Julius Paul Fuehler is one of today’s main characters. Paul was born in Greiz, Germany on August 5, 1868. Paul was the son of Julius and Marie (Wagner) Fuehler. When he was just 12 years old, his mother died, and that may have precipitated his father making the decision to take several members of his family to America a year later in 1882. Paul, along with his father and his younger brother, Alfred, came to the United States aboard the ship, Elbe.

Below is a photo of the ship, Elbe, which brought the Fuehler’s to this country.

If we could view the 1890 census, we could get a hint about where Paul settled once he was in Southeast Missouri, but as it is, we are not able to view Paul in an American census entry until after he was married. Now, we will take a look at the woman who would become Paul’s bride. She happens to be today’s birthday girl.

Christiana Mathilda Schmidt was born on October 19, 1868, so today would be her 158th birthday. It also means that Mathilda was just 2 months younger than her future husband. Mathilda was the daughter of Henry and Wilhelmina (Naeser) Schmidt. She was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. We can take a look at this image of her baptism record.

Mathilda is found in the 1870 census at the age of 1. Her father was a blacksmith in the Brazeau Township, probably in Frohna. This entry was right below that of Emanuel Seibel, who was a blacksmith in Frohna, so it is possible that Mathilda’s father was in business with him.

Next, we find Mathilda in the 1880 census at the age of 11. One of her older brothers was also a blacksmith by this time.

Paul Fuehler married Mathilda Schmidt on December 27, 1891 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. The church marriage record for this couple is seen below.

I am also able to display 2 different civil marriage records. Both of these documents say that both Paul and Mathilda were from Frohna, so it is possible that the Fuehler’s may have first settled in the Frohna area when they arrived in this country.

Our German Family Tree lists 10 children born to this couple. The first 2 children were baptized at Concordia, Frohna. Then the next 7 children have baptism records in the books of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. The last child was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawneetown. This Fuehler couple must have moved from Frohna to the Shawnee Township, between 1894 and 1896.

In the 1900 census, the Fuehler’s are found living in the Shawnee Township with 4 children. Paul was a farmer.

The Fuehler’s are next found in the 1910 census with 8 children. Six of them were girls. Paul and his oldest son were farming together.

Paul and Mathilda’s family are next found in the 1920 census. Just their son, Ernst, was still living with them. Paul was still farming, and Ernst was called a retail merchant of leather.

It was in 1930 that plat maps were produced for Cape Girardeau County. We find the Paul Fuehler farm located west of Shawneetown, which would be found just off the right side of the image shown below.

When the 1940 census was taken, 2 single daughters, Lena and Laura, were living with their parents, who were both 71 years old. Lena was working at a hospital, and Laura was helping her mother with the housework.

Paul and Mathilda had an empty nest when the 1950 census was taken. At the age of 81, Paul was still farming.

Paul and Mathilda both died in the 1950’s. Paul Fuehler died in 1952 at the age of 84. He has several causes of death on his death certificate shown below.

Mathilda Fuehler died in 1958 at the age of 90. Heart disease was her cause of death. She was married 2 days after Christmas and died 2 days before Christmas.

Paul and Mathilda Fuehler are buried together in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Shawneetown.

Paul Fuehler found his wife in Frohna, but once married, he moved his family to the Shawnee Township in northern Cape Girardeau County. First, he was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Weels, but after a new congregation was established in Shawneetown, Paul became a member there. Both he and his wife, Mathilda, lived long lives on their farm near Shawneetown.