Johann Christian Friedrich Mueller married about 1812 to Maria Christiane Wolschendorf (b. ~1788 in Germany, d. 21 Apr 1844 in Perry County, MO) and together they had at least 10 known children. The Muellers were members of a group of "Old Lutherans" who opposed efforts in the Kingdom of Saxony and the neighboring duchies to unite the Lutheran and Reformed churches.
Initially under the leadership of Rev. Martin Stephan, the group departed Bremerhaven in November 1838 in five ships bound for New Orleans, LA. The Muellers began their oceanic voyage aboard the "Republic" with their seven surviving children, though one additional son died at sea. Once in New Orleans, they continued up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, MO on the riverboat "Rienzi".
The Old Lutherans who arrived in St. Louis in January 1839 formed the nucleus of what eventually became the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Some of them remained in St. Louis but many began purchasing land in Perry County, MO for their intended colonies, which became the villages of Altenburg, Wittenberg, Frohna, Dresden, & Seelitz. Johann Christian Friedrich Mueller was a tiler (or brick-maker) by trade and church records indicate he continued that work after arriving in Missouri.
Johann Christian Friedrich Mueller married about 1812 to Maria Christiane Wolschendorf (b. ~1788 in Germany, d. 21 Apr 1844 in Perry County, MO) and together they had at least 10 known children. The Muellers were members of a group of "Old Lutherans" who opposed efforts in the Kingdom of Saxony and the neighboring duchies to unite the Lutheran and Reformed churches.
Initially under the leadership of Rev. Martin Stephan, the group departed Bremerhaven in November 1838 in five ships bound for New Orleans, LA. The Muellers began their oceanic voyage aboard the "Republic" with their seven surviving children, though one additional son died at sea. Once in New Orleans, they continued up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, MO on the riverboat "Rienzi".
The Old Lutherans who arrived in St. Louis in January 1839 formed the nucleus of what eventually became the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Some of them remained in St. Louis but many began purchasing land in Perry County, MO for their intended colonies, which became the villages of Altenburg, Wittenberg, Frohna, Dresden, & Seelitz. Johann Christian Friedrich Mueller was a tiler (or brick-maker) by trade and church records indicate he continued that work after arriving in Missouri.
