Figure 1: Lena (Oexmann) Gliedt.This chapter opens in 1884 with the birth of (#293) Paul Georg WilhelmG7 Gliedt. Paul was the great, great, great, great grandson of EberdtG1 Glied; the great, great, great grandson of JobstG2 Glied; the great, great grandson of Albert HenrichG3 Glied; the great grandson of Albert HenrichG4 Glied; the grandson of HermannG5 Glied; and the son of Philipp GottliebG6 Gliedt and his wife, Hanne FriederikeG3 Gliedt nee Pöppelmeier. He was also the great grandson of BernhardG1 Pöppelmeier, and the grandson of HermannG2 Pöppelmeier and his wife, Anne CatharineG5 Pöppelmeier nee Glied. His common ancestor was Albert HenrichG4 Glied.
The weather was stormy during Feb 1884, in parts of the Midwest and South. A tornado tore through the South on 9 Feb 1884, killing many people, while the Ohio River reached new flood levels in Cincinnati. Paul Gliedt was born in that stormy month. 1884 was also the year that Mark Twain published "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", and the Yankee Robinson and Ringling Brothers Great Double Show, Circus and Caravan opened in Barbaboo, WI with Yankee Robinson proclaiming, "This show is destined to become the greatest circus on earth". That same year saw the development of products such as the first ink-storing pen and the first machine gun. By the end of 1884, the first electric street cars were operating in Cleveland, OH; the first steel skyscraper, the Home Life Insurance Building, was completed in Rochester, NY; and the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition opened in New Orleans.1
The setting for the beginning of this chapter remains the German community located on Columbia Bottom section of St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis Co., MO. Gottlieb and Hanne had lived on the Columbia Bottom, the fertile, river bottom land where the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers merged in St. Louis, since their marriage in 1869. Paul's father rented farm land in this locale and raised produce to sell at the market in the city of St. Louis. For most of the time, his parents were probably content living here or they wouldn't have stayed so long. They were Communicant members of the nearby St. Petri's2 Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was a small German Church built in 1863 from limestone in the Gothic style. Even though Paul's parents liked living on the Columbia Bottom, there were drawbacks to living there such as the occasional flooding of the rivers; crop failures; the hot, humid summers; mosquitoes; and frequent outbreaks of diseases. Paul's parents were probably more concerned about events touching their lives such as the weather; their crops; the price they were able to sell their produce; church affairs; and their children. By the time Paul was born, his mother, Hanne, had already given birth to nine children. Their seven surviving children included two sets of twins. Paul was Hanne's tenth child.
293. PAUL GEORG WILHELMG7 GLIEDT (Eberdt,G1 Jobst,G2 Albert Henrich,G3 Albert Henrich,G4 HermannG5 ) (PöppelmeierG4 : Bernhard,G1 HermannG2 ), the tenth child of Philipp GottliebG6 and Hanne FriederikeG3 Gliedt nee Pöppelmeier, was born on 18 Feb 1884. At the time of his birth, his parents were renting farm land on the Columbia Bottom section of St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis Co., MO. Paul was baptized on 9 Mar 1884 by Pastor O. S. Zimmermann at St. Petri's Evangelical Church located on the Columbia Bottom. He was named after his sponsors, Georg Linhardt and Wilhelm Vogelsang.3 Paul was one and three/fourth years old in 1885, when his mother gave birth to Gustav.4 His brother, Gustav, died in Aug of 1886.5 Shortly after Gustav's death, Paul's parents decided to move away from the Columbia Bottom locale. At this time, Paul's aunt, Justine Breder, and her family, lived in Lawrence Co., MO. So, in Sep of 1886, Paul's father bought a tract of land which was located in Section (18), Township (27), of Range (27), in Lawrence Co., MO.6 Paul was two and one/half years old when the family moved to Lawrence Co., MO. Many German speaking people were attracted to the growing community of Freistatt, which means a "place of refuge". Paul's parents were attracted to this close-knit community because the price of land was reasonable, and they were looking for a healthier place to raise their children. Freistatt appealed to his parents because they shared a common German heritage, language, and religion, with the people living in this area. This was very important to Paul's mother. In this community, everyone knew or had heard of each other. Many of the families were united by marriages. By the time Paul's parents moved to this locale, they found that Freistatt had an Evangelical (Trinity) Lutheran Church, a Christian Day School and a Post Office which was located in Biermann's General Store. The Evangelical (Trinity) Lutheran Church, a Missouri Synod congregation, was the center of the community.7 The Christian Day School at Freistatt was open to members of the congregation. As soon as possible, Paul's parents became members of the Evangelical (Trinity) Lutheran Church and sent their school age children to the Christian Day School. The entrance age for the Christian Day School was eight. When Paul became eligible for school, he attended the Christian Day School at Freistatt with his siblings. During the winter, the children attended school Monday through Friday. They were taught the school curriculum in German, along with some English, which was also known as the "American" language. The family had barely settled on their new farm in the community of Freistatt when Paul's mother gave birth to the twins, Martin and Adolph, in Dec of 1887.8 Paul was almost four years old when the twins were born, and six when his mother gave birth to Ernst.9 Paul's older sisters helped to take care of Paul during his childhood. When Paul was nine, his older sister, Auguste, married Ernst Kaiser, in May of 1893. He was almost thirteen when his older sister, Anna, married Leonhard(t) Kaiser, in May of 1897. Paul received instruction in the Lutheran Faith and was confirmed, in German, on 3 Apr 1898 by Pastor Johannes Roschke at the Evangelical (Trinity) Lutheran Church at Freistatt, MO. His memory text was 1 Timothy 6:12.10
Paul was tall and slender. So, he was nicknamed "Lange"11 which is Plattdütsch (low German) for "long."12 Like his brothers, Paul became a farmer.
By the turn of the century, Paul had seen many changes. Freistatt had grown over the years, so that by 1900 it had such businesses as the Farmer's Mutual Insurance Company; the Freistatt Creamery Company; the Freistatt Milling Company; and the Schoen Hotel. Frank Wendler was the village Blacksmith, H. F. Brockschmidt was a dealer in Light and Heavy Harness; and W. J. Rutledge was the resident physician. By the time the 1900 Census was taken, Paul's older brother, Hermann, had married Anna Doennig. When Wiley Rutledge, the enumerator for the Twelfth U.S. Census, stopped by Gottlieb Gliedt's farm which was still located in Freistatt Township of Lawrence Co., MO, he noted on his census form that Paul was 16 years old and that he was working on his father's farm.13 Paul was one of seven children still living at home.
During the years 1900-1909, Paul matured into a fine young man. He saw his sister, Anna, marry Wilhelm (Bill) Doennig, and his brother, Henry, marry Minna Doennig, in a double wedding ceremony, in 1902. In Aug of 1906, Paul saw his brother, Fred, marry Martha Meinert, and in 1907, he saw his brother, Wilhelm (Bill), marry Bertha Meinert. On 31 Jul 1909, Paul's sister-in-law, Martha Gliedt nee Meinert, died. The following month, Paul married Lena Oexmann.
Also living in this close-knit community was the family of Ernest Oexmann. Ernest Oexmann was born in Apr of 1858 in Prussia and came to America in 1876.14 He had heard about the German settlement in Lawrence Co., MO and decided to settle in this locale. Caroline Kliene was born in Sep of 1863 in Prussia and came to America in 1866.15 Her parents also settled in this German settlement in Lawrence Co., MO. On 18 Jun 1884, Ernest Oexmann and Caroline Kliene applied for their marriage license at Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co., MO. Ernest Oexmann and Caroline Kliene, both of Lawrence Co., MO, were married by Pastor Johannes Roschke at Freistatt, MO on 20 Jun 1884.16 Caroline became the mother of eight children, three daughters and five sons. Two of their daughters married two of Gottlieb and Hanne Gliedt's sons. Over the years, the Oexmann family lived in various places in Missouri including Wheatland Township in Hickory Co., Van Buren Township in Newton Co., and Sarcoxie Township in Jasper Co. When William P. Murphy enumerated the Ernest Oexmann's household located in Wheatland Township, Hickory Co., MO, on 13 Jun 1900, he found Lena, age 12, was the oldest daughter living in her father's house. She had attended school for six months that year, along with her brothers and sister. The six children were: Fred, age 15; Louis, age 13; Lena L., age 12; Alma M., age 10; Willie, age 7; and Herman, age 2.17 Lena Oexmann married Paul Gliedt in 1909 and her sister, Alma Oexmann, married Adolph Gliedt in 1910.
Figure 1: Lena (Oexmann) Gliedt.
Figure 2: Paul and Lena (Oexmann) Gliedt. 29 Aug 1909, Sarcoxie, MO.
As a young man, Paul met and courted Lena Oexmann and they decided to marry. On 24 Aug 1909, Paul Gliedt of Freistatt, MO, and his future bride, Lena Oexmann of Sarcoxie, Jasper Co., MO, applied for their marriage license at the county clerk's office at Mt. Vernon, Lawrence Co., MO.18 On 29 Aug 1909, Paul Georg Wilhelm Gliedt, age 25, wed CAROLINE LOUISE OEXMANN, age 21. They were married by Pastor Oscar Kaiser at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sarcoxie, MO.19
Caroline (1888-1978), the daughter of Ernest and Caroline (Lena) Oexmann nee Kliene, was born on 14 Jan 1888 at her parents' farm which was located in Wheatland Township, Hickory Co., MO. She was baptized on 5 Feb 1888 at Wheatland, MO.20 Caroline, better known as Lena, was confirmed on 5 Apr 1903 at Freistatt, MO.21
Six months after Paul's marriage, Gottlieb and Hanne sold a parcel of their farm to Paul on 11 Mar 1910. The land was described as the East half of the Northwest quarter of Section (34), Township (27), Range (27), containing eighty acres more or less.22
When William Howard, the enumerator for the Thirteenth U.S. Census visited Paul's farm which was located in Freistatt Township of Lawrence Co., MO, on 20 Apr 1910, he noted on the census form that the family consisted of Paul, age 26, who was the head of the house, and his wife, Lena, age 22. He also noted that George Bracht was working for them on the farm.23 Shortly after this census was taken, Paul's sister, Auguste, her husband, Ernst Kaiser, and their children, moved to the Cole Camp area of Benton Co., MO. Auguste and Ernst were the first members of the family to move away from Freistatt. In the fall of 1910, two of Paul's brothers married. His brother, Fred, married Clara Doennig in Sep, and his younger brother, Adolph, married Lena's younger sister, Alma Oexmann, in Nov.24
Lena gave birth to her daughter, Lora, in Feb of 1912.25 In the fall of 1912, Paul's brother, Martin, married Alma Lampe. In Sep of that same year, Mr. C. L. Peirce, of Winnebago, IL, subdivided his 3590+ acres of land, located in the Shipman and Charles League, Brazoria Co, TX, into blocks and farm lots which became known as the C. L. Peirce Subdivision of a portion of the Shipman and Charles League. Mr. Peirce was also the President of the "Linwood Ranch Company".26 Mr. Peirce would have a profound effect on the lives of Paul and Lena. By the fall/winter of 1912, Mr. Peirce began advertising the sale of his Texas farm lots, in Freistatt, MO. The farm lots were promoted as being rich in soil and minerals. Here was the opportunity of a life-time, to be on the ground floor of building a new village, and the chance to get rich, since sulphur and oil had already been discovered in parts of Brazoria Co., TX. After hearing about the land in Texas, Paul's mother was convinced that "it was a good deal". Paul's mother tried to unsuccessfully to convince her husband, Gottlieb, to sell up and move to Texas. So, she turned her efforts to her children, encouraging them to sell up and move. The entire Gliedt family was invited over to the Gliedt farm located on the Schwarze Bottom on the Spring River one Sunday afternoon, so that Paul's brother, Henry, along with Ryan Schmeling, and Henry Aufdembrink, could talk to them about the land deal in Texas. Several of the men were interested in the Texas land deal and they decided that they would go to Texas and see the land.27 So in 1913, the men traveled to Texas. After the trip to Texas, Paul began making his plans to move to Texas.
On the first day of the New Year, 1914, Paul's brothers, Adolph; Martin; Fred; Henry; William (Bill); Hermann; along with H. W. (Bill) Doennig, his brother-in-law; and Louis Holtmann, bought farm lots from Mr. C. L. Peirce. On 9 Jan 1914, Paul and his wife, Lena, sold their farm in Missouri to Henry Holle which consisted of 80 acres more or less in the East half of the Northwest quarter of Section (34), Township (27), of Range (27).28 A few days later, Paul bought farm lots from Mr. Peirce. Mr. Peirce had Paul's Indenture notarized by B. F. Kink at Hoberg, MO, on 15 Jan 1914. The 40 acres of land that Paul bought from Mr. C. L. Peirce was described as farm lots or tracts numbered (7), and (8) both being in Block (5) of the C. L. Peirce Subdivision of a portion of the Shipman and Charles League in Brazoria Co., TX. Paul paid cash for this tract of land, and so he owned it free and clear of any mortgage.29 Then Paul bought an additional forty acres of land from his brother, Adolph, on 26 Mar 1914, which was described as farm lots or tracts numbered (12), and (13) in Block numbered (5) of the C. L. Peirce Subdivision of a portion of the Shipman and Charles League, in Brazoria Co., TX. Adolph had the contract notarized at Hoberg, MO.30 Paul, Lena, and their two year old daughter, Lora, moved to Texas, probably in the spring of 1914. Paul's sister, Anna, her husband, Leonhard(t) Kaiser, and their children moved to the Cole Camp area of Benton Co., MO, about this same time. Leaving only Adolph and his wife, Alma; Ernst; Gottlieb and Hanne, in Freistatt. A few months after Paul moved to Texas, his father, Gottlieb, died on 7 Jul 1914. After Gottlieb's death, his brother, Ernst, and his mother, Hanne, made plans to move to Texas. Adolph and Alma moved to Texas after the birth of their daughter, Mildred.
Once Paul, Lena, and Lora arrived at their new place in Texas, the work began. Since most of the farms did not have houses or out-buildings, Paul got a lumber sawing machine. Bill Doennig ran the engine, while Paul sawed the logs. They sawed all the lumber for the new buildings.31 Even though the land was fairly flat prairie grassland, Paul still had to clear it, before planting his crops. Goats were used to help clear part of the fields. Drainage was a problem for Paul, since the land was so flat. After a hard rain, the water remained on the ground long enough to damage the crops, and provided as ideal breeding place for mosquitoes, which spread diseases, such as malaria.32 While Paul and Lena worked hard, starting over on their new land, war broke out in Europe. While anti-German sentiment ran high in other parts of the country, Paul and Lena were unaffected because they lived an isolated settlement.
Then on 16 Aug 1915, a hurricane hit the Galveston area of Texas,33 some 55 miles from Paul's farm. It had winds in excess of 100 m.p.h., and lasted for 48 hours.34 The damage caused by the water was greater than the wind damage.35 The heavy rains from the hurricane caused the nearby San Bernard River to flood, leaving water standing on Paul's land, damaging the crops. Some of Paul's brothers were having financial difficulties and after the hurricane, some of his brothers didn't have sufficient funds to make the next payment on their farms. On 7 Oct 1915, Paul and his brothers, Adolph, William, Ernst, Henry, Martin, and Hermann, signed agreements leasing the mineral rights to their lands to Mr. C. L. Peirce.36
There was more illness among members of the families after the hurricane, including Paul, who had not been feeling well for some time. Lena phoned her sister-in-law, Louise Doennig, to let her know about Paul's illness. Louise and her husband went to visit Paul and found him in bed. Arrangements were quickly made to take Paul to the nearest doctor. His brothers, Martin and Fred, transported Paul on a cot in their horse drawn spring-wagon to Wharton. There, the doctor diagnosed Paul's illness as Typhoid Fever.37 Paul died on 26 Oct 1915 at Wharton, TX,38 at the age of 31 years, 9 months and 8 days. A note from Lena's Bible stated that Paul died on Tuesday at 2:00 P.M. and was buried in Wharton, TX on Thursday at 2:00 P.M.39 He was survived by his wife, Lena, and daughter, Lora. A week after Paul's death, his nephew, Oscar, died on 3 Nov 1915.40 The deaths of Paul and Oscar, illness among the family members, plus financial difficulties caused the families great distress. Once again, the families gathered together to discuss whether to stay or move on. It was decided that the families would move.41 One by one the families left Texas. Most of Paul's brothers moved to Fairland, OK. The long-time residents of the area were amazed at the suddenness of their departure. Newly widowed at the age of 27 years, Lena was unable to make a living for herself and Lora in Texas. So Lena and Lora left the farm in Texas and returned to live with her relatives, Ernest and Marie Oexmann at Sarcoxie, Jasper Co., MO.42
The child of Paul and Lena Gliedt nee Oexmann:
756. i. CARL WILLIAM HERMANSTORFER (1908-1966), Lena's stepson, was born on 27 Oct 1908 in OK.58 Carl wed Jacquetta Aston on 23 Dec 1931.59 He died in Dec of 1966 in OK.60
757. ii. OKLA EFFIE HERMANSTORFER (1912- ), Lena's stepdaughter, was born on 23 Apr 1912 in OK.61 Okla Hermanstorfer wed BEN BISHOP. 62 The children of Ben and Okla Bishop nee Hermanstorfer: 758. Karen, 759. Loretta, 760. Shirley, and 761. Ben.
758. i. KAREN BISHOP (19 - ).63
759. ii. LORETTA BISHOP (19 - ) wed BILL BURKE. They have three adopted children.64
760. iii. SHIRLEY BISHOP (19 - ) wed ROY MORRIS. Roy is deceased.65
761. iv. BEN BISHOP, Jr (19 - ).66
This brings the story of (#293) Paul GeorgG7 Gliedt, and his family, up to 1992. Chapter Fifteen covers Gottlieb's son, (#295) Adolph TheodorG7 Gliedt, and his family.