Sophie Herfurt1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 8287, (1840 - 1910)
FatherJohann Karl Gottlob Herfurt4,1,5
MotherJohanna Christiane Goldner5

Key Events:

Birth: 13 Jun 1840, Beiersdorf, Königreich Sachsen6,7,8
Marriage: 5 Jun 1864, St. Äegidien-Kirche, Altenhof, Königreich Sachsen, Edward W. Gapsch (6 Feb 1842 - 23 Mar 1931)9,10,11
Death: 23 Aug 1910, Lemay Rd., Mehlville, St. Louis Co., Missouri12,13,14
Burial: 25 Aug 1910, St. Johns Old Cemetery, Mehlville, Missouri15,16,17
ChartsDescendants of Edward and Sophie Gapsch
Known Ancestors of Edward and Sophie Gapsch

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Sophie Herfurt was born on 13 Jun 1840 Beiersdorf, Königreich Sachsen.6,7,8 Sophie was apparently christened as Johanne Sophie Herfurt, and apparently used Sophie as her given name.18,1,2

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.19
     Sophie married Edward W. Gapsch, son of August Gapsch and Johanna Christiane Grundmann, on 5 Jun 1864 in St. Äegidien-Kirche, Altenhof, Königreich Sachsen.9,10,11

Immigration to America --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

Edward and Sophie Gapsch tombstone
courtesy Ronald Sommers

     Sophie and Edward arrived in New York 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 Her brother, Heinrich Wilhelm Herfurt, and his family traveled with them.24
     Sophie and Edward settled in Mehlville, St. Louis Co., Missouri, with their family.25 They appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Carondelet Twp., St. Louis Co., Missouri, enumerated 1 Jun 1900, reporting that the family owned its farm, which was mortgaged. Their son Edward was listed as living with them.26
     Sophie and Edward appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Carondelet Twp., St. Louis Co., Missouri, at Lemay Ferry Rd., enumerated 4 May 1910, reporting they owned their farm, which was mortgaged.27
     Sophie died on 23 Aug 1910 on Lemay Rd., Mehlville, St. Louis Co., Missouri, at age 70.12,13,14 She was buried on 25 Aug 1910 in St. Johns Old Cemetery, Mehlville, Missouri, next to her husband.15,16,17

Children:
     Children with Edward W. Gapsch

According to family lore Edward and Sophie had two sons who died before they immigrated, one of blood poisoning and one fell out of his baby buggy. There may have been others unknown born in the U.S.23,36

Citations

  1. [S2102] Langheinrich, "Trauung [marriage]: Friedrich, Wilhelm Eduard Gapsch and Sophie Herfurt."
  2. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passenger 250, shows name as Sophie Gapsch.
  3. [S2863] Edward Gapsch, Application for Account, spells name as Sophie Herford.
  4. [S2121] Langheinrich, "Taufeintrag [christening]: Eduard Robert Herfurth."
  5. [S367] Sophia Gapsch, Certificate of Death.
  6. [S2121] Langheinrich, "Taufeintrag [christening]: Eduard Robert Herfurth", shows date, but the place is not stated explictly, suggesting it was within the parish. The mother's homeland is stated as Gallschuetz, which is in Schrebitz parish, and her father is stated as living in Beiersdorf, which is in Altenhof parish. It seems reasonable to assume she was living with her father, and the child's birth took place there.
  7. [S367] Sophia Gapsch, Certificate of Death, shows date and country, as Germany.
  8. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passenger 250, shows age 41 and "country to which belonging" as Saxony.
  9. [S2102] Langheinrich, "Trauung [marriage]: Friedrich, Wilhelm Eduard Gapsch and Sophie Herfurt", shows date and church.
  10. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passenger 249, shows them apparently as husband and wife with their children.
  11. [S1509] Edward W. Gapsch household, 1900 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri, shows married, 36 years.
  12. [S367] Sophia Gapsch, Certificate of Death, shows date, place, town and county.
  13. [S5704] Edward Gapsch and Sophie Gapsch joint tombstone, Old St. John's Cemetery, shows date.
  14. [S351] Edna Gapsch, notes, "Edward Gapsch Family 1st Generation," shows date.
  15. [S367] Sophia Gapsch, Certificate of Death, shows date, cemetery as St. Johns, and town.
  16. [S351] Edna Gapsch, notes, "Edward Gapsch Family 1st Generation," shows cemetery, as St. Johns Old Cemetery, and town.
  17. [S5704] Edward Gapsch and Sophie Gapsch joint tombstone, Old St. John's Cemetery.
  18. [S2121] Langheinrich, "Taufeintrag [christening]: Eduard Robert Herfurth", shows name as Johanne Sophie Herfurt.
  19. [S2121] Langheinrich, "Taufeintrag [christening]: Eduard Robert Herfurth", shows date, and godparents.
  20. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passengers 249-254, shows ship, state of origin, departure city, arrival city and date, class of accommodations, and destination.
  21. [S151] Robert Gapsch household, 1900 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Oregon, shows he immigrated in 1882.
  22. [S1890] Moritz Gapsch household, 1920 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri, shows Moritz and Edward immigrated in 1881.
  23. [S4105] Alvina Myers letter to Howard Gapsch, unknown date.
  24. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passengers 255-261.
  25. [S2007] Interview, Edna Gapsch, 26 Feb 2001.
  26. [S1509] Edward W. Gapsch household, 1900 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri.
  27. [S1721] Edward Gapsch household, 1910 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri.
  28. [S2856] Robert Edward Gapsch, Application for Account.
  29. [S669] Weser arrival 23 Mar 1881, Passenger Lists, New York, 1820-1897, passengers 249-254, shows them apparently as parent and child.
  30. [S351] Edna Gapsch, notes, "Edward Gapsch Family 1st Generation."
  31. [S1005] William Weber and Emma Gapsch, Application for License to Marry, Consent of Parent section shows Sophia's husband as Emma's father.
  32. [S326] Questionnaire, Betty Jeane Spady, 22 Dec 2000.
  33. [S1385] Minna Martha Gapsch, death register, shows surname as Gapsch and born in St. Louis; Edward and Sophie are the only Gapsch family known to in this area at that time.
  34. [S2863] Edward Gapsch, Application for Account.
  35. [S1509] Edward W. Gapsch household, 1900 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri, shows him as the son of her husband, and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  36. [S1721] Edward Gapsch household, 1910 U.S. Census, St. Louis Co., Missouri, shows her as the mother of 12 children, with four living.