blow out 135 candles today. Claus was the son of Henry and Martha (Hesse) Steffens. He was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. We can take a look at his baptism record here.
Claus is found in the 1900 census at the age of 9. His father was a farmer in the Salem Township.
In the 1910 census, Claus and an older brother were helping their father with the farm work.
In this 1915 plat map, we find the Henry Steffens farm located not far from Farrar.
Claus had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. He was not living in Perry County at the time. He was living in St. Louis and working at the Shapleigh Hardware Company. It mentions that his right arm was crippled.
I think I have already referred to about 3 other Perry County native men who spent some time working at Shapleigh Hardware. I have displayed this photo of the Shapleigh Hardware building in St. Louis before.
I was unsuccessful at finding Claus in the 1920 census. I know that he was not living with his parents. Claus got married not long after the 1920 census, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his bride.
Frieda Martha Koenig was born on June 8, 1902, the daughter of Ernst and Magdalena (Roth) Koenig. Like Claus, Frieda was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. Her baptism record is displayed below.
Frieda is found in the 1910 census at the age of 8. Her father was a farmer in the Union Township.
The 1915 plat map shown here indicates that the Ernst Koenig farm was located in the Schall’s area, which is not that far from Farrar.
When the 1920 census was taken, Frieda was not living with her parents. We find her living in St. Louis with 3 Haase siblings. Frieda was called a servant. There was also a housekeeper and a chauffeur in this household. None of the Haase’s had occupations.
Claus Steffens married Frieda Koenig on April 24, 1921 at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. The church record for that wedding is pictured here.
We can also view this pair’s Missouri marriage license. It says that both Claus and Frieda were from Farrar.
Here is a wedding photo for this couple.
Our German Family Tree lists 10 children born to this Steffens couple. The GFT indicates that the first 9 were baptized at Salem, Farrar. The last child, a son named Allyn, who was born in 1946, was also likely baptized at Salem, but too recently to be found in the GFT. In the 1930 census, we find the Steffens’s living with Frieda’s parents in the Union Township. By then, Claus and Frieda had 5 children. Claus was doing odd jobs.
Next, we find the Steffens family in the 1940 census. This time, Claus was farming in the Salem Township. There were 8 children in this entry.
Claus had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. It gives him a Farrar address.
The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. This time, Claus was called a carpenter. Five children were still living with their parents.
Claus Steffens died in 1972 at the age of 81. His death certificate below says that he died of cardiac arrest at the Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville.
Frieda Steffens died in 1995 at the age of 92, much too recently to view her death certificate. However, I did locate her death record from the Salem Lutheran books.
Both Claus and Frieda are buried in the Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Farrar.
With the exception of the time when both Claus and Frieda spent time working in St. Louis around 1920, this Steffens couple is one of those that were both members of same congregation from the cradle to the grave. And with the fact that this couple had 10 children, that is a lot of baptism records to be found in the Salem congregation’s books.