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Rausendorf Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: A1802

Scope and Contents

The Rausendorf Family Papers consist of correspondence, including letters written during World War I and World War II, family records, passports, certificates, notebooks, programs, newspaper clippings, journals, medals, and foreign currency. The Family Records consist of general Rausendorf family documents, ranging in date from 1864 to 1947, including ancestry charts, Charles Rausendorf’s citizenship papers, baptismal certificates, confirmation certificates, Mathilda Rausendorf’s birth certificate, real estate deeds, certificates of title, New St. Marcus Cemetery deeds, Charles Rausendorf’s last will and testament, and Caroline Rausendorf’s last will and testament. The Caroline Rausendorf folder consists of materials ranging in date from 1918 to 1947, including correspondence, defense savings bonds, ration books, and a passport. The August Rausendorf folders include a night school completion certificate, military documents, World War I correspondence with his mother and his wife, Olivia, general correspondence, expense notebooks, a Lutheran church membership certificate, and American Legion documents, including Olivia Rausendorf’s identification card dated 1927. The materials range in date from 1909 to 1961. The Walter Rausendorf folder includes a school certificate and ceremony program from 1916. The Perry Wood Wilson folders include military documents, World War I correspondence with family, and business correspondence, ranging in date from 1918 to 1988. The A.C. Bruce folder includes miscellaneous membership cards, finance notebooks, and receipts. The Mathilda Rausendorf folders include personal journals, programs, ticket stubs, clippings, correspondence primarily with family, notebooks, organization membership certificates, receipts, and a passport dated 1969. Materials range in date from 1914 to 1969. The Raymond Rausendorf boxes contain primarily World War II correspondence both to and from Raymond. Letters from Ray Rausendorf to his parents that were originally bound by Olivia Rausendorf in scrapbooks have been arranged chronologically in boxes 3 and 4. The letters were originally in envelopes pasted into scrapbooks, with the date the letter was written and the date the letter was received written above the envelope. Some of the letters had incorrect dates or date information missing. These letters have the corrected date information on the lower left corner on the back of the letter. Loose items from the ends of the scrapbooks can be found at the end of each box. Box 5 contains letters between Ray and his parents, dated 1943, and correspondence to or from others. The items in Box 5 were originally stored in a plastic bag. This box also includes newspaper clippings, receipts, notes, and other documents regarding Clayton High School, Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and Westminster College. All materials range in date from 1924 to 1966.

Dates

  • 1892-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Charles Rausendorf was born in Dresden, Germany, on September 27, 1854, to Karl Gottlieb Rausendorf and Christiane Elizabeth Schafer. He came to the United States in 1883. In 1887, he married Caroline Sharp (1864-1953), who was born in Jefferson County, Missouri, to Carl Sharp and Maria Hauser. The couple had four children: August (1889-1961), Mathilda (1894-1969), Anna (1896-1913), and Walter (1900-1977). Charles died in Saint Louis in 1917. Mathilda Rausendorf sang in the St. Louis Opera Chorus. She may also have sung in the San Francisco Opera Chorus. She was married to Walter Oster. August Henry Rausendorf served in World War I. In 1922, he married Olivia Marie Raining (1895-1977), daughter of John F. Raining and Kathryn Bender. In 1927, the couple went on a European tour with the American Legion, visiting his family in Dresden. The couple had one child, Raymond Rausendorf. Raymond Rausendorf was born on December 2, 1923. On February 15, 1943, he was inducted into the U.S. Army and went through basic training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. After basic training, he served with the 234th QM Salvage Collecting Company, stationed at Camp Ellis, Illinois. He left for overseas duty on January 25, 1944, and served in New Guinea, the Philippine Islands, and as part of the occupation forces in Tokyo, Japan. He returned to the United States on January 13, 1946, and resumed his studies at Westminister College in Fulton, Missouri. In 1952, he married Peggy Jo Wilson, daughter of Perry Wood Wilson and niece to A.C. Bruce. He died on August 30, 1995 in Chesterfield, Missouri.

Extent

3.1 Cubic Feet ( (5 boxes; 2 oversize folders))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series: Family Records Series, Caroline Rausendorf Series, August Rausendorf Series, Walter Rausendorf Series, Perry Wood Wilson Series, A.C. Bruce Series, Mathilda Rausendorf Series, and Raymond Rausendorf Series. The papers are arranged by the names of family members, with the papers for each individual arranged chronologically.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The Rausendorf Family Papers were donated to the Missouri Historical Society by Peggy Rausendorf on November 28, 1999. (Acc.No. 2001.110)

Separated Materials

Photographs and publications were transferred to the Photos and Prints Department and the Library.

Processing Information

Processed by Sonya McDonald, July 2001, and Joy Novak, November 2002.

Creator

Title
Rausendorf Family Papers
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Jaime Bourassa using ArchivesSpace
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63105 United States
314-746-4510