AUGUST HERMAN SPRICK

and His Wife
SOPHIA C. M. (nee) BIRKMANN

Parents of Arthur Sprick

August, the son of Wilhelm and Catharine Sprick, was born January 6, 1869, in Lyon Township, Missouri, about a mile northwest of Lyon, Missouri. He grew to young manhood and attended the Lutheran school and was a life-long member of the Ebenezer Lutheran Church at Port Hudson.

On February 18, 1897, he was married to Sophia Birkmann, born March 18, 1876.  She was born and reared in the same community.  They bought a farm about a mile northwest of the Lutheran church and August farmed until the year of 1944 when he sold his farm, retired and moved to 164 Pottery Road, Washington, Missouri.  There they had a small garden. He enjoyed visiting with his neighbors and loved to have his children and grandchildren come to visit.

Due to failing health and age in 1952, they left Pottery Road and moved to Third and High Streets, Washington, Missouri, and lived upstairs from their daughter Doris who came from St. Louis and purchased the house to provide a home for them in town.  Their daughter Martha quit her job in St. Louis and took care of them and her sister Olga who had been home several years due to arthritis and unable to work.

August was in failing health from 1952 to August 15, 1954, when he passed away at St. Francis Hospital due to gangrene of his foot after an operation. He was buried at Port Hudson Cemetery.

Sophia, his wife, was also a life-long member of Ebenezer Lutheran Church, having received her education, confirmation, wedding and seeing all her children reared at the same church. She worked in St. Louis in her early life before her marriage.  She was a very devoted wife, mother and grandmother. All her life she worked hard for them, in harvest, helping in the fields besides her housework. She was always very much concerned for her family, never complaining of her own needs.  I shall always remember her as a very dear mother-in-law, remembering her delicious oatmeal cookies which she baked without a recipe and which no-one ever could make like hers, her fluffy sunshine cake and delicious rice pudding. On November 18, 1956, she passed away at St. Francis Hospital, the result of a stroke. She is buried next to her husband August in Port Hudson Cemetery.

To August and Sophia Sprick eight children were born - Wilhelm and Edwin who died in infancy, Helena (Helen), Edward, Martha, Olga.. Dora (Doris) and Arthur.

Helen married Theodore Stegen. 

Edward married Esther Scheer. 

Martha never married.

Olga never married. 

Doris married Robert Holmes. 

Arthur married Rufina (Toots) nee Klingsick.

Helen and Ted Stegen have 2 children, Leroy and Helen Marie. Leroy married Jean Roehrs - 3 children, Debra, Richard and Randy.  Helen Marie married Ralph Bolm - 4 children, Craig, Michelle, Sandra and Christy.

Edward and Esther Sprick have 2 children, Mae Jean and Arliene. Mae Jean married Norman Dieterich - no children. Arliene married Robert Schuetz - 1 son, Douglas.

Doris and Robert Holmes have 1 son, Robert. Robert married LaVern Rettke.

Arthur and Rufina Sprick have 2 sons, Charles (Chuck) and Dennis.

Chuck married Sharon Kiefer - 1 natural son, Cyle Duane, and 1 adopted son, Robert Daniel.  Chuck and Sharon were divorced in 1991.  Chuck married Lee Ann Crabtree in 1995.

Dennis married Carol Clark - 1 daughter, Kelly Shawn., 1 son Bradley.