King Family Research in Monroe County

King Family Research in Monroe County

June 8, 2006

I have been researching my family's history over several years at various times, not always on a consistent basis. Part of the time has been spent collecting as much written data and photographs as possible. I have also sought to speak to as many people as I could to get any information they may wish to share. The research has included both the maternal and paternal side of my family. I can recall my Father, now deceased, mentioning Valmeyer years ago. Unfortunately it was a time when I was not much interested in genealogy and family history. On one occasion when he was much older I can recall him saying we could go there for a visit. This would have been before the last flood in 1993. Unfortunately, we never made this happen when he was alive. My Father was always willing to talk about Valmeyer, where I believe he revisited years later after he became an adult. Unfortunately, I was not always willing to listen, for which I deeply regret. That regret holds true also for my Mother and all the ancestors and elder relatives I have known in my lifetime. They all had stories to tell.

An Aunt, who passed several years ago, was very much interested in the research and provided as much information as she could remember. She had memories of visiting Valmeyer as a child and remembers her Uncle Matt, who still lived in Valmeyer, and was apparently the youngest of 16 children of Gabriel and Laura King. It appears that Matt may have been the only sibling to remain in Valmeyer as an adult. He is also the person most frequently mentioned. Sandy Baum noted that he was enumerated in the 1910 Census in East St. Louis, St. Clair County, along with siblings Susie and Fred, niece Mary Johnson and nephew Roy Johnson. She noted that Matt was registered for the draft in World War I. According to the 1930 Census Matt has returned to Valmeyer.

My research visits to Valmeyer really started several years ago when Sandy Baum of Valmeyer responded to a research inquiry of mine. From that time forward we corresponded on a frequent basis and I finally was able to visit. Sandy introduced me to many others in Valmeyer and has shared with me her research on the King Family. From that point until today, I have met many people from Valmeyer, Waterloo, and Monroe County that have been very helpful in providing information, pictures, stories, etc. On several occasions, I have met people who overheard a conversation I was having with someone else about Gabriel and Laura King, and they have joined in with relevant information. In some case they have simply referred me to other folks whom they believed had information about the Kings. Through Sandy Baum I met Joyce Rippelmeyer and Alois Rohfling. It was mentioned that Alois had a cup that had belonged to Matt King. However, we later learned that the cup was no longer available.

Whenever I visited, I have always felt very comfortable in Monroe County. Everyone I have met there have been most helpful, many going out of their way to point me in the right direction during my research. The people of Valmeyer and surrounding community appear to be quite close knit and that has aided me immeasurably as folks have referred me to others who they believe might have some information I could use. Those referrals have led to interviews with several folks in their 90's who knew and remembered some of the Kings living in Valmeyer.

Several publications I was directed to in the Waterloo and Valmeyer Libraries have also been helpful in providing information regarding my Great Grandparents. On my next visit I plan to meet at least one other person whose name has been referred to me. It has been very interesting to me from the very first visit to Monroe County the reaction of people whom I had just met. These folks had no problem trusting me with old photographs of Valmeyer, one of which was possibly a Great Aunt of mine, so that I could make copies for my files. It is my hope that if there are other photographs, documents, relics, etc. still available I will be able to view them as well.

During one of my first visits to the Monroe County Court House I had obtained a copy of the death certificate for Gabriel and Laura King. I was on my way out of the office when I was told that Dennis Knobloch had information about Gabriel King. He took the time to provide a map of the cabin and cemetery sites and provide other leads. When visiting the Valmeyer School for the first time, Charlotte Gartzke told me her Mother, Eleanor Althoff, remembered Matt King and had previously mentioned him to her. Her Mother agreed to meet with me and invite her quilting circle friends to share their stories. Due to an unexpected illness the meeting was postponed indefinitely. Diane Guttmann, who overheard me talking with Charlotte Gartzke at the time, joined in the conversation and said, "I think my Aunt has a picture of one of your relatives." That picture was given to me so I could make a copy.

While interviewing Frank Fernaia (sadly, now deceased) at the Monroe County Nursing Home, I met Gene Linker who was a volunteer reader there. When informed of why I was there he wanted to share his Valmeyer stories with me and later at his home introduced me to Twyla Luhr. Besides their stories, they provided me with old photographs of Valmeyer for copying. On my most recent visit, Darwin Lohkamp arranged for me to visit with his Father, Ted, at his Father's home. Ted, who lives alone, graciously received us and shared a few of his memories.

When I expressed an interest in farms Linda Keller arranged for me to visit her family’s farm in Fults, still being farmed by her Brothers, where they shared lunch and gave me a tour of farm operations. Sandy and Joyce both took the time to take me on a driving tour of Old Valmeyer, pointing out sites where Matt King farmed, and other sites of interest. Unfortunately, many of the buildings were destroyed as a result of the 1993 flood. In an ironic twist our oldest Son was a member of the National Guard Unit that assisted in rescue, levee and other flood related projects following the 1993 flood. That operation placed him in and around Columbia, Valmeyer, Waterloo and other Monroe County Communities. The significance of his participation in the relief efforts within the region during that period is even more meaningful to me today.

At the risk of omitting someone, for which I deeply apologize, other persons who have been very helpful have been: Judy Aubouchon, Sandy Crawford, Sandy Davidson, Connie Heise, Ura Henke, Bobbie Keinhardt, Angela Leilino, Gertie Maher, Pam Newmeyer, Tom Pawlick Helen and Vera Pflasterer, Bill Tipton, and Beverly Tochtrot. I have also had an opportunity to visit MAR Graphics, where copies of photographs were made for me. Resources and Staff at the Morrison-Talbott Library have been invaluable.

My favorite memory in Monroe County is whenever I am near the site of the King Cabin and the Cemetery on the bluffs where Gabriel and Laura may be buried. I am hopeful that the gravesites can be located. I am encouraged by the work that Merrill and Sheryl Prange are doing in restoring old, forgotten cemeteries in Monroe County. If possible, I plan to spend a day or so with them as they continue to restore the cemetery on the bluffs. Merrill said that he had heard that Gabriel had wanted to be buried on the bluffs overlooking the cabin where he lived. That land is being farmed today, and he further understands that there are several gravesites atop the bluffs overlooking where the cabin would have stood. I am hopeful that I will be able to visit these gravesites one day.

More recently, Janet Flynn and Pat Vaseska have been very instrumental in assisting me in getting information on the King Family. Through their research, which they have freely shared with me, more bits and pieces of information are emerging. They have identified other paths and possible relationships for which I was not aware. They have also taken me on an extensive driving tour of a large portion of Monroe County, pointing out various historical sites and landmarks. Because my wife and I have an interest in the Underground Railroad we welcomed the opportunity to learn about such sites or gather any information that may have had a bearing on that aspect of history.

Recently we received a photograph of a cabin from a friend, Anne Walker, Executive Director of Freedom Trails Legacies of Hope. She had indicated that this was reported to be the King Cabin in Monroe County. Although there is a similar cabin on the grounds of the Monroe County Historical Society, we were not able to locate that specific cabin in the photograph. We have been told by several local residents that the King cabin has long since been destroyed.

Going forward I plan to continue my research on the King Family in Monroe County. At the same time I will continue to research my ancestors on my Mother's side of the family. While I have learned much about my Mother's Family and gathered important documents and photographs there is still much more to be done. I have not experienced any disconnect during my research in Monroe County. Rather, I have felt a direct connection because of the people I have met and what they have shared with me. I like to believe that I have only scratched the surface of the information that is available in Monroe County. With the support I am getting from many people in Monroe County I am convinced that more information, stories, photographs, documents, newspaper clippings, etc., will be uncovered over time.

Art King