Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Bookkeeper / Storekeeper

Joseph married Weir, Myrtle Lee on 21 Jun 1899 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. Myrtle was born on 23 Aug 1880 in Millersburg, Callaway, Missouri, USA; died on 14 Mar 1967 in Missouri, USA; was buried after 14 Mar 1967 in Higginsville City Cemetery, Higginsville, Lafayette, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Boonville Weekly Advertiser, 11 November 1881

George Stillwell Shot Accidentally by Joe Back and Dies From the Wounds the day Following. The Accident the Result of the Careless Handling of Fire Arms.

Last Saturday a painful accident occurred to Mr. George Stillwell of this place which resulted in his death the day following. Mr. Stillwell will probably be better known to many as the proprietor of the Southern Hotel, opposite the Mo. P. Depot at this place. The facts are briefly as follows: On Saturday morning, before day, George Stillwell and Joe Back, his brother-in-law, went down to the mouth of the Bonne Femme River hunting ducks. At the Bonne Femme they were slipping up on some ducks, Stillwell being at the oars and Back with his loaded gun was sitting right behind him. The careless part of the affair is in the fact that Back was carrying his gun with both locks cocked. While carrying his gun in this dangerous condition the cap dropped off of one tube; he stopped and got the cap and replaced it, and the supposing he was pulling the trigger of the hammer he held with his thumb, pulled the other, discharging the contents, a load of duck shot, in the left shoulder of his brother-in-law, Stillwell, just in the deltoid muscle, tearing away the point of the shoulder and lodging the load in the upper part of the left breast and lung. This happened about four miles below this city and on the Howard county side. Back then left Stillwell and went for Mr. Long, on Charley Canoles place, in Howard, and Mr. Long and himself brought him to town in a wagon. As soon as they reached town medical aid was procured and amputation decided upon, but Drs. Holman, Cooper, Howard and Hurt on visiting him for that purpose, discovered that reaction had not taken place and found it unnecessary. He lingered through Saturday and Saturday night and died Sunday morning at 5 o'clock. No Coroners inquest was held, the victim repeating time and again that it was an accident and his brother-in-law was not to blame for it, and the family and friends were also perfectly satisfied of the truth of it. Joe Back, of course, is very distressed and has been sadly taught the lesson of being careful with fire arms and we hope the other hunters who read this sad result of carrying a gun with both locks cocked, will take warning and profit by his experience. Mr. Stillwell was buried Monday afternoon.

--
Bill Scroggin
Reply to: itcscrog@aol.com

George married Back, Louise Barbara Antonia on 13 Feb 1876 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. Louise (daughter of Back, Johann Anton Peter and Geuer, Catherine Wilhelmina Sophie) was born on 1 Mar 1859 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; died on 20 Jan 1939 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; was buried in Jan 1939 in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Housewife
• Baptism: 27 Mar 1859, Boonville German Evangelical Church, Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA

Notes:

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Potter and Mr. and Mrs. Dom Barnert Wed 50 years

Sisters Were Married Sept. 6, 1882, and Will Observe Anniversary Sunday, With Most of Children and Grandchildren Planning To Attend

Mr. and Mrs. John Potter and Mr. and Mrs. Dom Barnert will observe their golden wedding anniversary in a joint celebration Sunday, September 4, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Barnert, 1122 Third Street. The actual date is Tuesday, September 6, but Sunday provides an opportunity for more of the relatives to come together and make the occasion one long to be remembered. Mrs. Barnert and Mrs. Potter are sisters. More than 125 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, together with close friends of the families, are expected to come together.
Mr. and Mrs. Barnert were married at 9 o'clock in the morning at the SS. Peters and Pauls Catholic church by Father Hoffman on September 6, 1882. Both of Mrs. Barnert's bridesmaids are dead but the best man, Joseph Back, now of Billings, Oklahoma, will be present at the celebration Sunday. All of their children with the exception of one, Jerome Barnert, of the state of Washington will be present.
The children attending are: Mrs. J. Brustman of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Barnert and family of Boonville, Mrs. Jerome Barnert of Washington, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Barnert of St Louis, Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Barnert of Indian Springs, Indiana; and Mr. and Mrs. Howard McGuire. Mr. and Mrs. Barnert have four children.
Mr. and Mrs. Potter were married at 8 o'clock in the evening on September 6, 1882, at the Southern Hotel, which is the place where the Armour Poultry house is now, by Rev. Shouse. Mrs. Frank Stetz of Lake City was bridesmaid and Frank Stetz was best man. Among those who will attend the celebration that were at the wedding are Mr. and Mrs. George Gentry, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Back of Billings, Oklahoma. September 6 is also the twenty-second wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Potter's daughter, Mrs. C. E. McCartney and Mr. McCartney of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Potter have nine living children, twenty-four grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. All of the children will be present. They are: Mr. and Mrs.
J. W. Stillwell of Higginsville, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Burt of Pratt, Kansas, William Potter of Boonville, Herman Potter of Pacific, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. McCartney of Springfield, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Potter of Boonville, Mr. and Mrs. George Potter of Franklin, Arizona, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Potter of St James and Mrs. Bessie Kyle of Springfield.
On their wedding day fifty years ago the bridal couple also entertained with a wedding dinner, a wedding supper, and a reception and dance that lasted all night. There were over twenty cakes and four kegs of beer besides large platters of sandwiches of all kinds.
Both brides were dressed in white, Mrs. Barnert wearing a white dotted Swiss, with a bustle, orange blossoms and veil and carried a prayer book and rosary; Mrs. Potter's dress was white flaxon organdy with a bustle, orange blossoms, a veil and bridal bouquet. Both bridegrooms were dressed in black broadcloth frock-tail coats, white vests and dark trousers.
Mrs. Potter recalls that on the wedding night it was warm and she was standing on the back porch getting a breath of fresh air and looking down into the cow-lot she heard her pet cow start to bawl and realizing in the excitement she had forgotten to milk her. The bride quickly changed her wedding dress for a house frock and proceeded to milk "Betsy" before returning to the wedding festivities.

Boonville Daily News, January 21, 1939

Mrs. Louise B. Potter, 79, Dies at Home Here

Funeral Services Will Be Held at Evangelical Church Monday Afternoon at 2:30 - Lived in Boonville Her Entire Life

Mrs. Louise Barbara Potter. 79, died last night shortly before midnight at her home at 220 First Street. She had been in failing health for the past year. Born in Boonville on March 1, 1859, she spent her entire life in this community. She was a lifelong member of the Evangelical church and served as clerk of the Woodmen's Circle here for the past 38 years: she was also a charter member of the Rebekahs and Maccabee lodges here. Funeral services will be held at the Evangelical church Monday afternoon at 2:30, conducted by the Rev. E. F. Abele, pastor of the church, under direction of Stegner-Koenig. Burial will be in the Walnut Grove cemetery. The body will lie in state at the home after 1 o'clock today until time for the services Monday afternoon. Mrs. Potter was the daughter of Anton and Wilhelmina Guyer Back. On February 13, 1876, she was married to George B. Stillwell to which union four children were born: Mrs. Savannah Burt, Pratt, Kas., and Joseph Stillwell, Higginsville, Mo., and George and Mary, who died in infancy. On September 6, 1882, she was married to John H. Potter, Boonville. To this union, the following children were born: William J. Potter and Walter A. Potter. both of Boonville; Herman E. Potter, St Louis; Mrs. Louise McCartney and Mrs. Bessie Kyle, both of Springfield, Mo.; George O. Potter, Lordsburg, N. M.; and Edward Potter, St James, Mo. Another son, John H. Potter, preceded his mother in death in 1918.
Mrs. Potter is also survived by a sister, Mrs. Mary Barnett, Boonville; 23 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Cabinet Maker

Notes:

He was a fine cabinet maker. Had a strong, beautiful voice and sang in the Germany Evangelical Lutheran Church Choir.

Came to United States in 1855 through port of New Orleans to St Louis to Boonville.

Applied for American citizenship 17 July 1855.

Served as Union soldier (Captain Eppstein's Company A, Boonville R. Corp. Reg't, Mo. H.Q. Military, Union Home Guard Unit) in American Civil War. Wounded at Battle of Boonville, Mo. Mustered out of service December 8, 1862.

Church Records: Boonville Evangelical Church: Death, Date of birth as 24 Apr 1824.

Johann married Geuer, Catherine Wilhelmina Sophie on 24 Dec 1857 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. Catherine (daughter of Geuer, Johann and Mueller, Caroline Luise) was born on 13 Feb 1828 in Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany; died on 2 Mar 1903 in Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA; was buried in Mar 1893 in Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville, Cooper, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Housewife/Saloon Keeper

Notes:

On the passenger list of the S. S. Johannesburg there is an entry: "Wilhelmine Back arrived in New Orleans on Feb 13,1857 on the ship S. S. Johannesburg". Anton Back's name is not listed. So they may have been married in the spring of 1856, and remarried in Boonville so their children would be American Citizens.
Catherine Wilhelmina Sophia Geuer, was born in Hoechst, Nassau, Germany on 13-Feb-1828. Her father was Johnann Geuer, a bookbinder. He was a Catholic, born in Cologne, Germany. Her mother was Caroline Luise Muller, born in Berline and a Protestant. The Godparent was Wilhelmina Klan of Rettert. After the death of Anton she returned to the Catholic Church and was a faithful and devoted member of the Church and the Sacred Heart Society. Her obituary says she was survived by a sister in Germany. She is buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery at Boonville, Missouri.

From Boonville Newspaper
Deaths
Mrs. Anton Back
Mrs. Anton Back died at her home on West Morgan Street Monday night, March 2, 1903 at 8 o'clock, aged 75 years and 19 days. Wilhelmina Geuer was born in Germany on February 13, 1828; was married to Anton Back early in 1857, and in the fall of that year the young husband and wife became citizens of Boonville. Twenty seven years ago death entered the happy home and carried away the husband of 19 years, leaving to the care of the widowed mother the care of several small children. Guided and directed by a mother's loving heart, inspired by the thought of their future usefulness and actuated by true Christian motives as a mother, she reared these children to splendid manhood and womanhood. The children now living are: Philip and Joseph of Oklahoma Territory, Mrs. Louisa Potter, Mrs. Mary Barnett, Anton and William of Boonville. There are also 34 grandchildren and one sister, who is yet in her native country, living, to all of whom the public extends its heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement.
Mrs. Back had lived in Boonville since the year 1857. Her life of almost half century among the people of this city was marked by that devotion to parental, church, and other duties as only a Christian mother and citizen can offer. Deceased was recognized as a Christian because she practiced by example as well as by precept those qualities that must be uppermost in the Christian mind and heart. She was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church and her everyday life was convincing proof of her devotion to the doctrine of her church. The funeral service was held at the Catholic Church on Wednesday morning at 9:30 o'clock thence to Walnut Grove cemetery where the remains were interred under the direction of J. Ed Taliaferro.