The following unidentified newspaper article, hand-dated May 2nd, 1897, was in a collection owned by Lowell Town Historian Richard Schmal:
Last Sunday at the German Lutheran church, Petersburg, Ill., occurred the beautiful double marriage ceremony of Wm. Niedert to Miss Mary Voltmer and August Voltmer to Miss Lena Balgeman, the regular pastor of the church officiating. The grooms wore plain black suits, while the brides wore steel colored satin trimmed in pearl and chaffon. In the evening a reception was given the happy couples at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Balgeman, at which a royal good time is reported. The young people were the recipients of many handsome and useful presents.