The 3 Spellings of Kleager and My Favorite Tombstone

I was able to take a family history trip to Missouri that I hope to blog about for a long time to come.  It was neat to have to "family" part of a family history trip include one of my sisters, a brother-in-law, and one of my daughters.

We spent a day with my father's cousin, La Rue Kleager Bryant and her son Ron.  They took us, among other places, to the Holy Martyrs of Japan Catholic Church in Japan, Franklin County, Missouri where some of the Kleagers are buried.

There is an area where one can stand and see 3 different tombstones, from one family, with the 3 different spellings of Kleager: Kleager - Klaeger - Klager.

Henry Klaeger,  August's son.  Nearby, Henry's mother's tombstone "Wife of Aug. Klager" (Laura Arnold Klager).  August Kleager was a brother of my great grandfather, Joseph Kleager.

This is August  Kleager's tombstone, and one of my favorites.  

August & Laura had four children: Joseph (of course), Henry, Lana and Adolph Louis.  All four were alive at the time of August's death.

But apparently, not all four were willing to contribute to a headstone for their father!

What an epitaph:

"Bought by Henry only"