I have been looking for a reason to write the story about an interesting name that I have run across in past research. That name is Engelbert Engelhart. I did not find a special reason to write his story today, but I did find an event that led me to tell the story of one … More Erhart, Son of Engelbert Engelhart
I have a difficult story to tell today. We are presently in the week after Easter Sunday, and it is the message of Jesus’s resurrection that is sometimes the only hope that we Christians have when overwhelming sadness enters our lives. In such times, we often depend on the comforting words we hear from our … More Hope in the Resurrection
The birthday of a girl who would have been a century and a half old today is the starting point for this tale. Mathilda F. Kaufmann was born on March 20, 1873, making this her 150th birthday. Mathilda was the daughter of George and Emilie (Penzel) Kaufmann. There are 14 pages in our German Family … More Art and Mathilda – Fruitland Petzoldt’s
About a week ago, I wrote the story of a Gruber girl who married a Grotz in Nebraska. Yesterday’s tale was about a Gross in Gordonville. Now, today, you will read the story of a Gratz in Pocahontas. I seem to be stuck in the “Gr” section of the German Family Tree. Katherine Gratz was … More Katherine and Her Austrian and German Husbands
I lost track of how many grandchildren of Friedrich Florian “The Face” Petzoldt have been highlighted in stories on this blog. Whatever that number is, today’s post will add one more. Eventually, I will get around to discussing a marriage that took place on this date, but first, let’s take a look at the granddaughter … More Tillie and Theo – Shawnee Scholl’s
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
Lena Amalia Kassel is today’s birthday girl. She was born in Perry County, but, like so many other young women from this rural area, found work and a husband in St. Louis, and spent the rest of her life in the big city. Lena was born on October 7, 1898, the daughter of Phillip and … More One of the Schmidt-Kassel Couples
I had no idea that there was a Lutheran church named St. Sebald. I had also never heard of a place named Strawberry Point, Iowa. Now I do. It even turns out that this Lutheran church has important historical significance. Just like East Perry County is an important place in the early history of the … More Baptized at St. Sebald Lutheran, Strawberry Point, IA
There is an old children’s song called, Father Abraham. It’s a song that a Christian teacher might use when teaching young children. It goes like this: There was once a Father Abraham who lived in Altenburg from 1873-1883. While here, he and his wife had 4 children, all sons, who were baptized at Trinity Lutheran … More Teacher Abraham
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, there is a bit of confusion about the birthday of one of the main characters in the story you are about to read. The point of difference is found in the Friedenberg Remembrances book, where it says that Alma Emma Louise Rauh was born on May 8, 1899. Here … More Cape Cop and His Rock
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