Our Petzoldt Family

The Record of the Petzoldt Family
Polli Jost Turner, Editor

In 1848, August Ludwig Petzoldt brothers came to America. The following year his brother Friedrich Florian Petzoldt followed, bringing both of their wives and children.

The brothers were both born (according to our August's son Moritz' birth records) in Lengenfeld, im Voightlande, in what was then the kingdom of Sachsen (or Saxony, in English). Lengenfeld is near the border of Czechoslovakia, between Dresden and Karl-Marx-Stadt. Current records give the county (or Kreis) name as Zwickau.

We don't know why they left Saxony, but it was probably to escape the wars going on in Germany at the time. The brothers settled in Altenburg, Perry Co., Missouri, which was the home of a group of Lutherans who emigrated from Germany ten years earlier. In Altenburg the German immigrants had founded what we know today as the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran church. It was not long, however, before there was dissention within the new group, and a branch split off, forming another church, Immanuel Lutheran, a part of the American Lutherans. I have been told that the split resulted from differences of interpretation of the doctrine of the Thousand Year Reign of Christ. The Petzoldts joined the new church. Many of the clan stayed in Missouri, spreading out over Perry and Cape Girardeau Counties, and we still have many cousins there still. Our branch of the family, headed by Moritz Petzoldt, moved westward.

First Generation--
Paul Friedrich Petzoldt married (Feb. 21, 1811, in Lengenfeldt i. V., Sachsen, Germany) Johanne Gottlieb Rudert, died March 25th, 1871. Their children were all born in Lengenfeld. At the time of Johanne's death, there was a note in the records that of her nine children, she was survived by 2 sons and three daughters,
According to the book, Chronicles of the City of Lengenfeld (by Dr. K. Böhm, 1935):
"In the year 1848 we hear of the first Lengenfelder who emigrated to North America, master fabric maker August Petzoldt, where (in 1849) his family and his brother Friedrich Florian Petzoldt (also a master fabric maker) followed. They are supposed to have settled somewhere along the Mississippi River."
The German Lutheran settlement was largely in Perry and St. Girardeau Counties, just south of St. Louis, on the east border of Missouri, along the Mississippi River.
1. Friedrich Florian Petzoldt,
born Jan. 5, 1812, in Lengenfeld, Zwickau, Saxony; died June 15, 1884, in Altenburg, Perry Co., MO; 72 years old. Married Johanna Christine Maennel, "Christiane," born Oct. 12, 1817, in Wernesgruen, Saxony; died June 17, 1909, in Altenburg, MO; 92 years old. The family lived in Brazeau Township in Perry Co.
2. Christiane Auguste Petzoldt,
born Feb. 17, 1813. Married 1831. The last child was named for her, perhaps big sister was godmother to the younger sister.
3. August Ludwig Petzoldt,
born Jan. 25, 1814, in Lengenfeld, Zwickau Co., Saxony, Germany; died Sept. 22, 1878, in Altenburg, Perry Co., MO; 64 years old. Married Christine Auguste Roth, "Auguste," born Nov. 14, 1818, in Lengenfeld; died July 30, 1896; 78 years old.
4. Heinrich Immanuel Petzoldt,
born Dec. 29, 1815; died Jan. 28, 1816; one month old.
5. Johanne Friederike Petzoldt,
born March 3, 1817; died May 28, 1896; 79 years old.
6. Wilhelmine Petzoldt,
born Aug. 29, 1820; died Oct. 19, 1921; 101 years old.
7. Christiane Wilhelmine Petzoldt,
born Sept. 6, 1822; Jan. 15, 1856; 33 years old. Married 1845.
8. Christiane Gottlieb Petzoldt,
born June 7, 1825; died Aug. 5, 1909, in Reichenbach; 84 years old.
9. Christiane Auguste Petzoldt,
born June 26, 1828; Nov. 24, 1860; 32 years old.

Second Generation (Petzoldt)--
August Ludwig Petzoldt, born Jan. 25, 1814, in Lengenfeld, Zwickau Co., Saxony, Germany; died Sept. 22, 1878, in Altenburg, Perry Co., MO; 64 years old. Married Christine Auguste Roth, "Auguste," born Nov. 14, 1818, in Lengenfeld; died July 30, 1896; 78 years old. Auguste was buried in the church cemetery in Frohna, Perry Co., MO. The family lived in the Brazeau Township in Perry Co.
In Lengenfeld his occupation was Tuchmachermeister, meaning that he had a master's degree in the trade of cloth making. "Tuch" is the a woolen textile produced by fulling rather than weaving, it's the cloth used in the dark green fabric worn extensively in Bavaria.
Three of their children married the only three children of Johann Michael and Anne Marie Leimer! Talk about close families!
1. Hermine Petzoldt,
born Jan. 20, 1839, in Lengenfeld; died April 6, 1893, in Altenburg, MO; 53 years old. She was confirmed in 1853. Married (Feb. 11, 1860, in Altenburg) Conrad Christian Schirmer. He was Moritz' baptismal sponsor. Their children were born in Altenburg.
2. Robert Petzoldt, born Sept. 12, 1841, in Lengenfeld. Confirmed 1855. Married Carolina.
3. Moritz Petzoldt,
born March 25, 1844, in Lengenfeld; died Sept. 15, 1919, in Los Angeles, CA; 75 years old. Confirmed (according to his certificate of confirmation, in German) March 28, 1858, in Immanuel Lutheran Church, Altenburg, Perry Co., Missouri. Baptized Jan. 22, 1863, also in Altenburg. He was a harness-maker, and had his own harness store in Los Angeles. Married (in Troy, Madison Co., IL) Emilie Schwindt.
4. Bertha Petzoldt,
born Jan. 25, 1846, in Lengenfeld. Confirmed 1860. Married (1867, in Altenburg) Andreas Klein. They lived in Troy, IL. In the 1870 census, Moritz was there, too, living with them. Andreas was a shoemaker.
5. Minna Petzoldt,
born Feb. 6, 1848, in Lengenfeld. Confirmed 1861.
6. Maria Petzoldt,
born May 24, 1850, in Altenburg, MO; died Aug. 16, 1851; one year old.
7. Maria Petzoldt,
born and died June 14, 1851, in Altenburg, MO.
8. Pauline Petzoldt,
born Feb. 19, 1853, in Altenburg, MO; died June 11, 1929, in Pocahontas, Cape Girardeau Co., MO; 76 years old. Confirmed 1866. Married (Sept. 3, 1876, in Immaneul Lutheran, Altenburg, MO) Franz Leimer, born April 2, 1847, in Goisern, Upper Austria; died Jan. 27, 1895, in Pocahontas, MO; 47 years old. (His parents were Johann Michael Leimer, born Sept. 23, 1819, in Goisern, Upper Austria; died Jan. 13, 1895; and Anne Marie, born Dec. 8, 1821, in Wernstein, Upper Austria; died July 26, 1878.) They lived in Pocahontas, MO, where their children were born.
9. Carl Petzoldt,
born Jan. 10, 1855, in Altenburg, died Feb. 20, 1920, in Frohna, MO; 65 years old. Confirmed 1869. Married (July 8, 1883, in St. John's Lutheran Church, Pocahontas, MO) Theresie Leimer, born July 7, 1856, in Schladming, Upper Austria; died Nov. 11, 1896, in Frohna, MO; 40 years old. (Her parents were Johann Michael Leimer, born Sept. 23, 1819, in Goisern, Upper Austria; died Jan. 13, 1895; and Anne Marie, born Dec. 8, 1821, in Wernstein, Upper Austria; died July 26, 1878.) They lived in Frohna, MO, where their children were born.
10. Emelie Theresia Wilhelmine Petzoldt,
born May 8, 1858; died May 12, 1921; 63 years old. Confirmed 1871. Married (May 27, 1879, in Cape Girardeau Co., MO) Johann Michael Leimer, Jr., "John," born Oct. 30, 1859, in Goisern, Upper Austria; died Dec. 26, 1932; 73 years old. (His parents were Johann Michael Leimer, born Sept. 23, 1819, in Goisern, Upper Austria; died Jan. 13, 1895; and Anne Marie, born Dec. 8, 1821, in Wernstein, Upper Austria; died July 26, 1878.) John and Emelie lived in Pocahontas, MO.
11. Emma Auguste Petzoldt,
born Sept. 24, 1860, in Altenburg, MO. Confirmed 1873. Married (Feb. 5, 1883, in Altenburg) Fritz Kienninger, born Jan. 17, 1857, in Goisern, Austria.
Second marriage, Johann Pohnke.

Third Generation--
Moritz Petzoldt, born March 25, 1844, in Lengenfeld, Sachsen, Germany; died Sept. 15, 1919, in Los Angeles; 75 years old. Married (May 21, 1871, in Troy, Madison Co., IL, by Rev. C. Holst) Emilie Schwindt, born Feb. 23, 1851, in New Orleans, LA; died Oct. 8, 1925, in Los Angeles; 74 years old.
In the 1870 census, Moritz was living with his sister and her husband, Andreas and Bertha Klein. He was listed as a saddler, and value of his personal estate was already $1000! It also says he was a US citizen.
The family moved to Los Angeles in August 1883. (However, we have a birthday card Moritz wrote to Emelie in Los Angeles in 1882--perhaps he moved out first, or took a trip west to check things out?), where they attended the Trinity Lutheran church, a German-speaking church. Moritz was a sadler, or harness-maker, and had his own saddlery shop in Los Angeles (at 456 Spring St.). For many years they lived in a home at 1514 Orange St. (which is now Wilshire Blvd.), but in their later years they moved to 733 W. Washington.
Both Moritz and Emilie were buried in Inglewood Cemetery in Inglewood, CA, near Los Angeles. The plot number is: 580 Crescent, #1&2. Washington Undertakers, which handled their burials, was next door to their home, at 735 W. Washington. They are no longer in business.
Many of these dates and other info came from notes made by Clara. Her memory was questionable by that time.
1. Adolph Petzoldt,
born Oct. 28, 1873, in Troy, Madison Co., IL; died Dec. 23, 1874; 14 months old.
2. Lydia Petzoldt,
born Dec. 5, 1875; died Feb. 1899 (?), of typhoid fever; 18 (?)years old.
3. Clara Louise Petzoldt,
born May 21, 1878, in Troy, Madison Co., IL; died Sept. 23, 1976, in Pomona, CA; 98 years old. Not married. Left home and family Nov. 1898, apprenticed as a photographic assistant and model, and later became a photographer herself. She pioneered new techniques in portrait photography using available light--President Teddy Roosevelt had seen her work and was so impressed that he came to her to do his portrait--he died only a few months later. When business slowed, she became a nurse. She was one of the early feminists.
4. Oscar C. Petzoldt,
born Aug. 15, 1880, in Troy, Madison Co., IL; died Jan. 13, 1970, in Florida; 89 years old. Married (June 16, 1923) Anna Muller, born in Coblenz, West Germany. Oscar was baptized into the Lutheran church in Troy, IL--godparents were Christian Burmeister, Maria Klausing (aunt), Ferdinand Goehring, and Carl Petzoldt (uncle). Oscar joined the army and shipped out to Germany in 1917, and stayed on there with the army of occupation after WWI. There he met and fell in love with Anna. When he returned stateside, she followed, and they were married in New York. They lived in Long Island until his retirement from Republic Aviation, after which they moved to Pompano Beach, FL.
5. Agnes Sophie Petzoldt,
born Oct. 8, 1882, in Troy, Madison Co., IL; died March 15, 1967, in Yucaipa, CA; 84 years old. She was baptized into the Lutheran church in Troy, IL, and her godparents were Louise Eigenbrodt (aunt), Friedrich Meier (uncle) and Friederike Rauch (aunt). Married Burton Cranswick Jost.
6. Arthur William Petzoldt, [Arthur Moritz Wilhelm Petzoldt on his baptismal certificate]
born Jan. 13, 1885, in Los Angeles, CA; died June 22, 1966, in Banning, CA; 81 years old. Married Emma and later divorced. They had no children. He was confirmed into the Lutheran Church on April 18, 1900, in L.A. He was a photographer. He wore a false leg, from the thigh, for years.
7. Rose Petzoldt,
born March 30, 1892, in Los Angeles, CA; died May 27, 1976, in Pomona, CA; 88 years old. Married (July 16, 1913, in Los Angeles) Theodore John Burger, born March 19, 1888; died Feb. 7, 1961; 73 years old. Both were buried in Pomona Cemetery, Pomona, CA.

Fourth Generation--
Agnes Sophie Petzoldt, born Oct. 8, 1882, in Troy, Madison Co., IL; died March 15, 1967, in Yucaipa, CA; 84 years old. Married Burton Cranswick Jost, born June 19, 1881, in Banning, CA; died Nov. 15, 1972, in Banning; 91 years old. They were divorced. His second marriage was to Mearlie Jane Collins, born Dec. 22, 1903. There were no children from the second marriage.
1. Elwood Burton Jost,
born March 10, 1907, in Los Angeles, at 1514 Orange St. Orange Street, once a small residential street, is now Wilshire Blvd. There were no doctors she felt comfortable with in Banning at the time, so Agnes went to her parents' home in Los Angeles in time for the birth. Elwood married Dorothy Gailyn Page.
2. Arthur Christopher Jost,
born also on Orange Street in Los Angeles. Married (July 20, 1933) Wilna Mae Edgerton; born May 30, 1916; died June 19, 1947; 31 years old.
Second marriage (Feb. 20, 1958), Dorine Russell, born Aug. 15, 1916; died June 21, 1989, in Banning; 73 years old.
No children from the second marriage. Third marriage to Shirley Peterson.
Art was a general contractor in Santa Cruz for some years before retiring.
3. Florence Margaret Emily Jost,
born in Banning, CA. Married (June 28, 1931) Eugene Albert Brinton, born Sept. 16, 1902; died Sept. 15, 1940; 38 years old.
Second marriage to Bernard Herbert Lee, "Uncle Barney." They had no children. Barney was a trucker until he retired and sold his rig. Florence was a switchboard operator for the telephone company in Banning.

Fifth Generation-
Elwood Burton Jost, born March 10, 1907, in Los Angeles, CA; died July 4, 1992, in Banning, CA; 85 years old. Married (Sept. 11, 1932, in Banning) Dorothy Gailyn Page, born March 10, 1910, in Boulder, CO; died March 11, 1992, in her home in Banning, CA, of pancreatic cancer; 82 years old.
His given name was Burton Elwood, but his parents called him Elwood to avoid confusion with his father. It was not until he had his own business (he was a distributor for Mobil Oil Co.) that he one day obtained a copy of his birth certificate and saw his given name. He decided then it was easier to change his name legally than to change everything to do with the business. Thus he legally became E.B. Jost, as everyone in Banning already knew him. Elwood and Dorothy were buried in San Gorgonio Memorial Park in Banning.
1. Leonard Elwood Jost,
"Len," born in Redlands, CA (there was no hospital in Banning at the time). He owned several businesses at different times, and most recently was vice-president of Academy Insurance, which sells insurance to men on military bases. Married Donna Gray. They had two children, and later divorced.
Second marriage, Rheamae Popick.
2. Janice Gwendolyn Jost,
born in the family home on the corner of First and Gilman Streets, in Banning. Married (in Banning) Ralph Brand Sutton, "R.B.," born in Clovis, NM. After the children were grown Janice became executive secretary to the president of California Baptist College. R.B. worked for Western Electric for a number of years, then transferred to their sister company, Pacific Bell. He retired in 1994.
3. Clarence Leroy Jost,
"Lance," born in Riverside Comm. Hosp, in Riverside, CA. It was during WWII, so the doctor took Dorothy to the hospital in his car-he had special headlights that could be used during a blackout-Elwood followed in his own car. Married Donna.
4. Pauline Ruth Jost,
"Polli," born in the newly built Banning Hospital. It was snowing while she was born. When told that a few years later, she cried because Mother told her that the "mean nurses" wouldn't let her go out and play in the snow at the time! Married (at Church on the Way, in Van Nuys, CA) Randall Lee Turner, "Randy" born in Pomona, CA.

Sources:
Records from the Lutheran Church in Lengenfeld, i. V., Sachsen, Germany
Clara Petzoldt
Margaret Burger
Mildred Burger
Information sent by Jean Preston
Information sent by Clinton Wunderlich, gleaned from the church records in Altenburg, MO

March 22, 2014
Polli Turner