1880s and 1890s in Todd County
We learned through his application and appeals for veteran benefits during the 1880s that John Paul continued to suffer from physical problems he attributed to his Civil War service. According to affidavits from two neighbors, he always walked with a cane and had a weak stomach. His neighbor Lewis Shelly claimed "... he lost all his teeth in the hospital by using strong medicine...." His pension file contains three examining surgeon's certificates from 1881 to 1884. The last two rated him totally incapacitated. Symptoms included swollen feet, shortness of breath, spasmodic jerking of muscles, vertigo, nearly total blindness in right eye, heart palpitations, hemmoroids, swollen tongue, diarrhea, and slightly atrophied liver.
Paul’s second wife Wilhelmina died May 1, 1899 in Germania Township. November 19, 1901 John Paul married his third wife Amelia Klebs Zacharias at Bertha, Minnesota. His daughter Mary also married a Zacharias. They lived in Bertha for several years and then moved to Verndale in Wadena County. |
1885 Minnesota Census
J. P. Steinbach, 57 Valina, 43 Arstina, 8 Mary, 2 1900 US Census, Todd County, Germania Township
Paul Steinbach, born Sept 1828, age 71, Germany Mary Steinbach, daughter, May 1883, age 17, born MN Amelia must have been an interesting person. One court record we found states,
Case No 63 Plaintiff St. of MN def. Mrs. Paul Steinbach Criminal Oct. 1902 E.6 use of abusive language at school house (record from Todd County Courthouse) |