Johann Sponsors at his baptism were:
Johann Jakob Dirker
Johann Heinrich Kleyboeker
Maria Adelheit Lindeman

Johann always claimed that he was born on October 23, 1830, and this date is engraved on his tombstone. Yet his church in Germany clearly recorded his birth as August 23, and his baptism on 29 August, 1830.

In Germany Johann's name was spelled Kleyboeker. In the US it was spelled Kleiboeker.
Johann was 21 years old when he left Germany and arrived in the US. Johann settled immediately in St. Louis, where significant number of German Lutherans had already settled.

After examing all ships leaving Bremerhafen within the dates that Johann’s “Walk of LIfe” states, I found an entry on a passenger list that I beleive to be Johann’s record of making the Atlantic Crossing. The Ship, Europa piloted by Captain E. Wieting, left Bremen on March 20 1851 and arrived New Orleans May 21, 1851, taking 62 days for the total crossing. They had 160 people on board the ship. In his biography, Johann writes that he left Bremen on the 18th of March, and arrived the Port of St. Louis on June 4, 1851. Within the Europa Records, there is an entry for “Joh. Hein. Bohke” who is listed as 25 (Johann was 21) heading to New Orleans, which I believe is our Johann Kleiboeker. He was traveling alone, which is consistent with Johann’s story. Also, a clerk in New Orleans created this list who did not speak German and Johann did not speak English, so the transliteration issues are possible. There are no other records that come close to matching Johann’s handwritten biography. Clearly if the ship docked in New Orleans on May 21st, it is entirely possible that the steamboat carrying Johann arrrived on June 4th a time span of 13 days.

According to his grandson, Alvin Kleiboeker:

“....he must have come into port in the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans, for he boarded a riverboat, which refused debarkation to the passengers at St. Louis because of a cholera epidemic in that city. However, learning that Mr. Kleiboeker was a skilled carpenter, they made an exception for him, leaving him in St. Louis to build caskets for the dying. “


Asiatic cholera struck St. Louis in the most devastating epidemic the city had ever seen. The bacterial infection crossed the Atlantic as immigrants from Germany and Holland arrived in New Orleans, and it traveled up the Mississippi River as they boarded ships for St. Louis. Cholera is commonly transmitted by drinking water from wells that have been contaminated by fecal matter, mostly likely from the many outdoor privies located near the wells. New Orleans also had significant Cholera outbreaks. Cholera made major St. Louis appearances around January of 1849, and erupted in the summer months in the years 1849 to 1851. In 1850, St. Louis



3 days after he arrived in St. Louis, he started work at the Koppelmann Furniture Factory, which tells me that he may have already arranged the work prior to his leaving Germany. Also there was a “Tischfrabrik” in Gehrde, his hometown, which he may have worked at, but there is no evidence of this other than Alvin stating he was a “skilled carpenter”. After apprenticing with Koppelmann for 3 years, he became a journeyman for one year. Then he became a salesman for the Furniture company.

Johann worked as a salesman for Koppelman furniture, after his apprenticeship building furniture. His ledger book with all the sales he made to various families, is now owned by Cheryl Brown of Mt.Vernon MO. This ledger book covers the time period from January 1856 til July 1867, when Johann worked as a salesman for Koppelman.

In 1858, 7 years after his arrival, and at age of 27, Johann married Henriette Brinkmann. Johann's wife Henriette was 23 when she married Johann. They were married by Frederick Picker at the Independent Evangelical Protestant Church. [This church over time evolved with different names and is now a UCC congregation. Picker was the pastor that gave his name to two different cemeteries in St. Louis, Old Pickers, and New Pickers as he was involved with two different congregations as Pastor.]
Henriette delivered Johann his first born, a daughter, Elizabeth in 1859. Unfortunately Henriette died of "typhus cerebralis" at the ageof 29 in 1860.

Johann then remarried at the age of 31 to Charlotte Stratmann, who was17 at the time. They went on to have 9 children, with one of them, Willie dying quite young at the age of 4. They moved to Hoyleton Ill probably around 1870 and lived there for 10-12 years. Johann and his family moved to Freistatt in 1884, at the age of 53. Johann bought land being sold by the new railroad that had recently been built from St. Louis to Springfield and on to Aurora, Pierce City and further west. Johann died of TB at the age of 70 in Freistatt and is buried at Trinity Church Cemetery in Freistatt. Johann died at the home of Oscar Kleiboeker, which is north of Pierce City MO, on what is now Ted Moennig’s farm.

On October 17, 2008, D. Kruse met with Cheryl Kleiboeker Brown (daughter of Melvin Kleiboeker, who was son of Gustav Kleiboeker, Johann's son). Cheryl had a box of documents (appeared to be a cigar box) originally owned by Johann Heinrich Kleiboeker. The most amazing piece of paper in the box was a handwritten note in German script, written by Johann of his life history in his own handwriting, using19th Century German script. Here is an English translation of the note:

"My walk of life. I was born October 23 1830 in the community of Ruesfort, Kirchspiel Gehrde, Amt Bersenbrueck, in the Kingdom of Hannover. Confirmed in year 1845 by Pastor Bock. Emmigrated to America the 18th of March 1851, landed in the port of St. Louis, Missouri, June 4th, 1851. Apprenticed starting June 7th 1851 with master(meister) furniture maker (meister was a term used to define the person from whom the apprentice learned) John H Koppelman in St. Louis Mo. I was in apprenticeship with him until June 7th 1854, then after my apprenticeship I worked as a journeyman at John H. Koppelman Furniture until Septermber 18, 1855. On this date, I accepted a position as Salesman at the Furniture Store at No. 157 Franklin Ave owned by Johh H. Koppelman and Co. March 18, 1858 I was honorably united in marriage with Henriete Willemina Brinkman by Pastor Picker. On September 27, 1859 my wife presented me with a little daughter. On the 13th of May she was baptized by Pastor Schrenk at 14th and Madison [in St. Louis]. July 13th 1860, is the day my beloved spouse died. She suffered much with high fever and for 9 days of discomfort departed honorably and was released of her affliction. Henriete Wilemina Brinkman was born on November 16, 1834 in Oberdisen by Bielefeld, Kingdom of Prussia. She is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Ghost in site number 2433. "Here in God's quiet garden awaiting her beloved spouse".
Henriete Wilemina Brinkman
Born November 16, 1834
Died July 13, 1860

"September 28, 1860, I took a trip on the A&M RR to Washington County Illinois. Returned to St. Louis October 1 , 1860.

June 27, 1861 I started a trip to Nashville Illinois, came back to St.Louis July 5th, 1861.

I was honorably united in marriage to Charlotte Stratmann February 5th 1862, by Pastor Schrenk at Madison and 14th street. Charlotte Stratmann born in the year 1844, the 22nd of February in Burgholtzhausen, Prussia."




January 16, 1868, Johann buys 11 acres near Hermann & Gerhard’s (Johann’s borthers) property just east of Hoyleton: "This indenture, made this 16th day of January in the year of our Lord 1868, Henry Hesemann of Washington County, Illinois, of the first part, and John H. Kleiboeker of same county and state of the second part, .....for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty Dollars .....do grant, bargain and sell unto the said part of the second part his heirs, and assigns all the following described lot, piece, or parcel of land, situated in the County of Washington and state of Illinois, to wit: The north part of the south east quarter of the north east quarter of section five in township number one south of range one west, containing eleven and fifty-hundreths acres."

3 years later, on 31 October 1870, Johann buys 80 Acres from the Illinois Central Railroad for $800.00 west of his original purchase, just north of Hoyleton. This farm is described as: “the East half of the NorthEast quarter of Section 12 in township one(1) South, of Range Two(2) West of the third principal meridian.” Johann paid $10 per acre.

Also see: http://www.genealogytrails.com/ill/washington/records/hoy_ln_2.html which has bank records from the Hoyleton Bank. It shows a $100 loan given to Charles Gerstkemper on Nov 4 1874 for 10%, one year term but the “security” that backed up this loan is listed as “John H. Kleiboker and Henry Gerstkemper”. Not sure if this is a propery owned by the two or some other note owned by the two. Henry is John’s brother in law, husband of his oldest sister, Maria. Henry is also Charles’ Brother.