From the Morgue: Preserving Bertling Cemetery

Long ago, when I was much younger, I remember "discovering" a cemetery at Delwin and Melrose streets in Cape Girardeau.

I recall walking the graveyard and reading the names on the few headstones still legible, although I didn't know what cemetery it was, nor its history. It was only later that I learned I had stumbled into the old Bertling Cemetery.

Seventy-five years ago, a group of Webelos, determined to earn their Citizenship merit badges, began the cleanup of the old cemetery that dates to 1850. That was followed up almost a decade later by another effort at preservation, led by the greatly missed late Elroy Kinder.

Published Sunday, Jan. 5, 1975:

Scouts receive a helping hand from Dr. James Boorsma in lifting one of the heavier stones to its proper site. Identifiable, from left, are John Heuer, Kevin Mann, Jeff Hammond, den chief, and Brent Moore. Gordon L. McBride ~ Southeast Missourian archive

South take lesson in history while reconstructing cemetery

By JANE ARLYN HODGES

Missourian staff writer

What began as a community project to complete requirements for a Scout merit badge has ended up as a lesson in local history for 12 Webelos in Pack 20 at Alma Schrader School.

In September the young Scouts, all near the age of 10, “discovered” an abandoned cemetery at the foot of Delwin, accessible only by foot down a rocky path and up a sharp bank.

The cemetery was weed-packed, and the bushy overgrowth was a haven for snakes. Stones were broken off at their bases, and decorative points atop larger monuments were smashed from times when vandals had used them for target practice.

In need of a project to complete requirements for the Citizenship merit badge, the youths decided that a massive cemetery clean-up campaign would accomplish their goal, as well as preserve a burial ground described simply by Dr. James Boorsma, the pack’s leader, as “an old one people had forgotten.”

Silhouetted against a bleak sky, Webelo Scouts in Pack 20, with their leader Dr. James Boorsma, trek across the grounds of historic Bertling Cemetery, located at the foot of Delwin Street. The scouts, who at first thought the cemetery to be “one people had forgotten about,” are involved in a massive clean-up campaign to restore beauty to the graveyard. Gordon L. McBride ~ Southeast Missourian archive

To anyone relatively new to the community, the battered cemetery resembles a large family plot, probably located on a farm which has long since disappeared.

But the names on the tombstones, those which are still readable, tell a different story.

There is a Schrader buried in the forgotten cemetery and several Bertlings. On one end is the grave marker of a Weissinger, and near the center are graves of a few Klaproths. There is a Steinborn laid to rest in the grassy terrain, and a Niemeier and a Foist. Many, many more are there – their names a clue to a group of people whose influence was heavy in the establishment of a Lutheran church, and a people who were representatives of some of the Cape Girardeau area’s pioneer people.

One of the few markers not knocked over by vandals assumes a mystic appearance before a setting sun. The stone marks the grave of Maria C. Schrader, an early settler in the Cape Girardeau area. The wife of Henry Schrader, she died in 1862.Gordon L. McBride ~ Southeast Missourian archive

Today, streets and schools in Cape Girardeau bear the names of some of the pioneers buried in the “abandoned and forgotten” graveyard, in which there are graves dating as far back as 1862. The newest marker is dated 1932. While there is no sign or marker denoting the name of the cemetery, research into files kept by the Missourian on some of the persons buried there reveals that the damaged property is the old Bertling Cemetery, and was formerly a part of the old Bertling Church, which was located near that site. The church was used until 1887, when Hanover Lutheran Church was built.

According to Missourian files, Daniel Bertling, founder of Bertling Church, is buried in the cemetery, along with members of his family, and members of the old church. The stone marking the location of Mr. Bertling’s grave could not be found, since many of the markers are badly weathered, and names cannot be read.

There is, however, a marker bearing the name of Louis Bertling, one of Daniel’s sons. The Weissinger grave is apparently the final resting place of a relative of one of the Bertling Church’s first pastors, the Rev. E. Weissinger.

Research into the pasts of some of the individuals buried in the cemetery reveal the rural, German influence of the region.

Christian Niemeier, for example, was a farmer in the Hanover Lutheran Church neighborhood, and according to reports published in the Missourian in the early 1900s, he was found dead in his barn after leaving the house to feed his stock. The cause of death was listed as “breakage of a blood vessel in the head.”

Another pioneer buried in the cemetery is Heinrich Klaproth, listed in Missourian files under his “Americanized” name, Henry W. Klaproth. He died on Aug. 31, 1907, at the age of “92 years, 10 months and one day.” Mr. Klaproth, the files say, moved to Cape Girardeau from Germany in 1845, and was a faithful member of Hanover Lutheran Church.

While tidbits of information about some of the persons buried in the cemetery can be found with relative ease, some of the work the Scouts are having to undertake in their efforts to restore the cemetery is quite difficult.

“It’s like putting a puzzle together,” Dr. Boorsma relates. Since many markers are shattered, the Scouts are spending quite a bit of time piecing them together.

Restoration steps to be undertaken by the Scouts include setting up headstones knocked over and battered by vandals, as well as clearing out unneeded brush. Gordon L. McBride ~ Southeast Missourian archive

Also, many of the headstones have been broken off their original bases and scattered across the cemetery, so the Scouts are having to match the jagged ends of the stones to their appropriate bases.

The Scouts have reset some headstones as many as three times, and each time their efforts have been rewarded with more vandalism.

Their hopes undaunted, the youngsters plan to continue their project. Dr. Boorsma reports they will plant marigolds and petunias at each grave site this spring, and once the weather is relatively clear and proper equipment can be obtained, the youths will set up some of the larger, heavier stones and monuments that have been knocked over.

Also, the pack plans to clear out weeds and brush piles which might harbor snakes. That way, Dr. Boorsma explains, interested persons from the community who might have a desire to study some of the graves can feel free to do so.

Shortly after this article appeared in the Missourian, the newspaper published a letter to the editor, which explained the absence of Daniel Bertling’s grave marker.

Published Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1975:

Daniel Bertling

Editor, the Missourian:

I would like to commend Dr. Boorsma and his Boy Scout troop on their project of cleaning up the old Bertling cemetery located on the original Daniel Bertling farm, and especially for assembly and repairing the stones shattered by vandals.

There is good reason why Daniel Bertling’s tombstone could not be found. It is known by descendants that he constructed his own grave marker out of wood (he was a carpenter and cabinet maker). Naturally this marker has long since succumbed to the elements.

According to Daniel Bertling’s “Itinerary Book” (issued by the City of Northeim, Kingdom of Hanover, and used by the holder as proof of identity), he was born in Northeim, March 16, 1805. He obtained this official booklet when he was 23 years old. In it his profession is given as “carpenter journeyman” and he is described as a slim, blond, grey-eyed, full-mouthed, healthy-complexioned 5-foot 9-inch man with an oblong face, broad chin and pointed nose. His signature followed.

Daniel held on to his “Book” until the day he died. After coming to Cape Girardeau (1835) he would use the blank pages in the back to record his family’s names and dates.

From this personal record we learn that on Dec. 9, 1835, he married Johanna Probst, that they lived together “15 years and 17 days in satisfying happiness,” and that she bore him seven children. According to family lore, the couple first met on Broadway hill the day he got off the boat from New Orleans. She was in a wagon with her folks when her hat blew off and Daniel retrieved it for her.

In February 1850, Johanna died after giving birth to twin sons. Daniel duly records their births and her death. On the last page the final entry reads: “Johan Heinrich Daniel Bertling next married Hedwig Hilleman on 16 June 1850.

Thus ended Daniel’s recording in the little booklet, but Daniel was far from ended. He outlived Hedwig and two more wives before passing on in 1876.

Edgar P. Bock

625 Perry

Great-grandson

In the fall of 1984, in an effort to further preserve Bertling Cemetery and prevent more vandalism to its tombstones, a chain link fence was erected around the burial yard. Leading the effort was the late Elroy Kinder.

Published Friday, Sept. 21, 1984, in the Southeast Missourian:

Bertling Gottesaker: Records uncover history

By MARY L. SPELL

Family Living Editor

A lot of people are working to insure the dignity of persons buried at Hanover Cemetery or Bertling Gottesaker, as it once was known.

It is being shown through research that a great many German Lutheran settlers are buried in the cemetery which is located at the corner of Melrose and Delwin, northwest of Alma Schrader School. The area around the cemetery has been developed and is still being developed heavily, causing many persons directly related to the cemetery to take action.

Elroy Kinder, chairman of the History Committee at Hanover Lutheran Church, said this week that a chain link fence is planned for the cemetery area to slow down foot traffic through it. Access gates will also be installed so that mowers can care for the grounds.

A work day on Sept. 29 is planned to clean the fence row and get the area prepared before the fence is put up. Also, Kinder said, several of the stones that have been damaged will be looked at to see if repair is possible. Volunteers and the Aid Association of Lutherans, which has donated a $250 grant to the fence project will be on hand to work.

“It is unlikely that many of the stones can be repaired,” Kinder said. However, efforts are being made by some families to attempt it. The chairman cited vandalism as the cause of much of the tombstone marker problems. “We think most of it is by kids playing in the cemetery,” Kinder said. “We know they are just playing, but the cemetery is no place for them to play.”

Research done recently by the History Committee, with much help on interpretation of German by Neysa Ashelimann, has shown that the cemetery was established shortly after the organization of the Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1846.

The church building was located on land deeded to the congregation by Daniel Bertling. Named “Hanover” after the German kingdom from which many had immigrated, the church also was referred to as the “Bertling Church” (to differentiate it from a second Hanover Church built in 1887 — Sharon). The original organization papers, confirmation certificates and records refer to the congregation as “Hannover Evangelical Lutheran Church”.

A cemetery was established immediately west of the church building, and the first recorded burial was Daniel Bertling’s first wife, Johanne Wilhelmina Bertling, Geb. Probst (geboren — or born — Probst — Sharon), born in Sudheim, Kingdom of Hannover, Germany, Jan. 3, 1809, and died 1 a.m., Feb. 21, 1850, with burial in the “New Church Cemetery”.

The church books record burials as being in Gottesaker – The Church Cemetery, city cemetery, family cemetery or on the farm. Gottesaker is “God’s Acre” in German.

Burials apparently began in the north end of the cemetery and continued toward the south, probably in as many as 10 rows. The newer stones are toward the southeast corner. The last recorded burial is that of Mrs. Henry (Christina) Haase, (who died June 2) 1939.

During the time the committee researched the cemetery, it became evident that the German ancestors lived a hard life and were subject to many diseases that now are of little or no threat. Many times, three or four children and their parents died within a few days of each other, from the same disease.

Kinder and other embers on the committee have discovered around 225 burials in the cemetery, but only about 40 stones are left that are readable. Several family names found to be buried in the cemetery include: Ahrens, Bertling, Bethe, Bode, Brinkopf, Doll, Dosselmann, Emma, Engelkirchen, Engemann, Fassold, Foeste, Frank, Fredrick’s, Hartmann, Haas, Heise, Hilleman, Houseman, Job, Kastian, Kelpe, Klaproth, Kochig, Koerber, Konig, Krueger, Kurre, Langemann, Lorberg, Lowes, Lohman, Manter, Margraf, Mavers, Meier, Meyer, Moeder, Nabe, Niemeier, Osssenkop, Phillips, Ray, Riemann, Reinecke, Sachs, Scheerer, Schneider, Schrader, Seife, Siemers, Sperling, Steinborn, Umbeck, Wedekind, Wessinger, Weiss, Wolbers, Wolter and Zickfeldt.

The German heritage, strong in this area, is being revealed more each day as records are delved into, and memorabilia found. The committee also has been informed that the Hanover Lutheran Church site survey to put the church on the National Register of Historic Places has been accepted. They are now working to get the paperwork and pictures ready to submit for the final acceptance, Kinder said.

Sharon Sanders is the librarian at the Southeast Missourian.