Louisa Kersting, 1864–1905

Louisa Kersting, daughter of Richard Kersting and Adolphina Billmeyer, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on 3 March 1864. Louisa was employed in domestic service at a young age, typical of many young women of that era.

The 1880 census indicates that Louisa was employed as a nurse in the Ralph Bush household of Joachim, Jefferson County, Missouri. She was sixteen years old. The census shows that both of her parents were German and that her employer was Austrian. It is not known how long she remained in this position.

According to the 1900 census, Louisa was not married and was living with her widowed sister Bertha Overton and Bertha’s son Walter John Overton at 1221 Gratton Street in St. Louis. At about this time, Mr. James Chamberlain Elms employed Louisa as a housekeeper. Mr. Elms was a noted hairdresser and importer of hairdressing styles and equipment. Mr. Elms had two daughters, Bertha and Grace. Grace was apparently friends with the Kersting family, as she was staying with Justina Kersting Overton as the new century wore on. Mr. Elms’ wife had died in December of 1899.

In 1901 or 1902, Louisa Kersting filed a slander case against Robert White, who lived in Woodland, St. Louis County, Missouri. Both he and Mr. Elms were businessmen in St. Louis and were members of the Brethren, which was also known as the Christian Assembly. Louisa Kersting was apparently not a member of this group.

Miss Kersting claimed that about six months prior to filing her case, people began to turn their backs on her. She discovered that White had linked her name with that of her employer in “an unenviable matter.” As a result, she was put to great distress and lost twenty-two pounds in weight.

Mr. White admitted that he had made a statement against Elms but denied having mentioned Miss Kersting’s name. He said that he made the statement on the authority of Mr. Elms’ daughter and had done it because the rules of the church organization to which he and Elms both belonged had established a strict moral standard, which he felt must be upheld.

The first verdict was in favor of Louisa Kersting in the amount of $1,500. This was set aside by the judge on the ground that the damages were excessive. A second jury brought in a verdict of $3,500 in favor of Miss Kersting. The defendant appealed, and the verdict was reversed by the Court of Appeals on account of an error in the pleadings.

A third trial occurred in 1905, and the record of the proceedings contained an amazing amount of detail, including a description of the night shirt that the employer wore while Miss Kersting read the Bible to him. Louisa Kersting won this appeal as well.

Mr. White appealed the verdict, so Louisa probably never received any money, as she died on 2 November 1905 of tuberculosis. She is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. She never married.

Written by Beth Davis
February 2025
© 2025, St. Louis Genealogical Society

Last Modified: 10-Jun-2025 12:14