Michael K. Goetz Obituary 1901
St. Joseph Gazette, St. Joseph, Missouri, August 18, 1901. [8]
1844 Wilhelmine Caroline Klink, daughter of Christian Klink, citizen and farrmer, and Anna Margaretha born Fredel, was born on May 9 in Leutenbach and baptized on May 10. The sponsors were Jakob Pfleiderer from Hertmannsweiler and his wife Anna Maria born Fredel. [1]
"At St. Joseph the late Mr. [Michael Karl] Goetz married Caroline Wilhelmina Klink. She was born in Leutenbach, Wuertemberg, in March, 1844. Christian Klink, her father, also a native of Wuertemberg, in 1853 brought his family to America, coming by sail vessel and, after a voyage lasting several weeks, landing at New Orleans. Thence they came up the river to St. Joseph. At that time, St. Joseph was without railroad communication, and comparatively speaking the country was still in a state of wilderness. Christian Klink bought a tract of land in Township 56, range 35, situated about ten miles south of the St. Joseph courthouse. The only improvements on the land when he bought it were a log house and a few acres of cleared ground. He established his family in that home, bent his efforts towards increasing the area of plowed fields, and remained one of the substantial and practical farmers of Buchanan county until his death. There were eleven children in the Klink family. Mrs. Goetz, who was nine years old when she came to America, had a good memory for scenes and events in the old country home, and also recalled many incidents concerning the struggles and hardships of the early settlers in Buchanan County. She died about six months after her husband, in March, 1902." [2]
1864 Michael Goetz and Carolina Klink were married on September 15. [3]
This is to certify that the undersigned witnesses to the marriage of Michael Goetz with Carolina Klink on the 15th day of September 1864 and solemnized by Rev'd J. G. Koch their Resident Pastor of the Evangelical Church in St. Joseph Missouri have been present as said ceremony and have witnessed the same and did hereby upon oath stated and declared the same to be true and correct.
Witness Christian Müller, William Ridenbaugh, sworn to and subscribed before me the 3d day of February 1870
F. H. Stuppy, Notary Public
Filed February 11th 1870
1880 On June 7, the Goetz family lived in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. Michael (age 47, born in Prussia with both parents born in Prussia) was a brewery man, his wife Caroline (age 36, born in Wurttemberg with both parents born in Wurttemberg) was keeping house. Their six children, the older 4 at school and all born in Missouri, were daughter Emma (age 14), son William (age 12), son Frank (age 10), son Albert (age 7), son Henry (age 4), and daughter Annie (age 1). [4]
1900 On June 4, Michael Goetz (age 67, born Jan 1833 in Germany of parents born in Germany), proprietor of a brewery, and wife Caroline (age 56, born May 1844 in Germany of parents born in Germany) lived in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, at 628 Albemarle Street. Both came to the U.S. in 1854 and Michael had been naturalized. They had been married 36 years. Caroline had had 6 children and all were living. In their household, all born in Missouri, were sons Albert R. (age 28, born Nov 1871) and Henry E. (age 24, born June 1875) and daughter Anna (age 21, July 1878). Albert was a secretary in a brewing company and Henry was a bookkeeper. Also living with them was brother-in-law George W. Schaffer (age 58, born Mar 1842 in Germany of parents born in Germany). George was a merchant and immigrated in 1854. Also in the household were three servants (cook, chambermaid, and coachman), and six lodgers. [5]
"The M.K. Goetz Brewery, located on the historic circus grounds of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at the northeast corner of 17th and Indiana, is pictured on an early Kansas City postcard. It was published about 1936 when the building was completed. The caption on the back of the promotional card adds: "America's most modern brewers. New from the ground up." Michael Karl Goetz was a German immigrant who stopped in St. Joseph, Mo., on the way to the California gold fields and decided to stay. He established his own brewery in a small frame building after working a few months for another brewer. When he died in 1901 his four sons carried on. The company, organized in 1859, was 101 years under the management of the Goetz family. The company started making plans for its Kansas City plant immediately after prohibition. Cost of the building (pictured) was $750,000. At its peak the brewery, specializing in draught beer, turned out 150,000 barrels annually. As the demand for bottled, canned and packaged beer products increased, Goetz shifted its operations here in the 1960s. Goetz merged with the Pearl Brewing Company of San Antonio, Tex., in the 1960s. Today the old Goetz building, as pictured, is gone. The site is now used as a parking facility for the Catalogue Distribution Center of Sears Roebuck & Company." [6]
1901 Michael Karl Goetz died on August 11 and was buried at Ashland Cemetery, Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. [7]
1902 Caroline W Goetz died on March 21 and was buried at Ashland Cemetery, Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. [9]
[1] Evangelische Kirche Leutenbach (OA. Waiblingen), Württemberg, Germany, Taufen 1840-1901 Heiraten 1840-1894 Tote 1840-1874, FHL film 1184505, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord], [FHLCatalog].
[2] Walter Williams, Editor, History of Northwest Missouri, Vol. 2 (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1915), 753, of 753-755, [GoogleBooks].
[3] Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] United States Federal Census, 1880, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[5] United States Federal Census, 1900, George was the widower of Caroline's sister Friederike Paulina Klink, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[6] Newspaper, Kansas City Times, August 3, 1984 [http://www.kclibrary.org/localhistory/media.cfm?mediaID=35600].
[7] Find A Grave Memorial 95462870, [FindAGrave].
[8] St Joseph Gazette, St Joseph, Missouri, August 18, 1901, page 13, [NewspapersClip].
[9] Find A Grave Memorial 95462902, [FindAGrave].