When I first moved to Perry County about 10 years ago, I looked at the surname, Koeberl, and wondered how to pronounce it. I soon discovered that folks around here make it very simple. They pronounce this name the same as they pronounce “cable”. This is also one of those names that was once spelled … More Frank the Koeberl Guy
I have stated in a previous post that if I find a bicentennial birthday for an ancestor from this area, it must mean that birthday took place in Germany. Not always so. I did not think about the folks who once settled the Shawnee Township of northern Cape Girardeau County. That vicinity was a place … More An Austrian Bicentennial Birthday
I am happily back in Altenburg. I arrived at the museum this morning all ready to get back to work on a blog post. I found a welcoming smile at my computer. Little Marty was quite glad to see me. With our museum being closed these days, Little Marty was getting lonely. I think we … More Charles and His Carolina Companion
I am not in Altenburg right now and will not be there until later this coming week. That makes a little difference in the way I write these posts. I do not have access to the church records that we have at the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum. I will not be able to display … More Koeberl and Leimer
I married into a family of 3 girls, who have now blessed us with 6 grandchildren, 5 of which are girls. The tail end of my career as a Lutheran educator came at a time when almost all of my colleagues were female. I think I qualify to sympathize with today’s main character, Matthias Mirly. … More Matthias and His Girls
Today would have been the 169th birthday of the first person with the surname, Lichtenegger, to settle in the Cape Girardeau/Perry County area. Joseph Lichtenegger was born on March 2, 1850 in Goisern, Austria. At the age of 16, he boarded a ship all by himself to come to America in 1866. He may have … More The Pioneer Lichtenegger
Josephine Bruhl is today’s birthday girl. She was born on January 20, 1866 in Shawnee Township, Missouri. She was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. She was the daughter of Johann and Elizabeth (Lehner) Bruhl. Josephine’s father, Johann, arrived in America in 1853. He was aboard the ship, Hindu, which landed in Baltimore. … More Josephine’s Frohna Fellows
Our story today starts in Austria with a wedding. The marriage took place on May 7, 1833. The record for this wedding comes out of a family book that we have at our museum for the Meyr clan who originated in Austria and settled in the New Wells area. However, the marriage we start with … More Litzelfelners in New Jerusalem
In 1731, in the city of Salzburg, Austria, an Edict of Expulsion was issued. Count Leopold von Firmian, a Roman Catholic archbishop and also the prince of Salzburg, declared that all citizens of that city must become Roman Catholics, and if they chose not to do so, they must leave. It was especially a slap … More Lutherans in Exile, Y’all
On June 12 in 1881, Rev. J.F. Koestering had the privilege of uniting Gottlieb Samuel Meyr and Anna Sarah Haecker in marriage at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Sarah’s father was one of the original immigrants, coming to America aboard the Olbers. Gottlieb’s family immigrated to America from Austria in 1853. Both Gottlieb and Sarah … More An Austrian Carpenter Marries a Local Girl
