When I was a youngster, my parents talked about going to a “filling station” to gas up the car. You do not hear that term used much anymore. I suppose that is at least partly because the place where gasoline is distributed has changed dramatically since it was called a filling station. Back in my childhood, a filling station was not only a place to put gas in your car, but the operator would also work on automobiles in his garage, which was part of the small building located with the gas pumps. It certainly was not what the places to get gas now look like. Nowadays, a place to get gas is often called a convenience store, not only selling gas, but also a place to get coffee, soft drinks, and even shelves full of food to eat while driving. I have yet to visit a Buc-ees, but I know they are a new rage across the country. I understand that they often feature over 100 gas pumps along with an amazing store that features all kinds of merchandise. Here is a photo of the exterior and one of the interior of a typical Buc-ees.

Here is what a gas station looked like back in the days when people often called it a filling station. This was the Altenburg Garage which was operated by Gerard Fiehler’s grandfather.

You are going to read the story today about a man who would go on to become the operator of a filling station in Perryville. This man is also today’s birthday boy.

Armin Georg Schamburg was born on February 12, 1886, thus making today his 140th birthday. Actually, he was not the only one who was born on that day. Armin was one of a set of twin boys born on February 12th. Armin’s twin brother was named Albert, and I may have to tell his story someday. The parents of the twin boys were Traugott and Elizabeth (Haeckel) Schamburg. The twins were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. An image of their baptism records from that congregation’s books is displayed here.

Since we cannot view the 1890 census, the first one in which we find Armin is the one taken in 1900. Like the story yesterday in which a boy was baptized at Immanuel and then was found in his first census living in the Salem Township, that was the case with Armin. Armin and Albert were 14 years old, and their father was a farmer in the Salem Township.

Armin was still single when the 1910 census was taken. His father had died in 1904, and his twin brother was married in 1909, so those two are not found in Armin’s 1910 entry. His widowed mother was called a farmer, and 3 other sons in the family were working on that farm, but Armin is called a house carpenter. He was still living in the Salem Township.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Armin’s bride. Her name was Emma Matilda Barbara Hoehn, who was born on February 27, 1891. Emma was the daughter of Albert and Kunigunda (Fassold) Hoehn. She was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg, so we are unable to view her baptism record. Emma is found in the 1900 census at the age of 10. Her father was a farmer in the Central Township.

In the 1910 census, Emma was 19 years old and still living with her parents.

Armin Schamburg married Emma Hoehn on May 21, 1911. The Missouri marriage license below indicates that this wedding took place at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. Pastor Guemmer was the pastor at Peace at that time.

Armin had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. He is given a Perryville address and was called an implement dealer. I did not find evidence that Armin served in the military during that war, but I did discover that his twin brother did.

A child had been born to Armin and Emma in 1912, but that child died as an infant. In the 1920 census, the Schamburg’s still had no children. Armin was an implement dealer in Perryville.

A son named Arthur was born in 1924, so when the 1930 census was taken, we find this household for them. It included their young son and Emma’s mother. Armin was called a dealer of farm implements.

In the 1940 census, we find the trio of Armin, Emma, and Arthur in their census entry. Armin’s occupation is described as the proprietor of a filling station, and it also mentions farm machinery. I would not describe this as a typical filling station, but it was definitely called one.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Armin was said to have his own filling station. His son, Arthur, was working at a grocery story. Also included in their household were two nieces, Dorothy and Helen Schamburg, who were daughters of Armin’s brother, Martin. Martin was still farming in the Salem Township, so these two nieces were probably living in Perryville with their uncle in order to be close to their place of employment. Dorothy was working at the shoe factory, and Helen was an assistant secretary for the county agent.

Armin died in 1965 at the age of 78. His death certificate below says that he died at the Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. I am a little surprised that he is called a retired carpenter on this document.

Emma Schamburg died in 1969 at the age of 78. The address on both Armin and Emma’s death certificates, 15 N. Walnut, is located just 2 blocks away from the courthouse square in Perryville.

Armin and Emma Schamburg are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

Let me point out another thing about filling stations, especially the ones that were found in the early years of East Perry County after the advent of the automobile. In addition to being located where automobile maintenance was done, there was once a time when there were gas pumps at other businesses. I can tell you that in Altenburg, there were once gas pumps at a car dealership, a hardware store, and even an appliance store (as shown in the photo below).

I may have to write a story about the old filling stations that were found in this area back in those days. I also think a display in our museum featuring the old filling stations might get a lot of local visitors. Plus, it looks like I have yet to write the story of Armin’s twin brother, so that may have to be put on my future agenda (although I don’t think I will remember to do so 10 years from now when Albert would celebrate his 150th birthday).

I don’t think I am going to go out of my way to visit a Buc-ees. I think I would prefer an old-style filling station, perhaps one at which a person would come out of the station after hearing the bell attached to a hose and proceed to give full-service to the car while getting a tank of gas. It would bring back memories. I also wish I had a photo of the Schamburg filling station that once existed in Perryville.