Müller, Franziska

Other Events:

• Immigration: 1883, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Census: 1900, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Notes:

Birth:
There is some suggestion that she might have been born in 1867. When applying for her marriage license in St. Louis on 21 February 1888, Miss Franziska Müller declared her age to be 21 years (i.e., born about 1866-1867). In the 1900 federal census, her date of birth is recorded as April 1867, her age as 33 years. In the 1920 federal census, her age is recorded as 52 years (i.e., born about 1867-1868). Curiously, in the intervening 20 years the enumerator discovered that she had lost her ability to speak English.

Immigration:
Franziska emigrated to the USA in either 1883 or 1884 (the 1900 federal census records the first date; the 1920 census shows the second date).

Census:
In the census enumeration, Franciska [sic] is identified as a 33 year old wife, born April 1867 in Germany who immigrated to the USA in 1883. She has been married for 13 years and is the mother of four children, all of whom are still living. The household at 2836 Broadway also included her husband, four daughters ages 3-12 years, and her husband's nine month old niece.

Buried:
The funeral was at Schumacher Funeral Home (3013 Meramec St.) on Monday, March 2 at 10:00 a.m. Burial was at New St. Marcus Cemetery, the same as her husband, Otto.

Died:
Otto Gerber's obituary gives his wife's maiden name as Mueller. An obituary in a St. Louis paper for a Franziska Gerber identifies her as the mother of Mrs. Emma Keny and Mrs. Frieda H. Brooks (the same names as in Otto's death notice) but does not mention Rose or Pauline. It further identifies her as a sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt. Her obituary indicates that she may have originally come from Columbus, Ohio.

Franziska or Francesca (Mueller) Gerber was Otto Gerber's first cousin and also his wife. She was the daughter of Franz Anton Mueller, brother to Franceska or Francesca (Mueller) Gerber, the wife of George Jacob Gerber and Otto's mother. The fact that the two women shared the same maiden and married names, and that there is some variety to the way their given names have been spelled, has led to some confusion of identities.

The two Mueller women were born in Germany. The suggestion in her obituary that Francesca Gerber, Otto's wife, came from Columbus, Ohio arises perhaps from the fact that some time in the 1920s the Otto Gerber family did indeed move to Columbus. Obviously the Gerbers did not stay there very long. It has been suggested that the Muellers may have had family who lived in Columbus and this is why the Gerbers moved to Ohio.

Franziska married Gerber, Otto H. 22 Feb 1888, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Otto (son of Gerber, George Jacob and Müller, Franziska) was born 22 Feb 1862, St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA; died 18 Feb 1926, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; was buried 22 Feb 1926, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

1. Gerber, Rose was born May 1888; died Yes, date unknown.
2. Gerber, Emma was born Nov 1890, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; died Yes, date unknown.
3. Gerber, Frieda was born Feb 1893; died Yes, date unknown.
4. Gerber, Pauline F. was born Feb 1897, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; died Bef 1926.

Michael married Mückahorn, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born , Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
Sources differ on the name of this woman. Her given name appears as either Elizabeth or Margaret. Her maiden name has been deciphered as Muekenhirn, Muckahorn or Muckaborn. Her true identity requires further research.