My Genealogy Hound

Joseph Straus, superintendent of the saddlery establishment of which he and his brother are proprietors, was born in Baden, Germany, in January, 1840, his parents being A. and Rachel (Hahn) Straus, also of Baden. The family came to America in 1869, and after remaining in New York a short time removed to St. Louis, thence to Jefferson City after a few years, and here the father died February 26, 1889, his death being preceded by the mother’s by several years. Only three of their eight children are now living: Mrs. Rowthine, Jacob and Joseph. The latter received a portion of his education in Germany, and completed his education in St. Louis. In 1853 he sailed for America, landing at New Orleans, and after a residence of one year in that city came to Jefferson City, where he began working at the saddler’s trade, and after thoroughly learning the details of the work he and his brother Jacob embarked in their present enterprise, which has proved a decided success. They employ about 200 men, and nearly all their goods are shipped to St. Louis. John A. Summerer, who is closely associated with the farming interests of Cole County, and especially Osage Township, Mo., was born in Cole County, January 9, 1853, and is the son of Mathias and Barbary (Dingle) Summerer, both natives of the Kingdom of Bavaria, born in 1819 and 1824, respectively. Mathias Summerer came to America in 1840, entered land in Clark Township, and is living there at the present; is still hale and hearty, and has resided on his present farm for forty years. When he first came to America he landed in New York, but the far West attracted him, and he took Horace Greeley’ s advice. He and wife are the parents of nine children, seven now living: Margaret (deceased), Mary, wife of Mark Kerl, and was the widow of Simon Kerl, author of Kerl’s Grammar; Sarah (deceased), John A., William, Mathias, Jr., Fred, Annie and John W. Mr. Summerer is one of the oldest settlers of Cole County, and suffered many hardships during the early days of the country. He is a Republican in politics, and during the late war served in the Missouri Home Guards. Mrs. Summerer died in 1883; she was a member of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Summerer is also a member of the same church. John A. Summerer was married March 2, 1880, to Miss Annie Sceiegler, a native of Cole County, born in 1858. They have four children: Henry M., born January 29, 1881; Mary, born in 1883; Louis, born in 1885, and Otto, born in 1888. Mr. Summerer has a fine farm of 350 acres, with 125 acres well improved and well cultivated. He has good barns, out-buildings, and has an unusually nice frame building as a residence. He is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the Lutheran Church, as is also his family.