I saw the surnames, Funke and Ochs, show up in a search for an event that took place on January 28th. My immediate thought was that I had already written a post about this pair. I figured it would be a good story for this blog, but I thought it was also a done deal. I looked anyway to see if their story was told, and I could not find it in the archives. Therefore, you will read this Funke-Ochs tale today. I will begin with the groom.

Herman Funke was born on December 14, 1834. A later passenger list for Herman says he was from Gera, Germany, so that is likely where he was born. I was unable to determine the names of Herman’s parents. In 1858, Herman came to America aboard the ship, Borussia. On the passenger list for that ship, we see that Herman was 24 years old, and no other family members came with him.

I was unsuccessful at finding Herman in the 1860 census. I did find a Herman Frank living in St. Louis in 1860, and that may have been him. One reason that I looked for Herman in a St. Louis census is the fact that when the Civil War broke out, Herman served in the Union Army, and according to his military record below, he enlisted in St. Louis. It says he served in the 4th Regiment Cavalry Volunteers and he was “accidentally wounded while on duty”.

I had some doubts whether this was the correct Herman Funke, but I found 2 other documents that support the fact that this was the correct man. First, here is a Civil War draft registration form for Herman that says he was from Perry County when he had to complete this registration. It also says he had already served during that war.

A later Civil War pension record for Herman indicates that he was part of the 4th Missouri Cavalry, and his wife’s name was Elizabeth, and we will soon discover that was his wife’s name.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Herman’s wife. Her name was Anna Elizabeth Ochs, who was born on November 12, 1844, the daughter of Conrad and Catherine (Kaiser) Ochs. That means Elizabeth was about 10 years younger than Herman. Eizabeth’s baptism record is found in the books of Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown.

The Ochs family is found in the 1850 census living in the Brazeau Township. Elizabeth was 5 years old, and her father was a farmer.

Next, we find Elizabeth in the 1860 census as a teenager. Even though her family was living in the Cinque Hommes Township in 1860, that was probably because the township boundaries were revised.

Herman Funke married Elizabeth Ochs on January 28, 1866, so today would be this couple’s 160th wedding anniversary. They were married at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so I am not able to display a church record for this occasion. However, I am able to show 2 different records from Perry County. Pastor Besel was the pastor at Peace at that time. He had just become their pastor in 1866.

Our German Family Tree lists 8 children born to this couple, and they were likely baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. In the 1870 census, the Funke’s are found living in the Cinque Hommes Township with 2 children. Herman was a carpenter.

In the 1880 census, the Funke’s were living in the village of Longtown, and Herman was called a house carpenter. There were 6 children in their household.

In 1897, Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown was established, and Herman Funke was one of its charter members, as indicated by this image from the history of that congregation.

The 1900 census shows the Funke’s still living in Longtown and Herman still working as a carpenter. Only 2 children were still living with their parents.

The last census in which we find Herman and Elizabeth was the one taken in 1910. At the age of 75, Herman was said to have his “own income”, which was a way in those days to describe retirement. Just their single son, Henry, was living with his parents in Longtown.

Herman Funke died in 1916 at the age of 81. The doctor who signed his death certificate below, Dr. J.W. Russell, was Herman’s son-in-law because his wife was one of the Funke’s daughters.

Elizabeth Funke died in 1919 at the age of 74. Her death certificate lists stomach cancer as her cause of death. Once again, her son-in-law, Dr. Russell signed off on this document.

Herman and Elizabeth Funke are each buried in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Longtown.

I have already written several posts on this blog about some children of Herman and Elizabeth Funke. Now you know the story of their parents. I am also likely to write stories about the remaining children in their family in the future.