Christopher Steffensmeier was born September 4, 1862 in St.Paul, Iowa. He is related on the Wellman side of the family.

Christopher was the second child born to Stephan and Maria Sporkman Steffensmeier. It was neat to find the 1870 census, although the family name is spelled rather differently. Instead of the modern spelling, it says Stephensmyre. Even odder, the transcription says “Stephensengre” which is why it is important to look at the actual documents. The 1880 census has Stephensmeir.

On April 17, 1888, Christopher Steffensmeier married Anna Holtkamp. I wrote about their marriage in this post, and more about Anna in this post. Christ and Anna had 7 children, two of whom died in childhood. This picture of Anna and Christ is from around 1890.

Farm Life

Christ was a farmer his entire life, and I found this news clipping about when a stud horse was to visit his farm in 1904. The same horse also visited the farms of Anton Geers and Theo Vonderhaar that same April.

A Percheron would have been a good horse to breed your mares with as it is a large, strong breed that would make it excellent for farm work.

I really like the fact that this article lists the characteristics of the horse and where it was imported from. It also notes that you could purchase insurance for a living colt for $12.

Anna Steffensmeier died on March 17, 1916. Christopher remarried in 1917 to Christina Kempker Meierotto, the widow of Bernard Meierotto.

I know that at least one of Christina’s daughters from her first marriage lived with them for a time as we find her on the 1820 census.

Christopher Steffensmeier died January 6, 1956 in St. Paul, Iowa. He is buried in St. James Cemetery. Interestingly enough, his headstone lists his birthday as 1863, but it is the only place I have seen as that year.