Kleiboeker Family Tree - Person Sheet
Kleiboeker Family Tree - Person Sheet
NameErnst Carl Dietrich “Charles” Gerstkemper 
Birth9 Sep 1839, Bergkirchen Germany, Minden, Minden-Lübbecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Emigration? 1857, Germany, to, USA
Residence1880, Nashville, Washington, Illinois, USA
Residence1882-1886, Washington County, Illinois, USA
Death16 Oct 1886, Nashville, Washington County, IL
FatherChristian Moritz Gerstkemper (1802-1860)
MotherAnna Marie "Caroline" Schnake (1809-)
Spouses
Birth8 Jan 1850, Hannover Province, Germany
Death3 Apr 1929, Nashville Illinois, USA
FatherAugust M. Rabenneck (1824-)
MotherJohanna Catharine (1824-)
Marriage23 Nov 1867, St. Peters Church, 14th and Carr Streets, St. Louis MO
ChildrenEmma (~1872-)
Ernst August (1875-)
Charles Benjamin (1878-1968)
Bertha May (1883-)
Heinrich Friedrich Willhelm (1873-)
Notes for Ernst Carl Dietrich “Charles” Gerstkemper
From the HIstoy of Washington County Illinois, printed in 1879 by Brink, McDonough & Co. Philadelphia.
“Charles Gerstkemper is a native of Minden, in the Province of Westphalia, Prussia. He was born September 9th,1840. He is the fifth in a family of eight children. His father emigrated to this country in 1857, and settled on the North Prairie, now known as New Minden. He died in 1859. The mother is still living on the place where she first settled on her arrival in this country. After the subject of our sketch reached his fourteenth year he was apprenticed to the trade of wood-turning. He continued so engaged until his twentieth year, when the war broke out. He promptly enlisted on the 8lh of August, 1861, for three years in the 10th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry. His regiment participated in all the hard-fought battles of the siege of Corinth, Iuka, Second Corinth battle, Jackson, Mississippi, Grenada, and others. He was severely wounded at the battle of Jackson, and was taken prisoner while in the hospital. After his release he rejoined his regiment at Bridgeport, Alabama. His time expiring soon afterward, he returned to St. Louis and worked at his trade for one year, when he purchased a farm near Hoyleton, and removed to it and commenced its cultivation, and at which he continued until the 2d of December, 1876, when he removed to Nashville to take the position of deputy under Sheriff May. After the expiration of Sheriff May's term of office he accepted the same position under Sheriff Lane. On the 23d of November, 1867, he married Miss Minnie Rabenneck, a native of Germany, but a resident of St.Louis at the time of the marriage. Five children have been born to them, three of whom are living. He is a republican in politics, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and has voted that ticket to the present. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Lutheran church. In 1870 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and re-elected in 1874, and in 1876 resigned the office to accept the office of deputy sheriff, which he now holds and fills to the acceptance of his numerous friends.”
Charles enlisted in the Union Army in Nashville, IL on August 8, 1861 for a period of 3 years. He signed up with other Germans in Nashville Illinois, but became part of the Missouri 10th Volunteer Union Infantry. This Infantry later became part of the XVII Corps under the command of General McPherson, which was part of Ulyssess Grant’s Army of the Tennessee. Charles was with these units during the Vicksburg Campaign of 1863.
Charles was wounded on May 14, 1863 at the Battle of Jackson MS which preceeded the famous siege of Vicksburg.
According to a POW Record at the National Archives, he was captured at “Jackson Miss May 16 or June 6 1863” and “confined at Richmond VA June 10th 1863.” It also states he was “Admitted to Hospital DW No. 1 Annapolis MD June 14, 1863. Paroled at City Point VA June 13, 1863; Reported to Camp Parole MD June 14 1863. Reported at BB MO Sept 11 1863 and sent to the field.” BB stands for Benton Barracks in St. Louis MO. It was located in the Fairgrounds Park on the North side of St. Louis near Belfontaine Cemetery, where many civil war casualities are buried as well as some of our Schnake and Kleiboeker relatives.
From the National Archives Military Record “Charles Gerstkemper, Corporal, 10th Missouri Infantry, Company E. Admitted to Hospital at 21 Richmond VA, June 10,1863 Vul Sclopet*. Paroled at Richmond VA June 13 1863, and reported to Camp Parole MD, Farmer age 22”
From a Medical Descriptive List at the National Archives dated Sept 1863, Charles was admitted to the General Hospital at Annapolis MD on June 14th, 1863 and transferred to “another hospital” on Sept 7th 1863. Per this source “Charles Gerskemper Company E, 10th Missouri Volunteers, wounded in action at Jackson Miss, May 14th 1863. Conical ball entered front portion of Middle third of left thigh passing upward and making its exit, inflicting a flesh wound. Amitted June 14th 1863 from (unknown word) New York. When admitted was doing well. Marked improvement rapidly each day. Transferred to Camp (unknown word) Ohio Sept 7 1863.” Written by attending Medical Officer, L Smith
In a Prisoner of War Record dated Sept 11, 1863, Charles reported to “B B Mo” on that date.
* “We often get queries about the term vulnus sclopeticum, occasionally abbreviated vul. sclopet., vul. sclop., or even V.S.. This is a Latin term which means "gunshot wound." I ran across it many times in the hospital records and medical histories of soldiers. It was used interchangeably with "gunshot wound" regardless of the severity, so it was not limited to severe wounds or amputations.” From Terry Reimer, Director of Research/ Public Relations Coordinator, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick MD.
“Charles Gerstkemper is a native of Minden, in the Province of Westphalia, Prussia. He was born September 9th,1840. He is the fifth in a family of eight children. His father emigrated to this country in 1857, and settled on the North Prairie, now known as New Minden. He died in 1859. The mother is still living on the place where she first settled on her arrival in this country. After the subject of our sketch reached his fourteenth year he was apprenticed to the trade of wood-turning. He continued so engaged until his twentieth year, when the war broke out. He promptly enlisted on the 8lh of August, 1861, for three years in the 10th Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry. His regiment participated in all the hard-fought battles of the siege of Corinth, Iuka, Second Corinth battle, Jackson, Mississippi, Grenada, and others. He was severely wounded at the battle of Jackson, and was taken prisoner while in the hospital. After his release he rejoined his regiment at Bridgeport, Alabama. His time expiring soon afterward, he returned to St. Louis and worked at his trade for one year, when he purchased a farm near Hoyleton, and removed to it and commenced its cultivation, and at which he continued until the 2d of December, 1876, when he removed to Nashville to take the position of deputy under Sheriff May. After the expiration of Sheriff May's term of office he accepted the same position under Sheriff Lane. On the 23d of November, 1867, he married Miss Minnie Rabenneck, a native of Germany, but a resident of St.Louis at the time of the marriage. Five children have been born to them, three of whom are living. He is a republican in politics, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and has voted that ticket to the present. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Lutheran church. In 1870 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and re-elected in 1874, and in 1876 resigned the office to accept the office of deputy sheriff, which he now holds and fills to the acceptance of his numerous friends.”
Charles enlisted in the Union Army in Nashville, IL on August 8, 1861 for a period of 3 years. He signed up with other Germans in Nashville Illinois, but became part of the Missouri 10th Volunteer Union Infantry. This Infantry later became part of the XVII Corps under the command of General McPherson, which was part of Ulyssess Grant’s Army of the Tennessee. Charles was with these units during the Vicksburg Campaign of 1863.
Charles was wounded on May 14, 1863 at the Battle of Jackson MS which preceeded the famous siege of Vicksburg.
According to a POW Record at the National Archives, he was captured at “Jackson Miss May 16 or June 6 1863” and “confined at Richmond VA June 10th 1863.” It also states he was “Admitted to Hospital DW No. 1 Annapolis MD June 14, 1863. Paroled at City Point VA June 13, 1863; Reported to Camp Parole MD June 14 1863. Reported at BB MO Sept 11 1863 and sent to the field.” BB stands for Benton Barracks in St. Louis MO. It was located in the Fairgrounds Park on the North side of St. Louis near Belfontaine Cemetery, where many civil war casualities are buried as well as some of our Schnake and Kleiboeker relatives.
From the National Archives Military Record “Charles Gerstkemper, Corporal, 10th Missouri Infantry, Company E. Admitted to Hospital at 21 Richmond VA, June 10,1863 Vul Sclopet*. Paroled at Richmond VA June 13 1863, and reported to Camp Parole MD, Farmer age 22”
From a Medical Descriptive List at the National Archives dated Sept 1863, Charles was admitted to the General Hospital at Annapolis MD on June 14th, 1863 and transferred to “another hospital” on Sept 7th 1863. Per this source “Charles Gerskemper Company E, 10th Missouri Volunteers, wounded in action at Jackson Miss, May 14th 1863. Conical ball entered front portion of Middle third of left thigh passing upward and making its exit, inflicting a flesh wound. Amitted June 14th 1863 from (unknown word) New York. When admitted was doing well. Marked improvement rapidly each day. Transferred to Camp (unknown word) Ohio Sept 7 1863.” Written by attending Medical Officer, L Smith
In a Prisoner of War Record dated Sept 11, 1863, Charles reported to “B B Mo” on that date.
* “We often get queries about the term vulnus sclopeticum, occasionally abbreviated vul. sclopet., vul. sclop., or even V.S.. This is a Latin term which means "gunshot wound." I ran across it many times in the hospital records and medical histories of soldiers. It was used interchangeably with "gunshot wound" regardless of the severity, so it was not limited to severe wounds or amputations.” From Terry Reimer, Director of Research/ Public Relations Coordinator, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick MD.