When the research crew at our museum runs across the Mueller surname, one of the first questions we ask is, “Which Mueller family are we talking about?” We usually put a Mueller into one of four categories. In fact, Gerard Fiehler has put together a special binder on the Muellers which is an attempt to … More The Beginning of the Frohna Muellers
While looking for an event that took place on July 1 in our German Family Tree, I ran across a simple phrase that led me to an event that took place on a different day. It turned out to be one of those stories that I just felt I had to tell. It is a … More Just Waiting for a Streetcar
The main character of today’s story in Johann Georg Gotthold Darnsteadt. His second marriage took place on May 31st, so he made my radar today. Johann was one of the original immigrants, coming by himself to America when he was 24 years old. He made the voyage on the Copernicus. We have a trunk at … More Widows and Widowers Abounded
Today would have been the 145th anniversary of Ehregott and Clara Poppitz from Altenburg. The two were married on May 16, 1872 at Trinity Lutheran Church. The ceremony was conducted by Rev. Koestering. Here is their marriage certificate. Rev. Koestering got most of the English correct on this form, but he used the German spelling … More Another Sire from Seelitz
We start with a wedding today, but as is often the case, that leads to other places. On May 8, 1904, Otto Immanuel Mueller married Marie Magdalena Poppitz. Otto was a member at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna, and Mary was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Around here, we jokingly refer to … More A Plethora of Poppitzes
August Wilhelm Poppitz came to the United States with the 1838-1839 immigrants. He was eighteen years old when he arrived. By the time that 1858 rolled around, August had married three times, fathered numerous children, and died. The Ernst Poppitz I wrote about recently was from August’s first wife, Justina Schmidt. The Martin Poppitz I … More A Poppitz from the Middle Wife
Today would have been the 152nd anniversary of Ludwig and Sarah (Hartung) Boehme. I have already written a little bit about this couple in a previous post titled, From Muddy Creek to Brazeau Creek. That post focused on Sarah’s family that came to Perry County from Pennsylvania. Today I will spend more time on Ludwig’s … More Corporal Boehme
It was Palm Sunday in East Perry County, Missouri in 1840. One tradition that came to America with the German Lutheran immigrants was that of conducting the rite of confirmation on Palm Sunday. The first few years after the new settlers arrived were mostly dedicated to survival. They were very difficult years, and much death … More Confirmation Classes of 1840
Dorothea Schlimpert was born on this day, March 9, in 1889 in Jacob, Illinois. She was the adopted daughter of Joseph and Carolina (Schuerenberg) Schlimpert. Actually, it is recorded in the church records that Dorothea was an illegitimate child of Zacharias Menard and Carolina. After Joseph and Carolina were married in 1892, Dorothea was adopted … More Seelitz to Jacob
If you are a member of a church like the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod that uses a traditional church year, then you probably know that today was Transfiguration Sunday. The story for the day was the one where Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, went to the top of a mountain where Moses and Elijah … More Stephan’s Hill
