I will begin this post by recognizing today’s birthday girl. Her name was Bertha Anna Catherine Popp, who was born on May 3, 1876. That means today would be her special 150th birthday. Bertha was the daughter of John and Margaret (Gerstacker) Popp. She was born in Cape Girardeau and was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in that city. Below is a transcription of her baptism record.

Bertha is found in the 1880 census at the age of 4. Her father was a teamster in Cape Girardeau.

Bertha was confirmed in 1889 at Trinity, Cape Girardeau. We see her name at the bottom of this list of confirmands from that class of 1889.

The 1880 census entry was the only one we can view for Bertha prior to her wedding because we cannot look at the 1890 census. So, we will now look at the man who would become Bertha’s husband. His name was Theodore Carl Ochs, who was born on March 3, 1873. Theodore was the son of Henry and Barbara (Popp) Ochs. That means Theodore would have a mother whose maiden name was Popp and a wife whose maiden name was Popp. Theodore was born in Longtown, but his baptism record was likely included in the books of Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. However, like the 1890 census, the Friedenberg records were destroyed in a fire.

Theodore is found in the 1880 census at the age of 7. His father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

Theodore was confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville in 1886. Below is a list of the confirmands from his confirmation class.

Theodore Ochs married Bertha Popp on May 3, 1896. That means Bertha got married on her 20th birthday. These 2 were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. Below is a transcription of their church marriage record. It says Theodore was a clerk in a store in Longtown.

We can also take a look at this couple’s marriage license.

I have to think that Theodore and Bertha must have spent a short time in Longtown after they got married. In 1897, a new Lutheran church was established in Longtown called Zion Lutheran Church, and Theodore’s name is listed as one of that congregation’s charter members.

The Ochs couple is found living in Cape Girardeau when the 1900 census was taken. They were living in the household of Bertha’s parents. Theodore was called a clerk in a hardware store.

It looks like the Ochs pair had 7 children, but 2 of them died in infancy. When the 1910 census was taken, there were 3 children in the Ochs household. Theodore was a manufacturer of doors and sashes in Cape.

Theodore had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. He is given a Cape Girardeau address, and was said to be a lumberman for the Union Lumber & Manufacturing Company.

Next, we find the Ochs household in the 1920 census. There were 4 children in their family, and this time Theodore is called the proprietor of a lumber company. One of his daughters was a stenographer for the lumber company.

The Ochs family is found in the 1930 census with only one remaining child living in their household. Theodore made a pretty significant change in his occupation. In 1923, he bought some land and started an orchard known as Pioneer Orchards, specializing in apples and peaches. In the census entry below, Theodore was called an orchardist of fruits.

The 1940 census shows Theodore and Bertha with an empty nest. Their daughter, Laura, had married William Beggs, and he went on to take over the Pioneer Orchards after Theodore.

Bertha Ochs died in 1946 at the age of 69. Her death certificate below says she died at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Theodore Ochs is found as a widower in the 1950 census. A couple, William and Nora Cunnell, were living with him, and William was helping Theodore at his orchard/nursery.

Theodore Ochs died in 1956 at the age of 83. Heart disease is listed as the cause of death on his death certificate.

We can read Theodore’s obituary here. It says another Pioneer Orchard was established west of Jackson before his death.

Pioneer Orchards is still in business. I know several people who make annual trips to this orchard to pick up some really nice peaches. I swiped this photo off that company’s Facebook page.