Mary C Fullenkamp was born on April 6, 1848 to Johannes and Katherina Droppelmann Fullenkamp. Mary is related to Walt through the Link side of the family.

Mary Fullenkamp is part of the first generation born in this family in the United States. Her parents, Johannes Henricus Arnoldus “Henry” Fullenkamp and Katherina Maria “Mary” Droppelman were married in Alfhuasen, Germany on April 10, 1837 and left for the United States the next day. Their first child was born in Maryland, and the rest of their 5 children were born in Lee County, Iowa.

In the 1850 census, we find Mary and her family living on the family farm in West Point Township. On the same page of the census, we find her future husband, Casper (sometimes spelled Kasper) living just a few homes away.

We find the Strothmans near the top of the page and the Fullenkamps near the bottom.

Mary Fullenkamp gets married

Mary Fullenkamp and Casper Strotham married in 1867. Casper had been previously married to Katherine Mary Witte. They had 8 children together before she died in April of 1965.

The 1870 census shows Mary and Casper living on their farm. Six of the children from Casper’s first marriage are living with them, along with the first two of their children. Casper is spelled Kasper on this census.

In the 1850 census, Mary and Casper’s daughter is 2 and their son, Casper Jr is 6 months old.

Mary and Casper went on to have a total of 11 children. The youngest, Adeline was born in 1894. In the 1900 census, we find the Casper Sr, his sons, Casper Jr and Ludwig working the family farm. Their sons Clemens and August are working as farm laborers. The three youngest children are still in school.

Casper died on May 9, 1909. When we find the Strothman family on the 1910 census, Casper Jr is working as a mail carrier on a rural route. Four boys are working as tenant farmers. By 1920, Casper Jr is working as a house painter.

1930 finds Mary still living with her 5 sons. Casper is still painting, and the others are still working on farms. Mary Fullenkamp Strothman died on March 9, 1932.

Mary and Casper’s first daughter, Mary, married Walt’s second great uncle Eustace Link. You can find a bit about Eustace in Georgina’s memories in this post, this post and this one.