John Henry Eggers was born on July 5, 1880 in Meramec, Jefferson County, Missouri. He was the oldest of six children born to parents, Heinrich Christoph Friedrich Eggers and Wilhelmina “Mina” Springmeyer.
John barely missed being on the 1880 census as he was born only five days after his family was surveyed.
We first find records of John in 1900. He is living at home with the family and lists his occupation as farmer, as does one of his brothers and his father.
In 1910, John is the head of the house, his father having died in 1905. He is still listed as a farmer on his own farm. (John is on page 1 here and the family continues onto page 2)
In 1912, John married Sophia “Sophie” I. Faehnle. The story goes that since Sophie was pregnant, the couple went to St Louis and were married in a pastor’s parish to avoid a wedding in their home town. The couple went on to have three children together:
- Harry Henry Milton Eggers (b. 1913 – d. 1976)
- Oscar A Eggers (b. 1915)
- Clara Eggers (b. 1932)
On his World War I Draft Registration Card, John lists his occupation as a machine operator at the Medart Pat. Pulley Co. The family was living at 3520 Ohio Avenue in St Louis, Missouri, near the present day intersection of Ohio Avenue and Potomac Street.
In 1920, John and family are living on the Faehnle family farm at 216 Dittmer Road in Jefferson County, along with Sophie’s mother, Caroline Kraemer Faehnle. John’s occupation is listed as a farmer and he states that he is temporarily out of work. It also tells us that he was not a veteran and therefore did not actually serve in World War I.
In 1930, the family is living at 137 Catawissa Rd in Meramec, Jefferson County, Missouri. John lists his occupation as a farmer on a general farm, as does his son Harry.
On October 16, 1973, John died and is buried with his wife, Sophie, at the St. Martin’s church cemetery in Dittmer, Missouri.
Pingback: Heinrich Christoph “Christian” Friedrich Eggers | Family Tree Helper