Lefman, William Charles

Notes:

Buried:
William was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri.

William married Branch, Ann 30 Aug 1930. Ann died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Heinrich married Nolte, Caroline Mary. Caroline (daughter of Nolte, Franz Friedrich Wilhelm and Feldmann, Sophie Marie) was born 29 Apr 1877; died 13 Jun 1935. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 28 Apr 1878, Mayview, Lafayette County, Missouri, USA

Notes:

Birth:
The baptismal record in the archives of Zion Church at Mayview, Missouri identifies her as Caroline Mary Nolte, but it appears that she was more widely known as Pauline, Polly, or Lena. The baptism record states that she was born on 29 April 1877, but the date of 20 April has also been used by some researchers.

Baptism:
Caroline's baptismal record is in the archives of Zion Church. It appears that Frau Heinrich Rabius was the witness. It is possible this was Friederieke (Nolte) Rabius, Caroline's aunt.

Other Events:

• Baptism: 11 Sep 1836, Barver, Diepholz, Kingdom of Hannover
• Immigration: Abt 1867–1868, USA
• Naturalization: 4 Dec 1888, Lafayette County, Missouri, USA

Notes:

Birth:
According to the baptism record in the church archives, he was born at 7 o'clock in the morning.

Baptism:
The sponsors at the baptism were Franz Heinrich Diekmann, Friedrich Heinrich Bulker, and Louise Caroline Nolte. It is possible that Franz Heinrich Diekmann was the child's maternal grandfather. One might speculate that Louise Caroline Nolte was his paternal grandmother.

Immigration:

     According to Nolte family tradition, Wilhelm emigrated to the USA from England about 1867 or 1868 as part of an extended family group, which included his wife, Maria; and their two oldest children, Heinrich Frederick and Friedericke; also, Wilhelm's father, Frederick Nolte; and his brother, Carl.
     Accompanying the Nolte family was Wilhelm's married sister, Dorothea Friederike Henriette (Nolte) Rabius, her husband, Heinrich Rabius, and her brother in law, Herman Rabius.
     It would appear that Heinrich and Friederieke (Nolte) Rabius stopped at Louisville, Kentucky in May 1868 for the birth of their son (and only child), Gustav H. Rabius. By 1869 the family had arrived in Lafayette County, Missouri.
     It is not known whether all of this extended family stopped in Louisville, or if some members traveled directly to Missouri and arrived before 1869.


Buried:
Wilhelm's grave may be found in the Zion Church Cemetery.

Died:


     The following is a transcription of an English language obituary kindly provided by Thomas Lee Scribner. This item was probably published in a Lafayette County, Missouri newspaper:

          Wm. Nolte Passes Away.
     Wm. Nolte, an old resident of this place, passed away at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, January 1, 1914, at the age of 77 years, three months and 29 days. He was born in Barver, in the Kingdom of Hannover, Germany, September 3, 1836 and came to America in 1870 and settled in this community in February 1871.
     He was married to Maria Feldmann May 3, 1865. Of this union were born nine children, of whom six are left to mourn the departure of parents. He also had 23 grandchildren. The sons are Fred and Otto of this place, and Lewis of Blackburn. The daughters are Mrs. F, W. Rechterman, Mrs. Henry Leffman and Miss Rose Nolte, all of this place. Those gone on before are Charlie, August and Mrs. T, R. Brock. His lifes companion died June 28, 1901.
     He was a good man, attending strictly to his own affairs, and every one spoke well of him. He had been a member of the Evangelical Church for 63 years, and served as Deacon of the Mayview Church four different terms of three years each, 12 years in all. Also Superintendent of the sunday School for some years.
     He bore his last illness patiently and only waited the call of his Lord and Master to come on and join the loved ones gone on before. The funeral was conducted Saturday morning, January 3rd, by Rev. Mr. Rieger of Higginsville, in German, assisted by Rev. T. L. Powell in English. It was one of the largest funerals ever held here, the Church could not hold all of those present. The German Choir sang some beautiful hymns and a Quartet, consisting of Mrs. C. W. Kincheloe, Miss Kate Bullard, E. S. Butt and B. B. Cassell, and Miss Lydia Belle Butt as organist also rendered some beautiful anthems. The body was buried in the Evangelical Cemetery east of Mayview.

     The following is a transcription of an German language obituary kindly provided by Thomas Lee Scribner. This item was probably published in a Lafayette County, Missouri newspaper:

          Wilhelm Nolte
     Am Neujahrstage ist Herr Wm. Nolte, einer der angesehensten und besten Bürger der Mayview Umgegend, vom Tod abgerufen worden. Er hatte die Verwandten in der Blackburn Gegend besucht, und da sich das Befinden des wackeren Mannes, das schon länger hatte zu wünschen übrig lassen, verschlimmerte, begab er sich nach Hause, eine Meile westlich von Mayview. Die Kräfte des Patienten schwanden rasch, und am Neujahrstage, eine halbe Stunde nach der Mittagszeit, schloß er die Augen zum letzten Schlummer. Das Leichenbegängniß [sic], an dem sich Verwandte, Freunde und Bekannte zahlreich betheiligten, fand am Samstag Nachmittag [sic] um halb elf Uhr vom Sterbehause aus statt. Der Trauergottesdienst wurde kurz nach elf Uhr in der evang. Zionskirche in Mayview abgehalten. Pastor Rieger von Higginsville hielt eine trostreiche Leichenpredigt über die Worte des 102. Psalms, 12 and 13. Ihm folgte Rev. Powell, Prediger der Baptistenkeriche [sic] in Mayview, welcher dem berstorbenen einen warmen Nachruf widmete. Der Gesang des Chors der Zionsgeeminde [sic] machte die Trauerfeier zu einer besonders eindrucksvollen. Auf dem Zions-Gottesacker fand der müde Erdenpilger die letzte Schlummerstätte. Möge er ruhen in Frieden.
     Wilhelm Nolte war geboren in Barver, Hannover, am 3. September 1836, erreichte also ein Alter von 77 Jahren, 3 Monaten und 29 Tagen. Um 3. Mai 1865 schloß er den Bund der Ehe mit Maria Feldman, welche am 28. Juni 1901 duch den Tod von der Seite des Lebensgefährten genommen wurde. Im September 1870 kam die Familie nach Amerika, nud [sic] in Februar 1871 ließ sie sich bei Mayview nieder. Die glückliche Ehe war mit neun Kindern gesegnet, von denen drei dem Vater in die Ewigkeit vorausgegangen sind, nämlich Frau T. R. Brock, Charles und August Nolte. Die überlebenden Kinder sind: Friedrich, Otto, Louis (zu Blackburn), Frau Wm. Rechtermann, Frau Heinrich Lefmann und Frl. Rosa Nolte. Ferner hinterläßt der Heimgegangene 23 Enkel, eine Schwester (in Deutschland,) [sic] sowie andere Verwandte, wie auch ein großer Kreis von Freunden dem verstorbenen deutschen Biedermann ein ehrendes Gedächtniß bewahrt. Seit seiner Kindheit war Herr Nolte Glied der evang. Kirche. Wie geachtet er gewesen und wie hoch seine Dienste geschätzt wurden, zeigt die Thatsache, daß er viermal mit einem dreijährigen Termin als Vorsteher der Zions-Gemeinde betraut wurde und Jahre lang Superintendent der Sonntagsschule war. Ehre seinem Andenken!
     Die trauernden Hinterbliebenen versichern wir unserer aufrichtigen Theilnahme.

     An English translation of the above obituary:

          Wilhelm Nolte
     On New Year's Day, Mr. Wm. Nolte, one of the most notable and best of citizens in the Mayview area, was called to his death. He had visited relatives in the Blackburn area and because of the deteriorating health of this brave man, which had for some time been less than desirable, he betook himself to his home, a mile west of Mayview. The vigor of the patient waned rapidly and on New Year's Day , a half hour after midday, he closed his eyes for his last slumber. The burial, attended by countless relatives, friends and acquaintances, took place on Saturday afternoon [sic] at 10:30 , starting from the deceased's home. The memorial service was held shortly after 11:00 in Zion Evangelical Church in Mayview. Pastor Rieger of Higginsville gave a fully consoling funeral sermon on the words of Psalm 102: 12-13. He was followed by Rev. Powell, preacher of the Baptist church in Mayview, who gave the deceased a warm eulogy. The singing of the Zion Church choir lent an impressive air to the funeral. The weary pilgrim of this earth found his final resting place in Zion's cemetery. May he rest in peace.
     Wilhelm Nolte was born in Barver, Hannover, on the 3rd of September 1836, reaching an age of 77 years, 3 months and 29 days. On the 3rd of May 1865, he contracted a covenant of marriage with Maria Feldman, who death stole away on the 28th of June 1901. The family came to America in September 1870 and in February 1871 took up residence in Mayview. The lucky marriage was blessed with nine children, three of whom preceded their father in Eternity, namely Mrs. T. R. Brock, Charles and August Nolte. The surviving children are: Friedrich, Otto, Louis (of Blackburn), Mrs. Wm. Rechtermann, Mrs. Heinrich Lefmann and Miss. Rosa Nolte. In addition, the deceased left behind 23 grandchildren, a sister (in Germany), as well as other relatives and a large circle of friends who preserve the memory of this honest German man with honor. Mr. Nolte was a member of the evangelical church from his childhood. How respected he was and how highly his service was treasured is demonstrated by the fact that four times he was entrusted with a three year term as head deacon of Zion Church and had served for years as Superintendent of the Sunday School. Praise be his memory!
     We extend our sincere sympathies to the grieving survivors.

Franz married Feldmann, Sophie Marie 3 Apr 1866, Drebber, Diepholz, Kingdom of Hannover. Sophie was born 5 May 1841, Dörrieloh, Diepholz, Kingdom of Hannover; died 28 Jun 1901; was buried , Mayview, Lafayette County, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Immigration: Abt 1867–1868, USA

Notes:

Birth:
The exact date of Maria's birth has not yet been resolved. It has been suggested that she was born in 1838, 1841, or 1842. This matter requires further research.

Immigration:

     According to Nolte family tradition, Maria emigrated to the USA from England about 1867 or 1868 as part of an extended family group, which included her husband, Wilhelm, and their two oldest children, Heinrich Frederick and Friedericke; also, her father-in-law, Frederick Nolte; and her brother-in-law, Carl.
     Accompanying the Nolte family was Maria's married sister-in-law, Dorothea Friederike Henriette (Nolte) Rabius, her husband, Heinrich Rabius, and Heinrich's brother, Herman Rabius.
     It would appear that Heinrich and Friederieke (Nolte) Rabius stopped at Louisville, Kentucky in May 1868 for the birth of their son (and only child), Gustav H. Rabius. By 1869 the family had arrived in Lafayette County, Missouri.
     It is not known whether all of this extended family stopped in Louisville, or if some members traveled directly to Missouri and arrived before 1869.


Buried:
Maria is buried in the Zion Church Cemetery in Mayview, Missouri.

Notes:

Married:
According to church records, they were married in Jacobidrebber, the parish of St. Jacobi Church in Drebber.

Other Events:

• Immigration: Abt 1867–1868, USA

Notes:

Birth:

     A history of Lafayette County Missouri published in 1910 stated: "Gustave H. Rabius was born in Louisville, Kentucky, May 31, 1868, the son of Henry and Frederica Rabius [i.e., Heinrich Rabius (1838-1904) and Friederieke Nolte (1842-1905)], who came to the United States from England in 1867, but were natives of Germany. One of his mother's grandfather's was a colonel in the English army, the other a surgeon in the same army, and both served in the French and English wars. His mother's maiden name was Nolte, derived from the Hessian nobility. His father [i.e., Heinrich Rabius] was a shoemaker and saddler as a young man, later a sugar refiner in England, but in Missouri a farmer. His parents came to Lexington, Missouri, in 1869, coming by boat."
     Family researchers have not yet been able to confirm that Frederick Nolte was born in England, or to explain why his birth might have taken place there instead of in Hannover, where the family seems to have its roots. Indeed, research from Germany indicates that Friedrich was from Barver, in the Kingdom of Hannover, and that his daughter, Dorothea Friederike Henriette Nolte, was born there in 1842.
     It is not clear why the author of the 1910 biographical sketch wrote that the Nolte surname "derived from the Hessian nobility."
     It is suspected that Frederick's father may have served in the Hanoverian army and that, because of the connection between the royal houses of Hannover and England, he was at one time stationed in England for military service. This fanciful explanation has not yet been tested by any research.


Immigration:

     According to Nolte family tradition, Frederick emigrated to the USA from England about 1867 or 1868 as part of an extended family group, which included his son, Carl; and the family of his son, Wilhelm (Wilhelm; wife, Maria; and the two oldest children, Heinrich Frederick and Friedericke).
     Accompanying the Nolte family was Frederick's married daughter, Dorothea Friederike Henriette (Nolte) Rabius, her husband, Heinrich Rabius, and her brother in law, Herman Rabius.
     It would appear that Heinrich and Friederieke (Nolte) Rabius stopped at Louisville, Kentucky in May 1868 for the birth of their son (and only child), Gustav H. Rabius. By 1869 the family had arrived in Lafayette County, Missouri.
     It is not known whether all of this extended family stopped in Louisville, or if some members traveled directly to Missouri and arrived before 1869.


Buried:
Frederick was buried in the Zion Church Cemetery.

Friedrich married Diekmann, Anna Margarete 2 Nov 1832, Barver, Diepholz, Kingdom of Hannover. Anna (daughter of Diekmann, Franz Heinrich and Schröder, Anne Mette Hedwig) was born 22 Apr 1805, Barver, Diepholz, Kingdom of Hannover; died 10 Jul 1869, Barver, Province of Hannover, Kingdom of Prussia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Married:
Details of the marriage are not known at this time.