Ludwig Heinrich Johann Koch was born on September 4, 1896. That means today would be his 130th birthday. He was called Louie during his life, so I will use that name. He was the son of Friedrich William and Annie (Bretzel) Koch. Louie’s baptism record is found in the books of Eisleben Lutheran Church in Scott City. We have a binder with transcribed records from that congregation, and I was able to find Louie’s baptism record which is shown here.

That church was originally said to be located in Ilmo, Missouri, which eventually became known as Scott City. Louie is found in the 1900 census at the age of 3. His father was a farmer in the Kelso Township in Scott County.

Louie’s mother died in 1906, and his father married again. It was actually his father’s 3rd marriage. He married Angeline (Teal) Raines, who was also widowed. So, in the 1910 census, we see Louie living in the household of her father and stepmother. This family was living in the Moreland Township in Scott County, and his father was still farming. Louie was 13 years old at the time.

Louie was confirmed at Eisleben Lutheran Church in Ilmo in 1912. I can also display a confirmation record for him. I find it fascinating that this congregation apparently had a German class and an English class. Louie was part of the English class.

His confirmation certificate is displayed here. Rev. George Hilpert was the pastor who confirmed him, and he had East Perry County roots.

According to the caption found on Ancestry.com, the photo below is said to be his confirmation photo. I think you would agree that, if this is indeed his confirmation photo, it is certainly “out-of-the-ordinary”.

Our museum just put up a new display which features some artifacts from Rev. George Hilpert. It includes the Bible shown below from the Eisleben Lutheran Church in Ilmo.

During the next decade, Louie made a move across the Mississippi River to Jackson County, Illinois. When Louie had his World War I draft registration completed in 1918, it gives him a Jacob, Illinois address. He was working on his father’s farm in the village of Raddle, which is found near Jacob.

I am pretty sure that the census entry below is the correct one for Louie. The puzzling issue is that his stepmother, Angeline is the head of the household, and she is called “wife” and the “M” in the marriage status column indicates she was married. However, we do not see Louie’s father in the household. At this time, Louie was 23 years old and was given no occupation.

I located Louie’s father in that year’s census. He was also living in the Degognia Township, but he was living alone.

Now, it is time to take a look at the woman who would become Louie’s bride. Her name was Bertha Friedericke Fritsche, who was born on August 10, 1900. Bertha was the daughter of Robert and Magdalene (Darnstaedt) Fritsche. Although Bertha was born in or near Jacob, Illinois, both of her parents were born and raised in Altenburg. A post about Bertha’s parents was titled, Research Rock Stars. Bertha was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. We can take a look at her baptism record from that congregation’s books below in 2 images.

Bertha was born too late in 1900 to appear in that year’s census, so the first census in which we see Bertha is the one taken in 1910. Bertha was 9 years old, and her father was a farmer in the Degognia Township of Jackson County.

Bertha was confirmed at Christ, Jacob in 1914. Her confirmation photo is shown below.

In the 1920 census, Bertha was 19 years old and still living with her parents.

Louie Koch married Bertha Fritsche on January 4, 1923. I do not know why, but this pair was married in St. Louis at Emmaus Lutheran Church. We are able to view this couple’s church marriage record from the books of Emmaus.

I am also able to display this certificate for this pair. Rev. Kretschmar was the pastor at Emmaus at that time. Both the Emmaus record and this certificate say that both Louie and Bertha were from Jacob, Illinois.

When this couple’s first child was born later that year, he was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. In fact, all 4 of their children were baptized at that church. In the 1930 census, we find the Koch’s with 2 children, along with August and William Koch, two of Louie’s brothers. Louie was a farmer, with the help of his 2 brothers.

The Koch’s are found in the 1940 census with all 4 of their children. It says Louie was laboring on a farm.

Louie had his World War II draft card completed when America joined that war. It says Louie was living in Jacob, and his employer, Beryl Crain, lived in Gorham.

The last census entry we can view is the one taken in 1950. The Koch’s were living in the Fountain Bluff Township where Louie is called a farm helper. Two sons were still living with their parents, and their son, Willard, was a hired hand at a general merchandise store.

I am going to share a few photos I found on Ancestry.com of Louie. One shows Louie all by himself, and the other shows him with a few horses. Clicking on them will enlarge them.

Louie Koch died in 1959 at the age of 62. Findagrave.com includes this transcription of his newspaper obituary. The references to Louie working for the highways and roads in the Degognia Township are ones you do not find when looking at the documents displayed in this story.

Bertha Fritsche died in 1988 at the age of 87. I located the actual newspaper obituary for Bertha, which says she died in Florissant, a municipality of St. Louis.

Louis and Bertha Koch are buried together in Christ Lutheran Cemetery in Jacob.

I know it’s just a hunch based on a few photographs, especially the one that is supposed to be his confirmation picture, but I think Louie was an “out of the ordinary” kind of guy. What we might also consider to be a “character”.