Local History: The Regenhardts: Men of stature

They were builders. William, the elder, was a stonemason, coming to the United States from Germany by way of New Orleans, March 20, 1849. At the young age of 20, he settled up the river in Cape Girardeau.

William was betrothed to Johanna Mohnkopf on Sept. 1, 1853, in Cape Girardeau. They were blessed with 10 children: William, August (died at 1 year), Anna (died at 3 years), Mina (died at 2 years), Earnest Wilhelm, Emil (died an infant), Christian Frederich, Henry, Edward F. and Johanna Emma. Following Johanna’s death in 1876, he married Louise Meier on April 20, 1879. They were members of Hanover Lutheran Church. During the Civil War, William was active in the local Company C Home Guard and the Missouri Militia Company B.

The Cape Girardeau Democrat in 1891 gives many of William Regenhardt’s accomplishments. Besides being elected to the board of the Cape Girardeau and State Line Railroad Co. (1870), William was a member of the City Council from 1876-92, when he served on the ways and means, streets and wharves committees. In 1892 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

William’s construction company provided the stone foundations of prominent Cape Girardeau buildings, including the David Glenn building, Lincoln School, First National Bank’s vault, Hirsch, the post office buildings and many fine homes. He was responsible for the Common Pleas Courthouse steps and many granitoid sidewalks, including the longest in front of the Sturdivant Bank building. (Source: Regenhardt Family Papers.)

The elder Regenhardts had many friends. It was reported Feb. 21, 1892, that he was presented a gold-headed cane by friends on his 64th birthday.

Just following his sitting on the board of the Cape Brewery and Ice Co., William became ill and died in April 1903.

The Weekly Democrat stated: “A life crowned in good deeds comes to end.”

Son of William and Johanna, Edward Franz was born in Cape Girardeau in 1867. He was educated in the public schools here and the Normal School. He moved to St. Louis and learned the trade of bricklaying before moving back to Cape Girardeau and marrying Alvina Theuerkauf, daughter of baker William Theuerkauf. Their children were Norma, William McKinley, Bertha, Theodore Roosevelt and Edward William Taft Regenhardt.

Edward F. and Charles Bode formed a partnership with offices on Main Street. In 1901 Regenhardt started quarry operations on 5 acres west of the Normal School campus. Large blocks of marble were shipped to Mephan & Kleine Co. in St. Louis.

On April 7, 1902, the Third District Normal School tragically caught fire about midnight. With the morning sunlight, members of the Board of Regents tramped through the ashes assessing the demise of the gothic building. Classes were dispersed to the courthouse, Lutheran school and Baptist and Methodist churches. Insurance was sought and bids taken for a new building.

The Cape Girardeau construction company, under the name Regenhardt & Maule which submitted the bid of $174.840, was chosen. Marble from the Regenhardt quarry was used for the new building.

After 11 1/2 months of construction, the new college was opened for public viewing. It was Edward Regenhardt’s grandest construction.

As was his father, Edward was a loyal Republican who was a leader at many conventions throughout this area of the state. During the early 1900s, he became a close personal friend of William Howard Taft, calling him “Bill”. Regenhardt — similar in size to Taft, at 6 feet, 7 inches, and 312 pounds — was a delegate to the Republican Convention in 1908 when Taft was chosen for president.

Taft appointed Ed Regenhardt a United States Marshall for the Eastern District of Missouri headquartered in St. Louis. It was during this time Regenhardt, accompanied by one of the Southeast Missourian publishers, made a trip to Washington, D.C., to visit President Taft. They were immediately escorted into Taft’s office for many conversations, including Regenhardt’s plea for Taft to visit Cape Girardeau on his Mississippi River trip. Taft and his flotilla obliged in his visit of 1909.

Regenhardt and sons, William and Ted, incorporated Regenhardt Construction Co. in 1923.

After a very successful career, the master builder died at his home in Cape Girardeau at 59 years old. President Taft had described the giant of a man as “The Lighthouse on the Mississippi.” “Big Ed” had suffered a stroke while supervising a stretch of pavement for Highway 9 northwest of Cape Girardeau. His sons, William, Theo and Edward, were associated with their father in the road contracting business.

His body was at Brinkopf Funeral Home on Broadway, with services at the family home at 514 Themis.

Beverly Hahs is a native of Cape Girardeau County, a freelance writer and graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in English and library science.