The common fact about today’s bride and groom is that they were both baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. These two would also eventually be buried in the cemetery of that church. However, in the intervening time, we have evidence that they were not always members of that congregation.

Today’s birthday boy is Christian Wilhelm Friedrich Pohlmann, who was born on April 4, 1894. That means today would be Christian’s 132nd birthday. He was the son of Friedrich and Caroline (Wilke) Pohlmann. Like I said, Christian was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim. An image of his baptism record from that congregation’s books is shown below.

Christian is found in the 1900 census at the age of 6. His father was a farmer in the Whitewater Township in Bollinger County.

Next, we find Christian in the 1910 census as a teenager. He was called a farm laborer.

In 1917, Christian had his World War I draft registration completed. It gives him a Hilderbrand address, which is not far from Friedheim, but in Bollinger County. It says he was farming, and his employer was Gustav Zoellner.

Christian did get called in to serve in the military, and according to his military record shown here, he did get sent overseas. It indicates that he spent over a year in Europe during that war.

I was unsuccessful at finding Christian in the 1920 census. Then, prior to the 1930 census, he got married, so we will now take a look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Meta Clara Zoellner, who was born on June 19, 1906. That means she was about 12 years younger than Christian. Meta was the daughter of Adolph and Sophie (Kaiser) Zoellner. Meta’s father was the brother of Gustav Zoellner, who was mentioned earlier. Meta was also baptized at Trinity, Friedheim, and her baptism record is displayed here.

Meta is found in the 1910 census at the age of 3. Her father was a farmer in the Union Township in Perry County.

When the 1920 census was taken, the Zoellner’s were living in the Apple Creek Township in Cape Girardeau County. The head of the household was Gustav Zoellner. Meta’s father was farming with his brother in the Apple Creek Township.

Christian Pohlmann married Meta Zoellner at Trinity Friedheim on November 25, 1928. We can view this pair’s church marriage record here.

We can also take a look at 2 different civil marriage records for this event.

Our German Family Tree lists 3 children born to Christian and Meta. Their first child was baptized in Friedheim, but the next 2 were baptized at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. In the 1930 census, the Pohlmann’s had yet to have children and were living in the Louis Zoellner household. Louis was another brother of Meta’s father, so Meta would have called him, Uncle Louis.

In the 1940 census, there were 3 Pohlmann children in their household. Included with the Pohlmann’s was the Raymond Zoellner family. Raymond was Meta’s brother. Christian and Raymond were farming together in the Union Township.

The last census we can view is the 1950 census. In that year’s entry, we see the same 3 children. Christian and his older son, Milton, were doing the farming.

Meta Pohlmann died in 1955 at the age of 49. Her death certificate below gives several causes of death. Christian, in the informant box, is said to be from Biehle.

Christian Pohlmann died in 1983 at the age of 88. Both Christian and Meta Pohlmann are buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Friedheim. Christian’s gravestone recognizes his World War I military experience.

When I hear about folks around here who are named Zoellner, I think they must be Roman Catholics. However, if there are Lutheran Zoellner’s, like the ones in this post, they likely have their beginnings at Trinity, Friedheim.