Museum Musing

By Betsy Welty

In a Marion County Standard newspaper June 1939 there was a biographical about Jacob A. Lucke Sr. Mr.Lucke Sr. was born in Prussia in September 1811. After his education in Germany he migrated to America settled at Hannibal in 1839. After two year she later moved to his farm on North river just a short distance north of Palmyra where raised livestock and grain farming until his death. He was one of the first millers that Marion County had.

The same year that Jacob left Germany, he married Wilhelmina, daughter of Frederick Hartman of Prussia. They had five children, Lewis, John, William, Henry Millie and Mary.

When he died in 1879 he left his children 530 acres of land valued at $7800. He was a member of the Lutheran church and he was laid to rest in Palmyra Cemetery.

In one of our rooms upstairs in the Gardner House is a chest that had belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Lucke that held their personal items when they came from Prussia to America. On the lid of the hand-made wooden chest there is an inscription that says: This box was made in Prussia and came to America holding possessions of John Jacob Lucke and his bride. They were married in October 1839.

Mr. Lucke became a U.S . Citizen in 1841.

Have a wonderful week.

The Gardner House Museum is open on Fridays 10 to 2

The Old 1858 Old Marion County Jail is open on Wednesdays 10 to 2.