kessjournal5

In due time we arrived in the harbor of New York accompanied by my cousin, Augusta Bohm. We visisted with my dear aunt Margaret Old for a few days and we were married at their pleasant home, February 8, 1972.

I had no place of my own to take my bride and a decided to go to Illinois with her to my sister-in-laws brother, John Ruttel, who had his farm near New Athens in St. Clair County. My letter telling of our coming was delayed we caused great surprised by our coming so unannounced. But we had a genuine welcome. As soon as convenient I made my plans known to him of renting a farm. There was none vacant in the immediate neighborhood except a 60 acre place pretty well warn out, about two miles away. Of course any old place was welcome to me. He took me to the owner to whom I was a welcome renter. I rented toe place for a third of the crop for five years.

There being no bakery in the village of Marissa which tempted me to build and go into the business after a four year farming. I asked the owner if he would let me off for the fifth year to which he answered; "Yes, I have made more in the last four years than in any other five."

I bought a lot and built a two story brick house with bakeship, and altho our savings were not quite enough to finish it, it was not long until all was paid up.

After baking a couple of years and building up the buisness I saw an advertisement of 80 acres of land in Indiana which looked inviting to me, so I bargained for it and rented our house and shop to a St. Louis baker.

We worked as hard as we could to improve the place for two years and put all the rent from our bakeship into it. When one day I received a letter from a good friend that a saloonkeeper was about to build a ship next to his saloon for my renter. This would have ruined my business. My brother-in-law having come to me from Germany that year, I rented the farm to him and went back to my baking again and started a small dairy.

My brother-in-law not fitted for a farmer, could not make it go, I concluded it would be best to turn the place back to its former owner, who was glad to take the improved place back again. But the change cost us a loss of about fifteen hundred dollars.

Needing pasturage for my growing dairy we bought 50 acres of land adjoining the village, at 60 dollars an acre. We assumed a big debt, but we had grit and a good reputation. All went well and payments were duly met.

In doing our best in temporal things, we did not neglect the spiritual. I had four different ministers come from Chicago who each gave a weeks preaching at different times. The first of these was Bro. Koier. Under his influence my wife was happily converted and by him baptised with another sister, who had been Catholic. Lydia, Fred, and Margaret were baptised by Bro. J. August Smith. Bro and Sr. Mansfield were the last. Every one of the churches was free to us. Bro. Mansfield spoke in the Presbyterian church.

But a dark day came at last, when my patiend and true helpmeet in all our struggles was to become a mother again for the eleventh time. My dear Babett had to say farewell to me and her eight children. The battle over, she peacefully went to sleep, and I want to see her again in the Morning. Bro. Mansfield officiated at her funeral.

Lorenz our first born was born November 19, 1872 and died October 5, 1873. Lydia Magdalena was born February 26, 1874. Frederick Christian was born July 24, 1875. Barbara was born September 4, 1877 and died September 24, 1877. Margaret was born December 16, 1878. John Earnest was born January 23, 1881. February 5, 1883 Mary was born and died in May 1907 when her baby girl was ten days old. William Luther was born April 25, 1886. Benjamin True was born April 25, 1886. Anna Barbara was born November 5, 1888.