There are already two posts included in the archives of stories that have been written on this blog describing couples made up of a Lohmann who married a Dubben. You will be reading yet another one today, and what is really amazing is that there are 4 marriage records involving a Lohmann marrying a Dubben in the books of Zion Lutheran Church in Alva, Oklahoma, so this may not be the last story I will write about such a wedding.

This story begins in Perry County, Missouri. Martha Anna Hedwig Lohmann was born on June 3, 1895. That makes today her 131st birthday. Martha was the daughter of Peter and Margaretha (Versemann) Lohmann. She was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. We can take a look at her baptism record from that congregation’s books below.

Martha is found in the 1900 census at the age of 4. Her father was a farmer in the Salem Township.

Martha was a teenager when the 1910 census was taken.

Martha had an older brother who had already moved to Oklahoma prior to when the 1910 census was taken. That may have precipitated the rest of the Lohmann family to move to Oklahoma sometime during the 1910’s. Martha ended up getting married in Oklahoma in 1920, but not until after the 1920 census was taken. She was still single and still living with her parents when we find her in that year’s census entry. The census taker submitted his results on January 17th that year, but he must have visited the Lohmann residence before January 14th because that is when Martha got married. In this entry, Martha was 24 years old, and her father was farming in the Valley Township in Woods County, Oklahoma. That is located very near the town of Alva.

Now, we will take a look at the man who would become Marhta’s husband. His name was William Fredrick Dubben, who was born on January 24, 1888. William was the firstborn child of August and Emilie (Schlenter) Dubben. He was born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. I am not able to display his baptism record. William is found in the 1900 census at the age of 12. His father was a farmer in the Town of Scott in Sheboygan County. I think the term, “Town of Scott” is more a name of a township. I was not able to locate an actual town named Scott.

By the time of the next census in 1910, the Dubben family had moved to Oklahoma. We find this family living in the Liberty Township of Woods County. At the age of 22, William was helping his father on his farm.

William had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. It gives him a rural Alva, Oklahoma address and says he was farming for himself.

William did get called into service during that war as is indicated by the form below which describes his time in the military.

Like was the case with Martha, when the 1920 census was taken, William was still single, only in his case, he was living by himself and farming in the Liberty Township at the age of 31.

William Dubben married Martha Lohmann on January 14, 1920 at Zion Lutheran Church in Alva. Since we have the books of that congregation in our research library, I am able to display this couple’s church marriage record.

Before I move on, let me show you another marriage record for Henry Lohmann and Lillie Dubben for their wedding that took place in 1919.

The witnesses for that wedding were William Dubben and Martha Lohmann. I have to ask the question. Did William and Martha become acquainted or better acquainted at this wedding before leading up to their wedding a year later? And yet another fact. Two of the witnesses for William and Martha’s wedding were Joachim Lohmann and Frieda Dubben. Those two got married at this church in 1924. Joachim and Frieda’s story was told in the post, Sheboygan Girl Meets Farrar Boy in Alva, Oklahoma.

I also located an Oklahoma application for William and Martha’s marriage license which is shown here.

William and Martha had 5 children, two of which died as an infants. When the 1930 census was taken, there were 3 children in the Dubben household.

The 1940 census shows the same 3 children. Their son was helping William on his farm.

William had his World War II draft card completed when America entered that war.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. Jus their daughter, Erna, was living with William and Martha.

William Dubben died in 1973 at the age of 85; Martha Dubben died in 1987 at the age of 92. Findagrave.com has an entry for the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Alva for both William and Martha, but neither one has a gravestone photo.

There is just one more marriage between a Dubben and a Lohmann in the Zion, Alva books that has not been told on this blog yet. I find it interesting that it includes another woman named Martha, only her maiden name was Martha Dubben. I suppose I might come up with a reason to write her story someday.