Bertha Elisabeth (Deininger) Hannegan, 1873–1950

Bertha Elisabeth “Lizzie” Deininger was born on 1 April 1873 in St. Louis, to Sophia Doepke and Michael John Deininger. She was the third child born to her parents. The first record of her is in the 1880 census when her parents and siblings were living in New Haven, Franklin County, Missouri. One original document from her youth is her confirmation certificate, signed by her pastor, A. Schroder, who was pastor of St. Peter’s Evangelical Church in New Haven, Missouri.

In the 1900 federal census, Lizzie is living with her parents in St. Louis and is listed as a dressmaker. Shortly after the census was taken, she married John Louis Hannegan. Their wedding took place on 3 July 1900 and was performed by C. Kramer, who was pastor of St. Andrew’s Evangelical Church in St. Louis. Their only child, John Michael Hannegan, was born on 1 December 1903 in St. Louis and baptized at St. Andrew’s on 3 April 1904, wearing a handmade gown presumably made by his mother. That gown remains in the family and was last used on 16 February 2017 by John Michael’s great-great-grandson.

The family lived at various addresses in St. Louis, renting apartments or houses. In 1910, they lived at 5016 Alabama Avenue. In 1920, they lived at 3822 Ohio Street. When Lizzie was widowed in 1927, they were living at 3452a Alberta Street. Her son, John, was attending the University of Missouri so Lizzie moved to Columbia and in 1930 was living at 1510 Ross Street there. By 1935, she had moved back to St. Louis. Lizzie lived at 4130 Russell Boulevard, where she continued to live for many years indicated by a 1946 St. Louis city directory listing.

Although her death certificate lists that address as her home, I have memories of my father visiting her in a nursing home for about a year prior to her death on 23 January 1950. Lizzie’s burial placed her alongside her husband at New St. Marcus Cemetery.

Submitted by Mary McMillan
March 2018

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