The surname, Oswald, takes up 7 pages in our German Family Tree. Today, you will read about the original couple to settle in Perry County with that surname. The patriarch of that Oswald clan happens to be today’s birthday boy. Christian Oswald was born December 19, 1832, so today would be his 190th birthday. He … More Original Oswald’s
The story for today begins with the birthday of a girl who was born in Illinois. Her later death certificate simply says she was born in that state without giving a particular city. Since her parents are buried in Chester, I think that is likely her place of birth. Elizabeth Lohmeier was born on November … More Art and Lizzie – The Hoff’s
The surname, Bergmann, has shown up on this blog many times. I think if you look at other stories about Bergmann’s you will find that most of them are centered around Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg. You will read another Bergmann story today that indeed has its beginning in Friedenberg, but it will describe a … More Bergmann’s in DuQuoin – From Perry County to Perry County
You will be presented with another surname today that has not appeared on this blog before. As it is in most cases, this is a new surname that is found when a Perry County native marries someone from another location. The new surname is Kueker. Based on what I have seen during my research on … More Farrar-Ruma-Campbell Hill (With a Stop in Kansas)
Altenburg and Frohna, Missouri recently had a Christmas lighting contest called, Light Up the Towns. I discovered a birthday boy today that led me to a Light Up the Town story. The birthday boy was instrumental in bringing electricity to the town of Altenburg. George Ludwig (or Louis) Schweizer was born on January 2, 1895, … More Lights On in Altenburg
The story you will read today ties two recent items together. First of all, it was not long ago that I wrote a blog about the marriage between George Weith and Emilie Klinger titled, Weith’s Wives and Work. Secondly, not long ago, we had a visitor at our museum by the name of Ted Mueller who … More A Perryville-Chester Pair
The surname, Schweizer, pokes its head into East Perry County a few times over the years, but eventually it disappears from this area. One of the Schweizer’s has a birthday today, and I will attempt to tell his story in this post. His name was Lorenz Schweizer, who was born on February 27, 1872 in … More Lorenz and Ida – The Schweizer’s
Today’s birthday girl will marry a man who was shown as Alwin Koenig on several documents, but was buried as Alvin Koenig. I think the change was likely due to how Germans pronounce the name Alwin. The “w” in German is mostly pronounced like Americans pronounce a “v”. So, if someone asked Alwin for his … More Alwin (Or Is It Alvin) Koenig
A wedding took place on this day 121 years ago at Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, Missouri. The groom was August Bendel; the bride was Emma Kranawetter. Their story is yet another case in which the people involved began living in Missouri, but spent most of their lives in Illinois. August Bendel was born on … More Bendel the Burier
I think the Bogenpohl surname has only shown up a few times on this blog. Even when it did, that name was not one that was a major part of the story. That will change today, because the main character in this post is a Bogenpohl. Martin Bogenpohl was born on September 30, 1886, the … More Martin, Anna, and Clara
lutheranmuseum.com 