Brenda Jenkins Kleager lives in Arkansas and is married to the grandson of my great uncle George Kleager. She does family history research, and we have recently re-connected on the web. She scanned the following picture, front and back, and sent it to me. She found this picture a couple of years ago by googling the name Joe Kleager, and found this from a woman who buys pictures from antique and thrift stores that have names on them, then sells them online for $15.
Front with the matting involved. In the lower right hand corner it says: "Heller" (or "Keller"), 1010 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO.
The back. She had to use a contrast feature plus add light to see the writing: "dad Joe Kleager".
So, the mystery.
What year, or even what decade was this picture taken?
I think that is crucial to figure out which "Joe Kleager" it is.
This fellow looks fairly young to me, say maybe late teens to mid 20's? I would welcome any other opinions. There are skilled people out there who could date the picture by the type of matting, and/or by the hair style, collar, bow tie or suit. But I am not one of those. Are any of you??
Living out side of St. Louis would not have been a reason to eliminate one of these because there was rail road access to St. Louis that was very accessible from Franklin County and I have read that many of the Kleagers went to St. Louis for various reasons.
Here's the "Joe's" I know, and a few of the facts about them:
1. Joseph M. Klager:
-my great great grandfather
-born about 1816 in Switzerland
-arrived in New Orleans about 1846
-enrolled in St. Louis in the U.S. Army in 1847 for the War with Mexico,
-married 1848 in Franklin County, Missouri to Elizabeth Jenny
-1850 has a son Joseph, in 1858 a son August
- can't read or write
2. Joseph Klaeger
- my great grandfather
- the son above, born 1850 in Franklin County, Missouri
- worked as a teamster driving a wagon before marriage, including some time in St. Louis
- married in 1875 to Lesetta Mincemeyer
- in 1878 has a son, Joseph William
3. Joseph Kleager
- the son of August, son of #1
- first cousin of #2
- born 1881 in Bourbon, Missouri
- married about 1906
- lived and worked in St. Louis as an adult
4. Joseph William Kleager
- son of #2
- born in 1878 in Franklin County, Mo
- married 1906 to Halle Ellen Renick
- moved to Nebraska in about 1920
5. The "Other" Joseph Kleager
- the guy who confused me for years and years
- roughly same era/age as #1, slightly younger
- probably some sort of cousin of #1, but I have not established that
- sometimes listed as Joseph J. Klaeger
- married to Barbara Nier in 1864
- sold land to Joseph M. Kleager #1 - in 1865 which is when I knew there were TWO Joseph's
- moved from Franklin County to Arkansas sometime around 1869
6. Joseph Klager
- lived from 1796-1856
- married to Catharina Barbara Glauss
- death record in St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church of Washington, Missouri
- same parish records as Joseph Kleager #5 and Joseph Kleager #1
- not sure how he is related, but assume he has to be
- could be the father of either #1 OR #5, unless 1 and 5 are brothers with the same name!!!
Which one is he??????