The Kropf surname is one that became common in the Perryville and Friedenberg areas during the early years of Lutheranism in this vicinity. Today, I will tell the story of what looks to be the original Kropf couple to enter Perry County. This couple, as it turned out, spent about half of their lives in Germany as in America, so this may be a relatively short story. It begins with the groom who is today’s birthday boy (I think).

Johann George Kropf was born on July 17, 1808, and if that is the correct date, then today would be George’s 218th birthday. That is the date which is found on his gravestone, but more family trees on Ancestry.com give the birth date of November 17, 1808 than the ones that give the July 17th date. However, I found no evidence that George was born in November. According to Family Search, which also gives a July 17th birthday, it says that George’s parents were Johann and Anna (Sengenberge) Kropf.

George Kropf got married in Germany, so we will now take a look at the woman who was his wife. Her name was Margaretha Barbara Poehner, who was born on May 12, 1811. Margaretha was the daughter of Johann and Anna (Preusinger) Poehner. According to Family Search, George Kropf married Margaretha Poehner on January 15, 1832, but there is no documentation for it. However, that date was put there by Timm Yamnitz, our friend in Germany who I consider very reliable. At least 5 children were born to this couple in Germany because that is how many children we find making the voyage to America aboard the ship, President Smidt. Ancestry.com says this ship made that trip in 1850, but Family Search says it came in 1851. We can see the Kropf family on the image of a portion of that ship’s passenger list below.

It looks as if 3 more children were born in America, all of which would have been baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. So, we cannot view their baptism records. The first census in which we find the Kropf’s is the one taken in 1860. There were 6 children in their household, with 3 of them reportedly born in Bavaria and the other 3 born in Missouri. George was a farmer in the Bois Brule Township with the help of his oldest son, Henry.

Next, we find the Kropf’s in the 1870 census with 4 remaining children.

The last entry in which we find George and Margaretha was the one found in the 1880 census. Just 2 single children were still living with them. This time, it says the Kropf’s were living in the Central Township, but I do not know if that means they moved or the township boundaries were revised.

George Kropf died in 1889 at the age of 80. His death record can be found in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville.

An article was written about George’s death in the Perry County Sun which we can read here.

Margaretha Kropf died in 1894 at the age of 82. We can also view her church death record in the Immanuel, Perryville books. It uses the name, Barbara Kropf.

Margaretha Kropf also had an article printed in the Perry County Sun on the occasion of her death.

Both George and Margaretha Kropf are buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

Here is an enlarged image showing George’s date of birth on his gravestone. It definitely says July 17th, 1808.