The couple lived most of their married life in Bunceton, Kelly Twsp., Cooper County, Missouri. Their parents had come to America on the same boat and had arrived in Boonville on 27-May-1848. Both families had come from the area of France known as Haute Rhine.

John was in failing health for several years before taking his own life in 1903. The funeral was held in the home of Michael Diringer in Boonville, Missouri

Helen Stone Woodruff’s original manuscript gave his birth as 29-Jan-1834 in Alsace Lorraine, France.

Listed as Johan B Meisburger on Marriage license.

He registered for the draft57 and served in Captain Bruehl’s Company F, German Regiment Missouri Home Guard during the Civil War58. Mary M. applied for a pension on June 26, 1903 about 2 weeks after his death59.

John Meisburger
Sometime in the afternoon of Thursday last week [11 June 1903], Mr. John Meisburger was found in an unconscious condition in the barn on his premises at Bounceton. Mr. Meiburger and a married daughter, Mr. Joseph Walton, had missed the husband and father from the house for a longer time than usual and a search was instituted wit the above result. He was immediately removed to the house where he died in about two hours. An empty bottle with a carbolic acid label was found near the body, establishing beyond question that he had taken his own life. No cause can be assigned for or some time Mr. Meiburgeer had suffered from an ailment of long standing and it is presumed his mind had become temporarily unbalanced. The remains were brought o Boonville Saturday and interred in the Catholic cemetery at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon.
John Meisburger was born in Germany about 69 years ago and came to America with his parents in 1848, landing at Boonville May 27th of that year. Some 48 years ago he married to Miss Magdalena Dirringer, who, with her parents and other members of the family, crossed the ocean in the same vessel wit the Meisburger. To this union were born eight children, all of whom survive. They are, Mrs. Philip Back, Oklahoma; Mrs. William Back, Minnesota; Mrs. Jos. Walton, Bunceton; Louis, Oklahoma City; Frank, St. Joseph; John, Texas; Joseph, Sweet Springs, Mo., and Edward, Kansas City. The five sons are telegraph operators and each one of them holds a lucrative position.
Mr. Meisburger lived in Cooper and adjoining counties the entire 55 years of his life spent outside of his fatherland, and was always recognized as a citizen of excellent worth. He followed the trade of wagon maker up to two years previous to his death, and it was only by the urgent appeals of his children that he consented to abandon his trade for a life of leisure. The surviving wife and children have the sympathy of the public in their bereavement.

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Card of Thanks

To the friends and neighbors of the family of Mrs. Wilhelmina S. Back, dec’d., we the family extent (sic) our sincere thanks for courtesies shown us in our sad hour of bereavement and also for the floral tribute sent us. (Signed) Back Family

Note: Was the widow’s name an error or a format I’m unfamiliar with.

1860 census as J. Misberger at Missouri, Morgan, Florence, 2. J 25, Madeline 25, Louisa 2, Lewis Gerning 22, Michael Gerning 16. The last two are Madeleins’s brothers Lewis and Michael Diringer.
1870 census as John Misburger at Willow Fork, Moniteau, Missouri. John 35, Mary 35, Louisa 12, Louis 10, Anna M 7 Frank 4, and John 2.
1880 Census as Jonothan Musenberger (Meisenburger) at Missouri, Cooper, Kelly, 140, 3.
Living there is Jno 46, Mary 46, Louis 19, Frank 15, John 13, Mary 11, Edward 4, Joseph 6 The children ae listed as sons except Mary as a daughter.
1900 Census at John B Meisburrger at Missouri, Cooper, Kelly, District 0051, 3.
Living there is John 65, Mary M 66, Mary Diringer (Sister) 53?, Eddie 4, Grandchild.