The birthday boy for today’s post is Olga Justine Selma Meister, who was born on July 22, 1886. That means today would be Olga’s 140th birthday. Meister is the German word for “master”. Olga was the daughter of Emil and Selma (Lange) Meister. Emil and Selma had come to this country aboard the ship, Main, … More Master and Boss Maker in Leavenworth, KS
Several posts on this blog have been written about a group of siblings who I have called the “Altenburg Giants”. Between 1854 and 1873, there were 9 children born to the couple made up of Gottlob Dietrich and Louise Vogel. All 9 of the children were boys, and according to family lore, all of them … More An Altenburg Giant in La Pryor, Texas
Fred Eggers is the author of today’s blog post. He really did me a big favor by writing this post. I was not going to have much time to write a story of my own. Fred always does such a great job researching for his stories, and this one is an example of that. Thanks, … More The Ohio and Kansas Versemann
Today’s post was written by our guest blogger, Fred Eggers. Once again, Fred had compiled some great resources, and you will read about yet another pastor who once occupied two different church pulpits in Perry County. Great work, Fred. ============================================ Rudolph August Rook was born on March 14, 1889, in Postelau, Dirschau, Danzig, Westpreussen, Preussen. … More The Pastor from Westpreussen
In 2022, a post was written about a Schaefer couple that began in Old Appleton but made their way out west titled, From Old Appleton to San Francisco – With Stops in Kansas and Idaho. I will revisit that family today to tell the tale of a pair of daughters of that couple. One of … More Single Schaefer Sisters in San Francisco
The setting for today’s post has the birthday girl living in this area for just a short time. She and her family moved to a place where a few others found in our German Family Tree migrated. It all begins in New Wells, but soon thereafter ends in Kansas. Emilie Katharine Kieninger was born on … More Emilie and Her Topeka Grocery Guy
Back in 2017, I wrote a post, Another Initial Pastor, which told the story of a man who was once a pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells by the name of Rev. R.W.C. Frederking. Today, I will tell the story of one of his sons, who happens to have his wedding anniversary today. … More Pastor’s Kid Becomes Lucas, Kansas Farmer
I will return to a surname that was part of the Gesellschaft that is found living in Altenburg during the early years of its existence, but it is a name that left this area shortly after the Civil War. That surname is Bracher, and that name, along with folks named, Braeuner and Fleischer, migrated to … More Martin Bracher – Altenburg to Rockville to Fawn Creek
Back in 2019, I wrote a post, Perry County to Idaho…with a Stop in Kansas. It told the story of Richard Palisch, a local native, who spent some time in Sylvan Grove, Kansas before moving farther west to end up in Twin Falls, Idaho. Today’s post will tell of another local native who made her … More Perry County to Idaho…with a Stop in Kansas – Part 2
I think everyone has heard of Sesame Street’s “Big Bird”. The German word for big is gross. The German word for bird is vogel. Our German Family Tree contains the surnames, Gross and Grosse. It also contains page after page of people with the surname Vogel. So, if a Grosse would marry a Vogel, I … More Little Bird in Topeka
