one of our maternal great grandmothers
(click for a chart showing her relationship to us)

  Immigrated with her parents on 22 Feb. 1855 to New Orleans
  Sister Cecilia Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1857 in St. Louis
  Sister Theresia Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1860 in St. Louis
  Brother Christoph Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1862 in St. Louis
  Brother John Wm. Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1864 in St. Louis
  Brother Theodor Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1866 in St. Louis
  Sister Sophia Vossler (-3G) born ca. 1868 in St. Louis

  Married to Eugene Charles Thake* (-3G) in St. Louis, MO on 8 Nov., 1872
  Daughter Sibilla Johanna Thake (-2G) born 18? Oct. 1873 in Missouri
  Sister Sophia died ca. 14 Mar. 1874 in St. Louis
  Son Erven Eugene Thake* (-2G) born 26 June 1875 in Missouri
  Son Christopher Victor Thake (-2G) born 3 Apr. 1878 in Missouri
  Daughter Emilie Florence Thake (-2G) born 18 Feb. 1880 in St. Louis, MO
  Father died 3 Feb. 1881 in St. Louis
  Mother died 27 Jul. 1885 in St. Louis
  Daughter Emilie died 5 May 1888 in St. Louis
  Daughter Cecelia Thake (-2G) born in 4 Oct. 1889
  Son Christopher died 6 Oct. 1892 in St. Louis
  Brother Theodor J. died ca. 6 Aug. 1893 in St. Louis
  Brother Christopher H. died 22 Dec. 1902 in St. Louis
  Died Wed. 16 April 1930 at 5 PM in St. Louis County, MO
  Buried in Valhalla Cemetery, St. Louis, MO on Sat. 19 Apr. 1930

  Listed on the Düsseldorf page
  Listed on the LeHavre and New Orleans pages
  Listed on the St. Clair and St. Louis pages
  Cited in Given Names - Meanings and Derivations - Info on the name "Sibilla"
  Cited in Given Names - Meanings and Derivations - Info on the name "Johanna"
  The surname "Vossler"
  Included in The Thake Family Group Chart
  Included in the Vossler Family Group Chart

*my direct-line ancestors. The (-3G), etc., after the names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma

According to the International Genealogical Index, batch C987031, source call 0948167, document 8, there was a Johanna Sibilla Vossler born Aug. 4, 1853 in Düsseldorf city in the Rheinland area of Preussen (Prussia?). Her father was Christoph Vossler (q.v.) and her mother was Sibilla Theresia Bregnik (q.v.). There was a Christoph Gottfried Vossler who was married to Sibilla Therese Breynck in civil ceremony in Düsseldorf city. The IGI database has several records for people with the surname Breynck, but none for the surname Bregnik. After looking at the microfilm of both records, I have determined that they are the same person and the correct spelling is Breynck.

The civil birth (5 Aug. 1853) record (#890) of Duesseldorf gives her middle name, birth date, birth hour (11:30 PM), and house number (#622). She was the first child of her parents. She and her parents resided in Düsseldorf. Her father was 28. (LDS microfilm #0948167). If her birth year is calculated from the age in the ship passenger record, one gets 1854.

Johanna and her parents embark from LeHavre, France on the ship "Elizabeth" and arrive in New Orleans on 22 Feb. 1855. She is only 11 months old. Her parents are both 29 and they are listed as farmers.

I have not located them in the 1855 State of Illinois Census.

I have not located Johanna and her parents and sisters in the 1860 Fed. Census for Illinois or the 1865 Illinois State Census.

The 1864 St. Louis City Directory lists her father, Christopher Vossler, a tailor, living at 194 N. 10th St. Since she is a child at this time, we can assume that Johanna is living here with her parents. The 1865 Directory does not list any Vossler family.

The 1866 St. Louis City Directory lists a Christoph Vossler, a tailor, working for Ticknor & Co. and living on 13th St. between Cass Ave. and Mullanphy. The 1867 Directory lists him as a tailor living at 1516 N. 13th St. in St. Louis. We can assume that Johanna is also living in these locations. She probably met her future husband, Eugene Charles Thake, in St. Clair County (Caseyville?) between 1867 and 1869.

The 1868 and 1869 St. Louis Directories do not list Christoph Vossler. Since he and his family are in the 1870 Fed. Census for St. Clair County, IL, they probably moved there in 1867 or 1868.

Johanna is listed in the 1870 South Illinois Census Index (p 32) along with her parents and 6 siblings. They are living in the O'Fallon P.O. area, township 2 house #229, of St. Clair County. The father, Christoph Gottfried, is listed as a tailor, 45 years old, born in Prussia. The real estate is valued at $800 and the personal property at $400. The last name is spelled "Vosseler". The census was taken July 19. The ages of the children are: Johanna (17), Cicilia (13), Theresia (10), Christopher (8), John (6), Theodor (4), and Sophia (2). The mother, Sibilla, is 44, born in Prussia, keeping house. Johanna was born in Prussia, all the other siblings in the U.S.

The father's household is not listed in the 1870 and 1871 St. Louis Directories. Presumably they are still in Illinois.

Family tradition says she met her future husband in Caseyville, St. Clair County, Illinois where he and his mother lived. On 8 Nov. 1872 a justice of the peace in St. Louis marries Eugene and Johanna in civil ceremony. His residence at this time is given as Madison County, IL and her residence as St. Clair County, IL. Their ages and parents are not given.

Click this thumbnail to enlarge a picture of the Vosslers. Johanna's mother, Sibilla, may be the woman on the left. The middle person is identified as Johanna's father, Christoph. The person on the right may be Johanna herself. Approx. date of the picture: 1868-72.
This may be the wedding (8 Nov. 1872) picture of Johanna. Click to enlarge.

Eugene Thake is listed in the St. Louis City Directories for the years 1874 through 1881 at the following addresses:
In 1874: laborer living at 2304 N. 14th St.
In 1875: laborer living at 3022 N. 13th St.
In 1876: porter living at 1316 Exchange (in the same street and block as his father-in-law, Christoph Vossler
In 1877: porter living at 1507 (or 1597?) Exchange. No middle initial and no other Eugene Thake.
In 1878: porter living at 1638 Wright. Middle initial ""C" is inc. No other Eugene Thake.
In 1879: porter living at 1420 Monroe. No middle initial and no other Eugene Thake.
In 1880: porter living at 1420 St. Louis Ave. (Is this a new name for Monroe St.?). Middle initial "C" is given. He is only Eugene Thake and only known Thake.

The Registry of Births--City of St. Louis (located in the St. Louis Public Library) list the birth of a Johanna Thake, daughter of Eugene C. Thake and Johanna Thake of 1420 Spring Ave., on 18 Feb. 1880. It states that both parents were born in Germany. (No. 699 in the Registry). This is a surprise. Since it is unlikely that there was another Eugene C. and Johanna Thake in St. Louis and no twin is listed, the only plausible explanation is that the child was originally given the name Johanna, after her mother. Then her name was changed to Emilie after her grandmother. The daughter Emilie was baptized at Independent Evangelical Protestant Church (Webster or Tyler and 13th) on 11 Apr. 1880. The parents are listed in the church records. The only godparent was Eugene's mother Emilie Miller (née Amelung).

Johanna and her family are listed in the June 1880 Fed. Census for Missouri (first enumeration: district 107, page 11, taken 3 June, vol. 34, line 24) as residents at 1420 St. Louis Ave. in St. Louis. Her age is given as 27 years old, her occupation as house keeper, and that she and her parents were born in Prussia. With her is her husband, Eugene Charles Thake, whose age is 29, occupation is packer at a "whol" (?) house, and he and his parents were born in Prussia. Their children, all born in Missouri, are listed as Sylbilla (7), Erven (5), Christopher (2) and Emily (3 months, born in Feb.). Sibilla is at school, the other children are at home. The fifth child has not been born yet.

The 1880 Fed. Census for Missouri (second enumeration: vol. 80, supv. dist. 71, district 261, sheet 9, stamped page #140A, line 20, dwelling #36, family #82, dated 10 Nov.) lists a Eugene Thake family living at 1525 Exchange (same address as in the city directory above). He is a 29 year-old packer, born in Germany. His wife Sybille is 26 years old, born in Germany. His daughter Johanna is 6, son Eugene is 4, son Victor is 2, and daughter Florence is 3 months. This information is from the Soundex Index and Census sheet. Is this Eugene the one born as Carl Eugen Victor Robert Thake who immigrated in 1864 (according to the book Vivat Amerika!)? I need to examine the full census and the second enumeration.

In the 1881 St. Louis City Directory Eugene C. Thake is listed as a packer living at 1525 Exchange (the same address as in the 1880 Census, vol. 80). In the 1882 St. Louis Directory Eugene C. Thake, porter, is living at the same address. There is no listing in the 1883 Directory. But in the 1884 and 1885 St. Louis City Directories, Eugene is listed as a packer (meat? warehouse?) living at 1823 Warren.  He is the only Eugene Thake listed. In the 1886 Dir. Eugene C. Thake, packer, is listed living at 1823 Warren. In the 1887 Directory Eugene C. Thake is listed as a porter living at 1823 Warren.

At the time of her daughter Emily's death (5 May 1888), Johanna and her family are living at 1823 Warren in St. Louis.

Sometime between May of 1888 and early 1890, the family moved from 1823 Warren to 2511 Coleman, both in St. Louis.

The St. Louis City Directory of 1890 lists Eugene C. Thake, foreman, living at 2511 Coleman. Naturally we can assume that his wife and four living children are also living there at this time.

At the time of her son Christopher's death (6 Nov. 1892), Johanna and her family are living at 2511 Coleman in St. Louis.

At the time of her daughter Sibylla's marriage (15 Nov. 1899), Johanna and her family are living at 2511 Coleman in St. Louis.

The 1900 Fed. Census for Missouri shows Eugene and his family living at Coleman (2511?) in St. Louis. His birth is given as June 1951 and his age as 48. He has been married 25 years. His immigration is given as 1851 and his years in the U.S. as 49. He is naturalized. His occupation seems to be "foreman training". He can read, write, and speak English. His wife Johanna is 45, born in Aug. 1854. The Census says she had 2 children and they are both living. [In fact, she had 5 children and 3 are living.] Her immigration is given as 1853 and the years in the U.S. as 47. [In fact she immigrated in 1855 and was born in 1853.] She can read, write, and speak English. Both Eugene and Johanna were born in Germany, and their parents were also born in Germany. No occupation is given for Johanna, but it is presumed to be housekeeper. With them is their son Erven, 24 years old, born June 1875. He is single, born in Missouri. Also living there is Cecilia, 10 years old, born in Oct. 1889 in Missouri, and at school. Also at the house is a boarder.

Click this thumbnail to enlarge this family picture at the Collinsville, IL farm. Left to right are: Eugene Thake, Emilie Amelung, Sibylla Thake, Johanna Vossler, Erven Thake. This picture was taken after ca. 1895 and before May 1904.

Sometime between mid 1900 and April of 1906, the family moved from 2511 Coleman to 3814 Greer, both in St. Louis.

Here is the Thake/Sandherr house at 3814 Greer Ave. in north St. Louis, only a couple streets from Lexington Ave. Date of the picture is unknown. Johanna and her family lived here from ca. 1905 until ca. 1928. The house seems to have a third story or at least a large attic. The Sandherr family also lived here for a while.

In Apr. 1906 Johanna, her husband and their daughter Cecilia and son Erven are living at 3814 Greer Ave. in St. Louis, MO (According to Erven's marriage license).

The 1910 Fed. Census for Missouri (April) shows her family living at 3814 Greer Ave. in St. Louis. Eugene is 58, born in German. He is a foreman in a factory. With him is his wife Johanna Vossler (-3G), 56 born in Germany, and daughter Cecilia Thake (-2G), 20 and born in Missouri. Eugene and Johanna have been married 37 years and had 5 children but now just 3 are living. The parents of both Eugene and Johanna were born in Germany. The immigration for Eugene and Johanna is given as 1852 but that is not correct. Living with them are two relatives of Johanna: George and Lawrence Vossler. They are 19 and 18 and were born in Missouri. Their parents were also born in Missouri. They are both machinist apprentices. His other daughter Sibylla Thake is living upstairs with her husband and 2 children. The son, Erven is married and living elsewhere. (The two Vossler boys listed in this Census were orphaned nephews of Johanna, specifically, sons of Theodore J. Vossler who died 9 Feb. 1910.)

The 1910 St. Louis Directory lists Eugene C. Thake, foreman at 2000 N. Broadway, res. at 3814a Greer. The St. Louis City Directory of 1915 list Eugene C. Thake as a foreman at 2000 N. Broadway, living at 3814a Greer. His wife and daughter Cecilia are assumed to be there too. Son Erven is married (since 1906), living elsewhere.

In the 1920 Fed. Census for Missouri, Johanna, her husband, and last child Cecelia, are listed as living at 3814a Greer Ave. in St. Louis, which house they own. Eugene is 68, born in Westphalia, immigrated in 1852 (sic! Actually in 1851) and naturalized in 1873. His parents were also born in Westphalia. He works in a hardware store or supplier, which may be his own business. Johanna is 66, born in Germany, immigrated in 1854 (sic! Actually in 1855) and naturalized in 1875. Her parents were born in Germany. Daughter Cecilia is 30 and is single. Cecilia was born in Missouri and is now working as a postal clerk in the Post Office. Daughter Sibilla is living downstairs in the same house with her husband (Frederick Sandherr) and son (Erven Sandherr). Johanna's son Erven is living at another location with his family.

In the 1922 St. Louis City Directory we see her husband listed with a hardware store at 3917 Lee and a home at 3814a Greer Ave. We can assume that Johanna is also living there. Her daughter Cecelia is listed separately as a postal clerk and the same Greer address.

On Wednesday, 8 Nov. 1922, Johanna and Eugene celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home, 3814a Greer Ave. in St. Louis. They had twenty guests who were entertained by a small orchestra. From the Post Office clerks they received flowers and a note of congratulations signed by many postal employees. (Their daughter, Cecilia, worked for the Post Office.) In the newspaper announcement it stated that Mr. Thake was born in Minden, Germany on 7 June 1851 and came to America at the age of 3 years. The ship Peter Godeffrey was on its maiden voyage and took 13 weeks for the crossing.

The 1924 St. Louis Directory shows Eug. C. Thake (Lee Av. Hdw & Variety Store) living at 3814 Greer Av. The 1925 Dir. has the same information except he is living upstairs at 3814a Greer. In the St. Louis City Directory of 1926 we see her husband, Eugene C. Thake, in business with the Lee Av. Hardware and Variety Store and living at 3814a Greer. We can assume that Johanna and daughter Cecelia and her husband are also living there. The 1927 Dir. has the same information as the 1926 Dir.

The 1928 St. Louis County Directory shows her husband, Eug. C. Thake (no occupation), living at 325 W. Adams in Kirkwood, MO. The 1930 St. Louis County Dir. has the same information.

Sometime ca. 1928, the family moved to 325 W. Adams in Kirkwood, a city in St. Louis County, MO. Also moving here were John and Cecilia Mueller who were the purchasers of the house. Here is a picture of the house, taken in the summer of 2001, but not much changed since the 1930's and 40's.
A picture of Johanna and her husband, perhaps taken at their house in Kirkwood ca. 1928. Click the thumbnail to enlarge.

The 1930 Fed. Census for Missouri (roll T626_1223, enum. dist. 3, supv. dist. 9, sheet 15A, printed page 28, lines 25-28, family #350, dated 11 Apr.) list Johanna living at 325 W. Adams in ward 2 of Kirkwood, Bonhomme Township, St. Louis County. She is 76 years old, born in Germany; her parents were also born in Germany. She immigrated in 1856 [sic!] but has the "Na" naturalization status. German was her original language, but she now reads, writes and speaks English. She has no occupation. Her husband Eugene C. Thake is 78 years old, born in Germany of parents born in Germany. He immigrated in 1852 [sic!] but has the "Na" naturalization status. German was his original language, but he now reads, writes and speaks English. He has no occupation at this time and was not a war veteran. He married at age 21 and his wife at age 19. The head of the household is John F. Muller [Mueller] who is Eugene's son-in-law. John is the owner of the house which is valued at $7500 and is not a farm. He is 38 years old born in New York with parents born in Germany. He reads, writes and speaks English. He is presently employed as a Post Office clerk in a government post office and is not a war veteran. He married at age 32 and his wife at age 33. John's wife, Cecelia, is 39 years old, born in Missouri with parents born in Germany. She reads, writes, and speaks English. No occupation is listed for her. None are in school.

On Johanna's death certificate her date of birth is given as Aug. 3, 1952 and her father's name is given as Christopher Vossler. The gravestone reads 1853-1930 which agrees with the German birth record in Duesseldorf. She died at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond Hts., MO. Her mother's name was not know by the informant (her husband). Cause of death was arteriosclerosis contributed by acute cardiac dilation. Funeral was handled by Akron Kron, 2707 N. Grand on Sat. 19 Apr. at 2 PM and she was buried in the Thake lots (lots 154-55, section 4) at Valhalla Cemetery.

The obituary appears in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on Friday, 18 Apr. 1930. It shows that at least one sibling was still living. A relative living today verifies that there was a sibling still living. [Subsequent research revealed that brother John and sisters Cecilia and Theresia were all still living.] The obituary mentions that she was a member of Bellefontaine Chapter No. 39 O. E. S. (Order of Eastern Star); Harding Corp No. 91; Lafayette Ladies' Aid Society; West St. Louis Ladies' Aid Society; World's Fair Ladies; Ladies Auxiliary of St. Louis Turners; and Ladies' Auxiliary of North Side Divine Science Church.

At the time of her death (16 Apr. 1930) she and her husband were living at 325 W. Adams in Kirkwood, MO (St. Louis County). Valhalla Cemetery reports her death as 17 Apr. 1930 at age 77 but the death certificate says the 16th. Her daughter Cecilia was married to John Mueller on 29 Jan. 1924 and I believe that they were living with Johanna and Eugene.

--------------------

Her husband died on 13 May 1936 in St. Louis County. Her son, Erven, died on 09 Mar. 1944 in St. Louis. Her daughter, Sibylla, died on 21 Feb. 1950. Her daughter, Cecelia, died on 11 Nov. 1979.

Created Tues., Mar 28, 2000;  Updated on 31 May 2006.