Several posts have already been written about the Immanuel and Martha (Soehl) Lorenz family and their children. One of the Lorenz children who has not had his story told yet is that of their firstborn child. You will read his story today.

August Theodor Gottfried Lorenz was born on September 28, 1886, so today would be his 140th birthday. He was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. We can take a look at his baptism record below.

Since we cannot view the 1890 census, the first one in which we find Gottfried is the one taken in 1900, and that is the one which has so many pages that are difficult to read. In fact, earlier this September, I wrote the story of Gottfried’s younger brother, Theodore Lorenz, and in that post, Gladys Engert’s Mom and Dad, I said I could not even find the Lorenz family in that year’s census. Since then, Fred Eggers has shown me where that family’s entry is found, so I am now able to display it. We discover an amazing fact when we look at it. Gottfried Lorenz is actually listed twice on the same page. He is found listed living with his grandparents, August and Justine Lorenz, whose entry is found not far above that of Gottfried’s parents. I have highlighted Gottfried’s name twice in the image below. He is also listed with his parents toward the bottom of the page. In both listings, Gottfried is said to be 13 years old and born in September of 1886. He is called a grandson in one entry and a son in the other.

Gottfried was confirmed in 1900 also, and that event took place at Salem, Farrar. The above census entry would be the only one in which Gottfried is found prior to his marriage, so we will now turn our attention to the woman who would become his bride. Her name was Martha Ottilia Rauss, who was born on August 26, 1886, which means she was about a month older than Gottfried. Martha was the daughter of Hugo and Catharina (Ruhkopf) Rauss. Like her future husband, Martha was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar. Her baptism record is displayed below.

If you look at the page on which Martha’s baptism record is found, you will see a rather rare sight. The future bride and groom’s baptism records are found right next to each other.

Martha’s mother died in 1895, and Martha is not found living with her father in the 1900 census. We find her living in the William Kaempfe household and called a servant. She was just 13 years old at the time.

Like was the case with Gottfried Lorenz, Martha was also confirmed in 1900 at Salem, Farrar. You will see both of their confirmation records in the image below.

Gottfried and Martha must have spent a lot of years as classmates at Salem Lutheran School in Farrar. I imagine that they spent most of those years not being the least bit interested in each other, but they would eventually notice each other and become a couple.

Gottfried Lorenz married Martha Rauss on April 26, 1908 at Salem, Farrar. We can view their church marriage record here. Gottfried is called a carpenter on this document.

I can also display this couple’s marriage license.

This wedding article appeared in the Perry County Sun. It mentions that Gottfried had built the home this couple would live in after they got married.

Gottfried and Martha had 3 children, all of which were baptized at Salem, Farrar. The first was a girl named Norma born in 1909. Then the year, 1910, became quite an eventful year for the Lorenz family. I found a series of articles printed in the Perry County Sun about what was going on with this family. First, here is an article printed on February 10th of that year.

The store at which Gottfried was going to work was one that was mentioned in a previous post titled, Bergt & Panning Store – Altona, NE. Other Perry County natives had already moved to that part of Nebraska prior to when Gottfried would. Then, a week later, another article appeared in that newspaper.

That article would be followed by yet another article a week later. This one mentioned that three other men from Perry County, Henry and Herman Stueve and William Feiste, were also moving to Altona, Nebraska.

The Lorenz’s are found in the 1910 census living near Altona, Nebraska. Gottfried is called a freight man. Right below the Lorenz household, you will see that of J.G. Bergt, who was one of the operators of the Bergt & Panning Store in Altona.

Later in June of 1910, the Perry County Sun printed a letter that Gottfried had written about his experiences in Nebraska. Among other things, he talks about how several Farrar boys were playing baseball in Nebraska.

The Lorenz’s apparently did not remain in Nebraska very long. When another child was born in 1911, that baby was baptized at Salem, Farrar. Also, the photo below of the Farrar Reds baseball team has shown up on this blog on several occasions. It was published later in a Perry County newspaper, and the photo was reportedly taken in 1910. I think it may have been taken later, perhaps in 1911, partly because of the information you have seen in this post. Gottfried is standing second from the right, and on his sleeve, it indicates he was “P”, the pitcher on the team. His brother, Theodore, is standing on the end and is called the “C”, the catcher. Gottfried and his brother formed the battery for the Farrar Reds. These two likely had plenty of time to practice their skills together over the years.

Another child was born in 1916 and baptized in Farrar. However, when Gottfried had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917, he is given a St. Louis address. Gottfried’s employer was the Shapleigh Hardware Company. It also says he had some issues with his index finger on his left hand. I have to wonder if that was a baseball injury.

This photo of the Shapleigh Hardware Company building in St. Louis has previously been displayed on this blog.

In the 1920 census, we find the Lorenz’s with all 3 of their children. Gottfried was a street car conductor in St. Louis. Also included in their household was Martha’s younger brother, Gotthilf, who as a clerk for a box company.

Next, we find the Lorenz family in the 1930 census. This time, Gottfried was called a millwright at a lumber mill.

In the 1940 census, Gottfried was still working at a planing mill. His daughter, Norma, and her husband, Walter Gereau, were living with Gottfried and Martha. Walter was working for an electrical manufacturing company. Walter’s World War II draft card says that he was employed by the Emerson Electric Company, which is where my father worked most of his life.

The last census the public can view is the one taken in 1950. At the age of 63, Gottfried was a lumber mill foreman. Included in the Lorenz household was Tillie Versemann, another woman who was born and raised in Farrar.

Martha Lorenz died in 1953 at the age of 66. An intestinal obstruction which likely was the result of cancer is listed as her cause of death on the document below.

Gottfried Lorenz died in 1965 at the age of 78. His death certificate can be viewed here.

Gottfried and Martha Lorenz are each buried in the St. Lucas Cemetery in St. Louis.

Before I bring this story to a close, let me display another photo that has shown up on this blog before. It shows the Immanuel and Martha (Soehl) Lorenz family when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Gottfried is standing in the back on the far left. He must have come down from St. Louis for this special occasion.