Lydia of La Junta

Lydia Bruhl is today’s birthday girl. She was born on September 20, 1892, the daughter of Charles and Juliana (Popp) Bruhl. She was the firstborn child in this Bruhl family. Lydia was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna, Missouri. Here is an image of her baptism record. We see evidence that the Bruhl surname … More Lydia of La Junta

Theodore and Pauline

Happy 137th Birthday to Theodore Wilhelm Heinrich Schattauer!  He was born on March 7, 1883, the son of Matthew and Mary (Haberfellner) Schattauer.  Theodore was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, Missouri.  The first census in which we find Theodore was the one taken in 1900 when he was 17 years old. Pauline … More Theodore and Pauline

Bud and Edna

Theodore Fischer was born on this day back in 1897.  However, which Theodore Fischer was he?  One Theodore Fischer was born in 1902, and he became the doctor in Altenburg for most of his life.  He is not the Theodore Fischer who is today’s birthday boy.  Theodore Elmo Leo Fischer was born on December 3, … More Bud and Edna

Shawneetown Scholl

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have mis-typed the word “school” over the years and ended up with “scholl”.  However, that is not what happened when I wrote the title to this post.  It really is spelled Scholl, and it a rather well-known surname in these here parts.  I hear … More Shawneetown Scholl

Engert-Gerler-Palisch

The story I tell today brings together three surnames that have shown up in this blog on many occasions….Engert, Gerler, and Palisch.  And the Palisch surname actually shows up twice in this story.  It all starts with the birthday of Gotthilf Engert, who was born on September 30, 1845.  He was the son of Friedrich … More Engert-Gerler-Palisch

Birmingham, Missouri

I hinted yesterday that I might write about the Birmingham mentioned in the title of that story.  I will keep my promise.  Today, I will attempt to tell what little we know about a place that once existed on maps called Birmingham, Missouri.  Most of the information I have today is from a piece of … More Birmingham, Missouri

Mayor of Birmingham

Gerard Fiehler likes to call me the “Mayor of Dresden” (there is no such position), and I like to call him the “Mayor of Altenburg” even though he isn’t.  Today, I plan to tell the story of a man who I will call the “Mayor of Birmingham”.  This Birmingham is not the one in England … More Mayor of Birmingham