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Photo by Chris Naffziger
Adam Lemp Burial Monument in Bellefontaine Cemetery
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Photo by Chris Naffziger
Lemp Feickert Plot in Bellefontaine Cemetery
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Photo by Chris Naffziger
Area surrounding the Lemp plot, Bellefontaine Cemetery
“Who are all these people buried in Adam Lemp’s plot?”
The author asked this question late one night, and proceeded to check Bellefontaine Cemetery’s online grave locator. Curiosity turned to astonishment when the cemetery’s website revealed that over a dozen people, none with the last name Lemp, were buried in the wealthy brewer’s large plot of land, right next Jacob Feickert, William Lemp's father-in-law. This made it obvious that the story of Adam Lemp’s personal life in America, already touched on in the first article of this series, was far more complicated than first thought, especially when it came to the sons, grandsons, stepsons, and stepdaughters who all relied on the scion’s business wealth. While the story of William J. Lemp, the son of Adam’s second wife, Justina Anna Marie Baum, is well-documented, the saga of his first and third wives’ children are largely unknown.
As mentioned before in the first article, Adam Lemp’s first wife, Anna Elizabeth Clermund (Clermont) died in Germany,1 but their daughter Johannette (Jeannette) Catharina moved to America and at some point married Justus Brauneck and gave birth to a son, Charles. Apparently both parents died, because Charles was listed as living in the household of a Charles Schuh. Both the census, and Charles Brauneck’s death certificate, state that he was born in Indiana; his marriage record lists his hometown as Evansville.2 Interestingly, his internment record for burial in Bellefontaine Cemetery, which noted he died at 105 Chestnut Street,3 first listed Germany as his birthplace. This was then crossed out and replaced with “U.S.” Justus, his father, was probably dead by 1849, as Adam Lemp was an administrator for his estate on behalf of his grandson in that year.4
Charles Brauneck was now in St. Louis, and when his grandfather died, he was named as one-half shareholder in the Western Brewery with his half-uncle William J. Lemp. They could only sell their shares to each other (which Brauneck did in 1866), and received all of the property, real and otherwise, owned by the brewery operations. They did not receive any cash payment as some of their step family members would.5 Only if both Charles and William died without heirs would Adam’s adopted grandson, Otto Pfaff (more on him next week) inherit the brewery. Though we know incontrovertibly that Charles inherited equal ownership with William, his role has largely been expunged in later histories. For example, at least two later 19th-century profiles of the brewery state that William acquired “full control” in 1862.6 Since Adam Lemp explicitly names Charles as a legitimate heir, this is just not true.7
Recent research by Dorris Keeven-Franke also brought to light that Charles Brauneck was married. City marriage records reveal her name to be a woman named Albertine Ernst from Hermann, Gasconade County, Missouri,8 though she was born in Germany.9 However, like many of the figures in the Lemp family orbit, she died tragically. Around March 27, 1870, at the age of only 24, she succumbed to phthisis pulmonalis—tuberculosis—10which would kill her husband around September 30 of the same year.11 They died at separate addresses: Charles at 105 Chestnut Street, and Albertine at 603 Market Street.12 She is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Lot 36 of Section 1.13 The story of Albertine becomes even more interesting, and perhaps tragic.
Speaking with cemetery staff, the author learned that Lot 36 was a low-level, single burial section of the cemetery; while it was not for the completely indigent, it was for people of extremely limited means who could pay what they could afford. Graves were filled in chronological order, and the vast majority are not marked with gravestones due to the obvious financial difficulties of the families who used these inexpensive burial spots.14 Sections 1-4 were consecrated for Roman Catholics, and sections 5-8 were reserved for non-Catholics.15 In other words, only $13, a paltry amount at that time, was spent to buy one of the cheapest graves in Calvary Cemetery.16 No Ernsts, her maiden name, are buried nearby, either.
While it is commonly assumed that it's forbidden for non-Catholics to be buried in Roman Catholic cemeteries, a spokesman informed the author that policy has never been in effect at any time in the history of the Archdiocese.17 Likewise, while certainly the Lemp family in Hesse were Lutheran, there is no evidence one way or another concerning Charles’s faith. His grave is still unmarked in the Adam Lemp plot. While William or Louise could not prevent his burial if Adam had given him right of interment, they could certainly not bother to buy a headstone.18 Indeed, they seemed to have little concern for Albertine's place of burial, allowing her to be interred in an unmarked grave. It becomes increasingly likely that when Charles and Albertine Brauneck died only months apart from tuberculosis, they were desperately poor. And yet this was only four years after receiving a large cash buyout from William for his half of the brewery ownership. Where did their money go? Why would other members of the Lemp family be unwilling to help provide a spot in the Adam Lemp plot in Bellefontaine Cemetery for Albertine, or a headstone for Charles? There are no answers—yet. All sources are in agreement that William Lemp was not suffering financial difficulties in 1870. He certainly could afford to spend more than $13 for a family member’s burial if he so desired.
It also seems like Charles was never truly a full partner in the Lemp Brewery; the new brewery took the name “William J. Lemp & Co.,” and advertisements stress that his half uncle was clearly in charge.19 The short partnership of William with Otto Stumpf is also reflected in city directories.20 It seems increasingly likely that William was estranged from Charles and Albertine Brauneck. Regardless, William could not prevent Charles’s burial in the Adam Lemp plot in Bellefontaine Cemetery.
William and Charles, before the latter’s buyout, also had to deal with the issue of their grand/father’s third wife, Louise Bauer. As related in the first article of this series, Adam had abandoned his second wife, Justina Maria Charlotte Baum, in Eschwege. While there is strong evidence she had her marriage to Lemp annulled and then remarried, the author wonders if Adam knew that when he married his third wife. Adam also seemed to be planning a dynasty of sorts with Jacob and Elizabeth Feickert, who owned a saloon, and whose daughter Julia would marry William Lemp in 1861. The future in-laws, Adam and Jacob, both purchased identical, adjacent plots, 800 and 801 for $160 each in Bellefontaine Cemetery on December 31, 1858, three years before their children’s marriage.21 One wonders Julia and William's marriage was arranged.
Louise Bauer, the third wife of Adam Lemp, is indeed a deeply fascinating and mysterious figure.22 She died intestate, but her probate records and her deceased husband’s will reveal much. While Adam cut her and the progeny from her first two marriages out of the ownership of the Western Brewery, reserving that for only his bloodline, he made considerable arrangements for her wellbeing after his death. Louise received several large properties in the Lemp’s Addition, including the beautiful Italianate villa where she lived until her death.23
Likewise, William and Charles were required by Adam to pay her a $1,500 stipend or “rent” in quarterly installments of $375.24 Adam gave the villa to Louise in his will, with his adopted grandson Otto Pfaff (again, more about him next week) as the secondary heir. The author doubts Adam’s son and grandson approved of this arrangement cutting them out of inheriting the house. She also received all of the furniture and a policy worth $5,00 from Manhattan Life Insurance.25 However, Louise’s probate records reveal that she was largely lacking in assets when she died; in fact, her estate had been converted into a living trust, and her own heirs, who did not include William or Charles, had to actually purchase her property to inherit it.26
Next week, we'll look at the lives of Adam’s stepchildren from Louise Bauer Lemp’s two previous marriages.
The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the following people and organizations: Dorris Keeven-Franke, Stephen Walker; Richard Buthod at the City of St. Louis; Dan Fuller and Richard Lay at Bellefontaine Cemetery; Jaime Bourassa, Dennis Northcott, and others at the Missouri History Museum and Archives; the staff of Calvary Cemetery and Gabe Jones, Archdiocese of St. Louis; Michael R. Allen, Preservation Research Office; and Andrew Weil, Landmarks Association of St. Louis.
Chris Naffziger writes about architecture at St. Louis Patina. Contact him via email at naffziger@gmail.com.
[1] Bond, Christy Hawes. Gateway Families: Ancestors and Descendants of Richard Simrall Hawes III and Marie Christy Johnson. 1994. p. 107; Marriage record of Charles Brauneck to Albertine Ernst, May 31, 1864. The author wishes to thank Richard Buthod, City of St. Louis, for finding this record.
[2] 1860 Census, Charles Brauneck Death Certificate, cited in Hawes, 107.
[3] Cemetery Certificate, dated October 1, 1870 for Charles Brauneck. The close proximity of this address to the Lemp Brewery lends one to believe this was his residence.
[4] Probate records of Justus Brauneck, cited in Hawes, 107.
[5] Adam Lemp Will (6229), Section III, 1-5, February 12, 1862.
[6] Waterworth, Edward B. and William Marion Reedy, ed. The Makers of St. Louis. St. Louis: The Mirror, 1906. p. 69; Derby, George and James Terry White. The National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. XII. New York: James White & Company, 1904. p. 36.
[7] Adam Lemp Will (6229), Section III, 5, February 12, 1862.
[8] Marriage record of Charles Brauneck to Albertine Ernst, May 31, 1864. Charles’s cemetery certificate also makes a notation that he was married.
[9] Record of Interments, Calvary Cemetery, Archdiocese of St. Louis, March 27, 1870.
[10] Record of Interments, Calvary Cemetery, Archdiocese of St. Louis, March 27, 1870.
[11] Cemetery Certificate for Charles Brauneck, September 30, 1870.
[12] Record of Interments, Calvary Cemetery, Archdiocese of St. Louis, March 27, 1870; Cemetery Certificate for Charles Brauneck, September 30, 1870. 603 Market Street, Compton and Dry’s 1875 Pictorial St. Louis, shows a three-story building with a corner storefront. There is no explanation why she died in a different building than her husband.
[13] Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis Cemetery Records [archstl.org/app/cemeteries/burial_search] accessed on August 28, 2017. Cemetery records spell her name as “Albertina Brauneck.” Buried in Section 1, Row 8, Lot 36.
[14] The author examined Section 1, Lot 36 in Calvary Cemetery, but was unable to find any marker for Albertine Brauneck.
[15] Conversation with Calvary Cemetery staff, August 29, 2017.
[16] Grave Inventory for Section 1, Calvary Cemetery, Archdiocese of St. Louis.
[17] Email correspondence with Gabe Jones, Archdiocese of St. Louis, dated July 24, 2017.
[18] Email correspondence with Dan Fuller, Bellefontaine Cemetery, dated August 29, 2017.
[19] 1863 Campbell and Richardson’s St. Louis Business Directory. “LEMP W.J. & CO., WESTERN BREWERY AND BEER SALOON, 37 s. 2d.”; 1864 Edward’s St. Louis Directory. “Lemp William J., (W.J. Lemp & Co.) r. 37 s. 2d
Lemp W. J. & Co. (William J. Lemp and Charles Branneck [sic]) proprietors Western Brewery, 37 s. 2d.”
[20] 1866 Edwards’ St. Louis Directory. “Lemp William (Stumpf & Lemp), r. 37 s. 2d; Lemp William J. (W.J. Lemp & Co.); LEMP WILLIAM J. Western Brewery, office, 37 s. 2d, r. same, brewery, (n)ear Arsenal; Lemp, W. J. & Co. (William J. Lemp and Charles Branneck), brewers, ss Cherokee, nr. Carondelet av.; Branneck [sic] Charles (W.J. Lemp & Co.); Stumpf Frederick (Stumpf & Lemp), Beer Cave, Buena Vista. Sw. cor. Elizabeth, r. same; Stumpf Frederick Jr. bds Buena Vista, cor. Elizabeth.”
[21] Purchase records for Plots 800 and 801, provided to the author by Dan Fuller, Bellefontaine Cemetery.
[22] Hawes, 105.
[23] Adam Lemp Will (6229), Section II, February 12, 1862. “Gives to his wife Louise Lemp, Lots 36,37,38 and 39 in Block No. 2 of Adam Lemp’s Subdivision of the southeast quarter of block no. 52 of the City Commons of St. Louis, aggregate of 100 feet along Lux Street and running westwardly the same width 125 feet to an alley, bounded on the east side by Lux Street, south by Lot no. 40, west by said alley and north by Lot. No 35 in said block no. 2,
Also, northern part of said subdivision on said plat as Lemp’s Cave and described as follows, to wit: commencing at the intersection of the westward line of 2nd Carondelet Avenue, with the southern line of an alley, running through said subdivision from east to west parallel to Cherokee, thence along 2nd Car. 64 feet then westwardly and parallel to alley 260 feet 5 in. more or less to Lux Street; 64 feet, then along southern line of alley for 260 feet, being the same premises on which I have erected the dwelling I now live.”
[24] Adam Lemp Will (6229), Section II-III, February 12, 1862.
[25] Adam Lemp Will (6229), Section II, February 12, 1862.
[26] Louise Bauer Lemp Probate Records, March 14, 1897.
