*marks direct-line ancestors of Erven Thoma. The (-3G), etc., after the names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma.

Her parents were married in St. Louis on 29 Aug. 1855 (St. Louis, Missouri Marriages, 1804-76, vol. 09, page 454). Siblings born before Josephine were William (Jr.) (-3G) ca. 1857, Charles (-3G) ca. 1859, Louisa (-3G) ca. 1864, and Caroline (-3G) ca. 1866.

The 1870 Fed. Census for Missouri (M593_809, page 443, hand-entered p. 110, Ancestry.Com image 296 (2524 of 7730), dated 28 July, dwelling #772, family #780, lines 30-37) show Josephine, her parents and siblings. Her father, Wm. [William], is 45, was born in Baden; he is a butcher. The mother, Magdalena, is 40 and was born in Baden; she is keeping house. The children at this time are: William, 13; Charles, 11; Louisa, 6; Caroline, 4; Josephine, 2; and Henry, 1 month. All the children were born in Missouri. The first three children are at school, the others are at home. The parents own their house in St. Louis which is valued at $7,000 and personal property valued at $1,000.

Brother Henry died between the 1870 Census and the 1880 Census before he was 12.

The 1880 Fed. Census for Missouri (first enumeration, vol. 36, supv. dist. 1, enum. dist. 167, hand-entered p. 43, printed p. 383C, dwelling #304, family #340, line 2, dated 11 June) shows Josephine and her parents and siblings living on Boston St. in St. Louis. Her father, William, is 55 and was born in Baden; he is a saloon keeper. The mother of the family, Magdalena, is 50 and was born in Baden also; she keeps house. The parents of William and Magdalena were also born in Baden. Our Josephine is 12. The other children in the family are: William, 23; Charles, 21; Louisa, 16; Caroline, 14; and Edward, 7. All children were born in St. Louis. Sons William and Charles are butchers. Louisa is at home, the other children are at school. An unrelated family is living with them. There is another Oberfoell family (head is Charles , 39) in the 1880 St. Louis Census who might be related.

The 1880 Fed. Census for Missouri (second enumeration, vol. 42, enum. dist. 443, sheet 10, line 37) shows Josephine and her parents and siblings living on Boston St. in St. Louis. Her father, William, is 55, born in Baden. Her mother, Lina, is 50, born in Baden. Josephine is 12; her sister Louisa is 16; her sister Carolina is 14; her brother Edward is 7. All children were born in Missouri. William (Jr.) and Charles are not listed.

The St. Louis Directory of 1890 shows William Oberfoell living at 3869 Garfield Ave. No occupation is given; no wife is listed. Josephine would also be living there at this time.

The St. Louis City Directories of 1891 and 1892 do not list her husband. The Directory of 1893 lists Christian H. Vossler, plumber, living at 826 S. 10th. Her husband is not listed in the 1894 and 1895 Directories. The Directory of 1896 lists Christian, a plumber, living at 3738 Lucky.

Josephine married Christopher H. Vossler on 25 Mar. 1896 in St. Louis (application #65013 dated 24 Mar. 1896, license #65013, book 49 page 433, issued the same day). He was living at 2623a Slattery St. and she at 3869 Garfield, both in St. Louis. He was 35 and she was 27. They was married by a church pastor, M. Krey [Martin Krey], who lived at, or served the church at, 2624 Garfield St. The church was First (German) Congregational Church which was on Garfield and the sw corner of Spring Ave., one block from Humboldt Park. This is the same pastor and the same church where Fred Sandherr (-2G) and Sibylla Thake (-2G) (Christopher's niece) were married in 1899. Christopher's middle initial is on the application and license.

Two children were born to Josephine, both unnamed (or name not yet known). One was born in 1895 or 96 and the other in 1896 or 97, presumably in St. Louis.

On 28 Aug. 1896 an "Infant of Christopher Vossler", less than one year old, was buried in Calvary Cemetery (section 16, lot 3, grave 143) in St. Louis County. References are SLGS rolls 329, vol. 35, p. 120 (MO Archives C10400; County Lib. RDSL44).

The 1897 Directory lists Christopher as a plumber, living at 2623a Slattery.

On 8 July 1897 an "Infant of C. H. and Josie Vossler", less than a year old, died and was buried in Calvary Cemetery (section 16, lot N, grave 322) on the 10th. At this time the family was living at 3861a Garfield. The infant deaths are also found in a printout of Vossler graves at Calvary Cemetery. At least one of the infant children are probably pictured in the picture above.

The Registry of Births for St. Louis has an Oliver C. Vossler, born 11 Aug. 1898 to Christ H. Vossler and Josephine. The family is living at 3861 Garfield at the time.

The Directories of 1898-1900 list Christopher as a plumber living at 3861 (or 3861a) Garfield Ave.

I have not yet found the 1900 Census for this family. However, the 1900 Census for Josephine's parents and brother Edward is found in St. Louis (vol. 101, enum. dist. 387, sheet 3, line 25). They are living at 3869 Garfield Ave. in St. Louis. This Census states that Wilhelm, 75, was born in Apr. 1825, Machdalena [sic! Magdalena], 70, was born in Oct. 1829 and Edward, 27, was born in 1873.

The St. Louis Drectories of 1901-1902 list Christopher as a plumber living at 3861 (or 3861a) Garfield Av. Her husband is not listed after 1902.

Josephine's mother died on 20 Apr. 1902 at the age of 73. She was buried in section B, lot 58 of Bethania (Bethany) Cemetery in St. Louis County.

There is an obituary or death notice for her husband, Christ H. Vossler, in the St. Louis Post Dispatch of 22 Dec. 1902. I do not know if and where he was buried or if he was cremated.

Here is a picture of three of her children taken ca 1903. The three children are most likely Oliver (ca. 4 or 5) on our left, Irene (ca. 2 or 3) on our right, and Eugene (less than 1) seated. Click to enlarge.

The St. Louis Directories of 1903 and 1904 list Josephine, widow of Christian, living at 3869 (or 3861) Garfield.

Josephine remarried to William J. McLaren in St. Louis. The license was issued on 15 Jul. 1905 (Bk. 9, p. 388). This marriage record has not been found in the city of St. Louis. He was ca. 53 and she was ca. 36.

Josephine is not listed in the 1905-7 St. Louis Directories under the surname "Vossler"; She had married (see above). I have not checked under the Wm. McLaren name in the same Directory.

Josephine's father died on 20 Sept. 1908 at the age of 84. He died of cerebral embolism complicated by chronic nephritis. He was widowed and was born in Germany. His age was 84 years, 5 months and 14 days. He died at 3869 Garfield in St. Louis. That was the home of Josephine and her husband and two children. He was buried in section B, lot 58 of Bethania (Bethany) Cemetery in St. Louis County. The funeral home was Bensiek & Sons. See the pictures above. (The death register is in MO Archives roll C 10413, #5266.)

The 1910 Fed. Census for Missouri (Soundex ID 089 0112 0184, supv. dit. 11, enum. dist 112, sheet 9A, dwelling 164, family 184, dated 03 May) shows the family living at 7555 Woodland Ave. in ward 4 of Maplewood, a suburb of St. Louis. William J. McLaren, is 58 and was born in Connecticut of Scottish-born parents. He was a cabinet maker in a cabinet shop. His wife Josephine, 41, and has no occupation. She was born in Missouri of German-born parents. She had 3 children 2 of which are still living. William and Josephine have been married for 5 years. Living with them are William's step children: Irene Vossler, 10, and Eugene Vossler, 8. Both were born in Missouri of Missouri parents.

The family moved to LosAngeles County, California between the 1910 Census and the 1920 Census.

The 1920 Fed. Census for California (supv. dist. 8, enum. dist. 10, sheets 5B and 6A, dwelling 151, family 150, dated 24 January) finds the family living at 4660 Hammel St. in Precinct 6 of Belvedere Township, Los Angeles County. William McLaren is 68 and is a house carpenter. He was born in Connecticut; his parents in Scotland. His wife, Josephine, is 51 and has no occupation. She was born in Missouri; her parents in Germany. Daughter Irene is 19 and is a cashier in a department store. Irene was born in Misouri; her [step-] father in Connecticut, her mother in Missouri. Son Eugene (on the next page) is 17 and is a house carpenter's helper (presumable helping his step father). He was born in Missouri; his [step-] father in Connecticut, his mother in Missouri. The last names of the children are not given.

The 1930 Fed. Census for California (T626_123, page 12B; sheet 12B, supv. dist 18, enum. dist. 1562; dwelling #235, family #312, image 0844, dated 14 Apr.) shows Josephine McLaren and her adopted son Eugene E. Vossler living in Belevedere Township, Los Angeles County, CA. Josephine is 61; she was born in Missouri, her parents in Germany. She is a widow without an occupation. She owns the house which is valued at $6,750. Her son, Eugene E. Vossler, is 28, his birth year is 1901 (or 1902) and he was born in Missouri. He is a police officer and is single. They have a radio. They are living at 3960 Hammel St. in precinct 9.

There is no listing for Josephine McLaren in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Obituary Index between 1942 and 1945. I assume she died in California.

I do not know if she had children by the second marriage, but I doubt it. I do not know when she died or where she was buried. She may have died before 1940 because the California Death Index, which begins in 1940, does not list her under the name Josephine McLaren.

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Eugene Vossler (-2G) is in the Social Security Death Index. This person was born on 06 Mar. 1902 and died on 01 Oct. 1983. His last residence was in Zip Code 92343 which is in Riverside, California. His S. S. number is 556-12-8482 and was issued before 1951. His name also appears in the California Death Index, 1940-1997. His birth date is the same, his birthplace is Missouri; his death date is defined as 01 Oct. 1983 in Riverside, California. The S. S. number in the California Death Index matches the one in the S. S. Death Index. The California Death Records give Riverside, CA as his place of death on 01 Oct. 1983.

I do not know when daughter Irene died except that it happened after 1930, perhaps in California.

Edward Oberfoell is found in the 1910 Census for Missouri (T624, roll 820, part 3, WD-20, page 127A). He is a white 37 year old born in Missouri.

Charles Oberfoell had a saloon at 3041 Carondolet Ave. (MO State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1881, St. Louis section, pub. by Patterson & Co.)

Created Fri. Apr. 5, 2002.  Updated 09 Apr. 2007.