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Fridolin Thoma* (-3G)
*marks my direct-line ancestors. The (-4G), etc., after the names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma. Siblings born before Fridolin are: Josef (b. 14 Jan. 1826), Maria Eva (b. 3 Sept. 1827), and Stephan (b. 26 Dec. 1828). Maria Eva died 17 June 1829 (before Fridolin was born). Fridolin was born on 20 Jan. 1830 in Altenschwand, Baden and was baptized at the catholic church in nearby Rickenbach. Fridolin is named after a Roman Catholic saint. There is at least one church in Baden named St. Fridolin and the saint's remains are in the Münster in Bad Säckingen, Baden. Sometimes people with this name are called Friedrich. Brother Johan was born on 12? June? 1831; he may have died in infancy. Brother Andreas (#1) was born on 18 Apr. 1833; he probably died in infancy or at least before Sept. 1843. Sister Carolina (Karoline) was born 13 Apr. 1834; she died on 21 Feb. 1839. Sister Christina was born 12 Oct. 1835. Sister Monika was born 04 Feb. 1837. Brother Dominik was born on 13 Mar. 1839. Sister Kunigunde was born on 17Apr. 1840. Brother Andreas (#2) was born on 09 Sept. 1843. Brother Hieronymus was born on 30 Sept. 1846. Brother Peter (the last sibling) was born on 30 June 1850.
His son Otto Thoma (-2G) was born 23 July 1864 in Altenschwand. His son Leo Thoma (-2G) was born 3 April 1866 in Altenschwand. His daughter Kunigunde Thoma (-2G) was born 21 Feb. 1868 and was named after her paternal aunt. She was baptized on 25 Feb. 1868 in Rickenbach(?). His daughter Bertha Thoma (-2G) was born 17 Nov. 1869. She was baptized on 22 Nov. 1869 in Rickenbach(?). His mother Katharina Huber* (-4G), died 27? Nov?, 1869. His fifth child, daughter Rosina Thoma (-2G), was born 10 Apr. 1871 and baptized on 12 Apr. 1871 in Rickenbach(?). His first wife, Maria Rosa Schmid, died 22 Dec. 1871. - - - - - - - -Below: from his second marriage (Feb. 1874) to his immigration (1881?) - - - - - - - -
Fridolin was 44 at the time of the marriage to Emilie. The marriage record states that he was a widower. It also states that he was from Altenschwand, Baden and gives his parents' names. His mother was deceased at the time of his second marriage. He is a citizen (Bürger) and a "Hirschwirth". The latter title means that he was the owner of an inn called "Hirsch" (in Altenschwand). Indeed, such an inn still exists in Altenschwand. The mayor's office of neighboring Rickenbach sent me an article that lists the owners of the "Hirschen" Inn and Fridolin is among them. Before then his father and grandfather owned the inn. His brother Andreas also worked at the inn. Probably also Rosa, Emilie and the children. After the second marriage, Fridolin and Emilie went to Altenschwand to live in his town. Their son Emil was born there the same year. He and his second wife and children probably remained in Baden until he and two of his sons emigrated. His son Emil Thoma (-2G) was born 29 Oct. 1874 in Altenschwand, Baden. His daughter Bertha Thoma (-2G) died 17 May 1875. His brother Stephan died on 22 Oct. 1880 in Baden. His brother Andreas (#2) died on 27 Dec. 1881 in Baden.
According to a living relative, Fridolin brought his sons Otto and Leo to the U. S. to escape their conscription and a troubled marriage. - - - - - Below: Fridolin's immigration and his years in St. Louis until his death - - - - -Although I have not found the passenger list to show when Fridolin arrived in the U. S., living family sources say that he came with his sons Otto and Leo, therefore I presume it was in 1881. According to relatives in Kansas City, he and his sons spent some time in Minnesota before coming to St. Louis. Whether they were in Michigan or Minnesota, it seems that by 1883 they were in St. Louis, because Otto is listed in the St. Louis City Directory for that year. His father, Andreas Thoma (-4G), died 29 Nov. 1884 in Altenschwand(?), Baden. The 1886 St. Louis Directory shows a Fridolin Thoma (no occupation) living at the rear of 749 S. 3rd. That is the same address as Leo Thoma, varnisher, although he is not in the rear of the house. There is record of his naturalization in the MO Archives (vol. X, page 246 and vol. S, page 117). The processes took place in the Circuit Court of St. Louis but the dates are not given. My guess is that the final one took place in 1888 which is when Otto, Leo and brother Peter had their naturalization. The other record for Fridolin might have been for the initial declaration. One record has his name as "Freidolin"; the other record has "Friedrich"; but I believe both refer to our Fridolin. One record gives his native country as Baden. His son Otto (-2G) married on 01 Oct. 1889 at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis. Fridolin is listed as Otto's father in the church records. No doubt Fridolin was in attendance. The 1890 Dir. has Frederick Thoma (no occupation) living at the rear of 1718 S. 7th St. which is the same address occupied by his eldest son, Otto. Frederick and Friedrich are alternate names for Fridolin. Leo was living a couple of blocks away, at 1503 S. 7th at this time. His second son, Leo (-2G), married on 06 Aug. 1890 at St. Vincent R. C. Church in St. Louis. I have not examined their records but no doubt Fridolin also attended this ceremony. In 1892 his son Emil emigrated from Grafenhausen where he was probably living with his mother and perhaps a sister. Emil arrived in the U.S. at the very end of 1892 and lived somewhere in New York for a while before joining his father Fridolin and his half-brothers in St. Louis, MO. The Baden Emigration Index also shows a Friedrich Thoma emigrating from Grafenhausen in 1892. Friedrich is an alternate name for Fridolin but I do not know if that was our Fridolin.. There is also a Fridolin Thoma, pedlar, listed in the 1895 St. Louis Directory. He is living at 1621 S. 2nd St. which is the same address where his son Emil is living. His sister Monika (-3G) died on 19 Jan. 1897 in Baden. I have not yet found a 1900 Census listing in St. Louis for Fridolin. At least he is not listed in enum. dist. 154 which is where his son Otto is listed. He is also not listed in the Soundex index for either Missouri or Illinois under F. or anything close to Fridolin in the T500 index code. I have also looked in the Illinois index and also looked under the T520 code in both states for the spelling "Thomas". His priest-brother Josef Thoma (-3G) became an important priest in Baden. He died on 05 Apr. 1901 in Baden. A Fridoline Thoma is listed in the 1901 Kansas City, MO City Directory. He is living at 23 East 24 St. which is the same address as his son Leo Thoma. Fridolin is not listed in any other Kansas City Directory. Fridolin is not listed in the St. Louis Directories for 1902, 1903. The 1904 St. Louis Dir. lists Fridolin Thoma living at 1724 S. 11th St. He is not in the 1905 and 1906 Directories for St. Louis. In ca. Feb. 1906 he was admitted to the Home for the Aged 14 3400 S. Grand Ave. in St. Louis which was operated by an order of catholic nuns. In the 1907 and 1908 St. Louis Dir. he is listed living at that Home for the Aged [see the 1910 Census below]). His sister Kunigund (-3G) died on 26 Nov. 1908 in Baden. His sister Christina (-3G) died on 09 June 1909 in Baden. He is not listed in the 1909 and 1910 Dir. The 1910 Census for Missouri (St. Louis, ward 11, supv. dist. 10, enum. dist. 171, sheet 1B, line 88, dated 15 Apr.) shows "Thomas Fridolin" [sic! names reversed] in the listing for the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged which was located at 3400 S. Grand (Grand and Cherokee) in south St. Louis city. He is 80 years old, was born in Germany and has German for his native tongue. He can speak and read English but not write it. He is widowed and has no occupation. A Sister Joseph De Souta __? was the head of the institution (her name appears on the previous Census page). His name was not found in the Census index because his first and last names are reversed and because the one name appears as "Thomas".
The death certificate (#32119) is in the Archives of the MO Sec. of State. The informant seems to be a Sr. Joseph de Ste Marie at Grand and Cherokee (probably one of the Catholic sisters at the Home for The Aged). He died at the same home at age 80 years, 8 months and 15 days. His birthdate is given as 20 Jan. 1830 and the birthplace as Germany. His occupation is "none". Cause of death at 7 PM was from acute bronchitis contributed by senile debility. Parents were given as Andreas Thoma and Catharine Houfer [sic! Huber]. Birthplace of the parents is given as "unknown". Undertaker was Chas. Schmitt of 2211 S. Bdw [Broadway?]. Fridolin had been at the home for 4 years and 8 months. He was buried on 08 Oct. in New Marcus Cemetery. Burial was at New Marcus Cemetery on the same day in grave #1, lot 41, block 7. There was no headstone, but I ordered a matching one. This is the same lot where son Otto (-2G) and Otto's wife and daughter were buried later. Two infant grandsons of Fridolin's grandson, Otto (-1G), were also buried in this lot.
- - - - - Below: supplemental and post-Oct. 1910 family events - - - - -It is interesting to note that Fridolin's second wife, Emilie, and a daughter, Kunigunde, are not mentioned in the obituary. I believe they moved to Grafenhausen after 1881 and did not emigrate. We can assume that they are deceased by 1910. I thought that the Home for the Aged (where Fridolin died) which is mentioned in the obituary is the one owned and operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor and was located at 19th and Hebert Sts. Hebert is one block parallel to Palm and one block from Sullivan in north St. Louis, not far from Dodier and I-70. However researched performed by the sisters there did not find any record of a Fridolin Thoma. They suggested the home might be the one that was located at Gravois and Grand and operated by another group of sisters. I then did more research and looked into the 1930 Census district descriptions which are online. There I learned that the Home was at 3400 Grand in the 11th ward. Going back to the Census of 1920 and then to 1910 I discovered the Home in the 11th ward though in different districts. I do not know when brothers Hieronymus and Dominik died. Brother Peter Thoma (-3G) also emigrated to the U. S. ca 1880 and settled in St. Louis. Peter married Emma Leber in Görwihl, Baden. He died on 19 June 1914 in Oakland, CA. Much of the above information can be seen on the LDS microfilm #957339 (batch K969141), years 1808-1875 and in the book Familiengeschichte der Gemeinde Rickenbach.
Created Fri., Apr. 7, 2000 Updated 23 Mar.. 2007.
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Brother, 
