Frank Bernard Cooney Sr.

I have succeeded in contacting some of the descendants (or their spouses) of Frank Bernard Cooney Sr. (son of Theresa Wehner and John Richard Cooney and grandson of Lorenz Wehner and Flora Glisner). This is helping finish up the section of the book on the Cooneys.

You may wonder where I've been for the last several weeks. I've actually been working on the book, or should I say, THE BOOK, or perhaps THE BOOK. It just keeps getting longer and longer. Editors state that newsworthy articles must have three things - facts, persepective, and relevance. Mary Frances and I have just returned from three weeks in the Mississippi River area, part of which was used in looking for more Wehner facts and perspective (i.e., history). We spent part of the trip on another riverboat cruise up the Mississippi, seven days from St. Louis to Minneapolis. But we also spent some time in the St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve area following up on leads for the book. We visited the St. Louis church where Julius Martin Wehner and Mary Ann Oces were married. I was successful in finding what happened to Eulalia Margaret Baumstark, daughter of Mary Wehner and William Baumstark (she married Vernon Jones and the couple are buried in what may be a pauper's grave in St. Matthew Cemetery, St. Louis). But I had no success at all in finding out anything about the homicide of Franklin Charles Hoeckele, husband of Dora Ann Wehner. The Festus police files do not go back that far and a thorough search of regional libraries found no extant copies of Festus newspapers for the appropriate time period (he was killed 10 Mar 1928). An attempt at the Ste. Genevieve courthouse and the Church of Ste. Genevieve to find death dates for Nicholas Wehner's two children, Joseph and John, who died young, was also unsuccessful. It may be that the church at River aux Vases, which may have been Nicholas's church before he came to Ste. Genevieve, could provide the information. I did get some new photos, at least two of which, Plattin Creek, where the glass industry started at Festus and Crystal City, and the present mining along Plattin Creek, re now in the book. And I got a lot of additional history. All in all, it was a successful trip, I added to facts and perspective. I hope that relevance will not be forgotten. I also made some new Wehner contacts. The book is not receiving its final editing and indexing. I will keep you posted.

Golfinopulos

As usual I have allowed myself to get tied up in something. I am once again working on Theodore Golfinopulos, who married Nellie Louise Siebert, daughter of Anna Wehner and Frank Peter Siebert Sr. I found to my surprise that he had been previously married for a very short time to one Melissa Higgins, who had, in turn, been married to the widower Charles Simeon Dunford. The story is fascinating because Charles's will was contested by his daughter Alice (Dunford) Rayl and Theodore became involved in the suit.

I've been working on the history of John Joseph Wehner, son of John George and Theresa (Vaeth) Wehner, who married Alma D. Kieninger. John and Alma ran bakeries in St. Louis, the major enterprise being "Wehner Bakery" located at 770 Lemay Ferry Road during the Depression years and later. They had two children, James H. Wehner Sr., who also ran a bakery and about whom we know a lot, and Marion (or "Marian") L. Wehner, about whom we know little. Marion was born in 1920 or 1921 and worked in her father's bakery. She apparently married a Palmer since she appears as Marion L. Palmer residing in Chicago in 1995 obituaries for her brother James. Any help with Marion's history would be appreciated.

I am going back through the book one final time, but there are still some difficulties. I have had trouble figuring out the various Wehner-related bakeries in Ste. Genevieve. In 1921 August Peter Wehner, "Big Augie", purchased a bakery from G. H. Arthur, changed the name to "Wehner's Bakery," and was baker and owner until at least 1930. Around the same time Henry Charles Wehner went to work for Home Bakery, where he worked from around 1919 to 1926 before moving to California.

In the 1930s, Henry heard that a bakery was for sale in Ste. Genevieve and asked his brother Walter to look into it. Henry ended up returning to Ste. Genevieve, where he and Walter started the Wehner Bakery on Main Street. When Walter left the business, the shop was sold to Anthony ("Tony") Zarinelli (a baker from St. Louis), and Henry returned to California. In Ste. Genevieve, Earl Daniel Wood Sr., son of Martha Ervine Wehner went to work for Tony Zarinelli, who moved the bakery to Merchant Street. There Earl learned the skills of baking, and continued working there after Tony sold the business to a St. Louis company (who changed the name to "Toni's Bakery Inc.") in December of 1976. In 1980 Earl and Virginia Wood bought the bakery changing the name to "E&G Bakery" for Earl and Ginny. The couple owned the bakery until around 1985, when it was sold and became "Home Bakery." Earl continued working there until 1990, when the new owner decided to do his own baking. The question is which of these bakeries are which? There were at least two named "Home Bakery" and two named "Wehner's Bakery". Can anyone help straighten this all out?

Completed review of the pages on Walter Alfred Wood ("Al") and Martha Ervine Wehner ("Ervine") and their descendants. I have also sent these pages on to a grandchild and a great grandchild of the couple for their review.

I'm working on the Peter Wehner family. Just finished the section on Henry Charles Wehner and his wife, Cecelia Ann Eckery. And I have sent the section to a descendant for review.

I have finished editing the section on Theresa Wehner, daughter of Nicholas, and have started editing the final section on Peter Wehner, youngest child of Nicholas, and his descendants. I plan to have the book finished by September, when I can distribute it in person to Wehner family and friends. Mary Frances and I are planning a trip to Ste. Genevieve then.

Completed reviewing and modifying the section on the descendants of Lawrence Alexander Baechle and Ida Bertha Ursula Wehner: Ralph Robert Bachle, Carl George Bachle, Loretto M. Bachle, Leonard Lawrence Bachle, and Herman J. Bachle, of Oklahoma City. Next stop, George Nicholas Wehner, who stayed behind in Ste. Genevieve (though his descendants didn't).

Worked today on Mary Theresa Wehner, Daughter of John George Wehner. Mary married William W. Wetteroff of Czech descent on 12 Aug 1903 in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The couple, who lived in St. Louis, had two children, Marie Kathyrn Wetteroff, who married Edward Joseph Bakula, and Ralph Waldo Wetteroff, who married three times: Mildred Susan Stanton, Sarah Leah Gregory, and Martha Elisabeth Reline. Still have a little unknown about the later life of Marie Kathryn Wetteroff and I'm hoping to hear from relatives. Meanwhile, I'm off to Ida Bertha Ursula Wehner, who ended up in Oklahoma City.

I'm through with the descendants of Anna Margaret Wehner and George Osmond Richards. Next is the family of Mary Theresa Wehner and William W. Wetteroff.

Finished the section on Anna Margaret Wehner's second child, Arthur Julius Richards, who married Ruth Juanita Evans, daughter of Frank Orville Evans and Jane A. Wardlow of Daviess County, Indiana. Arthur Julius and Ruth lived most of their married lives in East St. Louis, where Arthur was a baker, though they did live for a while in Collinsville. They had one son, Paul V. Now on to Arthur's siblings.

I am working on Anna Margaret Wehner, who married George Osmond Richards, and her descendants. Anna was the daughter of John George Wehner and granddaughter of Nicholas Wehner. I have pretty much completed the sections on Anna and her daughter Helen Richards, who married Raymond F. McCoy. Now its on to Anna's other children. I have had no contacts from any members of the Richards family, descendants of Anna Margaret and I am hoping to hear from them. Any Richards's out there?

I've gone about as far as I can with the descendants of Edward Anthony Siebert and Amanda R. Scherer. I have sent draft pages off to children of George W. Siebert, Edward Elmer Siebert, Raymond Siebert, and Joseph Paul Siebert for corrections, comments, additions, etc. This section has some great photos thanks to Joan Cozi.

Haven't forgot the Wehners, but have been tied up on my family (the Tapscotts) for several weeks. I will return.

My cup runneth over. I am now working with both Joan (Siebert) Cozis (“Joanie”) and Judith M. (Siebert) Coyman (“Judy”), great granddaughters of Anna (Wehner) Siebert, who are extraordianrily generous with family information and photos, and, equally important to an author, are taking great interest in this book. (Which, unfortunately, gets longer and longer.)

I have begun working (actually, reworking) the descendants of Clara Wehner and Charles Darwin Blaine. A great breakthrough came with the unraveling of the life of Katherine Kolkmeyer, second wife of James George Blaine, only child of Clara and Charles. Katherine's story is a rags to riches story. She started life with her father being committed to a mental institution and ended up running Continental Van Lines! It's an interesting saga.  And today I was contacted by Joan (Siebert) Cozis, granddaughter of Edward A. Siebert, one of Anna Wehner's numerous offspring. She and I (and her mother) will be exchanging information to finish up the story of Edward A. Siebert's line. I sure want to finish up this Wehner tome soon.

I have gone about as far as I can on Amalia Wehner's line and am now working on hers sister Anna Wehner who married Frank Peter Siebert Sr. Remember, all of this has already been written. I am just revising, expanding, and checking content now for publication. I was very pleased to be able to finally get an obituary for Frances T. (Golfinopulos) Hoffman, one of the four daughters of Nellie Louise Siebert, allowing me to make a few additions.

Thanks to Barbara (Levart) Matchett we have located one more descendant of Rosella (Kelley) Becker - Edwin Becker, born 17 Nov 1924, died just over a year later 7 Dec 1925. We also found another quandry. Edwin's 1924 birth certificate gives Frederick Becker as his father, Edwin's 1925 death certificate gives Edward Becker as his father, William's 1926 birth certificate gives Frederick Becker as his father. We may have to wait to the 1940 census, due out next month to solve our puzzles, if they are solvable. For the time being I am finishing up what we know about Amalia Wehner's descendants and proceeding to Amalia's sister Anna (Wehner) Siebert.

Thanks to detective work by Barbara (Levart) Matchett, we had final, conclusive proof that William Becker, son of Frederick William Becker Sr and Rosella (Kelley) Becker is the same William Becker who had four children with Mildred L Nickens. Now all I have to do is to for several cohesive paragraphs from what is a complex story. This finishes the six offspring of Fred and Rosella unless it turns out that Dora Becker is also a child of Fred.

Almost forgot. Yesterday I got a phonecall from Gary Wehner, son of Arthur Julius Wehner and Sylvia Jane Cashion, grandson of William Wehner and Henrietta Burgsmüller, and great grandson of Lorenz and Flora. He provided some information on the descendants of Arthur Julius and Sylvia, and I mailed him my latest draft of the chapter on William and Henrietta for his review.

I have gone about as far as I can with Melvin L. Becker Sr., although I may be able to add more if I make contact with some descendants. Right now I have the following:

Melvin L. Becker Sr.

In 1923 or 1924, Melvin was born to Rosella and Fred Becker in Michigan. He moved with his parents to Chicago and continued living there with his mother following her divorce. On 13 February 1942, Melvin wed Clara Lumpp in a civil service in Chicago.

Clara was one of at least ten children of Chicagoans Joseph John and Meta Marie (Hofsaes) Lumpp. Joseph and Meta were wed in Chicago 18 September 1909, and Clara one of the last born children, was born in 1924 or 1925.

Clara and Melvin had four children: Melvin Louis Jr., Timothy, Charlotte, and Meta, the latter named after her grandmother. Timothy and Melvin are deceased, Melvin Jr. only recently (on 29 November 2010).

If I have some facts wrong, please contact me. Now, on to William Becker.

I continue to work slowly through the descendants of Rosella Kelley with her two husbands, Frederick William (Fred W.) Becker Sr. and Edward Becker (who may have been born as Edward Ingstrom (or Engstrom). I have, more or less, finished with Bernard Frederick Becker (wife Ruby Croney), Clarence E. Becker (wife Dorothy ?), James Herbert Becker (wife Alice Belle Davis), and Frederick William Becker Jr. (wife Hortense Brown). I am now working on the next in line, Melvin L. Becker and then to the most difficult of all, William Becker. At that point I will switch to the children of Rosella and Edward, about whom I know little. If anyone has any information on the clan, please contact me.

I'm still working on the descendants of Amalia (formerly "Amelia") Wehner daughter of Lorenz and Flora Wehner (and niece of Nicholas Wehner). After some thought I decided to change the name from the Anglicized "Amelia" to the Germanic "Amalia" because that appears to be the spelling used by Lorenz and by Amalia's children. "Amelia" appears only in two censuses, taken by enumerators who may not have known the family. Actually, Amalia really used almost solely the name "Mollie." At present I am working on her grandchild Frederick William Becker Jr., who married Hortense Brown. Hortense's life is a little difficult to unravel, but I am making progress. Her mother and father, Harold Brown and Ary Leaman apparently divorced when Hortense was quite young. She then went to live with her Leaman grandparents and later on with a Thomas and Mary Ryan. I believe that Mary Ryan and Are Leaman may be one and the same, but I am having difficulty proving this. (Help would be appreciated.) Hortense married a "Hull" (first name?) and ended up working in East St. Louis where she met Fred Becker when they were both working for Sears. Hull apparently died and Hortense and Fred married. From then on things get easy though I do not have much information. Fred and Hortense ended up in Florida (possibly upon retirement) and they died there, Hortense on 28 Dec 1986 and Fred on 22 Feb 2002.

Thanks to the help of a descendant of Amelia Wehner, I have been able to add quite a bit on Amelia Wehner's children, particularly Frederick William Becker Sr. and his descendants. It's beginning to look like I might be able to finish this Albatross hanging from my neck - the Wehner book, Bier und Brot.

I was very lucky in being contacted today by a great granddaughter of Amelia Wehner and William F. Becker. I sent her a copy of the draft pages from my book on the Beckers so that we can discuss the Becker history. Otherwise the book is coming aloong slowly. It is entirely written, but is being continually updated, corrected, and expanded as I edit. At some point I need to stop. Today I am working on the descendants of William Wehner and Henrietta Burgsmüller. William, Lorenz's only son, moved to Crystal City, a town with more opportunities. Though William continued working as a blacksmith, most of his children went to work with (or married employees of) Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) and most of his descendants are still in the area. Though there are still some questions, William's family has been relatively easy to trace.

One of Lorenz Wehner's children was Amelia M. Wehner (b 28 Mar 1860, d 21 Jan 1932), who married William F. Becker. The marriage ended in divorce but the family had two children, Elmer Bernard Becker (b 9 Jul 1887 d 22 Oct 1961), who left no descendants, and Frederick William Becker Sr. (b 26 Dec 1888 d 5 Apr 1955), who married Rosella (sometimes "Rose Ella") Kelley (b 22 Aug 1896 d 23 Mar 1959), who had lots of descendants. That is where the problem lies for Rosella was married twice, both times to a Becker, Frederick and Edward, who were apparently unrelated. It is difficult to tell what child belonged to whom and where they all ended up (Rosella had 12 children!). Some of Frederick's children ended up in Missouri (Pilot Knob and Festus) while Edward's may have stayed behind in Chicago. If you believe you are a descendant of this family please contact me, I would like to hear from you.

I am completing a book titled Bier und Brot, The Wehners of Southeast Missouri on the descendants (and to a limited extent the ancestors) of Lorenz Wehner and his younger brother Nicholas Wehner, who came to the United States in 1848 and 1847 respectively. The brothers ended up in Pilot Knob, Missouri, although Nicholas soon moved on to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The book is very heavy on history with genealogy merely providing the skeleton to be fleshed out with with biography, tale, and anecdote (mostly confirmed). As I finish up this book, I plan to present the families and areas I am working on in hopes of being contacted. If you have information to share on this family or are a descendant, please contact me. I am best reached by email. (See my Profile.) And don't hesitate to add comments.