The Montgomery County Historical Society (MCHS) is a 501(c)(3) corporation. The Society owns two buildings in Montgomery City that house an extensive genealogical library and a museum of artifacts and antiques. All research requests replies, building staffing/maintenance and website management are donated by volunteers.
If you like what you find here, please become a member and/or make a donation to help us continue our mission. We also welcome contributions of your own research, be it family history or documented historical articles that would interest other visitors.
Pioneer Days, a 96-page illustrated history of the County, has been well-received by both those new to our history as well as long-time residents.
MCHS Annual Meeting
Join us on Sunday, 27 April at 12:30pm, for the MCHS Annual Dinner  at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Montgomery City. The presentation will be "Buildings Past and Present throughout Montgomery County." MCHS Annual Letter, click here.
The dinner is $20 per plate and includes: Herbed chicken, Mashed potatoes and gravy, Green beans, Strawberry poppyseed salad, and Peach crisp.
RSVP to Jamie Cox Hemeyer at 573-220-9252 (call or text) by 15 April.
Heying Family & Bocholt Germany
Most of the Germans who immigrated to Loutre Township in the 1800’s came from northwest Germany near the city of Bocholt. The Wilhelm Heying family arrived in 1846 and has been one of the most prolific, with descendants now located all over the USA. Around the same time, other Heyings settled in Ohio.
An Ohio Heying descendant will share information about the Heying (Heynck, Heiing, Heyink) family in Germany and show slides of trips to Mussum, Germany, as well as more general information and photos of the Bocholt area. The presenter, Steve Frank, shares a common ancestor (Gerhard/Gerrid, 1676-1756) with the Loutre Township Heyings.
The presentations are sponsored by the Putnam County Historical Society (Ohio) and will be available on Zoom. The first talk will include pictures of the Heying family farm, discussion about nearby farms, and German research techniques. It will be offered at 2pm EDT on March 30 and repeated on April 12.
The second talk is scheduled for September 21 at 7pm EDT at the New Cleveland Holy Family Catholic Church. Steve will discuss European church histories, including the St. Georg Catholic Church in Bocholt where the Heying and other Loutre families worshipped.
For more information contact SFrank@woh.rr.com Also see Connie Fabula’s research on the Heying family here.
A Great Find - Free MO History Videos
- Crossroads of a Continent: Missouri Railroads, 1851-1921
- Along the Boone's Lick Road: Key Link to the West
- The 1849 Cholera Outbreak in Jefferson City
- Blood Feud on Bull Creek: The True and Complete Story of the Meadows-Bilyeu Feud
- The Missouri Home Guard: Protecting the Home Front during the Great War
- The History of Fort Leonard Wood
- Steamboat Disasters on the Lower Missouri
- Many, many, more!
MCHS Military Documents
This link to Documents for Download includes scanned copies of information found in the MCHS library. Information about the Civil War includes articles, assessment lists, a veteran’s list, etc. The section on World War I contains a photo and details about the 354th under which 75 Montgomery County residents serviced.
Please share any documents or links you may have to assist others in looking for their ancestors’ military history. Email to webmaster@mchsmo.org.
Famous County Residents
Admittedly, our County is not very well known, but we do have some past residents worth “crowing about.” See the section on Families, Bios, Records and learn about:
- One of Missouri’s first State Supreme Court judges.
- Children’s book author and illustrator.
- Missouri pioneer who was a medical practitioner, writer and geologist.
- Director of Legislative Service for the Missouri Farm Bureau.
- Prohibition Party presidential candidate and college professor.
As always, we welcome any historical documents, etc. that you may wish to share!
Johann Bockting: A German Emigrant
 Last year, MCHS received a query from a German researcher about Johann Bockting who emigrated about 1851. A MCHS volunteer shared what we could find from local and online resources. He married Elizabeth Wickers at St. Martin’s in 1855. Johann, his wife and a daughter were buried at Starkenburg.
Mr. Gossens' original question was the location of the residence of Johann Bockting, which we were unable to answer. If any reader has information to share with our German colleague, please email webmaster@mchsco.org, so we Americans can “return the favor.”
|
|
March 29
From Ship to Shore: Uncovering Immigrant Origins
An in person event, a full-day seminar led by expert genealogist Rich Venezia, where we explore the journeys our immigrant ancestors took to reach new ...
|
|
March 30
Heying & Bocholt Presentation
See article to the left.
|
|
April 12
Heying & Bocholt Presentation
See article to the left.
|
|
April 26
MCHS Board Meeting
The MCHS Board meets monthly on the fourth Saturday at the MCHS building.
|
|
April 27
Annual Meeting
The presentation will be "Buildings Past and Present throughout Montgomery County." The dinner is $20 per plate and includes: Herbed chicken, Mashed potatoes and gravy, Green beans, Strawberry poppyseed salad, ...
|
|
