The Koch Family & 1849 St. Louis Cholera | Our Seven Children

Preface to Chapter II: “The Kochs”

Chapter II of Our Seven Children turns from the Bohnenkamp side of the family to the Kochs — Reverend Sam D. Bohnenkamp’s maternal line.

This is the side of the family connected through his mother, Wilhelmina “Minnie” Koch Bohnenkamp, and the chapter opens with her father, Johan Friederick William Koch, who was born in Germany in 1820, orphaned young, trained as a cabinet maker and carpenter, and eventually came to America with his sweetheart, Henrietta Toelke, and members of the Toelke family.

Like the first chapter, this section is more than a list of names and dates. It is a social-genealogical history — part family record, part immigrant story, part rural Missouri memory, part St. Louis history, and part deeply religious interpretation of suffering, survival, and fate.

And once again, cholera appears.

In Chapter I, cholera killed Mary Beckman Bohnenkamp at only twenty-nine years old, leaving two small children motherless shortly after the family arrived from Germany. In Chapter II, Sam tells us that Johan Koch worked as a cabinet maker and carpenter in St. Louis and made many caskets, especially during the 1849 cholera epidemic.

That detail stopped me.

Because we don’t really think about cholera now. It feels like something from a distant, almost unreal past. And I doubt most of us were ever taught much about the St. Louis cholera epidemics in school. But for German immigrant families in the mid-1800s, this was not abstract history. This was the thing that killed young mothers, filled cemeteries, created orphans, and turned cabinet makers into coffin makers.

The 1849 St. Louis cholera epidemic was catastrophic. The exact number of deaths is unknown because recordkeeping was incomplete, but contemporary reports counted 4,557 cholera deaths out of 8,603 total deaths in the city that year, and historians believe the real numbers were probably higher. St. Louis lost roughly one in every eleven residents during the epidemic, with German and Irish immigrants especially hard hit. (St. Louis County Library)

So when Sam mentions cholera again, I don’t read it as background detail. I read it as inherited family memory. Trauma does that. It echoes. Even when later generations stop using the word “trauma,” the story remains: the mother who died, the children sent away, the coffins made, the disease nobody could stop, the city that kept growing anyway.

My own connection to this family history is a little indirect and complicated. My dad’s mother, Rosetta Caldwell, was married to Wilbur Bohnenkamp, and my mother was not exactly on the best terms with my grandmother Rosetta. Because of that — and because, by the time I was growing up, many of these older Koch connections were likely long gone — I never really heard about the Kochs as living family.

They were names in the background. If that.

So reading this chapter feels a little like opening a door into a branch of the family that had gone quiet before it ever reached me. Not because it didn’t matter, but because family memory is fragile. Relationships fracture. People die. Stories stop getting told. And suddenly entire lines of people become faint pencil marks unless someone, somewhere, writes them down.

That is what Sam did.

He wrote them down.

Imperfectly, yes. Repetitively, sometimes. With the assumptions and religious worldview of his time, absolutely. But he preserved people who might otherwise have disappeared into courthouse records, cemetery stones, and half-remembered family Bibles.

My hope in sharing this chapter is that someone else — a descendant, a genealogist, a local historian, or just someone who loves the texture of old family stories — finds use or joy in these words.

Because this chapter is not only about the Koch family.

It is about German immigrants building lives in Missouri. It is about St. Louis and rural Franklin County at the turn of the last century. It is about children losing mothers, fathers remarrying, churches being built from stone and donated labor, women working in homes, men making coffins during epidemics, families surviving war, illness, poverty, and grief.

And it is about the strange endurance of memory.

Somehow, after all these years, Sam’s words are still here.

And now, hopefully, they will be easier to find.

OCR Transcription of – Chapter II, The Kochs

My Grandfather, Johan Friederick William Koch was born March 8, 1820 in Frusheu, Germany. His parents died when he was about 12 years old. He also had a younger brother. Consequently each brother hired out to a different family to procure an education and learn a trade, till each became 21 years old. My Grandfather learned the cabinetmaker and carpenter trade.

At the age of 24 years old he came to America, U. S. to New Orleans, Louisiana with his sweetheart Henrietta Tolke, also her three brothers, namely Friederick, Carl, and August John Tolke.

Five persons in this party left Ehrilinghausen Lippe-Detmold Preuszen Germany. The Toelke parents stayed in Germany. From New Orleans, Louisiana this party came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Mo., where all five persons found employment.

My Grandfather Koch worked as a cabinet maker and carpenter trade. He made many caskets—especially during the cholera epidemic in 1849, St. Louis, Mo. This cholera epidemic has been reported as the most severe epidemic ever had in Missouri. This is an acute infectious disease coming on from one to six days, cramps—large watery stools with mucus and blood, diarrhea. The patient usually dies in one to four days. The infection is from drinking water.

Grandpa Koch saved up some money to send to his younger brother (as he promised when he left for America), so he too, could come to America to be together. But the money was unclaimed and the Postmaster in Germany sent the money back saying his brother Koch had left for America. My Grandpa Koch never did find his brother here in America.

Later my Grandfather Koch and his sweetheart Miss Henrietta Tolke got married in St. Louis, Mo.

Within a short time the young couple with her Tolke brothers all settled near Beaufort or Leslie, Mo., on a large farm, for the Tolkes and my Grandparents purchased a farm joining the Tolke farm. Here the following five children were born to my Grandparents Kochs: Fred, Mary, Minnie, Caroline, and August C. Koch.

In about 1862 my Grandmother Henrietta Tolke Koch died from cancer of her breast, leaving five children—My Mother (Minnie) Wilhelmina Koch was about eight years old when her mother Henrietta Tolke Koch died. My Grandfather Koch kneeled many times by his wife’s bedside especially when she was dying, with awful pains. He also inquired about her and her soul. She confessed that there was a sin between her God and her Soul—that on one Sunday they all missed church, drove past the church house to visit with her brother and family—finally God forgave her and she died in peace. She was buried on her brother’s farm, east of the large brick house on a hill near a large white oak tree by the edge of a woods of a field, by a few other relatives and friends close where a school log house stood, also used for a Methodist church. All markers are now gone except a large white oak tree near the very small country farm cemetery near Leslie, Mo. Beaufort Rock Church. My Grandparents Koch were very religious German Methodist and later my Grandfather Koch financed most of the Leslie Beaufort Methodist Church and this Rock Methodist Church was first named “The Koch Methodist Church,” a beautiful cemetery is near this church—where I had my Uncle Fred Koch buried at the age of 29 years old, and single.

This church house was mostly built by donated labor when my father, August Frederick Bohnenkamp, was a young man going with my mother, Minnie Koch. He wheeled all the rock to a stone mason, also mixing the mortar and wheeling all the materials on a scaffold—donating his labor. A year or so later in about 1870 my parents got married in this Rock Methodist Church by Rev. John P. Faulst—who gave them a Bible—saying when they stood at the altar of that church, “Never to let the dust settle on this Bible—but use it daily—which my father and mother practiced every day as a family worship—and I sat by my father close by to read my verse, which he first read to me and I repeated after him, as all the members of our family read a verse turn about, till the chapter as Psalm was read, and I learned to read from this Bible before I was old enough to attend school. I gave this Bible after I inherited it from my father, to our daughter, Clara Amy Raines. This Bible has German in one column and English in the other column. I learned to read English out of this Bible which was given as a wedding present to my parents.

About seven years ago I had the pleasure in preaching the Homecoming Sermon in this Leslie Rock Methodist Church. The same pulpit and the same altar where my parents were married about 80 years ago. Now they have a new pulpit and new altar, etc., but the same church building.

After my Grandmother Henrietta Tolke Koch died, my Grandfather Koch married Minnie Nolting, Leslie, Mo., also a member of the German Rock Methodist Church. She was in her teens when she married my Grandfather Koch. To this union the following seven children were born: William, Samuel, Emeline, John, Henry, Lydia, and Edward, of course all these children were christened at the Rock church.

About 1879 my Step Grandmother, Minnie Nolting Koch died, leaving seven young children, making 12 children in the home to care for. Within a short time the baby, Edward died too, and was buried by his mother in the Rock church cemetery.

After Minnie Nolting Koch died my mother and father were married and they took the baby Edward for almost a year, then my grandfather Koch married again, the third time, Mrs. Charlotta Niemeyer Kruger from Warren Co., who had two children, August and Annie Niemeyer, from her former husband, who was dead. Namely 15 years and 17 years old, so they took baby Edward in the Koch home, but he did not live too many months. But they had a little girl, the baby of all my grandfather Koch’s children, named Lydia. After Baby Edward died and he was married to Charlotta Niemeyer Kruger, no children by this union.

But grandpa Koch had a house full of children. Baby Lydia would sit on his lap and love and comfort him, when he would come home from.

Then John Kampelman married and lived on a farm near Fort Hudson, Mo.

Before my grandfather Bohnenkamp had all these children raised up his wife died, which would be my step-grandmother. They buried her in the Evangelical Lutherish Cemetery at Port Hudson, Mo., and her grave got lost. No marker was put up. During all this time my grandfather, John Phillip Bohnenkamp, became a Methodist and was one of the eight persons, Charter Members, who built the Salem M. E. Church (Casco) Port Hudson, Mo., in 1871 by the Rev. John Meyer, Methodist Minister being pastor.

This church house is built of rock and is in good shape today. The building like the Leslie Beaufort, Mo., Rock Church. So both of my grandfathers built or helped build rock Methodist Churches.

Koppelman 

In the Blue Book “Who Is Who”, the name of my grandfather, John Phillip Bohnenkamp, is recorded as an outstanding citizen of his State of Missouri. This church is about one mile east of his farm or the old Bohnenkamp Homestead Farm. Here his son, Fred, inherited the 120 acre farm for keeping my grandfather, John Phillip Bohnenkamp, until he died in 1885. He was born in Germany, 1809. He was about 76 years old and the loved ones buried him right close in back of the rock church he helped build and loved so much to attend the services. Here his son’s family, Fred, attended too. Fred had four daughters namely: Lydia, Annie, Emma and Malinda. These girls walked across the fields to attend church and Sunday School. Here they were confirmed. Receiving religious instructions from their pastor. My Aunt Louise Bohnenkamp was born in 1964, died in February, 1955. My Uncle Fred Bohnenkamp, was born in 1859 and died in 1931. They are buried side by side close to grandfather’s grave. They all have beautiful monuments erected on their graves. Here they sleep in back of the church cemetery with other neighbors and friends waiting for the resurrection morning to come forth out of their graves to meet our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

After this Mary Koppelman got married to a man that lived in Kansas—they had two children and she died young. We lost track of the two children and her husband in Kansas—probably his parents raised them up, etc.

Before my grandfather, John Phillip Bohnenkamp, died he made a will. I read this will a few months ago, going to the abstract office near the court house across the street at Union, Missouri, Franklin County. I copied the will and it reads as follows: “I, John Phillip Bohnenkamp, will to my son, Frederick William Bohnenkamp, my farm consisting of 120 acres. (Here was the land described). Then he wrote, All my horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, wagons, machinery of all kinds, wheat, corn, hay, etc., as well as utensils and house, and kitchen furniture, upon the condition

the field, or from his carpenter work, as he did lots of work for his neighbors, such as making furniture, houses and coffins. My mother told me she helped grandpa Koch many and many nights making caskets or coffins—when someone died in the community far and near. He had the best materials available in those days.

Grandpa Koch had asthma at times, and he would be handicapped in his work on his farm and etc. Consequently, one time he hired a neighbor to stack his wheat. So they all got up early one morning to haul up a lot of wheat bundles to get an early start for the hired man. So they stacked a large rick about 4 ft. high. So when the hired man came, he looked over the rick of stacked wheat and said, “Well, you started the rick, so just finish it, I am going home.”

Grandpa Koch was strict with his children and he taught them early how to work on the farm. All of his children were christened in the Methodist church and all of his children were confirmed in the German Methodist church.

Grandpa Koch was considered one of the most wealthy persons in his community. One time he loaned a lot of money to a man that ran a wheat or flour mill near Beaufort, Mo., and he went broke, so grandpa lost most of that money that he invested in a flour mill.

Grandpa Koch owned a 160 acre farm, most of the land creek bottom, 2 miles north of the Rock church Beaufort, Leslie, Mo. So after his first wife died there, and he married his second wife and all of the children were born on that farm excepting Lydia and Edward. He sold this first farm and bought a nice farm near Beaufort, Mo., just one mile east of the same Rock church. So he gave possession at once and he had to wait about three months before he could get possession of the house of the second farm. During this time they all lived in a nice barn and Lydia was born in that barn. So afterwards, Grandpa Koch built a beautiful spacious house, which is in good shape today, as well as the barn where Lydia was born.

After Edward was born in this house, his wife died in child birth of Edward. So later he got married to his third wife, Charlotta, after that Baby Edward died at the age of two and a half years. Here also August Charles Koch was stricken with polio and he became crippled in one of his legs.

Grandpa Koch’s third wife, Charlotta, was truly a faithful wife, helping him to raise up his children that were at home and of course her two children, August and Annie Niemeyer. Charlotta asked grandpa Koch to sell his or their farm, and buy a farm at High Hill, Mo., where her relatives lived. Consequently they purchased a nice farm, 1882, near High Hill, Mo.

Here they lived till grandpa got ready to retire. So they moved to Warrenton, Mo., where he built a beautiful three story frame house. So they kept rooms of students that attended Central Wesleyan College, Methodist. Here part of his children were educated. August Charles Koch school for many years till he went to Flat River, Mo., and had a large general store during the time he married Cassey Cooksey from Bonne Terre, Mo. To this union three children were born, namely: John, August and Elizabeth. Later August Charles Koch had three strokes that killed him and he died at the age of about 47 years old. He is buried in the Bonne Terre Cemetery. He died Dec., 1906.

We shall never forget our Uncle August C. Koch, as he loaned my parents about $2000.00 when they were about to lose their farm, and could not borrow money anywhere. So after my grandpa Koch died, each child got their part of the inheritance and my mother inherited over $2000.00 and was able to pay back her brother, with interest of four percent.

Last summer I visited my Grandpa Koch and of course my Grandma Koch’s first farm near Leslie, Mo. Mrs. Mary Muth owns the 160 acre farm now. She has the abstract and it starts to read, “United States to Frederick Koch, March 1st, 1850. Frederick Koch and wife, Wilhelmina, sold it to Joseph Ehlers and wife, Johanna, Dec. 5, 1871. 160 acres.

On this farm in 1862 a part of the Confederate Army camped about one week close to my grandparents Koch house. The troops demanded all and side meat. All the chickens killed, all the fatted cattle and went into the wheat granary where lots of apples were placed upon the wheat to have a big time. Then to cap it all off one of the leaders took a pistol and pointed it at my Grandmother’s heart and said, “If you do not tell me where you have hid the money I will blow your heart out.” So of course they got all the money they had saved. My grandmother was sick in bed with a cancer on her breast. Grandfather Koch was not at home as he was with the Home Guarders at a strategic place to defend their homes, as all the more abled men were in the armies of the Civil War on both sides. Those were perilous days. The children being half scared to death. My grandfather Koch had the reputation of being a man of wealth and having plenty of everything. Consequently the Confederates thought it a good place to camp. Shortly after this catastrophe my grandmother Henrietta Tolke Koch died, leaving five children. The oldest son, Fred being twelve years old, the next child, Mary, being ten years old, then my mother, Minnie, being eight years old and so on. No mother in the home. Consequently within a year’s time, Grandpa Koch married Minnie Nolting, a neighbor girl, and a good christian church member in her teens, going to the same Methodist church.

In about 1868, (my mother was about twelve years old), a strange catastrophe occurred in my Grandfather and step Grandmother’s home on this homestead farm near Leslie, Mo. “Someone, (for prudence sake, I will not write his name), kept stealing my grandfather’s wheat and corn, meat and etc. So Grandpa locked up the granary, corn crib, smokehouse with padlocks. But the thief kept on, even breaking the locks. So Grandpa Koch kept watch during the nights, consequently someone that was doing this harm came to my Grandpa’s house asking him if he could read a book in his house or home, of course Grandpa was polite to him and said go ahead and read the book. So right after the man left it was getting night time. Things began to happen. First some old shoes came down through the chimney into the fireplace. Grandpa thinking someone was on top of the roof of the house playing a joke on him and his family, as all the family was in the house. He said: “just keep it up, that would make a good fire.” Just after he shouted that would make a good fire for kindling wood, dishes began to fall out of the kitchen cupboard and broke on the floor. Grandpa said to Grandma, “didn’t you put the dishes away right.” She said, “yes she did.” Then the family began to get scared, as some old broken locks came right through the windows, breaking every window pane in the house. Then to cap it all off, a large 20 lb. rock came right through the ceiling of the room, where they were falling right in back of my Step Grandmother’s back. So my Grandpa went for help to their relatives the Toelkies. So they came over to comfort the family and stayed all night with them. This all happened on a Friday night. So next morning news scattered all around on Saturday and on Sunday prayer meeting was announced at their church. So the entire congregation came over to the Koch home. The minister opened the service, took his Bible and laid it on the table in front of him. The Bible by some unknown force hit the ceiling and fell on the floor. Everything was in a turmoil. So after prayer would not stop the strange force, people tried to carry out all the utensils to a nearby spring, where the Kochs got their water, but they would not stay put. Only the things they would hold in their hands. During all this time, finally someone suggested to go to Mr. Joseph Wildhaker, who lived several miles away, that he could stop this strange force. So my Grandpa Koch begged him to come but he said he was getting too old, (being 80 years old), to have anything to do with the devil. But my grandpa kept insisting so finally, he came along with him, and he told grandpa that he would drive a nail in the door sill of his home and if the man that read that book called “The 6th and 7th Books of Moses,” would not come back of his own accord and read that book backwards at once he would be dead before the sun came up next morning. Sure enough, that man came soon, went into the house and read that book backwards. The strange power stopped at once and the man left for his own home in that community. So Mr. Joseph Wildhaker said, “we will now go to the creek and cut three elm sticks, which he did. And Mr. Joseph Wildhaker put one stick in each lane of the attic of the house, saying this house can never again be bewitched. This strange power did never again happen to my Grandpa Koch. The strange round flint stone weighing about 20 lbs., which came through the ceiling of the house and fell close behind my step grandmother’s back can be seen yet after all these years at the old homestead of my grandpa and grandma Koch’s place. Which is now owned by Mrs. Mary Muth. For I see and handled this queer stone just last summer when I visited in this home to get all the information I could obtain. Also I visited in the homes of that community where this strange thing happened and they testified to the truth of this happening, besides I talked to eye witnesses. When I was just a young boy, a grandson, named also Joseph Wildhaker, who was our neighbor when we lived on our old Bohnenkamp home farm some thirty years ago at Bourbon, Mo., also testified to the truth of this strange power.

A short time after this above happening the neighborhood of my Grandpa Koch were threshing wheat and all at once everything stopped moving, the horses stopped, the men stopped handling bundles of wheat, the threshing machine stopped. The men were bewildered. Finally, after a short time, a certain man called for a hammer and he took the hammer and hit the end of the wagon tongue three heavy licks or hits, and everything became normal again.

The above calamities reminds me what happened in the home of

John Wesley’s parents, according to history, and children – strange powers from the evil one the Devil. God is more powerful, and by God’s help we can overcome the powers of Satan.

My mother had an Uncle named Carl Toelke. He was a local preacher and lived a neighbor to my Grandfather Frederick Koch.

The Toelkes 

My great grandparents, “The Toelkes” had to make a great sacrifice when all of their children sailed for America, U. S. There were three sons, Fred, August, Carl, and an only daughter, Henerietta Toelke with her fiance, John Frederick William Koch, came together across to New Orleans, Louisiana about 1844.

I will now tell you about my uncles and aunts on my mother’s side, starting with the oldest. Fred Koch was single, owned a wagon maker shop, was pretty well to do financially. His shop was at Washington, Mo. First the lightning bolt hit him on the head, ran down his shoulders and to the bottom of his feet while he was watching an electrical storm standing in the door of his shop. A short time after that he developed stomach trouble which finally killed him. Grandpa Koch took over his possessions and divided it to all of his brothers and sisters equally. (Half brothers and half sisters got half shares for their part of the inheritance). My mother and father got a new farm wagon and some money. He died at the age of about 29 years, and was buried in back of the Rock Methodist Cemetery, where he was a member at Beaufort, Mo.

Mary Koch was married to August Hemmerle about 1874 in St. Louis Co., Mo. They had three children: Sallie, Caroline, and Emily. They owned about six acres and truck farmed. My Aunt Mary died in 1940, was 87 years old. I assisted at her funeral. Uncle August Hemmerle died later.

Next was my mother, Minnie (Wilhelmina) Koch, born Nov. 23, 1854 at Beaufort, Mo. (Leslie, Mo.) She was married to August F. Bohnenkamp January, 1880, at Beaufort Methodist church. To this union were born: Fred, Nov. 30, 1880 at Port Hudson, Mo. John Edward, Sept. 23, 1883, at Port Hudson, Mo. William John, January 19, 1885, at Bourbon, Mo. Samuel David, February 17, 1889, at Bourbon, Mo. Charles August, March 23, 1892 at Bourbon, Mo. A twin to Charles August, a little girl baby, lived only one day, born and died March 23, 1892, Bourbon, Mo. My father was 30 years old and my Mother was 26 years old when they got married. They were farmers all of their married life. My father bought 80 acres, all in woods, alongside north of his father’s 120 acres farm. This 80 acres, my father cleared and built a log house with other improvements before they got married. Here they lived for four years. One fall my mother said she hoed around each stump and sowed wheat and they had a wonderful bumper crop. My mother helped a lot on the farm, such as clearing land, chores, and keeping up the home. Then in 1885 they sold this 80 acre farm and bought a farm two miles north of Bourbon, Mo., on Boones Creek, with a lot of bottom land, consisting of 135 acres. Later they purchased more land. Finally after the children became old enough to help with the work, they paid for the farm. My mother’s inheritance from her father paid the last $2000.00 which they borrowed from her brother, August C. Koch. After which they saved up some money and they had it in the Bourbon bank.

Caroline Koch 

Caroline Koch was married to Joe Eglie, St. Louis, Mo., in 1884. She was a beautiful, charming young woman. Died after being married only 8 or 9 months from internal cancer.

August C. Koch 

And the last of my full uncles was August C. Koch, who had polio in his infancy, was a cripple in one leg, about one inch short, wore a special shoe to make up the difference. He graduated from Central Wesleyan College at Warrenton, Mo. He taught school for several years, and he and his half sister, Lydia Koch came quite often to see us. My mother being his full sister, during his school vacation at Bourbon, Mo., from their home at Warrenton, Mo. With a beautiful black beauty horse hitched to a beautiful shiny top buggy with silver hub caps, and they would bring me and my brothers chewing gum and candy, and other things we needed.

Later he kept a general store at Flat River, Mo. My oldest brother, Fred Bohnenkamp, worked at his store for several years, besides my uncle had other clerks and helpers to run his successful store. After my uncle died there, 1906, on his monument is chisled, “Gone But Not Forgotten.”

My brother Fred, brought his widow, Cassey Koch, with her three children, to visit us with my parents at Bourbon, Mo.

John Koch 

John Koch died June 29, 1962 at the Sioux City Iowa Hospital. Funeral July 2, 1962 at Sioux City, Iowa. He was born in 1903. Their only son married just a few days before his father died. John Koch was the son of my uncle, August C. Koch. My mother’s youngest full brother. John Koch’s mother was Cassey Koch. Born and raised at Bonne Terre, Mo.

Now I will try to write about each one of my half uncles and aunts. Children from my Grandpa Koch’s second wife. Starting with the eldest:

William Frederick Koch 

William Frederick Koch was born Sept. 7, 1864 near Leslie or Beaufort, Mo. Died Sept. 2, 1936, buried in Warrenton Cemetery.

After my Grandpa Koch lived about three years on their nice farm at High Hill, Mo., the family moved to Warrenton, Mo., excepting William Frederick Koch who purchased the home farm there at High Hill, Mo., and within a short time he married one of his neighbor’s sweet girls, to this union was born a son “Walter”. He died in infancy, two or three years old. Later my uncle’s wife died in childbirth, and baby and mother were buried together. After this, my aunt Lydia kept house for my uncle, or her brother, over a year. Then he remarried to Miss Caroline Justine Miller who was in the Methodist Orphan’s Home at Warrenton, Mo. Born Nov. 7, 1870 in Brighton, Illinois, died Dec. 25, 1946, buried by the side of her husband, Warrenton Cemetery. To this union were born three children, as follows: Esther Koch, born June 12, 1907 at High Hill, Mo. She is staying in the home of her sister, Meta. Mr. and Mrs. Otto Finke. She is working in the post office of Warrenton, Mo. Single, never did marry.

Next child was Meta, born Jan. 26, 1899, at High Hill, Mo. Married Otto Finke, born April 23, 1892. They live at Warrenton, Mo. The next child born to my uncle, William F. Koch, was Laurence Koch, born July 21, 1893. He graduated from Wesleyan Central Methodist College of Warrenton, Mo. Then he graduated from Chillicothe Business College in Livingston Co., Mo. Later he married Evangeline Robertson at Omaha, Neb. Three children living, one dead. Laurence’s first wife died April 14, 1940, buried in Omaha, Neb. Laurence remarried to Miss Mabel Smith, born March 26, 1895, Sioux City, Iowa.

My brother William Bohnenkamp was named after our uncle, William F. Koch.

grand-father Koch) hauling a large load of wood, out of the woods near Warrenton, Mo., and a limb of some tree knocked him off the wagon loaded with wood and he fell underneath the wagon and the two wheels ran over his head and mashed his head before the team of horses stopped. Grandpa Koch picked him up and carried him to a neighbor’s house, but he died there. My Grandpa Koch never really got over this tragedy about his son John. The next born to my Grandpa Koch was my uncle Henry A., was born August 31, 1874, died Dec. 1941, at the age of 67 years. They belonged to the Methodist Church at Washington, Mo., where they owned a good farm about three miles from Washington, Mo. He was buried at the Washington Cemetery. My uncle Henry A. Koch first married Lizzie Sundameyer, Chamois, Mo., in March 1903. His wife, Lizzie, died in childbirth in Nov. 1903. During their married time they lived on the Sundameyer farm. Henry A. Koch’s sister, Lydia Ritter, (who also lost her husband by death) stayed on the farm with her brother for sometime. My uncle Henry married the second time, Miss Lydia Ida Thee, Chamois, Mo., on Feb. 6, 1906. She was born June 27, 1878, Chamois, Mo. Still living. To this union were born four children on their farm near Washington, Mo., as follows: Bernice Koch, born May 10, 1901, at Washington, Mo. She married Carl Pace (a Doctor), on March, 1936. The Dr. was born Sept. 27, 1905. Two children were born to them. The Dr. died some time ago. Bernice is still a widow. My cousin, Bernice Koch, Mrs. Dr. Carl Pace, married to Herbert Kruse Jan. 19, 1962. They live at Clarence, Mo., R. Route 1. Her former husband, Dr. Carl Pace died several years ago. Wesley Koch was born Aug. 6, 1908. He married Miss Elma T. Goldsberry, Washington, Mo. They own a large hardware store in Washington, Mo. Wesley is a very successful salesman, selling hardware at home town and distant places. They have three children: Wesley Jr., born Aug. 6, 1936. Nancy Carolyn, born Sept. 28, 1938, and Laurence Edward, born Dec. 11, 1945. Margaret Ida Koch was born Jan. 14, 1917. She was a stewardess on an airplane for several years and traveled much. On April 3, 1943, she married Robert Augustus Morsmann. He was born Dec. 12, 1909. They have three children as follows: Robert Charles, born May 7, 1950. Joseph Warren, born Sept. 20, 1948. Margaret Gail, born June 5, 1952. Virgil Koch married Thelma Jewel Boyer on Sept. 28, 1938. They have one son, Larry McLean Koch, born Aug. 11, 1941. The next born to my Grandpa Koch was my aunt Lydia Koch, born Nov. 30, 1876 at Beaufort, Mo., Franklin Co., on Grandpa Koch’s second farm. She was born in a barn on that farm, not being able to get possession of the house for about three months. Aunt Lydia Koch was confirmed and joined the Central Wesleyan Methodist College Church. She was a beautiful, charming young lady, educated in the Central Wesleyan Methodist College. Grandpa purchased an organ and gave it to her. She learned to play the organ and etc., made sweet music in their home. She became a dress maker, which she later followed up in St. Louis, Mo., while living there. She was a big help in the home being the youngest of the family of children as the youngest child, Edward, had died. When my Grandpa Koch was about 75 years old he got a cancer on the back of his left ear which ate out a large place which pained him so much, that he walked the floor to and fro and would wring his hands and saying, “Oh, what pains I have.” I felt so sorry for him, when I visited him with my mother. Some months later he took blood poisoning and died March 8, 1895. They buried him on his lot which he had purchased in the Warrenton Cemetery. After that settlement was made and Grandpa Koch’s wife or widow, left for High Hill, Mo., where she made her home with her daughter and son-in-law. Her daughter was Annie Niemeyer, from her first husband, who had her buried in the High Hill Cemetery. Consequently that left Grandpa Koch alone on his big lot at the Warrenton Cemetery. So later they buried Mr. Miller by his side, as he was the father of William and Samuel Koch’s wives, as they married sisters. Later William and Minnie Koch both were buried on the same roomy lot, Warrenton Cemetery. Aunt Lydia nursed Grandpa Koch. She would put on rubber gloves to treat the cancer as Grandpa Koch’s wife could not do that kind of work. Grandpa Koch taught all of his children to love and respect one another, both full and half children, and they all acted like full brothers and sisters, and visited and kept in contact with one another until death separated them to be joined in Heaven. Especially as they had the same father and the same name. When I visited my Grandpa Koch’s home I was about six years old, and I would slip up to the third story where students were roomers, and among them was Gerhard Ritter’s room, and he had some kind of printing machine which made a lot of little holes in a sheet of paper, which interested me very much—as he was so kind and courteous to me. The reason, he loved my Aunt Lydia, who was a beautiful young woman, whom later he married in 1899. Ritter] Gerhard Ritter was from Higginsville, Mo., where they lived for several years. He became a Rural Mail carrier. Here they had two children, Gilbert H. Ritter and Ervin F. Ritter. Ervin died at the age of four weeks old. The day before aunt Lydia’s husband died on Nov. 11, 1903. Then she moved to Chamois, Mo., to live with her brother Henry Koch, who had lost his wife just before she lost her husband and baby. She and Gilbert stayed at Chamois, Mo., till her brother Henry married again. Then she and her son Gilbert, moved to St. Louis, Mo. Her son Gilbert, grew up to good Christian manhood. Both joined the M. E. Church there, where aunt Lydia was a member before she married Gerhard Ritter. Both were active in church and Sunday school work. Gilbert worked himself up in a large bank to assistant exchange teller at the age of 16½ years. He continued working in the bank and going to night school. Gilbert Ritter became engaged to be married in Nov. 1923, to a nice, beautiful young daughter of a wealthy business man. So before the wedding the prospective father-in-law persuaded Gilbert to become president of his business firm after they became marrid. “But” Gilbert had the call all along to become a Methodist Minister which he gave up in order to get married to this girl. So a day or two before the wedding, Gilbert was stricken with appendicitis, was operated on and died Nov. 11, 1924, at the age of 23 years old. He was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo.

Samuel D. Koch 

The next uncle was Samuel D. Koch, (who I was named after). He was born Oct. 9, 1866 at Beaufort, Mo. Died August 10, 1922, buried in the Warrenton Cemetery. He was married to Wilhelmina (Minnie) Miller, born April 11, 1869 in Brighton, Illinois. Died Feb. 1, 1956, buried by the side of her husband, Samuel Koch in the Warrenton Cemetery. Three children were born to this union, all died in infancy.

My two uncles, William and Samuel Koch, married two sisters. These two Miller girls lost their mother by death, so their father put them in the Orphan’s Home at Warrenton, Mo. During their stay there, my two uncles worked for the Orphan’s Home there and met these two sweet girls and married them.

After my Grandpa Koch died, my uncle Samuel and his wife inherited or bought the beautiful three story house that my Grandpa Koch built and lived in until he died at Warrenton, Mo.

My uncle Samuel Koch was a carpenter by trade which my Grandpa taught him.

Emma Louise Koch 

The next born was my Aunt Emma Louise Koch, Jan. 30, 1870 at Beaufort or Leslie, Mo., Franklin County. Died October 29, 1897, buried Zion Ev. Cemetery, St. Louis Co., Mo.

Married George J. Balthasor on Jan. 31, 1889, St. Louis Co., Mo. Uncle George died Oct. 8, 1932, buried by the side of his wife, Zion Ev. Cemetery. They belonged to the Presbyterian Church. Their grandson is a Presbyterian Minister at Milwaukee, Wis., Rev. Chas. A. Wood.

My uncle and aunt Balthasor were truck gardeners. They owned several acres of land in St. Louis County.

They had the following children: Mathilda Emielia born Dec. 25, 1889. Married to Louis G. Hirsch, Sept. 20, 1910, who died April 26, 1919. She later remarried to Mr. Chas A. Wood in 1925. To this union was born one son, Caroll A. Wood, born July 13, 1926. Ellia Marie, born Feb. 5, 1891. A very sweet woman who was married to Edmund E. F. J. Meyer on May 15, 1918, to this union the following children were born: Raymond, Jan. 19, 1924; Ruth Marie, died in infancy. Warren J., born June 25, 1931.

Katherine W., born March 28, 1893, died Aug. 6, 1927. She married Albert Gnadt Sept. 26, 1926, both dead, no children, both buried Zion Ev. Cemetery, St. Louis Co., Mo.

George J. Balthasor, born Sept. 10, 1895. He was married to Irma Lawler, Nov. 20, 1926. They had one child, Richard G. Balthasor, born Oct. 17, 1933, St. Louis Co., Mo.

Edmund E. F. J. Meyer, who married my cousin Ella Marie Balthasor, was an accounting and became a Bank Examiner. He flew all over the U. S. to examine Banks for our government. He is now retired and devotes lots of time and money to his children.

John Koch 

The next born to my Grandpa Koch was my uncle “John” Koch, was born in 1872 at Beaufort, Mo., Franklin Co. He died in August 1886, at the age of 14 years. He was almost ready to be confirmed in the College M. E. Church at Warrenton, Mo. He was attending church school there, confirmation work. One morning he was helping his father (my

His mother, Lydia Koch Ritter and I have said, “Because Gilbert did not want to do God’s will to become a minister, but rather chose wealth and prominence in this world, God just took him home to heaven. We can not go against God’s plans and lose our own soul by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.”

Aunt Lydia Koch Ritter lived in St. Louis, Mo., till Oct., 1952, when she went to make her home in Katie Jane Memorial Home, Warrenton, Mo. Here she gave a lot of money as she was well to do financially, to keep her the rest of her life. A few years ago the Home caught on fire and was mostly destroyed with many lives on one Sunday afternoon. But Aunt Lydia was at church—so did not destroy her life, but burned up all of her possessions. Many of these burned people are buried in the same grave in the Warrenton Cemetery.

Well Aunt Lydia Koch Ritter is still living in part of this Katie Jane Memorial. She is now past 83 years old, being born Nov. 30, 1876. I got much of this history in verbal and in writing from her. Also from my memory from visiting homes and places.

I also got some information by verbal and in writing from my mother’s first cousin, Mrs. Lydia Toelke Pohlman, Gerald, Mo. I visited her. She is 87 years old, does her own housework, lives alone, and walks to church a block from her home. She has a keen mind. Wrote me a nice letter about the Toelkes.

And of course I got most of the information verbal from my mother. Also from my father, also cousins and other relatives and friends. And from monuments from different cemeteries. Records and records from Family Bibles.

The last child born to my Grandpa Koch and his second wife, Minnie Nolthing Koch, was Edward, born Aug., 1879. His mother gave her life for him as she died in childbirth with him. Consequently, my mother was called home, from her work in St. Louis, Mo., to help out her father Koch with so many young children. She stayed over a year during this time with my father, went to see her and later were married in the Rock Methodist Church, Beaufort, Mo. The church he helped build a few years before. So after they got married my mother and dad took little Edward with them in their new home at Port Hudson, Mo., where he stayed about a year. After Grandpa Koch married his third wife and took little Edward back home.

My aunt Lydia Ritter died June 27, 1962 at the Katie Jane Memorial Home, Warrenton, Mo. Funeral July 2, 1962 at Warrenton, Mo. She was born near Beaufort, Franklin Co., Mo., on Nov. 30, 1876. She leaves to mourn many nieces and nephews and many great and great great, and great, great, great nieces and nephews.

Then on May 8, 1937, Elizabeth or “Lizzie” as we called her, died in the hospital in St. Louis, Mo. They buried her at the Bourbon cemetery. My brother put up a large double monument on the head of her grave. He then married again to Mrs. Anna Lena Herrmann from Spring Bluff, Mo., close to Sullivan, Mo., on July 19, 1939. They are both living on the farm and are very active in the Methodist Church of Bourbon, Mo. In fact, all of the Bohnenkamps, my father and mother, were active, and all of the brothers and their wives are active in the Methodist Church.

I want to tell an incident about my brother, Fred, and I. He is eight years older than I am and when we were all at home each one had his work to do, chores in the morning. Fred tended to the horses and mules, William and I milked the cows and etc. My father tended to the chickens, sheep and hogs. So one morning I overslept. He, Fred, came upstairs where the boys slept and took a window stick and hit me three licks on my butt and legs and made great stripes. I awoke, jumped up, went after him. He ran downstairs, but part way down there was a platform where the steps made a turn, and there I had him: right above that was a floor shelf full of shoes. I stood right above him on the stairs and I hit him on the head with all those shoes before he got to the foot of the stairway. Afterward my brother Fred had a bruised head and I had a bruised butt and legs. We did not want to get too near to one another.

My father did not say anything, but my mother thought I should apologize to my brother Fred, so as time went on I had some socks that had holes in them and the weather was cold so I got a large darning needle and I was very busy. Here come my big brother along trying to take the darning needle away from me so he could darn his gloves, and mother said, “Sammy, let Freddie have the needle,” and just then as he was reaching his hand out to take it away from me I let him have it by sticking the needle away deep in his hand, then I ran out of the door and down the rock sidewalk in the yard. He ran after me and picked up a large rock weighing about 15 lbs., and threw it at me. It fell in back of me, missing my head and back not even one inch. Of course, if the rock had hit me on the head, there would not have had Sammy any more to boss around.

After that if I tried to talk or even sing, I was reprimanded by my brother, Fred, saying, “Shut up your old loud mouth!” This happened practically all the time and my mother took up for her son, Fred, so by and by I got enough of this and at the age of twelve years I tried to leave home, thinking I was being mistreated. I ran off to a large, tall sprout patch, consisting of several acres, near our home. I stayed all day and most of the night. Finally after thinking it over, I returned home. Now my brother Fred and I have forgiven each other and we visit each other. Age mellows the hearts.

I am sure the Lord was training me to speak clearly and loudly so that when I became a minister I would be able to preach so that people could hear and understand what I had to say. I always preached, saying, “If you’ve got something to say worth hearing, speak loud enough so the people can hear and understand.” I have attended funerals and other services and you could not even hear what the preacher was saying. Several people have said to me, “We can’t even hear what so and so preaches, and we do not like it.”

The second child born to my parents was John Edward on September 23, 1882 at Port Hudson, Mo., in Franklin County. He, of course, moved with his parents to Bourbon, Mo., in March, 1884. One day in June, 1884, my mother was washing. The water was limestone water; hard water, so she opened a can of lye to use part of it in the water, as usual, and set the rest of the lye in the closet, and behold; baby John comes along after wakening from his bed, hungry for milk. He just picks up the can of lye and drinks it and then started screaming and jumping up and down. Mother at once realized what had happened, and after home treatment took him to the Bourbon doctor and he kept on treating him from June till August. One day in August, 1884, when the doctor was under the influence of liquor, he gave baby John the wrong medicine and from that day till Sept. 16, 1884, he was dying, and did die.

The day he died he said goodbye, mamma and papa, and he pointed up and smiled and laughed. Mother said he saw the angels coming for him. On the day he died in the morning, the wheat threshers came to the farm and the neighbors threshed the wheat for my father, and being the last crop, as they waited till last, thinking that baby John would not live that long. Being a long ways from their home, they stayed all night with my parents to comfort them in the loss of their baby. So next morning Mr. Spindler, the owner of the threshing machine and outfit made a little coffin and they all helped bury the baby in the afternoon at the Turner Cemetery, and the threshing machine man, Mr. Spindler, preached the baby’s funeral. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

The third child born to my parents was William John Bohnenkamp, at Bourbon, Mo., on January 19, 1885. He is still living on his own farm adjoining the old Home farm eastward. He went to the home district school (Oak Grove School) and later, in about 1953, he bought the school house building, after Oak Grove was consolidated with the Bourbon School. He moved the building by pieces and built a milk house, sheds, and used the rest of the good lumber for repairs. He worked at home till he became about 24 years old. The last three years he did like his brother Fred: got $100 a year clear money, besides his board and all other expenses paid.

William John Bohnenkamp was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Myrtle Sites on March 15, 1911. To this union were born five children, namely: Benjamin William, April 5, 1912. Vera Clara, October 29, 1914. Wilbur, December 1, 1916. Donald Lee, July 13, 1919. Bonnie O Neta, June 4, 1925. All were born at Bourbon, Mo. All these children are living, and own homes of their own. These are my and my wife’s double-nephews and nieces.

Afterwards little Edward got the measles and he died at the age of 2½ years. They buried him by the side of his mother in the Rock Methodist Church Cemetery, Beaufort, Mo.

Grandpa Koch let all of his children work out from home in their teens and let them keep all the money they made so my mother worked out for the neighbors. Finally went to St. Louis, Mo., and worked for Mrs. McCabe and her sister. They were rich people and often put money in places for my mother to find, trying her out to see if she was honest. But my mother was honest and would not steal anything. Having been confirmed, she learned to be honest. She worked 6½ years at the McCabe home till she was called to her father’s home when her stepmother died.

My mother saved up enough money to buy all the furniture and household utensils, etc., everything that she needed to go to housekeeping when she got married. She also bought a beautiful large Bible with silver catches or locks on it to fasten the Bible. My oldest brother Fred has the Bible in his home with all the family record written in it.

Gallery of book scans from this chapter:

Genealogical Index: Our Seven Children Chapter II – The Kochs

Full Names, Vital Dates, and Relationships

• Balthasor, Ellia (Ella) Marie: Born Feb. 5, 1891. Daughter of Emma Louise and George J.; married Edmund E. F. J. Meyer (May 15, 1918).
• Balthasor, Emma Louise (née Koch): Born Jan. 30, 1870; died Oct. 29, 1897. Daughter of Johan F.W. and Minnie (Nolting) Koch; married George J. Balthasor (Jan. 31, 1889).
• Balthasor, George J.: Died Oct. 8, 1932. Husband of Emma Louise.
• Balthasor, George J. (Jr.): Born Sept. 10, 1895. Son of Emma and George; married Irma Lawler (Nov. 20, 1926).
• Balthasor, Katherine W.: Born March 28, 1893; died Aug. 6, 1927. Daughter of Emma and George; married Albert Gnadt (Sept. 26, 1926).
• Balthasor, Mathilda Emielia: Born Dec. 25, 1889. Daughter of Emma and George; married first to Louis G. Hirsch (Sept. 20, 1910), married second to Chas A. Wood (1925).
• Balthasor, Richard G.: Born Oct. 17, 1933. Son of George Jr. and Irma.
• Bohnenkamp, August Frederick: Father of the author; married Wilhelmina “Minnie” Koch (Jan. 1880, or ~1870 in another mention).
• Bohnenkamp, Charles August: Born March 23, 1892. Son of August and Minnie.
• Bohnenkamp, Fred: Born Nov. 30, 1880. Son of August and Minnie.
• Bohnenkamp, John Edward: Born Sept. 23, 1883. Son of August and Minnie.
• Bohnenkamp, Samuel David (Author): Born Feb. 17, 1889. Son of August and Minnie.
• Bohnenkamp, Unnamed Twin Daughter: Born and died March 23, 1892. Twin to Charles August.
• Bohnenkamp, Wilhelmina “Minnie” (née Koch): Born Nov. 23, 1854. Daughter of Johan F.W. and Henrietta Koch; wife of August Frederick.
• Bohnenkamp, William John: Born Jan. 19, 1885. Son of August and Minnie.
• Boyer, Thelma Jewel: Married Virgil Koch (Sept. 28, 1938).
• Cooksey, Cassey (Cassey Koch): Wife of August C. Koch.
• Eglie, Joe: Married Caroline Koch (1884).
• Ehlers, Johanna: Wife of Joseph Ehlers.
• Ehlers, Joseph: Bought the 160-acre Koch farm on Dec. 5, 1871.
• Faulst, Rev. John P.: Minister who married August and Minnie Bohnenkamp.
• Finke, Meta (née Koch): Born Jan. 26, 1899. Daughter of William F. and Caroline Justine Koch; married Otto Finke.
• Finke, Otto: Born April 23, 1892. Husband of Meta Koch.
• Gnadt, Albert: Married Katherine W. Balthasor (Sept. 26, 1926).
• Goldsberry, Elma T.: Wife of Wesley Koch.
• Hermmerle, August: Married Mary Koch (~1874).
• Hermmerle, Caroline: Daughter of Mary and August.
• Hermmerle, Emily: Daughter of Mary and August.
• Hermmerle, Sallie: Daughter of Mary and August.
• Hirsch, Louis G.: Died April 26, 1919. First husband of Mathilda Emielia Balthasor.
• Koch, August C.: Died Dec. 1906 (age ~47). Son of Johan F.W. and Henrietta; married Cassey Cooksey.
• Koch, August (Jr.): Son of August C. and Cassey.
• Koch, Bernice: Born May 10, 1901. Daughter of Henry A. and Lydia Ida; married first to Dr. Carl Pace (Mar. 1936), married second to Herbert Kruse (Jan. 19, 1962). (Note: The text states her birth year as 1901, though her parents married in 1906).
• Koch, Caroline: Married Joe Eglie (1884); died 8-9 months after marriage. Daughter of Johan F.W. and Henrietta.
• Koch, Caroline Justine (née Miller): Born Nov. 7, 1870; died Dec. 25, 1946. Second wife of William Frederick Koch.
• Koch, Edward: Born Aug. 1879; died age 2.5. Son of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting.
• Koch, Elizabeth: Daughter of August C. and Cassey.
• Koch, Emeline: Daughter of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting.
• Koch, Esther: Born June 12, 1907. Daughter of William F. and Caroline Justine.
• Koch, Fred: Born ~1850; died age 29. Son of Johan F.W. and Henrietta.
• Koch, Henry A.: Born Aug. 31, 1874; died Dec. 1941. Son of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting; married first to Lizzie Sundameyer (Mar. 1903), married second to Lydia Ida Thee (Feb. 6, 1906).
• Koch, Johan Friederick William (Grandfather): Born March 8, 1820; died March 8, 1895. Married Henrietta Tolke, Minnie Nolting, and Charlotta Niemeyer Kruger.
• Koch, John (1): Born 1872; died Aug. 1886. Son of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting.
• Koch, John (2): Born 1903; died June 29, 1962. Son of August C. and Cassey.
• Koch, Larry McLean: Born Aug. 11, 1941. Son of Virgil and Thelma.
• Koch, Laurence: Born July 21, 1893. Son of William F. and Caroline Justine; married first to Evangeline Robertson, married second to Mabel Smith.
• Koch, Laurence Edward: Born Dec. 11, 1945. Son of Wesley and Elma.
• Koch, Lydia (Lydia Ritter): Born Nov. 30, 1876; died June 27, 1962. Daughter of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting; married Gerhard Ritter (1899).
• Koch, Margaret Ida: Born Jan. 14, 1917. Daughter of Henry A. and Lydia Ida; married Robert Augustus Morsmann (April 3, 1943).
• Koch, Mary: Born ~1852; died 1940. Daughter of Johan F.W. and Henrietta; married August Hermmerle (~1874).
• Koch, Nancy Carolyn: Born Sept. 28, 1938. Daughter of Wesley and Elma.
• Koch, Samuel D.: Born Oct. 9, 1866; died Aug. 10, 1922. Son of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting; married Wilhelmina Miller.
• Koch, Virgil: Married Thelma Jewel Boyer (Sept. 28, 1938). Son of Henry A. and Lydia Ida.
• Koch, Walter: Died in infancy. Son of William F. and his first wife.
• Koch, Wesley: Born Aug. 6, 1908. Son of Henry A. and Lydia Ida; married Elma T. Goldsberry.
• Koch, Wesley Jr.: Born Aug. 6, 1936. Son of Wesley and Elma.
• Koch, William Frederick: Born Sept. 7, 1864; died Sept. 2, 1936. Son of Johan F.W. and Minnie Nolting; married first to an unnamed neighbor, married second to Caroline Justine Miller.
• Kruger, Charlotta (née Niemeyer): Third wife of Johan F.W. Koch; widow with two children.
• Kruse, Herbert: Married Bernice Koch Pace (Jan. 19, 1962).
• Lawler, Irma: Married George J. Balthasor Jr. (Nov. 20, 1926).
• McCabe, Mrs. & Sister: Employers of Minnie Koch in St. Louis.
• Meyer, Edmund E. F. J.: Married Ella Marie Balthasor (May 15, 1918).
• Meyer, Raymond: Born Jan. 19, 1924. Son of Edmund and Ella Marie.
• Meyer, Ruth Marie: Died in infancy. Daughter of Edmund and Ella Marie.
• Meyer, Warren J.: Born June 25, 1931. Son of Edmund and Ella Marie.
• Miller, Wilhelmina (Minnie): Born April 11, 1869; died Feb. 1, 1956. Wife of Samuel D. Koch.
• Miller, Mr.: Father of Caroline Justine and Wilhelmina.
• Morsmann, Joseph Warren: Born Sept. 20, 1948. Son of Margaret and Robert.
• Morsmann, Margaret Gail: Born June 5, 1952. Daughter of Margaret and Robert.
• Morsmann, Robert Augustus: Born Dec. 12, 1909. Married Margaret Ida Koch (April 3, 1943).
• Morsmann, Robert Charles: Born May 7, 1950. Son of Margaret and Robert.
• Muth, Mary: Owner (at time of writing) of the original Koch 160-acre farm.
• Niemeyer, Annie: Daughter of Charlotta Kruger from a previous marriage.
• Niemeyer, August: Son of Charlotta Kruger from a previous marriage.
• Nolting, Minnie: Died ~1879. Second wife of Johan F.W. Koch.
• Pace, Dr. Carl: Born Sept. 27, 1905. Married Bernice Koch (March 1936).
• Pohlman, Lydia (née Toelke): 87 years old (at time of writing). First cousin to Minnie Koch.
• Raines, Clara Amy: Daughter of the author.
• Ritter, Ervin F.: Died Nov. 10, 1903 (age 4 weeks). Son of Gerhard and Lydia.
• Ritter, Gerhard: Died Nov. 11, 1903. Married Lydia Koch (1899).
• Ritter, Gilbert H.: Died Nov. 11, 1924. Son of Gerhard and Lydia.
• Robertson, Evangeline: Died April 14, 1940. First wife of Laurence Koch.
• Smith, Mabel: Born March 26, 1895. Second wife of Laurence Koch.
• Sundameyer, Lizzie: Died Nov. 1903. First wife of Henry A. Koch.
• Thee, Lydia Ida: Born June 27, 1878. Second wife of Henry A. Koch (married Feb. 6, 1906).
• Tolke / Toelke, August John: Brother of Henrietta Tolke.
• Tolke / Toelke, Carl: Brother of Henrietta.
• Tolke / Toelke, Friederick: Brother of Henrietta.
• Tolke / Toelke, Henrietta: Died ~1862. First wife of Johan F.W. Koch.
• Wesley, John: (Historical reference) Mentioned regarding childhood phenomena.
• Wildhaker, Joseph (elder): 80 years old in ~1868. Stopped the witchcraft phenomena at the Koch farm.
• Wildhaker, Joseph (grandson): Neighbor to Bohnenkamps at Bourbon, MO.
• Wood, Caroll A.: Born July 13, 1926. Son of Chas A. Wood and Mathilda.
• Wood, Chas A.: Married Mathilda Emielia Balthasor Hirsch (1925).
• Wood, Rev. Chas. A.: Grandson of George Balthasor.

Locations

Towns & Geographic Features:

• Beaufort, MO / Leslie, MO (Used interchangeably in text)
• Bonne Terre, MO
• Boones Creek (Bourbon, MO)
• Bourbon, MO
• Brighton, Illinois
• Chamois, MO
• Clarence, MO (R. Route 1)
• Ehrilinghausen Lippe-Detmold Preuszen, Germany
• Flat River, MO
• Frusheu, Germany
• Gerald, MO
• Higginsville, MO
• High Hill, MO
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Port Hudson, MO
• Sioux City, Iowa
• St. Louis, MO (and St. Louis County, MO)
• Warrenton, MO
• Washington, MO

Farms & Institutions:

• Central Wesleyan College (Warrenton, MO)
• Chillicothe Business College (Livingston Co., MO)
• College M. E. Church (Warrenton, MO)
• Katie Jane Memorial Home (Warrenton, MO)
• Koch 160-Acre Farm (First farm, near Leslie/Beaufort, MO)
• Koch Second Farm (Near Beaufort, MO)
• Koch High Hill Farm (High Hill, MO)
• Methodist Orphan’s Home (Warrenton, MO)
• Rock Methodist Church / “The Koch Methodist Church” (Leslie/Beaufort, MO)
• Sundameyer Farm
• Tolke Farm (Near Beaufort/Leslie, MO)

Cemeteries:

• Bonne Terre Cemetery (Bonne Terre, MO)
• High Hill Cemetery (High Hill, MO)
• Memorial Park Cemetery (St. Louis, MO)
• Rock Methodist Church Cemetery (Leslie/Beaufort, MO)
• Small country farm cemetery / Tolke brother’s farm (Near Leslie, MO)
• Warrenton Cemetery (Warrenton, MO)
• Washington Cemetery (Washington, MO)
• Zion Ev. Cemetery (St. Louis Co., MO)