Today’s birthday girl is Ida Paulina Villhard, who was born on June 29, 1891. That means today would be her 135th birthday. I debated whether to use the spelling of Villhard or Villhardt of Ida’s surname because I find it spelled both ways in records. Ida was the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Sittner) Villhard. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. Her baptism record is pictured here.

I failed to find the Villhard family in the 1900 census, but I did locate this Villhard family photo that was taken when Ida was a young child. Since she was the fourth daughter born into her family, I think Ida is the girl standing on the far right in the front.

The only census entry for Ida that I found prior to her marriage is the one taken in 1910. She was 19 years old, and her father was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

Now, we will take a look at the man who would become Ida’s husband. His name was Lyola Joseph Horrell, who was born on July 11, 1892. Lyola was the son of Joseph and Mary Jane (Moore) Horrell. I cannot provide baptism information for Lyola. It did not take long for Lyola’s life to become difficult. Both of his parents died within 5 days of each other in November of 1898, leaving Lyola as an orphan. When the 1900 census was taken, we find Lyola living in the Marion Layton household. Marion’s wife, Elizabeth, was Lyola’s half-sister. Lyola, called Joseph in this entry, was 7 years old, and Marion was a farmer in the Cinque Hommes Township.

In the 1910 census, Lyola, once again called Joseph, was a hired man in the Louis Migot household in the Central Township.

In 1917, Lyola completed his World War I draft registration. He is given a Belgique address and was called a farm laborer for Charles Steyns. It also states that he had 3 years of previous military experience.

Later in 1917, Lyola Horrell married Ida Villhard on December 11th. Their church record is found in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. This record contains the term, pfarrhause, which is German for “parsonage”. This wedding must have taken place in Rev. Griebel’s home, not in church.

I can also display this Missouri marriage license for this couple.

Our German Family Tree lists 4 children born to Lyola and Ida. Their first and third children were baptized at Immanuel, Perryville. Their second child was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Crosstown. I am not certain where their fourth child was baptized, but I suspect that girl was baptized at Immanuel, Perryville. The church records for that congregation on Ancestry.com only go up to 1924, and that girl was baptized in 1927. That girl also died in 1929, so she never shows up in a census entry. We know she was born because she is buried in the Immanuel, Perryville cemetery. Meanwhile, back to the 1920 census entry for the Horrell’s. In that year’s entry, we find this family living elsewhere. They were living in the Tyappity Township in Mississippi County, Missouri. Lyola was a farm laborer. There was just their first child in their household.

The Horrell’s made their way back to Perryville during the next decade. In 1921 already, their second child was being baptized in Crosstown. When the 1930 census was taken, the Horrell’s had all 3 of their living children, and they were residing in Perryville. Lyola was doing odd jobs

In the 1940 census, the Horrell’s had just 2 children still living with them. Lyola was doing part-time common labor in Perryville.

I think it might have been at about this time that this photo of some members of this Horrell family was taken. It includes Lyola and Ida, their daughter, Evelyn, and their son, Delbert (on the right) with his wife, Mary Jane (Barber) Horrell. Delbert and Mary Jane were married in 1941.

Lyola had his World War II draft card completed when America entered that war. His employer was Edward Deimund.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. Lyola and Ida had an empty nest. Lyola was working for a plumbing and heating company. Ida was a janitoress at a public building.

Later in his life, this photograph was taken of Lyola.

Lyola Horrell died in 1955 at the age of 62. His death certificate below credits heart troubles as his cause of death.

We can read Lyola’s obituary below.

I think the photo below of Ida and some of her Villhard family members was taken after her husband’s death. She is the woman sitting on the far right.

Ida Horrell’s life came to an abrupt and tragic end in 1960. She was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a car crash on the early hours of January 1st. She was 68 years old at the time of her death. Ida’s death certificate is shown here.

An article appeared on the front page of the Perry County Republicn that told some details about the car crash that took Ida’s life. You can read it in the images below.

Lyola and Ida Horrell are buried together in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

Lyola Horrell had a tragic childhood, losing his parents when he was just a youngster. If he was still alive in 1960, he would have had to experience the tragic end of his wife’s life. Maybe some additional sadness in his life was spared him because he was no longer living.