
Edward Gapsch
photo courtesy Herb Spady
Edward W. Gapsch was born on 6 Feb 1842 Klosterbuch, Königreich Sachsen
G.
4,5,6 He was baptized on 13 Feb 1842 in St. Äegidien-Kirche, Altenhof, Königreich Sachsen
G. His godparents were Johann Gottfried Kern, house owner, the maiden Wilhelmine, eldest daughter of Johann Christian Winkler, house owner, and Julius Friedrich Wilhelm Dresler, journeyman tailor, the eldest legitimate son of Johann Gottlieb Dresler, house owner, all of Klosterbuch.
15 Edward was christened as Friedrich Wilhelm Eduard Gapsch, and apparently used Eduard as his given name. After his immigration to the U.S. he used the Americanized spelling Edward W.
15,16,17 An "Early" Son --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
Edward and
Sophie's first son,
Robert Edward, was born some nine months before they married, while he was still a soldier. Illegitimate births were not exactly rare at the time, and at least in this case it appears the families were supportive of the new parents, since Edward's father and Sophie's mother both acted as godparents of the child.
18 Edward married Sophie Herfurt, daughter of
Johann Karl Gottlob Herfurt and
Johanna Christiane Goldner, on 5 Jun 1864 in St. Äegidien-Kirche, Altenhof, Königreich Sachsen
G.
7,8,9 He acted as godfather in the baptism of
Georg Albert Gapsch, his brother's son, on 14 Jul 1867 in St. Matthäi Kirche, Leisnig
G.
19 Immigration to America --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
Edward and Sophie arrived in New York
G on 23 Mar 1881, with their children Robert,
Gustav,
Emilie, and
Moritz, on the steamship
Weser, having departed from the port of Bremen. They were shown on the passenger list as from Saxony, with a stated destination of St. Louis, and having traveled in steerage class. Sophie's brother,
Heinrich Wilhelm Herfurt, and his family traveled with them.
20,21,22 According to family lore, they each had a hand made trunk 2½ by 2½ by 7 feet in size full of clothes and blankets with their initials on them.
23 Sophie's brother, Heinrich Wilhelm Herfurt, and his family traveled with them.
24 Edward and Sophie settled in Mehlville, St. Louis Co., Missouri
G, with their family.
25 The Mason Becomes a Farmer --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
Edward was reported to be a
Maurer (mason or bricklayer) when he married in 1864, and his occupation was recorded as bricklayer when he immigrated. Years later he told his granddaughter Alvina that he had been a stone mason. But in 1867, when he was godfather to his nephew Albert, his occupation was reported as
Handarbeiter, or day laborer. It is unclear whether this means that he was unable to find work as a mason, or perhaps he was not considered a skilled craftsman.
26,27,28 
Edward and Sophie Gapsch tombstone
courtesy Ronald Sommers
After his arrival in Missouri it seems his principal occupation was as a truck farmer. He had his own farm by 1900.
29,30,31 Edward and Sophie appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Carondelet Twp., St. Louis Co., Missouri
G, enumerated 1 Jun 1900, reporting that the family owned its farm, which was mortgaged. Their son
Edward was listed as living with them.
1 Edward and Sophie appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Carondelet Twp., St. Louis Co., Missouri, at Lemay Ferry Rd.
G, enumerated 4 May 1910, reporting they owned their farm, which was mortgaged.
3 His wife died on 23 Aug 1910 in Lemay Rd., Mehlville, St. Louis Co., Missouri
G.
32,11,33 Edward appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Affton, St. Louis Co., Missouri
G, in the household of his son Moritz G. Gapsch and daughter-in-law
Johanna Pruetzel.
34 He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Carondelet Twp., St. Louis Co., Missouri
G, in the household of his son, Moritz G. Gapsch and wife Johanna Pruetzel, reporting that he had not become a naturalized citizen.
35 Edward died on 23 Mar 1931 in Affton, St. Louis Co., Missouri
G, at age 89.
10,11 He was buried on 25 Mar 1931 in St. Johns Old Cemetery, Mehlville, Missouri
G, next to his wife.
12,13,14