Wedding of John Schneider and Paulina Gersbacher

My great-grandparents John Schneider and Paulina Gersbacher were married 114 years ago today. When I was taking the National Institute for Genealogical Studies class Research: Social History, one of the assignments was to write an account of an event in the life of my ancestors, and to try to find out what the weather was like on the day of the event. I wrote about the wedding of John Schneider and Paulina Gersbacher.

 July 23, 1902

John Schneider and Paulina Gersbacher were united in marriage today at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. The church, which is the largest Roman Catholic church in the area, is made of Grafton limestone and has a spire that is more than 200 feet high. The stained glass windows provided a lovely backdrop for the wedding mass.

The weather was fair but humid. Thankfully the waters of the Mississippi River, which had been approaching flood stage, had receded by four inches. The bride and groom are natives of Germany, as is typical of the congregation of Sts. Peter and Paul, and of a large portion this ethnic neighborhood, which is home to many European immigrants.

Sources:
"Floods Threaten Missouri and Mississippi Valleys - Heavy Rains Continue in Tributary Territory." St. Louis Republic, 20 July 1902, page 1. Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020274/1902-07-20/ed-1/seq-1.pdf
"No Danger from High Water." St. Louis Republic, 23 July 1902, page 5. Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020274/1902-07-23/ed-1/seq-5.pdf
United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. Soulard Neighborhood Historic District. http://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/72001559.pdf
Wayman, Norbury L. History of St. Louis Neighborhoods: Soulard: Churches. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/archive/neighborhood-histories-norbury-wayman/soulard/churches23.htm
"The Weather." St. Louis Republic, 23 July 1902, page 14. Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020274/1902-07-23/ed-1/seq-14.pdf
"The Weather." St. Louis Republic, 24 July 1902, page 12. Chronicling America. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020274/1902-07-24/ed-1/seq-12.pdf