(From Palmyra Newspaper 1934) :

Palmyra, Mo. Oct 14 - The one hundredth birthday of Mrs. Hannah Wehmeyer is being celebrated today in the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wehmeyer, residents of Fabius township. Mrs. Wehmeyer's birthday is Monday October 15, but the celebration was planned for a Sunday.  Immediate members of her family, including her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and a few close friends were invited to her home in celebration of an event, unusual in this section of Marion county, as not within the recollection of any one here, has a man or woman, living in Palmyra or vicinity ever attained this remarkable age.

A native of Germany, Mrs. Wehmeyer was born October 15, 1834.  Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Riepe of Herford, Westphalia.  During her young girlhood poor health caused her parents to send her to a health resort.  At the time the doctors entertained little hope for a permanent recovery, but she responded to treatment, improving to the extent that later she was persuaded by a brother Hemy Riepe, to come to this country. The brother had located in Quincy and was hopeful that the change in climate would also prove beneficial to her. She crossed the Atlantic on a sailing vessel, taking six weeks to make the trip, the vessel docked at New Orleans, from there she came up the Mississippi river on a small river steamer, this being before the days of the railroad. She has often spoken of Quincy being only a small town when she first arrived there, the town having but a few thousand population, and the city limits extended but a short distance in any direction. With her husband and children, she lived in Missouri before the railroad bridge, spanning the Mississippi river at Quincy was built, and she often speaks of what a thrill it was to cross the river in wagon or bob-sled on the ice.

HER HEALTH IMPROVES

Following her arrival in Quincy, she kept house for her brother and her general health continued to improve in her new environment.

In 1857 she married Peter Wehmeyer, also a native of Germany, who had come to this country, locating in Quincy some eight or ten years before the arrival of his future bride. Following their marriage they continued their residence in Quincy until after the close of the Civil War, when the couple decided to locate on a farm, finally choosing a fertile river, in the Fabius township, the old homestead being located about seven miles northwest of Palmyra. Several children were born before they came to Missouri, one small son dying in Quincy, where he is buried.

Being a carpenter by trade Mr. Wehmeyer made substantial improvements on his newly acquired farm in Fabius and the house that he built is now occupied by one of his grandsons. Mr. Wehmeyer, born in 1827, died on his farm May 19, 1899. Following his death, Mrs. Wehmeyer for a few years, lived with her daughter Mrs. Bertha Schwagmeyer, at 1022 Payson Avenue, Quincy, later returning to Fabius township where for some time she kept house for her grandson Frank Schwagmeyer, on the farm, but for the last ten years had been making her home with the son and daughter-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wehmeyer where the celebration is being held today.

CONSISTENT BIBLE READER

All of her life Mrs. Wehmeyer had enjoyed reading. She has been a consistent Bible reader since girlhood and has committed to memory many of the Psalms and much of the New Testament. She was a former member of St. James Lutheran Church of Quincy, but after coming to Missouri, transferred her membership to Palmyra Zion Lutheran Church. Because of her advanced age she has deprived herself during the last year or more of making visits away from the home of her son, believing that the extra exertion might prove detrimental. She often partakes of the Lord's Supper in her home during the pastoral calls of the Rev. George Moeller, who will also be present during the afternoon at the celebration today.

A few years ago Mrs. Wehmeyer suffered a severe attack of pneumonia, her recuperative powers following the illness proving to be remarkable for a woman her age, but her strength since that time had not been what it was before the illness. The extreme heat wave of last summer was also a severe tax upon her strength. Her general health is good and she is mentally alert. Her hearing has failed quite a bit during the last year or more, but her eyesight remains about the same.

HER FINE CHARACTER

Predominating characteristics throughout her life have been her kindly disposition and her devotion to her family and friends. She is the mother of nine children, five of whom are living and who are with her today. They are Mrs. Bertha Schwagmeyer of Quincy: Mrs. Katherine Toellner of Bunceton: Mrs. Ed Schaller of Round Grove: and Louie and Henry Wehmeyer of Fabius.  She has fifteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Her grandchildren are Walter and Miss Ella Schwagmeyer of Quincy; Frank Schwagmeyer, of Chicago; Raymond, Lorene, Carl, and Norma Lee Schaller of Round Grove; Wilford Wehmeyer of Fort Madison, IA; Mrs. John Barnett and Ernest and Ralph Wehmeyer and Mrs. Harry Parsons of Long Beach, Cal. The great grandchildren are; Mildred, Herbert, and Lois Schwagmeyer, of Quincy, Tommie and Martha Ann Wehmeyer of Fort Madison, IA, and John Barnett and Robert and Donald Wehmeyer of Fabius.

The children of Mrs. Wehmeyer who are dead include Harry and William, who died in boyhood: John who died in Kansas City about ten years ago, and Herman who died at the old home place only a few years ago.