Jacob Martin Darnstaedt is today’s birthday boy. He was born in Altenburg, but spent most of his life in Jackson County, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from Perry County. Jacob was born on October 13, 1887, so today would be his 139th birthday. He was not the only baby born on that day. He was part of a boy/girl set of twins. His twin sister, Mathilda, however, died after less then a month. Jacob and Mathilda were the children of Gottfried and Amalia (Schlimpert) Darnstaedt. The twins were baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. We can take a look at an image of their baptism records in that congregation’s books.

I also discovered that I had to be careful in researching a man named Jacob Martin Darnstaedt because there was another man with that name in our German Family Tree who was born in 1869. Also, in a Darnstaedt family binder we have in our research library, it says that this Darnstaedt family lived in the Darnstaedt cabin located in the Seelitz community. This Darnstaedt family had 7 children. It’s hard to believe that this group all lived in the cabin shown below.

Jacob is found in the 1900 census at the age of 12. His father was a farmer in the Brazeau Township.

Jacob was confirmed at Trinity, Altenburg in 1902. Jacob would have been in his early 20’s when the 1910 census was compiled, but I failed to locate him. I do know that he was no longer living with his parents. I looked especially at both Perry County, Missouri and Jackson County, Illinois to find him, but did not succeed. I also know that Jacob’s older brother was living in the Fountain Bluff Township in Jackson County when the 1910 census was taken.

I think this photo of the Darnstaedt family was taken at some point in the early 1900’s. Jacob is standing in the back, third person from the left, right behind his grandmother.

Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Jacob’s first bride. Her name was Lydia Magdalena Brunkhorst, who was born on October 30, 1892, the daughter of Henry and Katherine (Wichern) Brunkhorst. Lydia was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois. An image of her baptism record is shown below in 2 images.

Lydia is found in the 1900 census at the age of 7. Her father was a farmer in the Fountain Bluff Township.

When the 1910 census was taken, Lydia was a teenager. She had been confirmed at Christ, Jacob in 1905.

Jacob Darnstaedt married Lydia Brunkhorst on August 1, 1912 at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob. We can view this pair’s church marriage record below. For a lot of years, the marriage records in that congregation’s books were full of more information than is usually found in church records. Also, even though many are in German, the handwriting is very readable. This one says that Jacob was from Altenburg.

I am able to display the wedding photo of this pair.

This marriage did not last long because when a baby was going to be born in 1913, Lydia died as a result of that childbirth. The child is not listed in the Christ Lutheran books as being baptized, so I suppose the birth did not even take place. Lydia is buried in the Christ Lutheran Cemetery in Jacob.

Jacob would get married again. His second wife was Freada Dena Brelje, who was born on April 26, 1890. Freada was the daughter of Henry and Maria (Steinmeyer) Brelje. She was born in Campbell Hill, another small town located in Jackson County, Illinois. I do not know where Freada’s baptism record is located, although my best guess is that it may be found in the books of Immanel Lutheran Church in Campbell Hill. In the 1900 census, Freada is found living in the Wine Hill Township of Jackson County. She was 10 years old, and her father was a stone mason.

In the 1910 census, Freada was 19 years old and still living with her parents.

About the best I can do is say that Jacob Darnstaedt married Freada Brelje in 1914. I was unable to locate any marriage record for them. According to Family Search, this couple had 4 children. The first 2 were a set of boy/girl twins, and the boy died not long after being born. Jacob had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917, he was given a Cora, Illinois address and was said to be farming. It also says he had a wife and 1 child.

A photo was taken of 3 Brelje girls at some point. Since Freade, the middle woman in this photo, is wearing a wedding ring, the photo must have been taken after 1914.

In the 1920 census, the Darnstaedt’s are found living in the Degognia Township with 2 children. The town of Cora is found in that township. Jacob was a farmer.

Next, we find the Darnstaedt’s in the 1930 census. The same 2 children are found in their household.

The last child born to this couple was born in 1931. When the 1940 census was taken, the oldest daughter had moved away, and the youngest one was 9 years old. Jacob was still farming.

Jacob had his World War II draft card completed when America joined that war. Once again, he was given a Cora, Illinois address.

Jacob Darnstaedt died in 1944 at the age of 56; Freada Darnstaedt died in 1947 at the age of 57. Jacob and Freada Darnstaedt are each buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Campbell Hill, Illinois.

Jacob Darnstaedt, born in Perry County, migrated across the Mississippi River to find two brides from Jackson County, Illinois. He spent the rest of his life there, but I have to think that there would have been occasions over the years when he and his family may have taken a ferry across the river to visit family in Perry County.