Gustav Friedrich Schliesser was born on January 18, 1875, so he would be today’s birthday boy. Not only that, he would be celebrating his 150th birthday today. His gravestone would say that he was born on January 17th, but I think that is wrong. Gustav was the son of John and Wilhelmine (Ehmann) Schliesser. He was born in Defiance, Ohio. Gustav was 5 years old when the 1880 census was taken. His father worked on the railroad in Defiance.

The next Schliesser child in this family was born in Defiance in 1881, but when the following child was born in 1884, that daughter was born in Farmington, Missouri. So, this family must have moved to Farmington in the interim between the births of those two babies. Then, there is evidence in our German Family Tree that the Schliesser’s were living in or near Pocahontas, Missouri during a few years around 1890. The baptism record of Johann Schliesser that took place at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas says that Johann was born in Farmington in August of 1890 and was baptized in Pocahontas in September of that year.

Gustav was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas in 1891. Below we can view the information that is included in the St. John’s binder we have in our research library for Gustav.

By the time of the 1900 census, we once again find the Schliesser’s living in Farmington, Missouri. Gustav was 25 years old and working as a miller. His father was a carpenter in Farmington.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Gustav’s bride. Her name was Amanda Sackmann, who was born on October 30, 1873. Amanda was the daughter of William Charles and Wilhelmine (Koch) Sackmann. There is a bit of debate about her year of birth because her death certificate and gravestone say that she was born in 1874. However, I find it hard to dispute the fact that Amanda’s baptism record is found in the books of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau among all the other baptisms that took place in 1873. We can look at a transcription of Amanda’s baptism record below.

Amanda is found in the 1880 census at the age of 6. Her father was a tailor in Cape Girardeau.

Amanda was still single when the 1900 census was taken. She was 26 years old and the only remaining Sackmann child still living with her parents.

Gustav Schliesser married Amanda Sackmann on April 8, 1901 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. The church marriage record for this event is pictured here. It says that Gustav was from Farmington.

We can also view this couple’s Missouri marriage license.

The Schliesser’s had just one child, a daughter named Helen, born in 1902 in Farmington. In the 1910 census, the Schliesser’s were still living in Farmington, and Gustav was still in the milling business.

The Schliesser’s made a move after the above census was taken. When Gustav had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918, he is given a Pocahontas, Illinois address. He was a miller at the Union Roller Milling Company.

We find the Schliesser’s living in Pocahontas when the 1920 census was taken. Their daughter, Helen, was called a music teacher and teaching piano at the age of 17.

During the next decade, the Schliesser’s made a move back to Missouri. The 1930 census indicates that the Schliesser family was living in Advance, Missouri. Gustav and Amanda had an empty nest, and Gustav was still working as a miller.

Amanda Schliesser died in 1931 at the age of 56, almost 57. It looks like Gustav and Amanda might have moved to St. Louis, perhaps to get medical help for Amanda. Her death certificate says she died of uterine cancer.

In the 1940 census, we find Gustav as a widower and living in Centralia, Illinois. His daughter, Helen, had married Ben McIntosh, and her family was living in Centralia. Gustav must have joined their family after Amanda’s death. Gustav was still milling, and Ben was the manager of a retail automobile garage.

Gustav Schiessler died in 1942 at the age of 67. He died in Lebanon, Tennessee. His Tennessee death certificate below indicates his residence was in Wilson County in that state.

The above document says that Gustav’s body was going to be transported to St. Louis for burial. Both Gustav and Amanda Schliesser are buried in St. Louis, but in different cemeteries. Amanda is buried in the Zion Cemetery and Gustav is buried in the St. Ann Cemetery. Amanda’s gravestone says she was born in 1874, which is also the year given on her death certificate, but I think she was born in 1873 because of her baptism record. Even though his Tennessee death certificate (and his World War I draft registration) give his birthday as January 18th, Gustav’s gravestone says he was born on January 17th. I also think that date is incorrect.

Gustav Schliesser was one of those men who did not spend too much time in just one place. He lived in Defiance, Ohio, Farmington, St. Louis, and Advance in Missouri, Lebanon, Tennessee, and Centralia, Illinois. And he also lived in two different villages named Pocahontas, one in Missouri and one in Illinois. However, one thing remained the same throughout his adult life. He was a miller. A migrating miller.