Clara Was A Wrestling Fan

Clara Ziebold Sennott was the perfect grandma. She always had home-baked cookies, she was comforting when you took a tumble out of the red wagon going down the terrace in the back yard, she grew African Violets, and always had time to read a story.

Every morning, Clara, cut up bread and put it in the bird feeder that hung in the Willow Tree in the back yard. After the bread was in the feeder, she tapped on the top of the wooden bird feeder with the saucer, and we went back into the kitchen and watched through the window. There were sparrows, cardinals, and blue jays that came to the Willow Tree for breakfast every morning.  Clara would get upset was when the squirrels would get into the bird feeder. She kept a stick by the back door and she would go running out the door waving the stick telling the squirrels to get out of the bird feeder.

Clara's sewing machine was in the attic at the head of the stairs, it was a Singer that operated with a foot pedal. It was a huge temptation to "sew" and boy did we make a mess a couple of times. It took Clara a long time to untangle the thread and fix the tension.

I was surprised to learn that Clara was a fan of "Gorgeous George" the wrestler. She would watch his matches whenever she could. 

According to the WWE Hall of Fame profile, George Wagner was born in 1915. After a few years as a wrestler he got an idea and created Gorgeous George, "a snooty, platinum blonde villain who draped himself in lace and fur and entered the ring to the strains of 'Pomp and Circumstance'. Accompanied by a manservant who sprayed the ring down with Chanel perfume, George would enrage the audience just by walking into an arena."

George was one of the first to create a persona and quickly became one of the biggest attraction in wrestling. In the 1940's he was the highest-paid athlete in the world. George was a major star through the 1950s and Clara was a big fan. He passed away in 1963. 

George inspired wrestlers that came after him like Ric Flair and Buddy Rogers. He also influenced others like Muhammad Ali, Bob Dylan and James Brown. 

Being a wrestling fan, seemed so out of character for Clara. When Clara's daughter told me about her watching Gorgeous George's matches, I was surprised. It just goes to show that we can all have many varied interests. 

Sources

1. WWE website - https://www.wwe.com/superstars/gorgeousgeorge

Who is Anton Wilke?

Christian Hoffmeister was the maternal grandfather of Clara Ziebold Sennott. He was a business owner, alderman and prominent citizen of Carondelet. At the time Carondelet was a separate city, it has since been annexed and is now part of St. Louis.

A search in the St. Louis Genealogical Societies Probate Abstracts resulted in a number of estates that named Christian Hoffmeister as executor. One of the estates that named Christian as executor was the estate of Anton Wilke. Reviewing the estate papers led to an important piece in the puzzle of Christian's family.

Anton was Christian's step father. His mother Wilhelmina Brunke married three times. Her first husband was Heinrich Dege. They had at least one son, Heinrich Dege. After his death she married Carl Hoffmeister. They had at least three children - Christian, Wilhelm and Johanna. After Carl's death Wilhelmina married Anton Wilke.

Anton Wilke and Wilhelmina Brunke Dege Hoffmeister Wilke came to the United States from Hannover sometime before 3 June 1848  when Christian Hoffmeister purchases Lot number 8 in Block number 2 of Blow & Le Beaume's addition to the City of St. Louis for $105.00. The property had a 30 feet front on Third Street and ran back 132 feet 6 inches to an alley . Wilhelmina Wilke, wife of Anton Wilke has use of the property for the term of her natural life and after her demise the property defaulted to Christian Hoffmeister.

In 1850, Anton and Wilhelmina appear on the Federal Census in the City of St. Louis. Wilhelm and Johanna are living with them on the census. Anton is working as a laborer and Wilhelm is a butcher.

On 9 November 1852 Anton and Wilhelmina purchased lot number 10 in block number 3 of John B Duchouquette's addition to the City of St. Louis which has a 29 foot front at 740 Columbus Street and runs 146 feet and 2 inches deep for $1650.00. There was a promissory note filed on the same day in the deed books, Anton and Wilhelmina borrowed $510 which was to be repaid in two years with 6% interest.

Anton wrote his will on 28 August 1853, "being according to my own apprehension of infirm state of health and sensible of my liability to sudden death but at the same time of sound and proposing mind and being at the same time anxious to make a suitable disposition of my real and personal personal estate." In his will, Anton included the names of the first two husbands of his wife, Wilhelmina and the living children of each marriage.

Anton passed away on 20 October 1853 of consumption. He named his wife, Wilhelmina as his Executrix. Unfortunately, she died a few days later on 24

October, 1853. Anton was buried 21 October 1853 in the church cemetery after a mass at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Wilhelmina was buried in Holy Ghost cemetery, she was a member of the German Evangelical church.

Christian Hoffmeister was appointed Administrator of Anton's estate. His heirs were Heinrich Dege, Christian Hoffmeister, Wilhelm Hoffmeister and Johanna Hoffmeister, the children of his wife Wilhelmina.

Since Anton passed away before the promissory note on the property he purchased on Columbus street, the property was sold for $2200. The note was repaid and the balance was included in Anton's estate.

Christian paid Heinrich Dege, Wilhelm Hoffmeister and Johanna Hoffmeister each $100 for improvements that Anton and Wilhelmina made to the property on Third Street.  Johanna's share was paid to Heinrich Dege as her guardian since she was of unsound mind and incapable of managing her affairs.

The inventory of Anton's estate was valued at $96.85 and included clothing, household items, furniture, a saddle, a wheel barrel, a stove, and two cows. Christian, as administrator, was allowed to dispose of the property in lieu of holding a sale since much of the property was "from the old country into this country and is not customary here and almost worn off."

After all the debts were paid, the final settlement of Anton's estate was $1781.11. $800 was set aside for Johanna and the balance was divided between the four heirs. They received $245.27 each. 

Thanks to the completeness of Anton's will, we know who Christian's parents and siblings were.

Sources
1. "Missouri Probate Records, 1750-1998," images, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9LM-CS9R?cc=2399107&wc=QZ9D-HRT%3A1327907501%2C1328512742 : 22 September 2014), St. Louis (Independent City) > Wills, 1849-1862, vol D-F > image 228 of 797; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
2. "Register of Deaths, 1850-1909," images, Ancestry.com, St Louis,  Missouri Death Records, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, p 89.
3. " Church Records, 1844-1974," Catholic Church, St Vincent de Paul, St. Louis, Missouri, FHL film 1872288, Item 6, Burials 1845-1864.
4. 1850 US Federal Census, St. Louis Ward 1, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri, M432, Roll 415, page 144B, Lines 16-24.
5. Deed, St. Louis, Missouri, Book S4, Page 514, FHL Film 531580. 
6. Deed, St. Louis, MIssouri, Book M6, Page 271, FHL Film 531608.

7. Deed, St. Louis, Missouri, Book V6, Page 164, FHL Film 531788

8. Deed, St. Louis, Missiouri, Book 161, Pages 176-178, FHL Film 531797.

9. St. Louis Probate Court Digitization Project, 1802-1900, Probate file of Anton Wilke, Missouri Digital Heritage,  https://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Judicial2/C30912_142063.pdf  

10. "Register of Deaths, 1850-1909," images, Ancestry.com, St. Louis, Missouri Death Records, Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, p. 92.