William Spies (1825-1894)

Chart | Passenger | Marriage | Naturalization | Civil_War | Death| Census

Immigrant. Earliest person of this line.
I have no information about his ancestors, other than a name for his father.

√ Son of Otto Spies
√ Husband of Anna Elisabeth Webers

Facts (with source information): Narrative Report

What's so great about these records?
Here’s a romantic story. Look at the passenger record, in which Wilhelm Spies is shown just above Elisabeth Webers. They landed at New Orleans, then made their way, possibly by steamboat, up the Mississippi to St. Louis. They were married there just days after their arrival. Did they elope together? Did they meet on the voyage across the Atlantic?

Chart:

1854 Passenger Record

November 22, 1854, the ship Ibers arrives at New Orleans.
half way down the lower section

Wilhelm Spies and Elisabeth Webers are numbers 107 and 108.

1854 Marriage

St. Mary of Victories, St. Louis, Missouri
lower right side.

How’s your Latin? Just remember the form of a Catholic marriage record: Date, Groom’s name, Names of Groom’s parents. Then the word “et,” which means “and.” Bride’s name, Names of Bride’s parents. Names of the priest and of the witnesses are below the paragraph.

Here’s my transcription and translation of this record. 1854 marriage record


1854 Civil Marriage Record

St. Louis, Missouri
lower right side, second last entry

This record has a pretty bad error, but fortunately we have the church record too. This was copied by a clerk from the church record (or dictated to a clerk by the priest). It says that the bride’s name was Elisabeth Lipker. If you look at the church record and translate it, you will see that Elizabeth Lipker was the bride’s mother.

1860 Naturalization

This is from the Missouri State Archive. It says that William Spies filed naturalization papers, and it says which court has the record. We should send for a copy of the file.
1860 Naturalization

1862 Civil War

Also from the Missouri State Archive is this little record. It says William Spies served briefly during the Civil War.
1862 Civil War Service

1894 Burial

Sacred Heart, Florissant, Missouri
right side, number 3

The record is in Latin. It says that Gulielmo (William) Spies, husband of Elizabeth Spies, was buried February 23, 1894 (die vicesimus tertius). It says he had received the last sacraments on February 19th.

Census Records:

1860 Census

lines 27-29

His name is William Peace, and lives in St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis County.

1870 Census

lines 2-7

His name is William Spies, still lives in St. Ferdinand Township. Now has four children.

1880 Census

lines 3-8

His name is William Speis. Three of his children and one grandchild are in the household. He is still living in St. Ferdinand.