Daume brothers of Cape County

With the exception of my brother and my niece's husband, few men in my immediate family wear beards. You have to go back several generations to family patriarch John Mack Sanders before you find truly impressive facial hair in my genealogy.

Perhaps that's why the beards of brothers Charles and William Daume caught my eye. Both were born in Germany and came to Cape Girardeau County with their parents in about 1854, William at 6 months and Charles at 9 years.

Photos of the two didn't appear with their obituaries, but William was pictured with his wife, Dorothea, when they celebrated their 61st anniversary in 1940. For some reason, we also have an undated picture of Charles and his wife, Mariere, in our files. As far as I have been able to determine, it was never published in the Southeast Missourian.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles F.W. Daume at their home in Dutchtown.

Below is Charles' obituary, published in The Missourian on April 4, 1932.

C.F.W. Daume, 86, Succumbs Here of Pneumonia

Charles F.W. Daume, 86 years old, a native of Germany and for 75 years a resident of Cape Girardeau County, died of pneumonia at 12:20 o'clock this afternoon at the home of a step-daughter, Mrs. Emma Brakebusch, 629 Morgan Oak St. He became ill with influenza March 24.

The body will be removed to the Lorberg Funeral Home, where it will remain until 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon, when funeral services will be held at Zion Lutheran Church at Gordonville. Rev. V. Walters, pastor, will conduct the services and burial will be in the church cemetery.

Born Sept. 3, 1845, in Hanover, Germany, Mr. Daume came to this country with his parents when he was 9 years old. The family settled near Dutchtown and until two years ago, Mr. Daume has resided in that community, being engaged in farming. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and one of its active supporters for over 50 years.

Mrs. Daume died two years ago and Mr. Daume then came to Cape Girardeau, residing since that time at the home of Mrs. Brakebusch. He leaves three children, Mrs. Ollie Lorberg of near Gordonville, Martin Daume, a street car motorman of Cape Girardeau, and another son, Louis Daume, of Memphis, Tenn.

Stepchildren surviving are Mrs. Brakebusch, Mrs. Ida Lampe, who resides west of Cape Girardeau; Mrs. Bertha Macke of Cape Girardeau, Albert Schwab and Mrs. Mary Nussbaum of near Gordonville, and Mrs. Lucille Wessel and Henry Muster of near Dutchtown. A brother, William Daume, resides near Dutchtown. A half-sister, Mrs. Ida Hart, lives in Los Angeles, Calif.

Mrs. Charles Daume was the former Mariere Amsler or Armsler. She was born in Switzerland and came to the United States as a young woman. She first married Henry Muster and, after his death, married Daume in 1889. She passed away on Jan. 23, 1930.

This clipping was published in The Missourian on Aug. 31, 1940. Below is William Daume's obituary, also from The Missourian, May 9, 1942.

Wm. Daume Succumbs at Rural Residence; Rites to Be at Tilsit

JACKSON, May 9. -- William Daume, one of this county's oldest and best known citizens, succumbed to a heart ailment at his home a mile south of Gordonville at 8 o'clock Friday night (May 8, 1942). He had just passed through a siege of pneumonia and was on the way to recovery, when his weakened heart gave out. He was 88 years old. The body was removed to the McCombs Funeral Home, and the last rites will be held at the St. James Church at Tilsit at 2:30 o'clock Monday, with Rev. G.A. Kanzler in charge. Burial will be in the nearby cemetery.

William Ernst Friedrich Daume was born in Hanover, Germany, but came to the United States with his parents when he was 6 months old. Upon the death of his parents, he was reared by the Gratz family near Pocahontas. On Aug. 28, 1879, he married Miss Dorothea Suedekum, and they lived in the Snider Mill community until about 10 years ago, when they moved to Gordonville. She died Jan. 9, 1941. During his active days Mr. Daume was a farmer, and was proficient in music.

Surviving him are five sons, Fred Daume and Harry Daume of St. Louis, John Daume of Oak Ridge, Charles H. Daume of Route 2, Jackson, and Leo Daume, at home; three daughters, Miss Josie Daume at home, Mrs. Albert Sievers of near Jackson and Mrs. Adolph Paar of Jackson, and (?) grandchildren.

Along with these obituaries, I was able to find one more mention of William Daume and his fabulous beard.