Rev. Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther, the first president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, had his beginnings while in America in Perry County, Missouri. Then, he moved to St. Louis where he spent the rest of his life. We often use a shortened form of his name when we talk about him…C.F.W. Today, you will read the story of another C.F.W. who had his beginnings in Perry County, but spent most of his life in St. Louis.

Charles Frederick Wichern was born on January 19, 1886. He was the son of Henry and Louisa (Leible) Wichern. Not that long ago, a story about Charles’s parents was published on this blog titled, Henry and Louise – A Wichern/Leible Pair. Henry Wichern was the brother of another rather well-known Perry County resident, Daniel Wichern. One of the notable differences between the brothers, Daniel and Henry, is that Henry had a Catholic bride, and he became a Catholic. So, we do not find the descendants of Henry with Lutheran church records, and his presence in our German Family Tree is rather minimal. That also means that I am not able to display a baptism record for Charles Wichern. His baptism record is likely found in the books of a local Catholic church.

Charles is found in the 1900 census at the age of 14. His father and Charles himself were called day laborers.

Charles’s father died in 1911 as a result of being struck by a train. You can read about that tragic story in the post about Charles’s parents.

Charles would get married prior to the next census, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Louise Mary Favier, who was born on March 26, 1887, so she is today’s birthday girl. Louise would be celebrating her 139th birthday today. Louise was the daughter of Alfred and Donalee (Prost) Favier. Her baptism is also likely to be found in the books of a local Catholic church. Louise is found in the 1900 census at the age of 13. Her father was a farmer in the Bois Brule Township.

Charles Wichern married Louise Favier on October 6, 1908. The Missouri marriage license shown below says this couple was married by a priest at the St. Mary’s Seminary in Perryville.

I am able to display this wedding photo of Charles and Louise.

The Wichern’s entry on Family Search says that this couple had 4 children, but only two of them lived to adulthood. When the 1910 census was taken, we see that the Wichern’s had moved to St. Louis. There was one son in their household, and Charles was a carpenter.

Charles had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. It gives Charles a Wellston address. Wellston is a municipality of North St. Louis. Charles was employed as a carpenter with the Mertz Brothers Company.

In the 1920 census, we once again see the Wichern’s with one son, but it is a different son that had been born during the previous decade. Apparently, their first son died when he was quite young. Charles was still a carpenter in St. Louis.

Next, we find the Wichern family in the 1930 census. Another son had been born in 1920 after the previous census had been taken. Although it is difficult to read, this entry says that Charles was still a carpenter.

Charles and Louise were not found in the same census entry for the year, 1940. When we look at the entry for Louise, it says that she was divorced. Her son, Lloyd, was living with her in Normandy, another North St. Louis municipality. Louise was called a housekeeper for a private family. Lloyd was a clerk at a bank.

Charles is also found living in Normandy in 1940 in the Edward Fohl household. He is called a lodger. The marriage column indicates that he was single, but I think he was divorced. He was still doing carpenter work.

Charles had a World War II draft card completed when America entered that war. He is given a St. Louis address.

I found a marriage license that says Charles Wichern married Mary Luciani in Jefferson County, Missouri on May 9, 1943. This document says both Charles and Mary were from St. Louis. They were married by a justice of the peace. I know practically nothing else about Mary Luciani.

Once again, the 1950 census finds Charles and Louise in 2 different census entries. Louise was still living in St. Louis, but this time, it looks like she was called a widow. However, Charles was still living. Her son, Lloyd, had gotten married, and he and his wife were living with Louise. Both her son and daughter-in-law were clerks in a bank. I am thinking that Lloyd met his wife while they were working together at a bank.

Charles is not found in St. Louis when that census was taken, and he is called divorced. His second marriage apparently did not last long. We find him living in the town of Hurricane located in Lincoln County, Missouri. That is a county located north of St. Louis. Charles is called a farmer. A young man named Garret was living with him. He was first called a “head”, but that is crossed out and replaced with “son”. I have no idea who that teenager was.

Charles died in 1956 at the age of 70. His death certificate below says he died in an auto accident in St. Charles County. This form says that Charles was married, and the spouse and informant is called Lucy Wichern. Did Charles have a third wife?

Charles is buried in the Mill Creek Cemetery in Lincoln County. His gravestone also includes a wife named Lucy whose death information was never inscribed on it.

Louise Wichern died in 1962 at the age of 75. Her death certificate says she died in St. Charles, Missouri.

Louise is buried in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Florissant, Missouri.

Although I did not enjoy discussing a divorce in this story, I can still think positively because, when I look back at the over 3000 posts that have been published over the years on this blog, the number of stories that tell about couples that have divorced is really quite small. However, I will point out that today’s C.F.W. had quite a different life than that of the original C.F.W. who became the president of the LCMS.