This past February, I wrote a post titled, Fred and Emma – Gordonville Grossheider’s. That story was about a man named Fred William Grossheider, who was born in 1866, and he married a woman named Emma. Today, you will read the tale of another Fred Grossheider, one who was born in 1896, and, lo and behold, he also married a woman named Emma.

Frederick Claus Grossheider was born on July 20, 1896, so today would be his 130th birthday. Fred was the son of Albert and Ida (Kerstner) Grossheider. A photo of Fred’s parents is displayed below.

Fred was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Gordonville. In a binder we have in our museum for that congregation, we see his baptism record included in a list of other 1896 baptism records.

Fred is found in the 1900 census at the age of 2, although I think he was closer to 4. His father was a farmer in the Cape Girardeau Township in Cape Girardeau County. That township was located west of the city of Cape Girardeau in the direction of Gordonville.

In the early 1900’s, this photo must have been taken of Fred and his siblings when they were quite young.

Fred is found in the 1910 census as a teenager.

It was also in 1910 that Fred was confirmed, and I did find a confirmation record for him that is shown here. However, he was not confirmed at Zion, Gordonville. A new Lutheran church was established in Gordonville in 1899 called Christ Lutheran Church, and it is at that church that Fred was confirmed. When that congregation was formed, its first treasurer was Fred’s Kerstner grandpa.

Fred had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918. It gives him a rural Gordonville address.

Fred did serve in the military during that war. His military record is pictured here. It looks as if he was not sent overseas.

Fred would get married during the next decade, so we will now look at the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Emma Mueller, who was born on September 5, 1896. Emma was the daughter of Chauncy and Carolina (Valle) Mueller. Without any proof, I suspect that the Mueller’s were Catholics. In her first census entry, Emma is found living in the Union Township of Ste. Genevieve County at the age of 4. That township is near the city of Weingarten. Her father was a farmer.

In the 1910 census, Emma was 13 years old and still living with her parents in the same location. The Mueller household was quite large with 9 children listed.

Fred Grossheider married Emma Mueller on September 7, 1919. On the 2 civil marriage records shown below, you will see that both records are from Cape Girardeau County, but they each indicate that the wedding took place in St. Louis and performed by a pastor.

Here is a wedding photo for this Grossheider/Mueller pair.

Evidence seems to indicate that Fred and Emma had 2 children that lived to adulthood. In the 1920 census, there were no children in the Grossheider household, but it also included 3 of Fred’s younger brothers. Two brothers were helping Fred on his farm, and the other brother was a county school teacher.

Both children were born in the 1920’s, so the 1930 census includes Fred, Emma, their 2 children, and one of Emma’s brothers.

The 1940 census shows the Grossheider family living in the same place. This time, there was a niece named Colleen Moore living with them. Their son, Robert, was old enough to be helping his father on his farm.

Fred had his World War II draft card completed when that war was fought.

The last census we can view is the one taken in 1950. No children still lived with Fred and Emma, but there was a hired had named John Voss who was in their household.

Both Fred and Emma lived long lives. Fred died in 1985 at the age of 89; Emma died in 1990 at the age of 93. These two are buried together in the Jackson Cemetery in Jackson.

I submit to you that if there ever is another Fred Grossheider, he should look for a bride named Emma.