our father     

  Baptized at St. Anthony of Padua R. C. Church in St. Louis, MO
  Brother Albert Thoma (-1G) and sister Alberta Thoma (-1G) born 20 Feb. 1912 at St. Louis, MO

  Married to Alice Thake* (-1G) 6 September 1934 at Waterloo, IL
  Son Erven Thake Thoma (-0G) born 26 June 1936 at St. Louis, MO
  another child is born in St. Louis
  Daughter Elizabeth Thake Thoma (-0G) born 25 February 1944 at St. Louis, MO
  Father Emil died 11 December 1948 at St. Louis, MO
  Mother Adeline died 10 May 1970 at St. Louis County, MO
  Daughter Beth (Elizabeth) died 10 Mar. 1975 at St. Louis County, MO
  Wife Alice Thake died 13 March 1981 at St. Louis County, MO
  Brother Albert died 4 Aug. 1987 at St. Louis County, MO
  Sister Alberta died 25 Feb. 1990 at St. Louis County, MO
  Died 9 March 1997 at St. Louis County, MO
  Buried 13 March 1997 at Valhalla Cemetery in St. Louis

  Listed on the St. Louis page
  Cited in Given Names - Meanings and Derivations - Info on the name "Emil"
  Cited in Given Names - Meanings and Derivations - Info on the name "Otto"
  The surname "Thoma"
  Included in The Thake Family Group Chart
  Included on the Thoma Families Chart

*marks my direct-line ancestors. The (-1G), etc., after the names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma.

When he was born (11 Dec. 1906 ) his parents were living at Nebraska and Meramec. Sts. in St. Louis.

Emil Otto Thoma was christened in St. Anthony of Padua R. C. Church (click here for the picture of the church only) in St. Louis, MO.  On the church records his birthdate and place are given as above. His civil birth certificate was not issued until 24 June 1961, accompanied by a supporting affidavit by his mother. This certificate is in the files (file #08302) of the Dept. of Health and Hospitals, Health Division, City of St. Louis. It gives 11 Dec. 1906 as the date of birth, and Adeline Winge , age 30, as the mother and Emil Thoma , age 33, as the father. Both parents were born in Germany. The address of Adeline Winge was given as 4401a Virginia Ave., St. Louis, on the affidavit of June 24, 1961. Her age at that time was 85. This birth certificate was also supported by the Board of Election Commissioners Voting Record (Oct. 8, 1948) and a New York Life Ins. Co. policy #10187568 taken out on Mar. 28, 1928. The birth certificate was filed Jul. 3, 1961.  His middle name is from Otto Thoma (-2G), the St. Louis brewer, with whom Emil's father lived before 1904.

Here is a picture of the building at 3125 Meramec St. in St. Louis across from St. Anthony R. C. Church. This is where the family of Emil and Adeline Thoma lived ca. 1906-12. This picture was taken in early Jan. 2003 so I do not know how it compares to decades earlier.
Here is the earliest picture of Emil-3 years old- Dec. 1909 or in 1910-St. Louis
Here is a picture of members of the Winge, Ricklin and Thoma families from ca. 1911 .  Emil is the boy seated in the front row on our right side.  Click thumbnail to enlarge.
Here is a picture from ca. 1913 that shows Emil as a boy ca. 7 years old and his younger sister and brother, Alberta and Albert, ca. 1 year old. Their mother is on our left and their aunt Frances Winge (-2G) is on our right. The picture was probably taken in St. Louis.
Here is a family picture from ca. 1915 that shows Emil, ca. 9 years old and his twin siblings, Albert and Alberta, ca. 3. Their father, Emil (Sr.), is on our left and their mother, Adeline, is on our right. The picture was probably taken in St. Louis.
Here is another picture from the same time as the one just above. It also was most likely taken in St. Louis. The names are identified on the back of the picture. Appreciation is extended to Thomas Rezsonya, a second cousin, for the digital copy of this picture. Click thumbnail to enlarge.

I have not yet found his appearance in the 1910 Census, but the 1910 St. Louis Directory shows Emil's father, cabmkr, living at 3125 Meramec (see the picture above).

When his twin siblings, Albert and Alberta, were born ( 20 Feb. 1912), the family was living at Michigan and Meramec Sts. in St. Louis. The 1913 Directory lists his father twice, once as Emil Thoma, cabmkr, living at 3125 Meramec and once as living at 4402a Virginia Ave. because the family moved. The Meramec listing has his middle initial as "E.".

The St. Louis City Directory of 1915 lists Emil's father, a cabinetmaker, living at 440_1 Virginia Ave. We can assume that his mother and twin siblings were also living there.

In 1917-18 Emil Otto and his siblings were attending Neosha elementary school (south St. Louis) in temporary facilities (provided until Scruggs Elem. School was built).

The 1920 Fed. Census for Missouri (vol. 98, enum. district 250, sheet 5, line 42) shows him living with his parents and siblings Albert and Alberta at 4657 Idaho Ave., St. Louis, Mo. He is 13; his father is 44, born 1874 in Germany, citizenship in 1900. His mother is 42, born in Germany, and is naturalized. Albert and Alberta are 8.

After living on Idaho the family may have returned to the Virginia address. In 1920-21 Emil Otto and his siblings were attending Scruggs elementary school in south St. Louis. Emil Otto graduated from Scruggs Elementary School (8th grade) on Tues., 14 June 1921. The ceremony was held at neighboring Cleveland High School.

Here is a picture of Scruggs school as it appears today (summer 2002). It seems to have been enlarged in the back since I attended. It is located on S. Grand Ave. in south St. Louis. Emil Otto attended there several years through 8th grade.
Here are two pages from the program of Dad's elementary school graduation, June 1921. Images were supplied by Joan Schaller Yeckel. Click to enlarge.

The 1922 Directory lists his father, cabinet maker, living at 4624 Virginia Ave.

The St. Louis Directory of 1925 gives Emil Otto a separate listing as Emil Thoma Jr., laborer, living at 3210 Osceola. The Directory of 1926 lists him as a carpenter living at 3210 Osceola. Also living there, with a separate listing, is his father as a cabinetmaker. We can assume that Emil Otto's mother is also living there. His siblings, being young, are also assumed to be there.

The 1930 Fed. Census for Missouri (T626_1233, enum. dist. 432, supv. dist. 9, page 17B, lines 69-73, house #253, family #389) shows Emil and his family at 3210 Osceola St. in St. Louis (city) (ward 11, block 2699). His father, Emil, is 54 years old, born in Germany, parents also born in Germany. He immigrated in 1893 [actually the last days of 1892] and has the naturalization status of "Na". German was his native tongue. His occupation is listed as cabinet maker at a fixture co. but he is not presently working. He is not in school but can read, write, and speak English. He was married at age 30. He was not a war veteran. He and his wife are renting at $30 per month and own a radio set. Emil's mother, Adeline, is 53 years old, born in Germany, her parents also born in Germany. 1881 was given as her year of immigration [really 1880] and her naturalization status as "Na". German was her native tongue. She can read, write, and speak English, but is not in school. No occupation is given for her Emil, is 23, born in Missouri, his parents born in Germany. He is single, is not in school, but reads, writes, and speaks English. His occupation is carpenter in the house trade and his is presently employed. Emil's siblings, Albert and Alberta are both 18, born in Missouri, their parents born in Germany. They are not in school but read, write and speak English. The twins have no occupation and are both single.

The St. Louis City Directory of 1930 lists Emil Otto as a carpenter living at 3110 (3210?) Osceola St. Also listed is his father, a cabinetmaker. We can assume that his mother and siblings are also there. The 1931 Directory lists his father at 3210 Osceola. The 1932 Directory lists also shows the family as 3210 Osceola. Emil Otto still has a separate listing as a carpenter. Albert is listed as a plasterer and Alberta as an indry. worker.

----- From his marriage (6 Sept. 1934) to death of mother (10 May 1970) -----

At the right is a picture of the Monroe County, IL Court House, much as it looked on 6 Sept. 1934 when Emil and Alice got married there.
Emil, his wife and first son. Click to enlarge.  Taken in late 1936.
This picture shows the house on Farlin. We see Alice and their first child in both pictures. The one on the left was taken on 28 Mar. 1937 (Easter Sunday) and the one on the right (inside view) was taken on 02 January 1937.
This 4-generation picture was taken on August 17, 1941 at someone's home, probably in St. Louis. From left to right we find who I think is Martha Teichgräber (86 years, 9 months), then Adeline Winge (65 years, 4 months), Emil Otto Thoma (34 years, 8 months) holding who I think is his younger son (5 months), and then his older son, Erven (5 years 2 months). Click to enlarge.
Here I am standing next to my father who is holding his second child next to our double flat on Dewey St. The picture was taken on Feb. 28, 1943. Click thumbnail to enlarge.
From ca. 1942 to ca. 1947 we lived at 4246 Dewey St. (at the corner of Bingham) in St. Louis. Emil and Alice owned this double flat, lived in the lower left (north) unit and rented out the other three. The back-yard view shows the awning on the porch of the flat where we lived.
Here is a picture of Emil from somewhat later. Click to enlarge.
Emil and his wife, Alice - taken at Christmas in same year. Click to enlarge.
Christmas 1962 at the Yuma Dr. house. Emil is at the upper-right. Click to enlarge.

His marriage license (6 Sept. 1934 ) from Waterloo, IL shows a few pieces of information: his age is 27, he is a carpenter, he is living in St. Louis, and it is his first marriage. Alice was 25, and its is her first marriage. The mother of Alice is given as Elizabeth Grub (sic!) who is really her step-mother, incorrectly spelled. They were married at the court house in Waterloo, IL which is the county seat for Monroe County in Illinois, across the Mississippi from south St. Louis County.

On 9 Dec. 1936, when he applied for a Social Security number 494-07-7451, his residence was 4057 Humphrey in St. Louis city. His maternal uncle, Theodore Winge (-2G) , was his employer--Winge's business address was 4336 Holly Hills in St. Louis and the business was construction. He was 29 years old and his birth date and parents were given.

The St. Louis Directory of 1937 lists Emil Thoma (with wife Alice), carpenter, living at 4165 Farlin Ave. They were still living on Farlin as of Nov. 1937. By 26 Jan. 1938 (according to the postmark on old mail), the family had recently moved from Farlin to Rutger. In the 1939 Directory Emil Thoma (with wife Alice), carpenter, is living at 2621 Rutger St. When the second child was born (Mar. 1941), the family was still living at 2621 Rutger. The St. Louis (city) Directory of 1941 lists Emil O. Thoma, with wife Alice, a carpenter, living at 2621 Rutger.

There was an announcement of the birth in the 5 Apr. 1941 St. Louis Star Times evening paper, p. 11. In 1941 he was working for Woermann Construction Co. In 1942 he worked for the TNT Plant and at St. Louis Steel and Shipbuilding Co.

When his daughter Elizabeth was born (25 Feb. 1944), Emil Otto Thoma was 37 years old, was living with his family at 4246 Dewey St. in St. Louis city, and was working as a carpenter for the St. Louis Ship Bldg. Co. in St. Louis city. At that time his son Erven was attending Scruggs elementary school. The Dewey St. property was a double flat. We lived in the lower left (north) unit and rented the other three units.

His father died on 11 Dec. 1948 in St. Louis; he was cremated.

Here is the house at 3922 Lexington where Emil and his family lived from ca. 1948-58. He rented the downstairs from Elizabeth Thake (nee Grupp) (-2G) who lived upstairs.

From ca. 1948 to ca. 1957 the family lived at 3922 Lexington Ave. in north St. Louis, downstairs from Alice's step-mother, Elizabeth Grupp, and another relative. The children attended Farragut Elementary and Beaumont High schools. In 1955 he worked for Famous-Barr Dept. Stores

The 1956 St. Louis Directory shows Emil O. Thoma (Alice), carp, with a home at 3922 Lexington Ave. The 1958 Dir. has the same information. In or after 1958 they moved to 9563 Yuma Dr. in south St. Louis County (Zip Code 63123) and the children attended Mehlville schools. Emil, as well as his brother Albert, did a lot of work on the Yuma house. Then Adeline Winge moved in to the Yuma house). On 24 June 1961, when he signed his delayed birth certificate, he was living at 9563 Yuma.

The St. Louis County Directory of 1965 lists Emil O. Thoma, with wife Alice, a carpenter in St. Louis, living at 9563 Yuma Dr. in Concord Village, MO. For the same year his daughter Elizabeth is listed separately as a student living at the same address.

Sometime shortly after 1969, he visited me in Michigan, riding in my car on my return trip my visit to St. Louis. He did not travel much and that was his only trip to see my home. He returned to St. Louis by train--his first train ride.

After the death of his mother, Adeline, on 10 May 1970, his sister, Alberta, moved into the same room in the Yuma Dr. house.

Emil in Ann Arbor, after 1969 , in front of his son's house. This was his only trip to Michigan and his only trip to visit his son; he was not much of a traveler. Click to enlarge.

His daughter, Beth, died 10 Mar. 1975 in St. Louis County. His wife, Alice, died on 13 Mar. 1981 in St. Louis County. His brother, Albert, died 4 Aug. 1987 in St. Louis County.

Sometime after the death of his wife (my mother), Emil traveled by air (his first plane ride) to Arizona to visit another one of his children.

Later (before Feb. 1990 ) Emil and a child moved to 4231 Von Talge Rd. (Zip Code 63128), also in south St. Louis County (Alberta moved to an apartment.). Emil and a son did much work on the house, including adding storm windows. Alberta died 25 Feb. 1990 in St. Louis County.

The property on Yuma was sold to a developer and then our former house there was torn down. It was probably sad for my father to move from the place, then sell it, and see it torn down after he spent so many years improving the property. I know that I was sad to see it go--a place where I too lived from ca. 1957 until summer 1960, and then visited for almost 30 years after that.

Ca. 1994 Emil received an award from the Carpenter's Union, Local 5, for a 70-year membership. He was a registered member of the local carpenter's union since he was about 17 or 18.

The 1994 Phone and Address Directory database on Ancestry.Com shows Emil living at 4231 Von Talge Rd., Zip Code 63128 and gave his phone number.

Our father died 9 Mar. 1997 in St. Louis County after suffering an attack (cerebrovascular accident caused by hypertension) at home and dying in or en route to St. Anthony Hospital. He had suffered earlier attacks but was rescued. He was 90 years old. It was the Christmas week (last week in 1996) when I last saw him alive. Funeral was handled by Kutis on Gravois. He was buried in the Thake lots (lots 154-55, section 4) next to his wife (in Valhalla Cemetery) who had preceded him to eternal rest. His father's name is incorrect on the death certificate--it should be Emil Thoma.

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Dad was generally a quiet man who worked hard to provide for his family. For many years he also worked on the houses we lived in to do remodeling and repairs, especially on the Yuma property. He moved from Yuma before it was completed but went to work on the next home (on Von Talge Rd.). Earlier he also worked on relatives' homes and they helped on his homes. For his family he built many pieces of fine furniture. Although he was technically classed as a carpenter by the union, he seemed to have the skills of a cabinet maker too

As a carpenter he worked for Famous-Barr Department Stores and on the foundation for the "Gateway to the West" arch on the riverfront.  He worked earlier at the St. Louis Ship Bldg. Co. and for his uncle Theodore Winge. He made many pieces of furniture for our home, most from mahogany with inlaid ebony and birch. He made a secretary-hutch with spindles and also lattice woodwork behind the glass of the doors. For my brother and me he made a maple bunk bed with a nautical theme, inc. a steering wheel headboard , anchor moldings, and a thick rope. He also made chests, dressers, other beds, and a kitchen table.

His quietness and humbleness even extended to his funeral which he wanted private, so there was no obituary and no one present except for his close family (and the necessary attendants).

Created Tues., Mar 28, 2000.  Updated 29 Apr. 2005.