Charles Osterkamp (1884-1947)

Born: July 25, 1884

Died: February 11, 1947

Charles Emil Osterkamp, the first child of Emil and Christina Osterkamp, was born on July 25, 1884 at the family home, 1819 S. 3rd St., St. Louis.

From at least 1918 to at least 1930, he and Emma lived at 5215 Lisette Avenue, which was valued at about $10,000 in 1930. On September 12, 1918, two months before the end of World War I, he registered for military service, but apparently did not serve. At that time, he was described as tall, with a medium build, with gray eyes and brown hair.

Charles sold shoes for a living and collected them as a hobby. By 1910, he was a clerk at a shoe factory. From at least 1918 until shortly before his death, he was a department manager, office manager and assistant general manager, for International Shoe Company, also known as Roberts, Johnson and Rand Shoe Co., in St. Louis.

Charles enjoyed his work enough to become, in the words of one newspaper, "a popular speaker" on shoe topics such as "Shoes Through the Ages," and was "much in demand for community gatherings of a wide variety." Charles had a large collection of shoes from around the world to share with his audiences, including a size 25 pair made to order for Robert Wadlow, the tallest recorded person in history; a bearskin moccasin reputed to have been worn on a Kentucky hunting trip with Daniel Boone; and a Chinese coolie's wooden platform shoe.

In about 1940, Charles contracted Hodgkin's lymphoma. By 1947, Charles and Emma lived at 4125 Holly Hills Blvd. In early January of that year, he was admitted to Barnes Hospital, where he had a stroke known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Charles died on February 11, 1947 and was buried at Sunset Burial Park, 10180 Gravois Road.

Family
Wife: Emma Osterkamp (Sandvoss) (1884-19??)

Child: Roy Osterkamp (1912-2002)

Parents: Emil Osterkamp (1853-1914) Christina Osterkamp (Hanewinkel) (1856-1927)

Siblings: Arthur Osterkamp (1887-1974) Walter H. Osterkamp (1890-1963) Ella Osterkamp (1893-1894)

Grandparents: Hicke Osterkamp (1819-1889) Caroline Osterkamp (Nicolai) (1829-1884) Joannes Heinrich Hanewinkel (1810-1897) Josephina Kurten Hanewinkel (1819-1891)