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19. Joseph Christian[5] Langguth. Born, 19 Jul 1842, in
Brattendorf, Saxony, Germany[11]. Died, 30 Oct 1890, in St. Peter,
Nicollet, MN. Census: 1880, in St. Peter, Nicollet Co., MN.
Census: 1871, in Chicago, Cook Co., IL. Occupation: Cigar Maker.
Johnson: "Christian's obituary states that he emigrated from Germany in 1866, Wilhelmina in 1868, according to the 19?? census, or 2 July 1869 (Wilma Johnson). Both are believed to have come to America on their own. They left Saxony during the reign of King Johann, the fourth and last Saxon king. Chris likely came by sailing vessel; Wilhelmina may have come by steamer...They probably sailed from Hamburg or Bremen in North Germany...If Christian had been trying to avoid German military service, he may have slipped over the border into Switzerland or France.
"Christian and Wilhelmina met and were married in Chicago 12 December, 1869. They appear in the 18700 federal census (taken 7 July 1870) living in the Fifteenth Ward, in a two-family home...Christ Langguth is listed as a cigar maker and a U.S. citizen. The census notes they were married in December of the previous year, and lists their birthplace as Saxony.
"The Langguth's oldest child, Bertha...was born 17 October 1870 in Chicago...Syd Johnson recalls his grandmother, Wilhelmina, talking about Chris leaving their home to go and help fight the fire[Oct 8-11, 1871]. Though Christian came in 1860, I find no evidence yet that he may have fought in the Civil War.
"...Christian seems to have become quite involved with the German element in St. Peter, both through his connections with his employer, H.C. Miller, and his membership in the Germanic lodge, the Sons of Herman...The 1880 census lists the family of Washington Ave., between Park Row and Broadway. Four houses were on this segment of the avenue in the 1880 census, along with the county jail, and they were the first after the Park Row listings (a John Thomas lived next to them, with the Hargut and Delaney houses in the same block. They either lived at the present 115 S. Washington-Lot 4 Block 82, or across the street at Lot 9 Block 83 (118 S. Washington), both properties demolished for the building of the community hospital. No deed has been found before 1894 for them. Christian is listed as a cigar maker. Children listed are Bertha 9, William 8, Emil 6, Henry 4, Caroline 2, and Baby (female)...The 1895 census lists Caroline at A.J. Holbergs as domestic, with William, Henry, Edward, Anna, Emma, and George at home with Wilhelmina. William and Henry were listed as cigar makers. They then lived next to Casper Baberich on Park Row. In 1900, Henry, Edward, Anna, Emma, and George were at home. Alma worked as a servant for the Schumacher/Laumann household on Third St, Caroline for Albert Holmberg on Grace, and Edward C. Langguth was boarding with Charles Lyon on Mulberry.
"...Christian Langguth was a charter member of the St. Peter Sons of Herman (Carl Schurz Lodge #13 which organized 16 February 188. Christian was the first recording secretary, his employer, H.C. Miller was the first president. The officers were installed in their hall, then in Randall's building, on Monday evening the 16th. Officers of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota were present...Afterwards, a ball was held at Brandt's Union Hall, followed by a banquet, speeches, and "a grand time generally." The music was supplied by the New Ulm Band "15 men strong." The original sons of Herman in St. Peter had thirty-two members...The Herald notes his election as secretary again in 1885, and as treasurer for 1886...Christian is mentioned as travelling to Minneapolis on Saturday,22 November 1884 with 'Messrs.' Walter and Knoll...the group returned home Monday.
"An 1885 photo at the Nicollet County Historical Society shows him as the foreman of H.C. Miller & Co. Cigar Factory, with 34 men in the picture, including Chris and the proprietor, O. Benke. The shop was a two-story frame building on the west side of Minnesota near Nassau, next to the Bennett drug store building. The shop was in the north stall, a saloon (Walter's) in the South. Gresham's history states that the plant employed twenty men in 1882... A 'strike' of sorts is noted in 1884: "The cigar makers, or rather the members of the Cigar Makers Union, asked for a slight advance in prices for making certain kinds of cigars on Monday [3 November]. The matter was satisfactorily adjusted and all hands are now at work.
"Christian and Wilhelmina attended the German Lutheran church (St. Peters Lutheran) in St. Peter. They were not, however, listed in the communicant register, but they were on the membership rolls. Some of the children, however, attended the English Lutheran Church..." (Johnson, Langguth Genealogy)
Obituary: "A feeling of universal sorrow pervaded our community on Friday morning last, when it was learned that about 6 o'clock in the morning Chris. Langguth, one of our well known and esteemed fellow citizens shot himself. For some time the deceased had been brooding over real and imaginary troubles, and while perhaps few knew it, he being of a quiet turn of mind...contemplating in his mind a determination to end his existence. A week or two before he took his life, he went to Mason's hardware store and purchased a revolver and a box of cartridges, making the stipulation that if his friend did not use them, he could return them. In a day or two he did return them. On Monday last, he went to the store of Mr. Nuttler and purchased a revolver--the salesman gave him half a box of cartridges. One Thursday evening he met and spoke with a number of his friends and some time during the evening, he went to the Winona depot and sat in the waiting room. It appears he staid there during the whole night...Worked into a condition of frenzy, with nerves shattered and brain distorted, just as the gray streaks of morning appeared, he placed the deadly weapon against his person and fired the fatal bullet into his heart. Chris. Langguth was a man of education and possessed of a generous heart. We are told he was kind to his family and was his own worst enemy...The funeral of the deceased took place Sunday from the residence under the auspices of the Sons of Hermann, of which he was a member. A large number of the order followed the remains...He came to America in 1860 and to St. Peter in 1872, where he has resided since.
This tray is supposed to be lined with fabric from Christian's coat:
The 1871 census of Chicago gave Christian as a cigar maker, 188 N. Reicher Ward 15, living with his wife and daughter.
He was naturalized 7 Nov 1864 in the City of Chicago, renouncing allegiance to the Duke of Saxony.
He married Wilhemine Caroline Amalie Hofmann, 12 Dec
1869, in Chicago, Cook Co., IL. Children:
The marriage was witnessed by Karl Wagner and Henrietta Wagner.
Children:
Alma and husband, 1935
Bertha, Will, Henry, Caroline, Ed, Alma, Emma, George
i. Bertha[4] Langguth. Born, 17 Oct 1870, in Chicago, Cook
Co., IL[12]. Died, 24 Oct 1954. Census: 1880, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN. Census: 1900, in St. Peter, Nicollet Co.,
MN. She married Peter Miller, 8 Jul 1891. Marriage number
2140. Individual number 373.
ii. William George Langguth. Born, 24 May 1872, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[13]. Died, 12 Sep 1948, in Park Rapids,
Hubbard Co., MN[1]. Extra 4: 1895, in St. Peter, Nicollet
Co., MN. Census: 1905, in Park Rapids, Hubbard Co., MN.
Census: 1880, in St. Peter, Nicollet Co., MN. Census: 1910,
in Park Rapids, Hubbard Co., MN. Occupation: Cigar Maker.
He married Florence Alice Donahue, daughter of Timothy
Donahue and Dorothy Snodgrass, 4 Feb 1896. Marriage number
282. Individual number 374.
iii. John Emil William Langguth. Born, 24 Jun 1874, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[11]. Died, 6 May 1881, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Census: 1880, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN. Individual number 380.
iv. Henry Albert Gottlieb Langguth. Born, 10 Mar 1876, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[12]. Died, 22 Mar 1943, in
Minneapolis, Hennepin Co., MN[4]. Census: 1880, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN. Occupation: Pillsbury. He married
Alice Norman, 8 Oct 1902. Marriage number 283. Individual
number 375.
v. Caroline Wilhelmina Pauline Langguth. Born, 22 May 1878, in
St. Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[12]. Died, 27 Feb 1960, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Census: 1880, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN. She married Gustav Alfred Johnson, 2 Nov
1905. Marriage number 284. Individual number 376.
vi. Auguste Emilie Langguth. Born, 24 Feb 1880 (?), in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[11]. Died, 6 Jun 1881, in St.
Peter, Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Census: 1880, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN. Individual number 6429.
vii. Edwin Carl Langguth. Born, 20 Apr 1882, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[1]. Died, 7 May 1963, in Park Rapids,
Hubbard Co., MN[1]. Census: 1895, in St. Peter, Nicollet
Co., MN. He married Grace Donahue, daughter of Timothy
Donahue and Dorothy Snodgrass, 24 Mar 1907. Marriage number
285. Individual number 377.
viii. Alma Emilie Langguth. Born, 26 Apr 1884, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[7]. Died, 31 Dec 1962, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Census: 1900, in St. Peter, Nicollet
Co., MN. Census: 1895, in St. Peter, Nicollet Co., MN. She
married John Hirtling, 2 Jul 1929, in St. Paul, MN.
Marriage number 286. Individual number 378.
ix. Emma Dorothea Langguth. Born, 29 Mar 1886, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Died, 25 Apr 1970, in St. Peter,
Nicollet Co., MN[4]. Census: 1895, in St. Peter, Nicollet
Co., MN. Individual number 379.