When Frederick Fahrmeier left Lippe, Germany, to join his two younger brothers in America, he took a set of copper apple butter kettles with him.

The biggest of the three kettles was 31 inches in diameter and about 15 inches deep. The others fit inside it, bringing the total weight to about 70 pounds.

The kettles were made by the boys’ father. They traveled for about two months with Frederick by ocean, train, steamboat and horse to Warren County in 1849.

Once there, one kettle went to each Fahrmeier brother; Frederick, the oldest, Christian the middle son, and Wilhelm, the youngest.

Family historians said the brothers settled in Elkhorn and were part of the founding of the first Lippstadt Evangelical Church in 1853. It was one of the first German Evangelical churches organized in Warren County.

The church’s second structure, made of brick, was opened in 1877.

Evidence of the Fahrmeiers’ history there can be seen in the church’s cemetery, where many family members are buried.

Frederick’s arrival with the kettles was about 168 years ago. Since then, several generations have passed away and many have moved to other cities and states. Some never knew about the kettles. Some did.

Glenn Mueller, a Fahrmeier descendant who lives in Illinois, researched and wrote a book about the history of the Sievert-Bahr, Siebenneicher, Fahrmeier, Mueller and related families.

Mueller believes the kettles were passed down to members of the Fahrmeier, Sievert, Mueller, Stuermann, Buschschorn and Winter families.

When Mueller’s book was published, he knew about two kettles. They belonged to J.D. Winter and Melvin Buschschorn. The location and condition of the third was somewhat of a mystery.

“In his book, (Mueller) stated that the third kettle might well be in some ditch, watering or feeding livestock for all he knows,” said Cheryl Stuermann, a Fahrmeier relative who lives in Warrenton.

There had been a rumor about a kettle being left in a ditch on property owned by a descendant of a Fahrmeier brother. Stuermann, being familiar with family-owned property in Warren County, had a suspicion that led her to that third kettle.

All three kettles, all in good condition, were reunited Dec. 6 when the current owners, all relatives of the Fahrmeier brothers, met near Warrenton with their kettles.

The three kettles were a match. They have the same distinctive pattern of rivets around the top and sides and curves near the handles.

The present owners are J.D. Winter of Kansas, Mueller of Illinois (which he purchased from Buschschorn) and Stuermann. Mueller has Frederick’s kettle.

Winter has Christian’s kettle and Stuermann has Wilhelm’s kettle.

Finding that third kettle, Mueller said, “is like solving a family mystery.”

Now that the kettles have been reunited, “We’re going to hold on to them and cherish them,” Mueller said.

His kettle is on display at his family’s vacation home where everyone who visits can enjoy it.

Winter said his kettle is in a safe place and Stuermann said she is using hers as a useful decorative piece.

All of them plan to keep the kettles in the family.  

These copper kettles were owned by the Fahrmeier brothers who had settled in Elkhorn, now Warrenton, when they came to America from Germany. The kettles were made in Germany in 1849. Today, they are owned by, from left, Cheryl Stuermann of Warrenton, Glenn Mueller of Illinois, and J.D. Winter of Kansas. Also pictured is Tom Mueller, Glenn's brother, far right. Record photo/ Kate Miller.