Family members and others have been very generous in sharing information for which I am very grateful. These documents and other resources formed the basis of my family research and are acknowledged throughout the book. Many thanks to all who contributed especially:
William and Martha Kirmse – My Grandparents
Over the years as I was younger and particularly when I stayed with my Kirmse grandparents during the week for two years while I was in high school, my grandparents told me stories about themselves, their parents and other relatives. I did take notes at the time. Now well over a half century later, I wish I had taken more detailed notes and asked many more questions for which I am now seeking answers.
The “Three Cousins”
During the 1970-1990 time period Norma (Kirmse) Rauh teamed up with Julius Henry Kirmse (Norma’s brother) and their first cousin Helen Marie (Kirmse) Hacker to collect and document family history information.
Norma Marha (Kirmse) Rauh
Norma (Kirmse) Rauh analized and cataloged the information the “Three Cousins” gathered. In 2003 I visited Alva, Oklahoma and scanned the extensive files that Aunt Norma had collected. Katherine (Rauh) Earnest, Norma’s daughter, had the files in her possession at that time.
Helen Marie (Kirmse) Hacker
Helen (Kirmse) Hacker owns and lives on the Julius Kirmse homestead in Farrar, Missouri. In the fall of 2003, I visited Helen in Farrar, Missouri on my Great Grandfather Julius Kirmse’s family farm. And, while there also gathered documents and pictures from the Perry County Historical Society. And, over the following years, Helen has shared many additional documents and photographs.
Julius Henry Kirmse
My father and stepmother independently researched family histories. They also visited relatives in Missouri to collect information.
Fred Eggers
About 20 years ago, Fred Eggers contacted me for information on my great-grandfather Julius Kirmse for the then upcoming 150 year celebration of the founding of Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar, Missouri which my great-grandfather was one of the founding members. Since then I have communicated with Fred on many history questions about Perry County, Missouri. He is a mentor at the Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum in Altenburg, Missouri and has looked up and transmitted historical documents and provided very useful family information.
