Happy Birthday to us! 🎉
Ten years ago today, Warren submitted the very first blog post on our newly launched website.
Arrival of the Knickerbocker
Posted on by Warren Schmidt
On January 30, 1839, the riverboat Knickerbocker arrived in St. Louis. Included in the passenger list was the family of Georg Joachim Schmidt. Joachim, his wife Maria, and children, Gottwerth (4 years old) and Magdalena (1 year old), had started their journey in Bremerhaven, Germany in November of 1838. They came from the town of Kahla, the same town where Rev. Gotthold Loeber was the pastor. This family of Schmidts were the first of my ancestors to arrive in America. Joachim was a locksmith. Little Magdalena died not long after arriving in St. Louis and never made it to Perry County.
Three other riverboats came up the Mississippi River in early 1839 carrying other members of Rev. Martin Stephan’s immigration society. Those riverboats were the Rienzi, the Clyde, and the Selma.
From that humble beginning, today’s post is #3,330!
Over the past decade, the blog has allowed us to do what we love most at the museum—tell stories. The vast majority of these stories were written by Warren Schmidt, whose careful research and steady dedication have shaped the heart of the blog. His work has focused especially on genealogy and the lives of individuals and families connected to Lutheran history, preserving names, relationships, and stories that might otherwise have been lost to time. Over the years, we’ve also been blessed by many guest bloggers who have shared their expertise and added their own voices and styles.
Genealogical research lies at the core of our mission. By tracing family lines, documenting migrations, and uncovering connections between people and places, genealogy transforms history from abstract events into personal stories. It reminds us that the past is made up of real people—parents and children, pastors and parishioners—whose lives of faith continue to echo into the present. Most posts focus on genealogy and in-depth historical research, while other highlight exhibits or behind-the-scenes moments at the museum. Together, they form an ongoing record of our work and the people who make it possible.
Regularly, I receive emails from people who discover their ancestors highlighted in a post—sometimes one written years earlier—offering thanks for information they never knew or sharing additional details that help deepen the story.
How do I find out if anyone in my family tree has been highlighted? you might ask. If you’ve only ever seen these posts on Facebook or in your email inbox as a subscriber, now is a perfect time to visit our website: www.lutheranmuseum.com. Along the top of the page, you’ll find links to different sections of the site. Click on BLOG, then look for the Search box. Type in a family surname, and you’ll receive a list of posts that mention that name.
You never know what connections—or stories—you might discover!
While you’re on our website, I encourage you to take a little time to explore the other information you’ll find there. I’ll be the first to admit that keeping everything perfectly up to date is a challenge for me; still, the site offers lots of helpful information about what we have to offer, along with useful details if you’re planning a visit.
I find the global reach of our website quite fascinating. This map shows where in the world the 475,086 people who have visited our site—viewing it a total of 1,224,907 times—are located.
We give thanks to God for his tremendous blessings over the past 10 years of our website and blog! As we look at this wide reach and reflect on these past ten years, we are reminded that the stories shared here are ultimately not ours alone, but God’s. Through names recorded, histories preserved, and connections rediscovered, He continues to use this work in ways we may never fully see. We give thanks for His faithfulness in the past and trust His guidance for the years to come, praying that all we do may serve His glory and the good of those who seek these stories.
Until next week! Denise Hellwege, Director