JOHAN HEINRICH KLINGSICK

and His Wife

CHARLOTTA nee BEINS

Great Grandparents of Rufina Sprick

Henry, as he was later called,was born in Versmold, Westphalia, Prussia on September 2, 1836, where he was reared to maturity. On December 2, 1858, he was married to Charlotta Beintz (or Beins) in a little village in Germany. Charlotta, was born January 27, 1838, in Osterwege, Germany.

In 1859, the year following their marriage, they emigrated to America with Mrs. Klingsick's parents and settled in Washington in a part of town known as Goose Town.

Henry was employed by the Missouri Pacific Railroad as a watchman. At that time, the trains came from St. Louis to Washington. Here they had a turn table and turned the coaches around heading back to St. Louis.

On Easter Monday, April 21, 1862, Henry Walkenhorst offered his home as a meeting place to establish a new Lutheran congregation in Washington. Nine members assembled, Heinrich Klingsick, Henry Walkenhorst, Christian Walkenhorst, W. Bohle, H. Langenburg, Casper Gehner, Fr. Nierderk, Sr.,, Frederich Fricke and Wm. Fricke. These nine members organized the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Washington, Missouri. They called Pastor Matuschka. Pledges for pastors salary were $70 a year and $6 a month for teaching school.

After Henry's retirement in 1883, he and his wife Charlotta moved to a farm 4 miles south of New Haven.

On May 31, 1908 they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at their home south of New Haven.

On December 31, 1910, Henry passed away at his home and is buried at Beouf Creek Lutheran Cemetary near New Haven.

Charlotta remained on the farm with her son Paul and later made her home with her son John and family until her death on September 21, 1925. She was buried next to her husband in Beouf Creek Lutheran Cemetary.

To Henry and his wife Charlotta eleven children were born. Two died in infancy. Their children were: Henry, William, Charles, John, Frederick, Paul, Mary, Emma. and Rosa.