Altenburg is a very small town. Yet, some folks around here have a term used for that the section of town you enter after you have driven past Trinity Lutheran Church and head east toward Wittenberg. It is jokingly referred to as LA (Lower Altenburg). It is somewhat of a derogatory term for this part of town, similar to saying that it is on the wrong side of the tracks. And I happen to live there. In the German language the word for lower in nieder, and a word for town is stadt. Today’s birthday girl had the maiden name, Niederstadt (lower town).

Emma Mathilde Niederstadt was born on January 3, 1896, thus making today her 130th birthday. Emma was the daughter of Albert and Pauline (Holt) Niederstadt. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. We can take a look at an image of her baptism record from that congregation’s books.

In the 1900 census, Emma is found at the age of 5, although I think she was only 4. Her father was a day laborer in the Shawnee Township.

An early photo was taken of some Niederstadt children. It is shown here, and since Emma was the oldest daughter in the family, I think she is the girl standing second from the left.

Two events took place during the next decade that are notable. First, the Niederstadt family moved to Wittenberg, and her father became a worker for the new railroad that was running through that river town. Secondly, Emma’s mother died in 1909. It was during that same year that Emma was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wittenberg, a congregation that became an official church with its own pastor in 1903. We can take a look at her confirmation record below.

In the 1910 census, we find Emma at the age of 14. Her widowed father was working for the railroad, which had started running through Wittenberg in 1904.

Emma would get married during the next decade, so we will now turn our attention to the man who would become her husband. Since he was from St. Louis, I suspect that Emma had gone to find work in St. Louis when she became old enough to do so.

Herman Charles Breihan was born on January 18, 1889, the son of Henry and Katherine (Bornemann) Breihan. Herman was baptized at St. Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis. We can see his baptism record from that church’s books below.

In the 1900 census, Herman was 11 years old and living in St. Louis. His father was a farmer.

The 1910 census is the last one we can view prior to his marriage. Herman was 21 years old, and his father was called a gardener on a truck farm. Herman was working on his father’s truck farm.

Herman Breihan married Emma Niederstadt on September 6, 1916 at St. Trinity. We can view this pair’s church marriage record here. It says Herman was from Point Breeze in St. Louis County. I was unable to find much information about that location, but I assume it was the name for the neighborhood around St. Trinity. This document also states that Emma was from Altenburg.

We can also view this Missouri marriage license for this couple.

Not long after their marriage, Herman had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. It gave him an Affton, Missouri address and said he was a farmer.

Herman and Emma had 3 children, the first 2 who were twin girls. In the 1920 census, we find the twins, along with one of Emma’s brothers and a young man named Edmond Gross, who was born and raised in New Wells. Both of these men were helping Herman on his truck farm in St. Louis. Herman was called a gardener on that truck farm.

Next, we find the Breihan’s in the 1930 census. A son had been born during the previous decade. This time, there was another man originally from New Wells, Herbert Meyr, who was helping on Herman’s truck farm.

The 1940 census indicates that only their son was still living with his parents. Both of the twins had gotten married. Their son and a young man named Dewey Holland were helping on the truck farm.

Herman had his World War II draft card completed in 1942. Once again, he is given an Affton address.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. In this entry, Herman and Emma had an empty nest. Right below their entry, you will see that of Herman’s older brother, William Breihan. It says William was a truck gardener, and Herman is called a farm hand. Both Herman and William had wives named Emma.

Herman Breihan died in 1967 at the age of 78. His death certificate indicates that he had heart problems that led to his death. He is called a retired truck gardener on this form.

Emma Breihan did not die until 1988, two days after her 92nd birthday. Herman and Emma Breihan are buried together in the St. Trinity Cemetery in St. Louis.

I guess you could say that today’s birthday girl, a Niederstadt (lower town), ended up in the oberstadt (upper town) of St. Louis, where she spent most of her life. Emma is by no means the first example of a Perry County character who moved to St. Louis to get married and raise a family. Plenty of these characters from our German Family Tree have had such life stories.