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Communicant records of Salem Lutheran Church at Farrar, Missori provide a time frame for when Martha Cordes was in St. Louis and William Kirmse, was in Oklahoma.

The above image is the heading for the communion participation record of Salem Lutheran Church, Farrar, Missouri. Just above the row listing the Sundays there are the dates 1903, 1904, 1905 which start the next month (January) after Advent Sunday[1]. Communion was typically served once a month. Below are the participation records for the Cordes and Kirmse families.

Widow Margaretha (Meier) Cordes Family Attendance Record

From this it is estimated that Martha was in St. Louis for about 6 months beginning about January 1903. She was in St. Louis as a housekeeper to help her aunt Anna (Meier) Schroeder who was ill. Martha left for Oklahoma in March, 1904 – just after her marriage to Wilhelm Kirmse.

Julius and Barbara (Kraus) Kirmse Family Attendance Record

From this attendance record, Wilhelm Kirmse was in Oklahoma about a year beginning in 1902. And,  Wilhelm left again for Oklahoma in March, 1904 – just after his marriage to Martha Cordes. According to his autobiography, Wilhelm had also previously visited Oklahoma in 1901 (See Appendix: Wilhelm “William” Kirmse – Autobiography).

Who

The following people are mentioned in the records displayed above:

• Wittn. Marg. Cordes, is widow Margaretha (Meier) Cordes.
• Martha Cordes is daughter of Henry and Margaretha (Meier) Cordes.
• Maria Cordes is daughter of Henry and Margaretha (Meier) Cordes.
• Julius Kirmse, is Julius Kirmse
• Barbara Kirmse, is Barbara (Kraus) Kirmse
• Karl Kirmse, is Karl “Charles” Kirmse, son of Julius and Barbara Kirmse
• Joseph Kirmse,  is Joseph “Joe” Kirmse, son of Julius and Barbara Kirmse
• Wilhelm Kirmse is Wilhelm “William” Kirmse, son of Julius and Barbara Kirmse
• Louis Kirmse is son of Julius and Barbara Kirmse
• Katharina Kirmse is daughter of Julius and Barbara Kirmse

Notes

1. Advent Sunday is, for the Western Christian churches, the first day of the liturgical year and the start of the season of Advent. – 4 weeks before Christmas.
2. Photographed from Salem Lutheran Church, Farrar, Missouri Records – October 2003.