The Keepers

Our Oma was Born 130 Years Ago Today

2009-04-28T03:11:00.001-07:00

Anna Selma Gläser Graupner (29 April 1879 -24 April 1968)

In celebration of Oma Anna's 130th birthday anniversary, I am reproducing the following letter which she wrote while still living in Schlangenbad and sent to The Carl Graupner Family on 10 May 1958. Oma wrote to both respond to the congratulatory letters she had received for her 59th birthday and to acknowledge Jim Graupner's Confirmation, 18 May 1958. Philip Graupner did the transcription and translation. Oma's original letter (which will enlarge when clicked) and the photo from Jim's collection shows Grandma Anna Gläser Graupner a couple of years later in her new home in Bärstadt. JFG

(1958.05.10 Oma an Carl Graupners...German)

Schlangenbad, d. 10.5.58

Mein lieber Karl, meine liebe Gertrude u. Enkelkinder!

Ich sage Euch allen vielen, vielen Dank für Eure Glückwünsche zu meinem Geburtstag. Ich habe mich so gefreut, daß ich Briefe bekam, von allen meinen Kindern und auch von allen meinen Geschwistern, die noch leben. Wir haben schon Sonntag Nachmittag alle beisammen gesessen und Kaffee getrunken. Ich hatte einen Quarkkuchen gebacken und einen Stachelbeer und einen Kirschkuchen fertig gemacht. Auch Else, vielmehr Erika hatte noch eine Torte gebacken, die hat sie mitgebracht. Dorle und ihre Familie war hier, so waren wir eine schöne Tischrunde. Es war auch ein schöner sonniger Tag. Nach dem Kaffee wurde erzählt, haben Euch nicht die Ohren geklungen? Auch Elslein hat geschrieben, da kamen wir gleich auf Amerika zu sprechen. Wir haben so gutes Wetter, die letzten Apriltage waren schon sommerlich warm und im Mai ist es so weitergegangen. Es regnet auch mal, aber gleich ist es auch wieder schön, ein richtiges Wachswetter. Es steht nun auch alles in Blüte, der Wald ist mit einem mal grün geworden, das helle junge Grün, es ist eine Pracht, ich wünschte Ihr könntet einmal im Frühling hier sein. Eure liebe Mama hat auch wieder so einen schönen Brief geschrieben, da bin ich gleich wieder über alle und alles orientiert. Sagt der Oma vielen Dank und viele Grüße, auch dem Opa.

Nun wird auch Jimmy, Euer dritter schon Konfirmiert. Ich wünsche ihm und Euch viel Glück dazu. Es freut mich auch daß Eure Kinder gut in der Schule sind und daß auch einige Liebe zur Musik haben. Elses Jüngste die Ursel will dies Jahr, so Gott will, ihr Abitur machen, aber studieren wird sie nicht weiter. Liebe Gertrud, Du kannst gut und richtig schreiben, Deine Briefe können wir gut lesen. Auch Deine Mama schreibt noch immer gut Deutsch.

Gleich wird Elsa u. ihre Fam. rüber kommen, wir wollen bei uns Kaffee trinken, Du weißt wohl, daß wir Tür an Türe wohnen. Das ist schön.

Nun grüße ich Euch alle herzlich und wünsche Euch alles Gute...

Eure Mutter u. Oma.

Vergeßt nicht die Großmama u. den Großpapa zu grüßen.

(1958.05.10 Oma to Carl Graupners...English)

Schlangenbad, May 10, 1958

My dear Carl, my dear Gertrude and Grandchildren!

Many, many thanks for your best wishes for my birthday. I was so pleased that I got letters from all of my children and from all of my siblings that are still alive. We were already all together on Sunday afternoon for coffee. I baked a cheese cake and got a gooseberry- and a cherry-cake ready. Else too, actually Erika, had baked a tort which she brought along. Dorle and her family were here, so we had a nice group around the table. And it was a beautiful, sunny day. After coffee we started telling stories. Did your ears ring?* Elslein had written too, and so we started to talk about America right away. We have such wonderful weather; the last days of April were already summery warm and in May it just kept on so. It does rain once in a while but right away it is nice again; perfect growing weather. Now everything is blossoming and the wood turned green all at once, the bright, young green; it is magnificent. I wish you could be here sometime in spring. Your dear Mother also wrote such a nice letter again; now I am again up-to-date on everyone and everything. Tell her thanks and many greetings, also to Grandpa.

Now Jimmy, your third, will already be confirmed. I wish him and all of you a good time for that. I am pleased that your children are good in school and some are interested in music. Else's youngest Ursel will, God willing, make her Abitur this year but won't go on to study.* Dear Gertrude, you can write well and correct; one can read your letters easily. Your mother too, also still writes German well.

Elsa and her family will be here soon. We want to have coffee here. You know that we live directly next door to each other. This is nice.

Now I greet all of you and wish you the best...

Your Mother and Grandmother.

Don't forget to greet Grandma and Grandpa [Emma and Arthur Boock] for me.

[* "ears ring"...The Germans always say that if you talk about someone far away that they will notice, because their ears ring.

"Abitur"...the leaving examination of the preparatory high school called "Gymnasium", approximately equal to our high school diploma and two years of college. Abitur allows one to study at a German University toward a doctorate degree. Ursel did go on to study at a teaching college to become a teacher....not considered a "Studium". ]

Christian Frederick Boock Obituary: New Ulm Post

2008-11-26T06:31:00.001-08:00

Darcy Kleeman Boock provided this German-language obituary for Christian Friederich Boock, who died on 9 December 1888. It is from the NEW ULM POST, Freitag, den. 16. Dezember. 1888, Page 8, Col. 3. I copied it several years ago at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. C. F. Boock died on 9 December 1888 in New Ulm, being 62 years of age. The obituary states that his marriage to Marie Albrecht produced three children: Mary (Mrs. August Friederich Raabe), George (m. Schriefer, who died in 1943 in California), and Gustav. However, a fourth child, Fred, who was their third child (between George and Gustav), who died when he was 14 [The Settler, 1982, p. 10).

Christ. Friedrich Boock, one of the founders of New Ulm, died last Sunday at an age somewhat more than 62 years, from a relapse of a nerve-fever (typhus), from which it was thought he just recovered. The deceased was born on 15 November, 1826 in Ostdorf in Schleswig. Later he learned the wagon-making trade and started his journeyman travels out into the wide world. At the beginning of the 50's he came to New Ulm. He married Maria Albrecht, a sister of Mr. Karl Albrecht of Lafayette, in 1856, who was taken from him by death in 1870. In 1871, he was married a second time, to Miss Wilhelmine Plath. She and 10 children, of which 3 are from the first marriage (Mrs. August Rabe, Georg and Gustav Boock) and 7 from the second marriage, mourn the so unexpected death of their husband and father. He was a ceaselessly active head of house, citizen and member of the Lutheran congregation, which held its first meeting in his house in 1865 and of which he was a founder. He often was an elder of the congregation and also proposed the founding of Dr. Martin Luther College, of which he was an enthusiastic supporter until the end. As a member of the town council too, he tried to promote the well-being of his fellow citizens.
His burial took place on Monday afternoon with many attending. An experienced and active life has now reached the goal what awaits all of us. May he find the rest of which he had so little during his life.

Christian Frederick Boock Letter: 25 December 1865

2008-11-25T06:32:00.000-08:00

[Letter from Marilyn Boock Schmidt collection; typed by Darcy Kleeman Boock]

[Colorized detail of Christian Friederich Boock, taken on the occasion of his marriage to Wilhelmine Plath in 1857. jfg collection]

New Ulm, December 25, 1865

Dear Brother-in-law,

I have received your letter of April written by William, as well as the letter of November 26. The first one was a happy one, but the second saddened us very much. Although Christmas is a time of joy for every Christian, yet the news that my sister had died was like a funeral to us. It is true, we all have to pass through death out of this world, but I’m sure, your children will miss their loving mother who lived such an exemplary life at all times, instructed them well, here’s hoping her instructions will not have been wasted by careless living. She was a Godfearing and righteous woman and a loving mother. Everyone will observe whether the children will take after her and her living. A good, but terrible example you find in Frank Jönke, which is the result of the parent’s proud upbringing of their children who then believed they were better than any other children. He showed his vain character when he dealt with me as though I were his servent, after I had returned from my travels, I had a better look of life than he. He left home as s chest manufacturer and returned somewhat more stupid. When I left home, I knew nothing about chest building, but through experience I acquired knowledge sufficiently that I landed a job in woodworking in Berlin. He earned considerable monies, but squandered it, but when I returned, I brought about $100 along. He prided himself on his education, but of what use is it, if you live the life of a pig which everyone despises. I don’t like to brag, but here and wherever I have lived, I have always been considered a gentleman. At present we have founded an Evangelical congregation and decided to build a church. I have been selected as a member of the church council and authorized to supervise the building of the church.
Pride cometh before the fall, which is true, so it is necessary for us to remain humble, and not aim for superior goals, but be satisfied with the simple things in life.
Dear brother-in-law I addressed myself to your children whom I also love and wish to remind them with a warning which I know you will not be lacking to bring them up to become honorable citizens. It is very difficult for us to express our sincere sadness over the loss of your wife, and only the thought of the hereafter solaces us, when our time comes to leave this earth that we will again meet in a better place. Though her death is a terrible blow for us, we still will say “The Lord’s ways are wonderful and the earth is full of His makings.”
Concerning me and my family I can’t thank the Lord enough for our health which He has given us. And further I pray for continued health not for riches, because a healthy person is rich enough to be able to work while I can, my rule is this “Hard work makes life sweet.” We, too, have begun preparations for the Christmas season, as such as the sadness of sister’s death permits. The children above all rejoice the most for the simple gifts which they receive just like in Old Germany.
There isn’t much to write about our political problems. The war is over and everything is moving along in a normal way. Slavery has ended. This was one of the most despicable blemishes on the Republic.
In my last letter I mentioned that some children of my brother intended to come to America, but must have changed their minds and didn’t come. When I told my renter about their coming, he moved off the farm. So when they did not come, the farm remained empty, by which I lost considerable money. However I had others plant the cultivated land, so I did not lose all. I now have another renter.
Dear William, your portrait (photo) in the last letter made us all happy. I am sending herewith our portrait of my wife and me, which I hope, you will accept with the best of wishes and they may be found acceptable to you.
Many hearty greetings from me, my wife, and children to all of you and wish you a Happy New Year and hope all are well. Please answer soon.

Your beloved brother-in-law

Friederich Boock

The photographers here haven’t acquired the skill yet of producing good portraits like those in Berlin, as you have noticed in studying our portraits.

Christian Frederick Boock Letters (1860-1873)

2008-11-24T17:55:00.000-08:00

Christian Frederick Boock was born on 15 November 1826, the son of Elizabeth Johnke and Peter Boock, in Ostdorf Germany. In 1854, Christian emigrated to the United States; "he came to Chicago in 1855, then to Lafayette Township in Brown County in 1856, where he took a homestead. That was sold and in 1863 he came to New Ulm, where he bought a lot from the German Land Association of Minnesota." [Gertrude Boock Graupner]

Christian Frederick was first married to Mary Albrecht (1857), who died in 1870 in New Ulm, with four young children: Mary Boock (married August Raabe), George (married Schriefer), Fred, and Gustav. Christian Frederick subsequently married Wilhelmine Ernstine Plath, in New Ulm on May 17, 1871; to this union seven children were born: Ida (m. Adolph Klause), Emma Theresa (m. Ed Cordes, then William Ruemke Jr.), Albert Peter (m. Emma Ruemke), Friedricka (m. Hermann Hardt), Arthur Lincoln (m. Emma Aufderheide), Wilhelmine (m. Louis Broecker) and Oscar (m. Cora Custman). He died in the winter of 1888 in New Ulm, Minnesota. The first of the three letters is printed below. Letters from 1865 and 1873 will be posted later.

Recently, in planning discussions for a family reunion in 2009, Marilyn Boock Schmidt referred to a series of letters between 1860 and 1873 that C. F. Boock had written to family members in Germany:

Marilyn Boock Schmidt wrote:

" About Christian Frederick Boock's farm in LaFayette: I have copies of three letters he wrote back to Germany in the 1800's. Someone, somewhere translated and typed them. I've promised Wolfgang Boock (who collects old letters) copies but haven't done that yet. Perhaps some of you also have these.

In one addressed to Dear Sister and Brother-in-law, dated Lafayette, June 29, 1860, Christian writes "the government announced that a large section of land had to be paid up by the immigrants who were using it. Part of our land was included in that section. We had 160 acres and had to pay $200 for ownership. Many people wrote to the president and as a result, the dead line for payment was rescinded and I was able to pay my allotted payment. I have 20 acres under cultivation. I mentioned in a former letter that I joined a club which is planning to establish a city, well, that has materialized, the town's name is New Ulm. 5 years ago the first house was built and now there are more than 200 homes.

In New Ulm I also have some property, but at present there is no demand for it, even though its location is good, it is close to the boat landing on the Minnesota River. On the south side of the river on higher grounds you see summer houses already. In the wooded area I own 4 acres. My farm is only about 3/4 miles from New Ulm, I am able to see the town from my farm."In another letter Christian writes about his first wife dying and leaving 4 children and his remarriage 4 months later.

About his business he writes: " Dear Nephew, (headed New Ulm, May 11, 1873) I went into a partnership in a foundry and machine shop.We are 3 partners. I had to give up my old one which was in the best location on Main Street. I rented it to another and it was the same with my home. I had to rent it to another and built myself another home near the factory. Dear nephew, I could rent the old factory to you. Give my greetings to uncle Jonke on his golden wedding anniversary. Kindly tell me all about Henry and Amelia Jonke."

Perhaps these excerpts will help locate some of Christian Frederick's properties.We do know that his second wife, Great grandma Wilhelmine, ran a boarding house somewhere downtown. My dad, Norbert, would have known where it was, as he helped her with household chores after school.These letters are interesting reads."

[Historical Context of C. F. Boock's letter dated 29 June 1860:

Christian Frederick emigrated to the United States in 1854, Chicago 1855, and the Minnesota Territory in 1856. At that time, the Minnesota Territory included Dakota lands west of the Red River, territory from Wisconsin east of the Mississippi River and territory from Iowa south of the Minnesota River. As conflict was developing between the Northern States and the Southern States over issues of slavery and state's rights, the Enabling Act of 1857 was passed by Congress, C.F. took a homestead that same year (in what became Lafayette Township in Brown County in 1858). Christian Fr. was married to Marie Albrecht on 2 July 1857*.

A fierce debate had developed over the issue of slavery until the repeal of the Missouri Compromise of 1854 ensured that Minnesota would come into statehood as a Free State--in fact, Minnesota was so divided that two different State Constitutions were drafted and signed in 1857, leaving the door open for statehood on May 11, 1858. Within a year of C.F.'s letter, on 13 April 1861, Civil War broke out in the United States, into which Minnesota regiments from Fort Snelling were sent. In 1862 the Homestead Act was passed, facilitating land claims by settlers; the same year, with Minnesota soldiers fighting in the Civil War, the Dakota War of 1862 broke out, directly involving New Ulm. So, when Fred writes in 1860 that he's farming on land to which the title wasn't firm (allowed after of Dakota Treaty of 1853; they wrote to the President (Lincoln) to intervene so they could continue claim without outright ownership) until 1862. According to Gertrude Boock Graupner's account in The Settler (1982), "Fred" sold his farm in 1863 and moved into New Ulm, where he had property. *presumably under the auspices of Minnesota Territory [ jfg]

Lafayette, June 29, 1860

Dear sister and Brother-in-Law,

Since I have given up hope to hear from you, I am forced to write again to inquire about your health and how you are getting along. It seems to me you are not concerned very much about me and how i am getting along, otherwise you would have written already and answered my letter; probably you thought, I would be asking you for financial help as I had mentioned about sending along several large augers with Henry Jonck, but I had also stated in my letter that the beginnings here are quite difficult and, if you could not have helped at this time, you could have excused yourself, this was your duty to do that, and I want you to know that all blessings which I received from you, I certainly am not ungrateful to you, or perhaps you had the same thought that our brother Josias had, namely living so far away, make it impossible to help each other. The truth is, distance is the minimum of a problem, if the will to help exist[s].

During the past 44 years, probably you have heard about us from Josias. This is not a lie, but I have been in a very awkward financial predicament, so I didn't know which way to turn for help. I was absolutely broke and had no inkling where to obtain the money as the government announced that a large section of land had to be paid up by the immigrants who were using it. part of our land was included in that section. We had 160 acres and had to pay $200 for the ownership. And if we didn't pay up by a certain day, it would be sold to someone else. This made me very nervous and irritable, but fortunately many people wrote to the President and as a result, the deadline for payment was rescinded. In the meantime, my financial conditions have improved, so I was able to pay my alotted [sic.] payment.

I will assume that you are interested in my present living conditions. On July 2, 3 years ago, I was married to Maria Albrecht, 21 years old. Two years ago we had a daughter. My wife came from Kirgen-Kegel by Goldberg in Mecklenburg-Schwerin and came to America in 1855 with her mother and 2 brothers who live not far from here. They are all industrious farmers. Most of my work is farming, because wagon building isn't much in demand, there are plenty of these around. I have 20 acres under cultivation, 4 oxen to help do the work, 3 milk cows, 4 young pigs and some chickens. I plant rye, wheat, and oats. Corn is my main crop. Also I raise peas, beans, potatoes, and a variety of other plants. This land is the most productive and the climate is most favorable, very much like that in Germany. The grain grows well in Minnesota and I foresee a plenteous harvest, but the price per bushel is very low, never in my whole life, have I found such cheap prices, a pound of butter for 6-7 cents, 3 Groschen (about 30 Pfennig in Germany) worth of potatoes per bushel here for 20-25 cents, and so it is with everything else. There is very little money available, caused by the low prices. Even farm land has come down in price, some farms 3 years ago were bought for $1,500, can't find a buyer for $1,000. As I mentioned in a former letter that I joined a club which is planning to establish a city, well, that has materialized, the town's name is New Ulm. 5 years ago the first house was built and now there are more than 200 homes, about 1200 to 1300 inhabitants. in New Ulm I also have some property, but at present there is no demand for it, even though its location is good, it is close to the boat landing on the Minnesota River. This river is very much like the Spree in size and full of fish. The town is very romantic and is built on higher levels, the river movers along in snake-like curves with cliffs here and there. On the southern side of the river on higher grounds, you can see summer houses already, in the wooded area I own 4 acres. If those 4 acres would be in the vicinity of Berlin, I would be considered a wealthy man. But I am satisfied that it is close to New Ulm. My farm is only about 3/4 miles from New ulm, I am able to see the town from my farm. Although my whole belongings are very limited, yet I am satisfied for what is my own which my [wife?] and I have carefully managed and so consider myself fortunate. I don't begrudge a king on his throne for my freedom and joy in my family.

Dear sister and brother-in-law write soon as possible, and tell me all about the happenings of friends and relatives for the past, also descrive [sic.] your times you are living in, and do tell me whether many people are immigrating to other lands.

If any one wishes to move and would like to settle on a farm, I would advise them to come to Minnesota, with energy and ambition you can make it, but if someone thinks of getting rich quick, he'll find disappointment.

In closing I hope this letter finds all of you well, as I am, while writing this letter.

Many greetings from me, my wife, and child,

Your loving brother and brother-in-law,

C. F. Boock

Greetings to uncle (?) and family

Ancestral Families Visit by Marilyn Boock Schmidt and Darcy Kleemann Boock

2008-10-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Darcy and Jerry Boock and Marilyn Boock and Fred Schmidt, have reported on their return home of their visit to relatives in Germany several weeks in September and October, 2008. The first account is by Marilyn Boock Schmidt; following Marilyn's account is Darcy's account.

Ancestral Families in Europe

by Marilyn Boock Schmidt

I want to share with you thoughts of our wonderful ancestral families in Europe. Darcy and Jerry, correct me on errors and someone please forward this to Ken and Pat Graupner as a computer glitch erased their name from our list.

Our stays with Darcy's cousin Renate Marquardt in Bergkamen and her second cousin Ingrid Musial and extended family in Oldenburg were warm and loving, one house filled with books, the other with "schnick schnacks".

At Kattenvenne our great grandfather, Frederick Aufderheide's great grandfather, Johann Hinrich Johann aufr Heede ( 1749 -1816) was married twice. Our hosts Gerhard & Helga auf der Heide and brother Reinhold and Eliz. auf der Heide are from Johann's first wife, A Brewen and we come from the second wife's line, E. Oberdalhaff. Most of the second wife's children/grandchildren left for America at a time when half the population of that area moved away, devastating those remaining, we were told.

Great great great grandfather Johann (mentioned above) left a notebook containing his trading, which persons owed him money and what he owed others. He noted news and illness cures he heard of during his travels. In his wagon he took linen made from flax to the salt mines at the coast, to trade (smuggle?) for salt. Is that why Norbert would say on coming home from work, "Another day at the salt mines." Johann did well financially with his trading and was able to erect fine buildings on his property. We were given a few pages of translation along with copies of the original in old German script.

The brothers Gerhard and Reinhold are truly Aufderheides with their hair coloring, fair skin, light eyes, freckles, humour and inquisitive minds. How I wished that Grandma Emma, Norbert and Gertrude could have met them. Their wives are warm and loving. Reinhold was first born, is now 80 and was raised to become the next generation's farmer, lived his whole life on the original farm, was taught the rural German while his brother Gerhard, younger by 13 years was taught a city German (high, low, Platdutch?) Gerhard became principal of a large local school.

The first morning Gerhard took us on a long walk through a neighborhood of new homes built on property the brothers sold, on past the subdivision to point out the Middle Ages properties belonging to brothers Johann, Gerd, Dierk and named because of the growth of heather and of borderland/marsh. Thus our ancestor's name became "up de Hee" once last names were needed As we took photos of one old barn/house we were invited in and given a tour, the present owner being the attorney for the Catholic school board, a wise, learned old man. The attached barns have now become part of the living space. On our hike we could see in the distance Reinhold's farm house, surrounded by heather as this year he's being paid not to produce a crop. In the background are high voltage power lines sending power from the thousands of northern turbines to the country's electric grid, which also powers the many trains.

A country lane, 2 blocks in length separates the two brother's homes. As we walked the lane approaching the original family farm we made out the writing on the beam over the door: family name, year and a quote of blessing. (a common practise in those parts) Reinhold's gardens are beautifully neat, "Like my father kept the grounds", he said in German. Reinhold and his wife speak no English but they chatted to us and we to them not understanding each other, but enjoying the conversation anyway. We were given a tour of their home, also an attached barn/house made more recently into living quarters. The bottle of "schnapps" welcomed us to their home.

Reinhold and Eliz. have no children and younger brother Gerhardt & Helga's son is well educated, travels the world with his job and so has no interest in maintaining the family farm. The farm will now be going to Eliz.'s nephew and family who are already living in a house on the property. Their charming blond 9 year old son was busy pushing a wheelbarrow filled with straw for the animals.

Reinhold, with his bright red hair, has a sense of humor. When touring an outdoor museum of old buildings he cracked the teacher's ruler as we were too boisterous, he got the pump working, sharpened his pocket knife on the old wet stone. He brought me a bouquet of heather from his farm, which I've pressed, promising half to Darcy. He enjoyed our visit so much that he missed an afternoon of card playing to spend more time with us, unheard of behaviour! Twice he saluted with a "Hei Hitler" and a big grin. Unfortunately he has health problems which make it impossible for him to want to travel.

His younger brother, Gerhard, is retired from his teaching career, speaks English, is interested in family history and plans to come to Minnesota next fall with his wife, Helga. Last fall they visited Aufderheide's in Indiana, arrived home to be greeted with Darcy's message of their New Ulm connections. Their house, built on auf der Heide farm property, is filled with books. The family donated land for a large community centre which was a busy place when we toured it. Everyone knew Gerhard as they gave us a guided tour of Katttenvenne, Ringle, Lienen, Lengerich and Gehrde.

The brothers told a few WW 2 stories:

a bomb dropped on their land, destroying one of their houses and the Am. bomber crashed, The flyers parachuted to safety, but one of the survivors had the last name common to the area and so he was beaten by the locals.

When foot soldiers came looking for food young Gerhard pointed to where food was hidden and he was beaten by his father.

When the family along with their neighbors found shelter from bombs in the village, young Gerhard pointed with glee to planes passing overhead, thinking it great fun to see airplanes.

A photo and story of our visit appeared in the local news paper after we left. Today the locals ride their "comfort bikes" complete with baskets, into town for groceries, to the train station and to visit family members. It is a peaceful, rural setting and with tears we hugged our new found relatives goodbye and continued on our journey.

In Gehrde, the Schapekahm home town, the mayor himself arranged for an interpreter, gave us a tour of the church, the grounds and treated us to goodies of coffee, kuchens and schnapps at his chamber table. He's interested in genealogy and in promoting his village to tourists. He led us to the original Schapekahm farm and our visit with him was recorded in Gehrde's weekly paper. All this was the result of Darcy's inquiry of a key for touring the village church!

In Bordesholm Wolfgang and Ute Boock's home is filled with reference books and his ancient maps which he's found at flea markets and published into a booklet complete with descriptions and has also published a book of old family correspondence. He's a history buff and took us to sites of battles between Denmark and Germany over the centuries. They led us on tours of Osdorf, Neudort, Borghorst, Lubeck and Gettorf, just missing the Prince of Denmark attending a concert there. They introduced us to curryworst. How Grandpa Arthur Boock would have enjoyed the visit. We do have Danish blood in our veins, as Grandpa told me as a child. A direct connection between Ute Boock and our New Ulm Boocks is yet to be determined, yet their warm hospitality will not be forgotten.

Wolfgang and Ute also plan another trip to the US, promising to visit us in Canada and with New Ulm relatives.

My mother's ancestral homes of Meldorf and Ropersdorf were memorable as were our visits by train to Berlin, Wittenberg, Leipzig, Dresden, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Aschaffenburg.

Needless to say we are tired but wake up at all times of the night with delightful memories, memories that need to be shared! Photos to follow.

Marilyn

Ancestral Families in Europe: Addendum
by Darcy Kleeman Boock

Marilyn, You sure have a flair for story telling. I couldn't have expressed myself as well as you did regarding the wonderful visits with our relatives in Germany.You didn't mention that we also heard classical music in Renate's house and that she is also an inventor and writer, and that "Schnick Schnacks" are actually knick knacks, but everyone probably figured that one out. Ingrid's husband retired from a military career after 31 years and was quite rigid when we first met him, but loosened up quickly. They said they would never consider visiting the USA, but by the second day were already making plans to visit in three years.Gerhard and Reinhold have retained the original Johann auf der Heide surname, at least Gerhard has. And when he answers the phone the emphasis is placed on Heide, not Auf as it has transpired in the USA. Johann Hinrich Johann aufr Heede's (1749 -1816) 1st wife was Anna Maria Brewe (Brewen was a typo) and his 2nd wife was Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs. I strongly agree with Marilyn that we had such a warm welcoming by Gerhard and Helga and also Reinhold and Elisabeth even though they didn't speak English. The funny story I remember about Reinhold is that for some reason we were talking about thieves in large cities and started mentioning the more dangerous cities in the USA and then Reinhold added, "and Cowboys". I'm sure he has seen a few movies with cowboys robbing trains, which prompted his response. We had a really good laugh about that one. Reinhold speaks Platt Deutsch and Gerhard Hoch Deutsch, but they easily understand each other.We also visited Fritz Beineke on his farm. He is a direct descendant of Sophie Beineke Aufderheide's uncle. While I was there I received a copy of the Beineke Family History (did you also Marilyn?) that Robert Rau of Cincinnati, a descendant of Sophie's brother, compiled in 1994. I have an email out to Robert now and am anxious to hear back from him. The Wiethoff farm was also pointed out to us as the neighboring farm to Fritz.Gerhard and Reinhold's father Gustav was also a writer and wrote a book about his days in WWI, which is of course in German. I am hoping that Philip will have time to translate it once he retires. What do you say Philip? I think you would find the story very interesting. Gustav was captured three times by the French, and escaped three times, the final time making his way home, which was especially difficult because he had to cross the Rhine River.It is Wolfgang Boock who ties in with our family, not Ute (she was a Witt), although she is the extractor of records and has helped us tremendously in both our Boock and Oelrich research. It is because the church records don't go back far enough that we can not prove the connection between Wolfgang and the rest of you Boocks. His ancestor came from the small village of Neudorf and so did Christian Friedrich Boock's ancestors, so there has to be a connection. We were also warmly greeted by Wolfgang and Ute and had a wonderful time touring with them. It was very difficult for me to say good bye to them as well as Gerhard and Helga. I am a real sap, so yes tears flowed.There are so many things to sort out yet from our travels and many photos to download to my computer and get copies made to send back to Germany and Thank Yous to write. But now I have time to do that, since I retired in June.So now we need to get busy and plan that Aufderheide/Boock and related families family reunion for next fall! Who all wants to jump in the boat with me?Darcy

BallinStadt Genealogical Research Portals

2008-05-03T07:03:00.001-07:00

Philip alerted me to the Ballin Stadt web site which might be helpful in researching German emigration records.

Genealogical research portals

Institutions that offer help in tracing emigrants (a selection):
Germany» MyFamily GmbH: http://www.ancestry.de/» National Archives Hamburg: http://fhh.hamburg.de/stadt/Aktuell/behoerden/staatsarchiv/start.html » Historical Museum Bremerhaven: http://www.deutsche-auswanderer-datenbank.de/» National Archives Bremen: http://www.passagierlisten.de/» Research Center German Emigrants in the USA: http://www.dausa.de/» Nordfriisk Instituut: www.nordfriiskinstituut.de/indexausw.html » Institute for Migration and Ancestral Research e. V. / Rostock: http://www.imar-mv.com/» National Archives Stuttgart: http://www.auswanderer.lad-bw.de/» Genealogie-Service.de GmbH: http://www.ahnenforschung.net/» Genealogical Society Hamburg: http://gghh.genealogy.net/

USA » Ellis Island / New York: http://www.ellisisland.org/» The National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.archives.gov/» Mystic Seaport: www.mysticseaport.org/library/immigration/intro.cfm

International Family History Portals:» MyFamily Inc.: http://www.myfamily.com/, http://www.ancestry.com/» JewishGen, Inc.: www.jewishgen.org/databases/EIDB» The Genealogical Society Library: http://www.familysearch.org/» Genealogische Gesellschaft: http://www.genealogy.net/

Emigrant Museums and Exhibitions in Germany (a selection):» Deutsches Auswandererhaus Bremerhaven: http://www.dah-bremerhaven.de/» Hapag Halle Cuxhaven: http://www.hapag-halle-cuxhaven.de/» Museen der Stadt Delmenhorst: http://www.auswanderungdelmenhorst.de/» Auswanderermuseum Oberalben: http://www.auswanderermuseum.de/» Haus der bayrischen Geschichte: http://www.hdbg.de/auswanderung/deutsch/index2.htm

First Post-WWII Letters to America: Opa to Ida July 1946

2008-04-30T18:39:00.001-07:00

Translated by Philip Graupner

(1946.07.16 Opa to Ida...translation)

Schlangenbad, 16 July 1946

My dear Ida!

I take it for granted that you have received my letter and now know where we live. Not that it makes much difference in Schlangenbad if you write my name instead of August Dauer. The letter will still come to me; the street name is really insignificant where there are only about 70 households.
But now to you. Since I don't know how long a letter takes and your birthday is getting close, I wish in this manner to bring warmest best wishes to you for your cradle festival. May you be around for a long time for your family and hopefully it is granted me the chance to see you again. I had almost given up, for with our food one doesn't have much resistence to whatever comes along. I was very ill for 8 weeks and didn't believe that I would ever recover. I still am not completely over it and am very weak. One would now need to eat something nutritious but it isn't available. The doctor prescribed extra rations for me 4 weeks ago but I haven't seen anything yet. With 2 lbs.= 1000 gr. of bread a week it will take quite a while before I am really back on my feet again.
Mother and I intended to pick a lot of berries in the woods this year so that we had at least some preserves for our bread during the winter but then I got sick. Mother went one more time to pick raspberries but then got such a bad foot that she could no longer walk, so now we shall just have to see how we will get by. Carl wrote to us that he had sent a package but so far nothing has arrived. You shouldn't wonder about our stationery, that is no longer available, or only in limited amounts. It doesn't matter really, as long as we have something to write on.
Yes Ida, Mother and I no longer thought that we would have to live through such hard times again but we will have to make it through if we want to forget the ill-fated Hitler years. This will be difficult and will take a long time, for the wounds are deep and if nutrition was better, we would succeed. To be sure, Paul lost everything too, but he is still young and will rise up again eventually. It is different for us. We will probably have to make do with the few things we were able to save. Anna and Adolf too, have to set themselves low and would certainly not complain if they hadn't lost Rudi in the last minutes. Still, there is hardly any family in Germany that came through the war without some trace. Therefore, heads up and rebuild, for then we can probably also eat more and better. And now Ida, once again very hearty birthday wishes and many greetings to you , your husband and the 3 boys.

Father

First Post-WWII Letters to America: Opa to Ida 1946

2008-04-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Translated by Philip Graupner

(1946.05.13 Opa to Ida...translation)

Schlangenbad, 13 May, 1946

Dear Ida and Willard!
Now that we can write directly to each other again, I will write once myself. I already wrote a letter to Hermann and hopefully it arrived there safely, or better said, that it will arrive there.
Yes Ida, we have hard times behind us and the worst is yet to come. Worst of all is the hunger but we can't complain because we deserve it; for this war didn't have to be fought and now the whole German folk will be held responsible for it. This last war can't be compared to that of '14 - '18, of which you three may still have a memory. It was much more radical and for that reason much more drastic for each individual. There are likely very few families in Germany that escaped without loss; either family members that were lost on the battlefield or their homes were bombed, or both. Our home in Mülheim is now only a pile of ruins and we lost almost everything, or what survived is badly damaged. I can't say how long we will stay in Schlangenbad but we will most likely be sent back to our home places, i.e. to Mülheim - Ruhr. I would already be back there if I could only find an apartment, even it were only three rooms. Yes, most people are happy to live in one room with 4 - 5 persons, or in some cases, more. But as I said, the worst is our nutrition. Until now it wasn't so bad but now starvation begins too. It must be acknowledged that America is making a great effort to prevent a famine. Will it be successful? To that end, America is allowing packages to be sent to family members here now, as you probably already know. This will be of great benefit to many German families, since almost every 5th. family has one or more relatives in America which could help them.
Hermann and Karl have already written. Karl also sent a photo of his 3 boys, which Else Jr. has taken possession of. Hermann's family has grown enormously. The Graupner name increases in America while it seems to be dying out in German, i.e. my line...the name won't disappear, there are too many.
I was often reproached, that I allowed you to go to America and I often worried about that but today I am pleased that you didn't have to experience this war in Germany. Karl and Hermann would perhaps no longer be alive, for they would have been among the first to be drafted. Germany is now at the bottom and won't so easily raise itself back up again and the final days of our lives will be terrible and all because of our big industrialists and the Junkers in combination with an adventurer. But, it is too late to complain about that. Now we must hold our heads up and work hard so that we are respected in the world again. The consolation that at least the three of you didn't have to live through this misery a second time will be a help to me. I am old and can no longer do much; still I don't wish to stand on the sidelines during reconstruction; it will take a long time until Germany is respected again and until at least some of the ruins are replaced with new buildings. One won't recognize many cities for a number of old familiar corners no longer exist. Until then, many a drop of water will flow down the Ruhr and the Rhine rivers.
With these observations, I would like to close my first post-war letter with the request to send greetings to Hermann and Karl and their families. Warm greetings to you, Willard and the boys.

Your Father.

First Post-WWII Letters To America: Oma to Ida 1946

2008-04-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Translated by Philip Graupner

(1946.07.18 Oma to Ida...translation)

18 July, 1946

My dear, dear Ida and Family,

Your birthday is once again near and I congratulate you for that and wish you the best, especially good health for you and your family. My dear Ida, I believe that you are now the same age as I was when you left. All the things that you have experienced in the past years; good and bad! You were seriously ill once, your dear Willard was so sick once and your dear little boy was very sick but with God's help, everyone got well again. I am happy for that and I have always been pleased that you found a good husband. August and Elsa always told us that Willard was very good to you. So you will have experienced much joy and beauty during those years. It was certainly God's guidance that you had to go so far away then. There was a time when I would have been very happy if you, or at least one of you, would have come back again. Today I see that it was good so, as it was destined to be. We also had some wonderful times in those years but also horror. But the dear Lord allowed us to survive that too. We have been living in Schlangenbad since 1943 (we were bombed out in the night of 22 June). Here too, at least during the last year, we were very frightened but thank God, nothing happened. So, we have been living here for 3 years already and in this quiet village have completely forgotten fear and terror, in part because there are no ruins here. Perhaps you know all of that already. Hanni has perhaps told you everything, since she usually writes in detail. It is very nice here in Schlangenbad during the summer. It lies in a narrow valley with the forest growing right up to the houses. Karl knows the place. In the past years, Father and I were often in the woods to gather firewood and hunt for berries and mushrooms and I liked to gather pinecones. This year it didn't work out; as Father already wrote. He was sick for a long time and now I have a hard time walking. God willing, that will soon be better and we'll make up for lost time. However, we are over the hill and the sun is going down. Hopefully, we'll have some more beautiful summer days, until now it has always been cool and rainy.

Now we are all here together. Elsa lives across from us; we can look in each other's windows. Paul lives 10 minutes from us. Only Anna had to leave at the beginning of July to move to Augsburg. Whether it will stay this way is very uncertain. Everything here is so uncertain; one doesn't know what will come next. We will have to wait and see. But enough of that for today.

Once again I wish you the best for your birthday and send very warm greetings to you, Willard and the 3 boys.
Your Mother and Grandmother

(1946.07.18 Oma an Ida)

18.7.46

Meine liebe, liebe Ida u. Fam.

Wieder einmal naht dein Geburtstag! Ich gratuliere Dir herzlich dazu und wünsche Dir das Allerbesten, vor allen Dingen Gesundheit für Dich und Deine liebe Fam. Meine liebe Ida, ich glaube Du bist jetzt in dem Alter, als ich war, wie Du fort gegangen bist. Was habt Ihr nicht alles in der vergangenen Zeit erlebt. Gutes und Schweres. Du hast ein gar mal schwere Krankheit überstanden, Dein lieber Willard war ein mal so schwer krank, Dein liebes Bübchen war schwer Krank, aber mit Gottes Hilfe ist alles wieder gut geworden. Dessen bin ich froh, schon darüber war ich immer froh, daß Du einen guten Mann bekommen hast. August u. Else haben immer erzählt, daß Willard sehr gut zu Dir sei. So wirst Du im Laufe der Jahre auch manche Freude und manches Schöne erlebt haben. Und es war wohl Gottes Fügung, Daß Ihr damals so weit fort musstet. Es gab eine Zeit, da wäre ich sehr froh gewesen, wenn Ihr oder wenigstens eins von Euch wieder hier gewesen wäret. Heute sehe ich daß es gut so war, als wie es die Vorsehung bestimmt hatte. Wir haben ja in der Zeit auch noch schöne Jahre und zuletzt furchtbar Schweres erlebt. Aber der liebe Gott hat uns auch diese überleben lassen. Wir sind seit Juni 43 (am 22 Juni nachts sind wir ausgebombt worden) in Schlangenbad. Wir haben ja auch hier, wenigstens das letzte Jahr, viel Angst ausgestanden, aber, Gott sei Dank' ist hier nichts passiert. So wohnen wir nun schon 3 Jahre hier und haben in dem ruhigen Ort Angst und Schrecken ganz vergessen, zumal man hier keine Trümmer sieht. Aber das wirst Du vielleicht alles schon wissen. Die Hanni hat Dir bestimmt geschrieben und sie schreibt immer recht ausfürlich. Hier in Schlangenbad ist es im Sommer sehr schön. Es liegt in einem engen Tal und der Wald tritt bis an die Fesnter heran. Karl kennt es ja. In den vergangenen Jahren bin ich mit Vater viel im Wald gewesen. Wir haben Holz geholt, Beeren u. Pìlze gesucht, auch Tannenzapfen habe ich gern geholt. Dies Jahr will es nicht recht klappen, mit in den Wald gehen. Wie Vater schon schrieb, war er eine Zeit lang krank und jetzt bin ich schlecht zu Fuß, wills Gott, wird das bald wieder besser, dann holen wir nach. Aber wir sind schon über den Berg hinweg und die Sonne geht wieder abwärts. Hoffendlich bekommen wir noch schöne Sommertage, bis jetzt war es hier außer einigen warmen Tagen recht kühl und viel regnerisch.

Jetzt sind wir hier schön beisammen. Elsa wohnt uns gegenüber, wir können einander in die Fenster sehen, zehn Minuten von uns wohnt Paul, nur Anna ist seit Anfang Juli von hier weg nach Augsburg gezogen. Ob es nun immer so blieben wird, ist noch sehr fraglich, es ist hier alles noch so ungewiß, man weiß nicht, was noch werden soll. Also werden wir abwarten müssen. Doch für heute genug.

Ich wünsche Dir nochmal alles Gute zum Geburtstag und grüße Dich, Willard und die 3 Buben recht herzlich.

Eure Mutter u. Großmutter.

Memories of Oma: Jerry Liepert

2008-04-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

by Jerry Liepert

OK Jim, you asked for it!

I was stationed at Camp Polk, LA when Oma and Hanni arrived in Spencer. My mother (Ida) took the bus to Spencer for a few days that week. Her letter to me after seeing her Mother (after 29 years) described her experience: "We talked and talked and talked and my jaws are so tired from all our talk."

[Gathering of members of the Herman Graupner Family at the Willard Liepert Farm on the occasion of the vist of Oma Graupner and Hanni Graupner and our cousin Else Dauer (Eichstedt), who had newly arrived from Schlangenbad in 1952. Ida may have taken the photo, but the photo shows Oma (Anna Glaser Graupner), her son Hermann, granddaughter Else Dauer, and daughter Johanna (Hanni) Graupner, positioned in the row below Jerry Liepert and his father, Willard.]

Of course I first met Oma when I came home on leave and picked up Oma and Hanni in Spencer. Of course Ida had a full round of people for them to meet, not the least of which were the Wendels. I believe it was Luella Wendel (an Ida best friend) who introduced them to the card game canasta. They loved it and took decks of cards with them back to Schlangenbad. (They were still playing canasta when I got to Schlangenbad in 1952-53.)

One of the incidents that occurred involved everyone around the supper table one evening. I believe Ida had made a chocolate cake for dessert with rich chocolate frosting. Will kept the frosting on his plate, saving "the best to last." Chappy kept teasing him by threatening to take that frosting. Mom told Will to get the coffee pot from the kitchen, but he procrastinated because he worried that Chappy would get that frosting. Finally Willard thundered for him to get the coffee pot. Will then quickly went back to his plate, spit on the frosting, and then got the coffee.

Now comes that part that involves Oma. As Will took the coffee pot around the table to refill cups, he came to Oma. Motioning to ask her if she would like some, she responded something like "Ja, schütte noch ein bisschen drin." (Yes, pour a bit in.) Will, about 10 years old at the time, was shocked, turned to Dad and said "Did you hear what Oma said?" Everyone at the table found it necessary to stare at our plates withholding a laugh while poor Oma had no idea what caused it all. Hanni may have explained it later.

My best memories of Oma in Schlangenbad were those times that I came on a three day pass. When everyone else went to work, I would meet Oma and we would walk up to the cemetery and visit Opa's grave. On the way back we would stop at the Metzger and get some well trimmed pork chops. Oma made dinner for me; hot from the stove on to my plate. Then she would take the daily paper (Wiesbaden Kurier) and read a column to me. Then I was expected to read it back to her. Occasionally she would correct my pronunciation. (Actually, if one knows the German alphabet, the language is quite phonetic. I do believe that one might read a sentence reasonably correct without really knowing the meaning!)

If I were in Schlangenbad on a Sunday, I would usually go to church with Oma. She was proud that I could sing from the hymnal! Think about it, slow word progression, and I probably did not know exactly what I was singing! On Sunday, we usually had afternoon coffee with Oma. (Coffee was not still not readily available and very expensive on the economy. My ration always went to Oma.)*

*It is probably important here to point out that Germany at that time was still under occupation although non-fraternization had long been forgotten. GIs were still paid in script (to keep the dollar away from the Germans) and we had ration cards that allowed us to buy up to a carton of cigarettes and one pound of coffee per week. The official dollar to DM ration was $1 = DM 4.30 but the black market rate paid at least 5DM to a dollar of script. Not long after arriving in Germany, a sudden edict cancelled all leaves and passes. A day later we were told to turn in all ofld script and receive a new script - dollar for dollar. There were many Germans stuck with the old script they had acquired which now was no longer valid.

I spent Christmas leave in Schlangenbad in 1952. Erika spent the day decorating the tree. Christmas eve services with Oma. Christmas eve the "Christkind kommt," and we celebrated at the Dauers. Somewhere I have a photo of Oma who put all of the pretty ribbons and bows around her neck! Of course Onkel August made a Feuerzangbowle. On Christmas morning it seemed that everyone in Schlangebad "visited" each others homes for a Christmas greeting, some goodies, a glass of punch, etc. Of course we too made the rounds.

In 1960 when Judy and I took the first group of Muskego High School kids to the Rheingau, we lived in Schlangenbad. Tante Elsa and Erika had come to Rhein/Main to meet us. When the kids were finally allocated to homes that evening, Tante Elsa told us that Oma has been "cooking coffee" since 2 o'clock in anticipation of our arrival. Oma gave Judy a couple figurines to take home. Years later (1976)Tante Anna & Onkel Adolf visited us in San Antonio. Tante Anna saw the figurines and said: Oh, Mother had some just like that, but they did not survive the war! When I protested that they came from Oma, Tante Anna said: "No, they can't be the same because one of them was broken and repaired with heavy paper glued inside." And then we examined and found the repair!

By the time we arrived with a group in 1963, Oma and Hanni and Anna and Adolf had moved into the new house in Bärstadt. (Judy and I lived in Niederwalluf.) At the farewell party for the 1963 group, I had managed to have Oma, Tante Elsa and Onkel August present. They seated Oma in the front row next to the Landrat of the Rheingaukreis. When it was my turn to speak, of course I introduced my guests, but Oma was special and I took special pains to get it right! "Und es gibt noch eine die ich vorstellen möchte; meine Oma, die Mutter meiner Mutter. Vielleicht ist sie stolz auf ihren Enkel, aber gewiss nicht annähend so stolz als ich auf sie bin."

Indeed, there are more memories, but this should do for now. Jerry

Anna Selma Glaser Graupner (1879 - 1968)

2008-04-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

Anna Selma Glaser Graupner

(28 April 1879 - 25 April 1968)

Sadly, today is the 40th Anniversary of Oma's death; she lived but two days from her 90th birthday. When we grew up there was hardly a space between the names Oma-and-Hanni; they were inseparably fixed in our minds as our supremely dear Oma Anna und Tante Hanni. I had hoped to see Oma once again when I made my first trip to Germany in June 1968, but even as my plans were made, she passed away just months before I arrived.

Philip was still in Germany when I visited; living in the Dachzimmer of Oma, Hanni, and Tante Anna's house in Barstadt. One day, Tante Hanni told me the story (I hope I can remember) of Oma's passing and subsequent funeral, in which she was simply washed, dressed in her night gown, her wood coffin placed in the living room so that family and neighbors could pay their respects. The next day, a farmer came with a wagon and led a procession up the mountain to the little stone chapel in the Taunus forest; then, after a service, her coffin was lowered into the family plot, next to her husband, Carl Hermann Graupner.

Anna was born to Carl Friedrich and Selma Auguste Glaser in Marienthal, Sachsen. She was the oldest of 13 children, three of whom died as infants. Her surviving siblings included: Arno, Max Karl, Ernst Wilhelm, Klara (Wiedemann), Emil Karl, Ella (Wagner), Kurt, Paula (Pilz), and Alfred. She married (Carl) Hermann Graupner on 9 June 1900; they moved to the Ruhrgebiet in western Germany where Hermann was employed in the coal mining industry; they had seven children: Anna, Ida (Liepert), Elsa (Dauer), Hermann, Carl, Paul, and Johanna, four of whom emigrated to the United States, with Elsa returning to Germany.

Because Anna's death and birth days are so close together, and because several of you have known Oma intimately--especially having known her in your young adult lives, I am hoping that you will be able to tell your story of Oma. I will add Hanni's accounts, photos, etc. and I'm hoping Helga, Jerry, Philip, and others can share both personal connections and possibly some excerpts of old letters.

Vielen Dank,

jim

Centenary of Carl Paul Graupner (1908 - 2008)

2008-04-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Centenary of Carl Paul Graupner’s Birth
26 March 1908 – 3 September 1996
by Philip Graupner

Carl Paul Gaupner was the second son and the fifth of seven children born to Anna (Gläser) and C. Hermann Graupner. He was born in a small town near Saarbrücken, Germany. Called Spittel then, it is now known as L’Hopital and lies on the French side of the French-German border. His father, a coal-mine administrator/engineer, worked in mines in Spittel and Freimengen (now Freyming, France) for about five years (1907-1911) before returning to the Ruhr region (specifically Dortmund and Oberhausen) where Carl and his siblings grew up and went to school.

C.Hermann Graupner Family, 1923, Carl, Hanni, Anna (mother), Elsa, Ida, Hermann Jr., C. Hermann (father), Anna and Paul.

World War I (1914-1918) started when Carl was six years old. These were very difficult years for Germans. His father was called up for military duty and was gone for two years. There was very little to eat. His older sister Elsa was sent to work on a farm near the Dutch border. When Carl was nine, he signed up to work on a farm several hundred miles away in Pomerania without telling his parents about it until the night before the train was scheduled to depart. He landed on a large farm being run by the women of the family because the farmer had been drafted into the army. A Russian prisoner-of-war handled the horses and did the heavy field work. Carl’s job was to take the cows to pasture in the morning and watch them until the boys of the family got home from school in the early afternoon. Then he either helped the women or would hang out with the Russian and the horses. He enjoyed these two months so much that he decided then that he wanted to be a farmer.
This dream became a reality a few years after the end of the war with the help of a first cousin to Carl’s father. One of the Grandmother Graupner’s sisters had immigrated to the USA in the 1870s and her children were living near DePere, Wisconsin. One of them, Frank Boser, had a farm and offered to sponsor someone in the family that wanted to come to the United States. C. Hermann couldn’t very well leave his large family and job, so Carl and his older sister Ida decided to come to America. They had to wait a while because of the quotas. It was a time of great political and financial turmoil in Germany. The Rhineland area, where they lived, was occupied by French and Belgian soldiers in an effort to force the Germans to make reparation payments for the war. In retribution, there were work stoppages and sabotage. Money became worthless. Ida was able to get on the German quota but Carl had to get on the French quota, something he was able to do because the town he was born in had became part of France after the Germans lost the war. They left Germany from Cuxhaven on the German liner, Albert Ballin, in September 1923. Carl was fifteen years old. Ida was twentyone.
Carl Graupner, age 14 (passport photo)

Ida and Carl arrived in New York after about 10 days and went through immigration procedures on Ellis Island without any problems. They were put onto an immigrant train to Chicago. From there they took the train to DePere. Ida found work as a maid very quickly and Carl helped Frank Boser with farm chores but was sent to the local school because he couldn’t speak any English. He took a seat in the sixth grade but made no progress until his Irish teacher brought along a children’s book in English that he had been familiar with in Germany. He rapidly made progress then. In the summer he took a job as a hired-man for a farmer with cancer. The man died and Carl helped the farmer’s brother and wife with the work until the widow sold the farm. He worked for a number of other farmers in the area and saved enough money to pay Frank back for the passage.
In 1925, his sister Elsa and his brother Hermann also immigrated to Wisconsin, their passage being paid for by a farmer in Morrison Township, Hugo Lemke, who wanted Hermann to help on his farm. Ida had moved to Milwaukee and lived with one of Frank’s sisters and Elsa followed her there to find work as a maid.
At the beginning of 1926 Carl started working on the Malchine farm near Waterford, Wisconsin. This was a large, prosperous farm and the family treated him like their son. In the ten years that he worked for them, he acquired many friends, some related to the Malchine family and others that were members of the Norway Lutheran Church outside Waterford. He took a lot of photos during this time.

Ida and Elsa both met their future husbands while in Milwaukee. Ida married Willard Liepert in June 1928 and moved to his parent’s farm near Kewaskum, Wisconsin. Elsa and August Dauer traveled back to Germany after Ida and Willard’s wedding and married in Schlangenbad in September 1928.
Carl traveled back to Germany to visit his parents and siblings just before Christmas in 1932. Once again, he did not tell his parents that he was making the trip but fortunately reconsidered and sent them a telegram from the ship....again the Albert Ballin. His parents were living then in Mülheim a.d.Ruhr where his mother had opened a little grocery store. His father was retired. Only his little sister Hanni was still living at home. His younger brother Paul was at engineering school in Idstein. After celebrating Christmas together, Carl and his father traveled to visit aunts, uncles and cousins from the Graupner and Gläser families in Saxony, many of whom he met for the first time. He came back to the USA on the Deutschland and arrived in New York just in time to celebrate the end of Prohibition.

Carl continued to work on the Malchine farm until Christmas 1935. Willard Liepert suffered a ruptured appendix and Ida wasn’t able to do the farm-work alone, so Carl went to help out. He was there through the winter which was noted for its record snowfall. In the summer, a friend from Watertown, Harold Beck, talked him into seeking work at the brass works in Burlington, Wisconsin and sharing a room with him in town. Carl’s job was polishing faucets. It was piece-work and frustrating until he got the hang of it. Harold introduced Carl to St. John’s Lutheran Church, where both sang in the choir. Another member of the choir was Gertrude Boock, St John’s elementary school teacher. They started dating and on 8 August 1939 were married in Spencer, Wisconsin, the home of her parents.

l-r: Margret Boock, Carl and Gertrude, Donald Alaxson, Erna Byer, Russel Johnson, Marian Oelrich Boock, Norbert Boock, Carol Gieseke

Carl started working as a delivery man for the Kellogg’s Dairy, later Pet Milk. He delivered ice-cream and dairy products to stores in the cities along the north shore to Chicago.
Their first two children, Kenneth (1941) and Philip (1942) arrived while they still lived in a little rental apartment in Burlington but in 1943 they bought a little cottage on Brown’s Lake outside of Burlington. James (1944), John (1946) and Cathryn (1948) were all born while they lived in the little two-bedroom cottage. The house was charming but small. When Pet Milk was sold and closed toward the end of 1948, Carl decided to follow his dream of having his own farm. They looked for a farm in the Burlington/Waterford area near their many friends without finding anything. Gertrude’s father owned an eighty-acre farm in Spencer, Wisconsin that was rented out. Carl and Gertrude decided to move there and just after Christmas 1948 moved to Spencer. The farm was very run down. The house didn’t have a bathroom. The money that they got from the sale of the cottage was soon spent on machinery, cattle and fertilizer. On the plus side however, Gertrude’s parents and her brother’s family also lived in town.
Carl and Ida invited their mother and youngest sister, Hanni, to come to America for a visit in 1951. Although ties to their family in Germany had been disrupted during World War II, letters started going across the ocean again in 1945, first sent by American soldiers and airmen that were stationed in Schlangenbad where the Dauers lived and also the parents, after being bombed out in 1943, and brother Paul and his family after being deported from their home in Austria in 1945. The post-war years were once again hunger-years for the Germans. The American families sent many packages of food and clothing to help the German families out. This recreated a closeness that might otherwise have been lost. Oma and Hanni’s nine-month visit in 1951 – 52 was a very significant event for the three American Graupner-families. The two would visit each of the families in turn; the Lieperts in Kewaskum, the Hermann Graupners in Bonduel and the Carl Graupners in Spencer.
Carl’s farm got off to a slow start because the place was so run down. Little by little, with much hard work and a willingness to keep abreast of good farming practices, his herd increased and improved. The farm was increased in size until it was almost 160 acres. His children provided grunt labor, although Kenneth and John contributed much more than the others by taking an active interest in farming and making improvements in the efficiency of running the farm. The most significant change came with the purchase of some purebred calves at an auction which were the foundation of what later was one of the record milk-producing herds in the Spencer area. Carl was a very successful farmer.
In 1970, at age 62, Carl sold his cows. His youngest boy, Charles (b.1951), had graduated from high school and was going to college. It was too much work for one person. Gertrude was teaching school and could supplement their income if necessary. He continued to raise crops and heifers. Toward the end of his life, he rented the farmland out to a young farmer.
Over half of Carl’s life was spent on the farm in Spencer. They were quiet years, filled with the everyday of work, raising a large family, active membership in Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer, bowling and card games with the neighbors. Some of the highpoints were the 1951- 52 visit of his mother and sister, the 1964 trip to Germany with Gertrude, Cathy and Chuck to celebrate their Silver-Wedding Anniversary, many other trips to Germany with Gertrude to reconnect with the cousins and their families in West and East Germany, as well as to do sight-seeing in other countries. They also made several trips with Norbert and Marion Boock to Canada and places in the USA. In the 70s, they bought land along the Elk River west of Phillips, Wisconsin and built a small cottage but it never became a real home away from home, especially after most of the trees were felled in an unusual windstorm. Although they visited their children’s young families frequently, the farm house in Spencer increasingly became the gathering point for children, grandchildren and other visitors.
In August of 1989, Carl and Gertrude celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary with a large gathering in Spencer.

Golden Wedding, 1989...front: Jenna, Christopher, Anna, Peter, Erik, Erin w. photo of Lisa, Lauren. 2nd row: Scott, Kathy, Eunice, Judy, James with Emily, Kristine, Brittany, Deborah with Jeffrey, Brian. Back row: John, Kenneth, Philip, Carl and Gertrude, Edward, Cathryn, Charles.

Carl and Gertrude were always genuinely interested in their family histories. Even though Germany had been divided after WWII and there was very little contact with the cousins living in the GDR, Carl and Gertrude visited East Germany before the “wall” came down in 1989. They visited there again several times after 1989, the last time with Hanni Graupner and Jamie Langston. They established a bridge which in recent years has resulted in a couple of family reunions, unfortunately too late for Carl to enjoy.
Cancer ended Carl’s life on September 3, 1996. The first round of the disease was brought under control through chemotherapy and he enjoyed a good year, making trips with Gertrude to visit the Lieperts in Texas and in 1995 to Germany to visit his sisters, even making it to Saxony to visit his cousins. When the cancer returned, in spite of months of treatments, it put an end to the life of this wonderful man. He is buried in the Spencer cemetery in a plot that he and Gertrude bought for themselves. Nearby are the graves of Norbert and Marian Boock and many of their former friends and neighbors.

(Note: This history of Carl Graupner's life is based on several taped interviews that James Graupner made with Carl and Gertrude in July 1971, August 1983 and July 1996.)

Twin Cities Art Scene: Michael Schmidt and Erin Busby

2008-04-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Second cousins Michael Schmidt and Erin Busby both have debuts this week. Erin Busby (Elinor) opens in Sense and Sensibility today through April 26th at the Black Forest Inn on East 26th Street in Minneapolis. St. Paul artist, Michael Schmidt, opens a series of art exhibits in a variety of venues throughout the month of April.

The descriptor in today's St. Paul Pioneer Press, "Weekend Life: Best of the Week" 2E, 4 April 2008, exclaims: "Wait a minute. A dramatization of an English novel being staged in a German restaurant in Minneapolis? If you can wrap your brain around that, consider taking in Cromulent Shakespeare Company's version of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," that classic tale of romance, witty banter and tenderness."

Michael Schmidt opened a series of showings at various art venues in St. Paul and Minneapolis, last evening, with an opening at his studio in the Northrup King Building, Suite 423. Hundreds of artists open their studios to the public during First Thursdays in the Arts District, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis [not far from where the Wiethoffs, Petersons, and Schmidts lived a hundred years ago].

Other art exhibits in April include a viewing of Michael's recent paintings in oil, opening on Saturday, April 12, at the salongeorge, 856 Raymond Ave., St. Paul, from 6-9 pm.

The Mezzolago Art Gallery will hold its spring art sale featuring Minnesota artists in Minneapolis, April 25-27 (visit http://www.mezzolago.com/).

The Saint Paul Art Crawl, featuring hundreds of artists and galleries throughout the city, will take place April 25,26,27. Michael's work can be seen at the Rossmore Building, 7th Floor
9th and Robert Street, Saint Paul (visit http://www.artcrawl.org/).

Finally, Michael invites art lovers to enjoy art and the Twin Cities' best Neapolitan Pizza at Pizza Nea, 306 East Hennepin, Minneapolis (visit http://www.pizzanea.com/).

Jerry Liepert's Cattleboat Trip to Europe: 1946-47

2008-04-03T07:03:00.001-07:00

A FARM BOY’S PERSONAL REFLECTIONS OF THE
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND REHABILITATION (UNRRA)
CATTLEBOAT TRIPS TO EUROPE

SEPTEMBER 1946 - JANUARY 1947

BY GERALD LIEPERT
[Edited by Jamie Liepert Langston]

Where to begin?

I reached my 17th birthday on May 8, 1946 and graduated from Kewaskum High School[i] a week later with something less than a stellar academic performance. Within days of graduation, I began work in the shipping department of the Kewaskum Utensil Company – although we were not allowed to work on the machines until age 18. Oh yes, starting pay was 60¢ per hour.

During this rather hectic late May and early June of 1946, I still belonged to the Youth Group of the Evangelical Reformed Church[ii] of a three-church parish: Boltonville, Beechwood, and Silver Creek. One Sunday evening, several friends from Boltonville and I attended a Youth Meeting at the Silver Creek church. At that meeting, Reverend Meiller presented a request from the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (UNRRA) seeking farm boys to handle livestock being shipped to war-torn Europe.

Apparently the program was established to replace livestock that had been killed or butchered during and as a result of the WWII. Hundreds of people in Europe were faced with starvation after the war. In fact, the winter of 1946-1947 was especially difficult, because it was extremely cold. The Rhine River actually froze over the first time in almost a century, and food and fuel were in very short supply. UNNRRA initially employed ordinary merchant seamen to care for the animals en route with disastrous results. We were told that more than half of each cargo load on those ships was lost because of a lack of knowledge in working with animals. Almost all cattle were two-year old heifers in calf and many of the horses were unbroken westerns with mares carrying foals. Sheep and goats were likewise carrying lambs and kids, although I only dealt with horses and cows.

Many churches and civic organizations were involved in finding, donating and buying animals for the program. UNNRRA approached the Church of the Brethren with a request for farm boys to care for the animals en route. I suspect that the Brethren contacted many religious denominations, especially in rural areas. Several at our youth meeting took the "request for more information" home, but as I recall, only two of us, Delmar Schroeder from Silver Creek and I, sent them in. A response came quickly with a letter of urgency.

By early July my paperwork was ready except for my parents signature, a requirement for anyone under 18. My mother was disposed to sign, but my father very negative. "He has never been away from the farm, he knows nothing about the world, he is too young, etc., etc., etc." One evening after chores, both parents were at the kitchen table. My Mom was reading a book and knitting, and Dad was reading the paper. I took the paper to Mom first. She signed and pushed it across the table to my Dad. He looked up from his paper with, "Do you really want to let him do this?”" My mother, in her own quiet way responded, "Let him learn how other people have to live." That comment is still as fresh in my mind, as if it were said yesterday. It also echoed many times later in life and influenced many future decisions.) Dad signed.

- 1 -

By late July 1946, I had received my first raise of 2-½ cents per hour at the utensil company. We still lived on the Liepert homestead, and I was expected to do the milking and help around the farm for my room and board. In early August, I received word of acceptance into the program and some of the details. We would care for a specific number of animals on the trip over – feed, water, etc. and then clean and disinfect the entire ship on the return voyage. The longshoremen in Europe would take animals, excess feed and even the manure off the ship. We would be paid $150 upon completion of each trip (regardless of how long the round trip was); and given free room and board aboard ship. We would also have access to the ship stores while on board. But our roundtrip travel from home to Newport News, Virginia and any expenses before assignment to a ship would be at our own expense. Within another week, I received a telegram to report to the Brethren Service Committee Office on Pier X in Newport News, VA by the end of August. By this time, Delmar Schroeder had decided not to accept assignment because he was still in high school, even though he had also been approved.

With my roundtrip train ticket from West Bend to Newport News and $25 in my pocket, my adventure began in late August 1946. Mom had packed a shoe box full of lunch (eating in the dining car was much too expensive), because I would be en route at least two days. My first transfer came in Chicago from Chicago & Northwestern to the Pennsylvania station. I had been told to “take the parmalee” by the station agent in West Bend, but I really didn’t know what that was and was too timid to ask. It turned out to be something like a stretch limo that traveled between the various train depots and was paid for by the railroads. (A taxi was an expense I couldn't afford.) The next train went from Chicago to Cincinnati where the station didn't change but I had to transfer to the Chesapeake and Ohio (Sleep like a kitten) Railroad. I arrived in Newport News in late afternoon on the second day of travel and took a taxi from the station in hopes of arriving at Pier X before closing. No such luck. I then asked the cab driver where I might stay and he took me to the Hotel Warwick, probably the only hotel in town at that time (I thought the taxi fare was exorbitant, but it probably was less than $1.50.) Tired and hungry, I paid $2 for a room and went to the dining room. I remember thinking that everything on the menu was too expensive, but by then it was dark, and I had no idea where I might find an affordable restaurant. (This was in all probability the first time I had ever eaten in a restaurant.) I did have something to eat, but it was obvious that my $25 was dwindling fast.

Early the next morning I checked out of the hotel and walked to Pier X (about 2 miles) with my bag, assuming that I would be assigned to a ship that day. Not so! I was presented with paperwork to take to the Coast Guard station in Norfolk, VA (via ferry) and have them issue my seaman’s papers. (I still have my card.) The Brethren Service Office called us "sea going cowboys," (something at least a bit romantic), but the Merchant Marine papers called us “cattlemen.” On the bus to the ferry, I met a young black man about my age, Charles Peeks from Ohio, who was also going to Norfolk for papers. This was my first experience around blacks and “blacks to the back of the bus.” I did not know that I was not supposed to be back there with him, and so I trudged right on after him. He very smoothly solved the problem by sitting in the most forward seat of the black section and had me sit in the rear most seat of the white section. He was obviously much wiser to the ways of the world than me.

Returning to Pier X that afternoon we were notified of a possible maritime strike to begin the next day -- September 1, 1946. We would, therefore, not be assigned, board, or load a ship until the strike was settled. We were sent to the Catholic Maritime Club where we could get a clean bunk, clean sheets and a shower for 50¢ per night. After bus and ferry fares and something to eat, my finances were already reaching a critical stage. The next morning we learned that the strike was in effect, but we were to report to the office every morning for instructions. We would also be paid and additional $2.50 per day for as long as the strike lasted. (Those who went home received nothing for their efforts.) I wrote home for money and my parents wired another $25, which I am sure was a burden they did not need. I stayed at the Catholic Maritime Club for another night or two and then teamed up with another cattleman from Iowa, Johnny Vogel. We rented a room for $7.00 per week ($3.50 each) in a private home and began looking for some kind of work. I lucked out almost immediately, working 14 hours per day (6AM-8PM) as a bus boy in a restaurant for $8 per week and my meals. I lasted only 1-½ weeks, when they learned that I would leave when the maritime strike ended, or so they said. If the truth were known, I probably ate too much and drank too much orange juice – a delicacy for me. For the rest of the month, we had coffee and doughnuts at the USO in the morning and Johnny found an "all you can eat for 75¢" home-style place for our second meal of the day. Of course we managed to report at least once each day to the office on Pier X. (A point of interest here: These were the days when every public restroom proclaimed that "KILROY WAS HERE.” There often were other epithets, but none exceeded “Kilroy.”)

Late in September, I was assigned to the Clarksville Victory Ship destined for Bremen, Germany. Before I could take my gear aboard and write that news to my mother, the Clarksville blew a boiler and would be out of service for several weeks. I just couldn't wait any longer for a ship, so when they offered a slot on the Pierre Victory going to Danzig (Gdansk, Poland), I took it. (I had about $15 and some change in my pocket, when I finally boarded that ship in early October 1946, and would not receive any pay until we returned to the USA in early November.) I did write a letter home before we sailed.

As I recall, we had a total load of 1170 horses. I worked a mid-ships hold on the day shift – 7AM to 9PM. (Only two people circulated through all of the holds and reported to the bridge hourly from 9PM to 7AM.) Horses had to be on their feet for the entire trip, although they seldom lie down for more than 20-30 minutes anyway. On board ship, however, the motion of the ocean will eventually kill them, if they are down for an extended period of time, because horses are incapable of vomiting. Thus, ill or not, horses that attempted to lie down had to be put into a sling and lifted with a block and tackle. This is something of a process, when horses on each side are spooked and wild. Horses were haltered and tied to their feed and water manger, but there were no individual stalls. I still carry a scar on my back from a horse that lifted me right off the deck. His teeth went right through my leather jacket.

The trip was pleasant enough, although the north Atlantic is quite cold in October. Occasionally, there were rough seas, but no heavy storms. I did buy an all-wool turtleneck seaman’s sweater for $3.50 in the ships store and a few cartons of cigarettes at 60¢ per carton. Although I smoked intermittently since my 16th birthday, most of these cigarettes would be used for trade in Danzig. (For several years after WWII, cigarettes were more sought after than money in war-torn Europe.) I still have some Polish zolotys received for my cigarettes.

My bunk aboard ship was in a "hooch" on the second deck that had been used by US Navy antiaircraft gun crews during the war. There were at least nine of us in a room no more than 10'x20', with no portholes! The food was reasonably good. We fed and watered the animals at least three times each day. Care had to be taken not to waste drinking water. Each horse had a pail attached to the front of the stall, and we never filled more than half to avoid spilling. We did have a veterinarian on board, but saw him only when we had difficulty with an animal. We were complimented on losing only three of the 1170 animals on the trip over – a record at that time, so we were told.

Arriving in the English Channel on a rather clear day, I recall seeing the famous White Cliffs of Dover and the masts of some ships sunk in shallow water during the war. The North Sea was uneventful. Then came the Kiel Canal (I think it’s called the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal) between the North Sea and Baltic. There we took on a German canal pilot and traversed the canal in daylight hours, because many of those areas were still mined. The canal was wide enough for two ocean going liners to meet, but the ship stayed to the center as much as possible. Children ran along both sides of the canal, and we soon were tossing goodies to them. With a good arm, one could sail the large flat oatmeal cookies made in the galley well onto the shore. We anchored at the end of the canal for the night. Apparently, the Baltic had many mines that had come loose from their moorings, and so we also traversed the Baltic only by day, arriving in Danzig at nightfall. A pilot took us into the harbor the next morning, and we awaited the longshoremen to unload our animals.

Once the unloading began, we were free to request passes into town. The Soviet Army occupied this area, and we were cautioned to avoid any kind of confrontation. Although we saw a few Soviet soldiers, there was no evidence of the "Iron Curtain" which was to fall over all of Europe. I had a pack of Walnettos, small individually wrapped caramel candies, in my pocket. As we disembarked from the ship, a crowd of children was already begging. I threw the Walnettos. Wrong move! We now had a dozen kids following us wherever we went. All begged for cigarettes, tobacco, or candy. Any cigarette butt tossed on the ground was immediately scavenged, tobacco removed and placed into a little tin to be used in a pipe. No, the kids didn't smoke themselves; they sold their hordes to someone who did. (Three cigarettes could buy a loaf of bread on the black market.) We sold some cigarettes for Zolatys[iii] and stopped in some sort of bistro, where I had my first taste of vodka – potato-based liquor served in a small slender glass with lemon flavoring. It had very little taste but was absolutely powerful. By the time we returned to the ship on the first day, there was only one 12-year old boy still following the four of us. We agreed to meet him the next morning at 10AM, after he told us that for a pack of cigarettes he would take us to the battlefield where the Soviets drove the Germans out of the area late in WWII.

The boy was waiting for us, when we came down the gangplank at 945AM. After a few tram transfers, we finally rode to the end of the line and then walked a mile or two. Knowing what I know now, the situation was classic. The Soviets on the high ground to the east, the Germans on the high ground to the west, with low country, almost swamp a mile or more in width down the middle. Very little close-in fighting took place in the central city, which had already been damaged extensively by bombing and artillery fire. Our “tour” was limited to the German side after it had been overrun by the Soviets. Horse drawn caissons – some with skeletons and bits of rotten horsehide still in the traces, partial skeletons in bunkers, a skull inside a helmet, foot bones in rotting socks in foxholes, mortars with ammunition still stacked nearby, etc. etc. The carnage was obvious. Pretty heavy stuff for a 17-year old’s first time away from the farm. One from our group briefly strayed from the path and our 12-year old guide nearly had apoplexy, as only the paths had been cleared of anti-personnel mines. This battlefield trip is another of those experiences that has never been very far from my conscious thoughts.

Our final day in port was somewhat anti-climactic, although we did take a bus to the Polish city of Gydnia. After WWI, Poland was given a corridor to the Baltic Sea, so it could have seaport. Germany had the port of Danzig. Poland built their port of Gydnia just a short distance down the estuary. I do not recall a great amount of interaction with Polish adults on the excursion, but skinny children were everywhere in abundance, mostly begging, in our case from the wealthy Americans.

The return to Newport News went quickly. We did not begin cleaning until we hit the high seas. The ship was empty and the longshoremen had taken off almost every speck of hay, straw and manure. We spent about three days hosing every hold and topside with fire hoses and then disinfected every inch of where the next cargo would be loaded. Thereafter, we could sleep late, eat leisurely and dream about the big payroll we would receive on our return. They did pay off immediately after we disembarked. I received my $150 for the trip and another $75 strike maintenance pay. $225 cash -- no deductions! (I did not earn enough money to file income tax until about 1953.)

But I had started out with the hope of getting to Germany… According to the Brethren Service Office, the next scheduled trip to Germany would be the SS Zona Gale departing Newport News about November 15, 1946. It was now October 28th. Swift calculation of my funds made going back to Wisconsin for two weeks a viable option. Train fare would be less than the cost of hanging around Newport News. I signed on to the Zona Gale and grabbed a train for home. The Brethren Service Office asked me to recruit anyone interested, because many ships were sailing short-handed.

My stay at home was brief. I convinced Delmar Schroeder to come back with me, and Random Lake High School thought that the experience would more than make up for any missed school work. However, what we thought would be a trip of about four weeks, turned out to be almost seven!

Mom wrote to Germany to tell them that I would be on the Zona Gale scheduled to arrive in Bremen on December 2, 1946. It is important here to point out that the German postal system at this time was not yet functional, and all of our correspondence with the relatives in Schlangenbad went through American soldiers stationed there. During and for about six months after the war, there was a strict non-fraternization policy. Soldiers were not allowed to fraternize with the “enemy.” Of course, this policy was virtually impossible to enforce.[iv] By November 1946, however, there were several GIs who received and mailed letters for our German relatives through the military postal system. I believe it was Sergeant George Manwaring from Pennsylvania that was the intermediate between the Dauers, Graupners and my mom about this time. In any event, my mother’s family had at least two weeks notice of my intent to be in Bremen. Mom was pleased, but we were not at all certain that I would actually get to see any of the relatives. Bremen was some distance from Schlangenbad, post-war transportation was difficult, and we expected to have only three or four days in port. I added some more cold weather clothing to my traveling wardrobe, and Delmar and I were off to Newport News.

When we arrived at Pier X on November 15th, the Zona Gale was just pulling into the loading dock. After a trip to Norfolk for his seaman’s papers, we also managed to get Delmar onto the Zone Gale crew. I think we were able to board the ship that night and thus avoid room and board costs for that day. The Zona Gale was an old WWI Liberty ship – slow and cumbersome.[v] We had several hundred horses on board and a heavy load of cargo: grain, canned food, flour, canned goods, etc. – all for UNRRA related distribution. Our quarters were somewhat improved. The Zona Gale had been a troop ship during the war and the dispensary was on the lower deck mid-ships, where the “motion of the ocean” is minimized. Our bunks were in the dispensary, because we carried no medical personnel other than the veterinarian. Unfortunately, our showers on this ship were salt-water. After a shower one looked for a pail of fresh water to rinse the salt from your body! Itch? Oh yes.

Delmar and I had the hold in the fore deck and about 50 horses to tend. The ocean became a bit rough now and then and we were tossed about, but neither of us ever became seasick. Nor did we lose any animals, but there were several in slings before reaching our destination. There also were stalls on the top deck, closed on three sides, but open facing the hold covers upon which bales of hay were stacked and lashed down. It was not as warm on deck as in the holds, but the animals were out of the wind and spray and not really uncomfortable. Delmar and I worked the day shift from 7AM to 9PM.

The north Atlantic kept getting rougher. And then the ocean struck with a vengeance! It was early morning, perhaps 5AM. The night had been rough, but our bunks were in mid-ships and we had not even tied ourselves in. Apparently the ship had not yet recovered from a deep swell, when the next one hit the forward section of the ship. It washed about 70 horses, most of the baled hay stacked on the hold covers and many of the stalls into the sea. The two cattlemen on night duty were on deck making their way toward mid-ships when it hit. One was nearly washed overboard, saved only by being buried under several bales of hay. Both were very badly hurt – many broken bones, a broken jaw, a broken pelvis, bruises, internal bleeding, etc. The only medical person on board was the purser, who was qualified in first aid and a veterinarian. The storm increased and the Zona Gale was turned into the storm to ride it out. Fortunately, there was a US Navy hospital ship in the area with doctors on board, but the storm was so intense that it was impossible to even consider setting up a breeches buoy for our casualties. The hospital ship was close enough that we could occasionally see its stack through the wind and rain. Even so, the radiotelephone link tended to waver with the storm. I volunteered to stay with one of the casualties, Frank Kern from New York. The doctors on the hospital ship advised the veterinarian on procedures, and the vet taught us. Frank had a broken pelvis and could only urinate with help of a catheter. I learned how to catheterize him, how to inject painkillers (I assume it was morphine), and how to feed a patient with a broken jaw! I suspect that most of our instruments and supplies came from the veterinarian's stocks. In retrospect, one probably does many things at age 17 that one wouldn’t consider doing 50 years later, but necessity is surely a great teacher.

The storm was in full fury for two days and finally abated. A few cattlemen managed to get into the holds to feed and water, but most stayed in mid-ship until it was over. Meals were cold sandwiches carried in our pockets. The animals remaining on deck went without feed or water for at least two days, because of the storm risk. Most of them however, did survive. A decision was made to put into Plymouth, England, where our casualties would have far better facilities for recovery than even the hospital ship could offer. This of course put our arrival in Bremen at December 5th instead of the 1st or 2nd. Both casualties were on the night shift. Delmar and I volunteered to replace them, since they only worked from 9PM to 7AM. There also were fewer horses to be tended than on the day shift, because of those swept overboard. The night shift was required to make a complete round of the ship each hour and then one of us had to report to the bridge every hour on the hour. We took turns doing this.

We arrived in Bremerhaven at night, perhaps 11PM. I watched the German river pilot come up to “Jacobs ladder” and then took him to the Captain’s stateroom next to the bridge. We were soon underway down the river into Bremen. The next hour was my turn to report to the bridge. The Second Mate was on duty, and after my report he said, “Do you know if there is a cattleman named Lippert or Leippert on board?” My response was “I think you are talking about me, Sir!” He looked at my card, and told me, “Go over and see the Kraut, he’s got a message for you.” He pointed to the German pilot. A moment of anxiety about how do I report to a “Kraut” was unnecessary, because he had been watching the Second Mate. He handed me an envelope. The message was short, and I can almost quote it exactly: (In fact, I think I still have it somewhere.)

“We are here in Bremen expecting you. Contact Lykes Brothers Steamship Agency to find out how you can reach us.”

It was signed by Tante Else, but I had no idea who “we” were, but assumed it was Onkel August. Of course, I was excited and I ran down the ladder to share it with Delmar. We still had our shift to work until 7AM, but now I knew that contact had been made and someone had come to see me. And of course I had never met any of my German relatives, nor had anyone from the states been there since 1933 when Uncle Carl had been back for a visit. As morning came, I shared my excitement with one of the regular seamen, who had been in Bremen several times before. He knew that the Lykes Brothers Steamship Agency was just a “few blocks down the quay” and you did not need a pass, because you didn’t leave the docks to get there. I went off duty at 7AM, exactly the time we docked, and Delmar and I set out to find Lykes Brothers. It was not far and we found it easily, but the office did not open until 9AM. We went back to the ship intending to eat breakfast and then return.

As we entered the mess, the cook looked at me and said, "Hey, where have you been? The Purser is looking all over for you.”[vi] I immediately went to his office. There was another gentleman there, when I came in. When the Purser recognized me, the gentleman doffed his Hamburg hat, clicked his heels and said, "Kassel.” He then continued: "I have a Frau Dauer and a Fraulein Graupner waiting at my home to see you.” The "we" in the original message was now identified. (I learned later that Opa had wanted to come but felt he was too old to make the trip. He died in 1949. Onkel August would have come, but was recovering from a severe cold and did not wish to risk pneumonia.)

The Purser handed me a pad of blank passes and told me to type mine. I also requested one for Delmar, which was granted and both were immediately signed. Herr Kassel was offered a cup of coffee, while Delmar and I changed from our work clothes. I do not recall eating breakfast. I do know that the longshoremen were already coming aboard as Herr Kassel, Delmar and I left the ship. The weather was cold, well below freezing. My wool sweater, leather jacket and fur-lined gloves were indeed welcome. We left the dock area via a US Army checkpoint, walked a few blocks to a tram stop. The tram took us several blocks to what must have been a rather upscale housing area.[vii] There was considerable damage to almost all buildings, possibly because they were located so close to the docks which still were more than 50% destroyed. I do remember the holes from strafing in the stucco of many buildings. The Kassel's home was in an apartment complex. Obviously a nice home of several rooms, but just as obviously had not had much recent paint or maintenance. It was perhaps ½ block from the tram stop. We probably arrived there about 9:30AM.

We entered the house and were greeted by Frau Kassel. She ushered us into a room that might have been a sitting room, but also had Herr Kassel's desk and telephone -- one of those old stand jobs that you held the mouthpiece stand in your hand and the receiver to your ear. My German was certainly not proficient enough to understand everything going on around me, but apparently Tante Hanni and Tante Elsa had regularly called Kassel's to find out if the Zona Gale had yet arrived. Until that morning it had not, however, Herr Kassel had left early to check, and not only were we in, but were now at his home. A phone call or two reached them and one could hear and sense their excitement over the phone. It would take 20 minutes or so for them to arrive. There was very little heat in the house and our wool sweaters were indeed necessary.

We remained in the sitting room as Herr Kassel made small talk and translated for his wife. They told us that they had two children, but they were "in the country" with relatives. My emotions were rather neutral until the doorbell rang and a meeting with my mother's sisters was imminent. Both Delmar and I stood when they entered the sitting room, and I think it was Tante Hanni that went to Delmar first. I'm not really sure what we talked about, but I know that there was a lot of looking into faces and eyes. Both took my face in their hands. It was almost a relief when noon approached and Delmar and I left to go back to the ship for the noon meal. We certainly were not going to impose on their meager rations.[viii] We agreed to meet them again at Herr Kassel’s that afternoon. They asked that I seek permission to return to Schlangenbad with them. (One embarrassing incident from that first meeting that I learned about years later. When I sat back on the sofa in the Kassel's sitting room, I leaned my head back against the wall. Those were the days of Vitalis and Brilliantine. Apparently, my greasy hair stained the wallpaper. No one said a word about it to me at the time.)

A brief visit with the Purser at noon garnered the Captain's agreement that I could go for no more than one week. (He himself was off to some other country for a week.) However, such permission was contingent upon permission from the US Army. That afternoon we met at Kassel’s then went to the US Army headquarters to seek travel permission for me. We were pushed off to several officials and at one point almost had an affirmative answer. The main stumbling block was a lack of a passport or military ID card. My seaman's papers were issued by the US Coast Guard, which at that time belonged to the Treasury Department and not the War/Defense Department. The trip to Schlangenbad would have taken me through the British and French zones into the American zone. Had it been only the American zone, I think I would have been allowed. In the end, however, permission was denied. While disappointed, at the same time I was relieved, because I was anxious about the return trip from Schlangenbad to Bremen alone. I went back to the ship and agreed to meet at Herr Kassel’s again the following morning. On the way back, I sold a couple packs of cigarettes to a character who quite literally "lifted" them from me for a whole handful of Reichsmarks. I had no idea what Reichmarks were really worth. No one could buy much with them anyway.

After chow the next morning, Delmar and I energized the galley crew, who gladly packaged most of the edible leftovers. We also had cigarettes in our socks and every pocket. I am sure that Kassel's were aware that they might receive some of the largess by opening their home to us. Even so, we were grateful, and they easily became our way station. . In retrospect, I think that Tante Elsa and Tante Hanni initially stayed in a hotel of very limited accommodations, but after we arrived I believe they stayed at Kassel’s for three or four days, until they went home.

The second day, Tante Hanni and Tante Elsa took us on a sightseeing tour in the city of Bremen. I have often remarked that I do not recall seeing one building entirely intact. We did visit the cathedral and catacombs. I doubt if I understood much of what I was seeing. It must be remembered that I was still a skinny, immature, mostly scared kid with no cosmopolitan outlook whatsoever. Besides, sightseeing is not really exciting when it is cold, both indoors and out! We did notice the GI coffee shop near the cathedral, run for and by the US Army. We learned that our seaman's papers would get us in. Bringing German Nationals in however, was strictly forbidden. They might have better let Tante Elsa and Hanni in when we asked. Delmar and I parked them around the corner in some doorway and went back. We stuffed ourselves and took out as many doughnuts and paper cups of coffees we could get into my pockets and the huge pockets of Delmar's field jacket. We left them in early afternoon and agreed to meet at Kassel’s after we had the evening meal aboard ship.

That night we had steak for dinner. There were many left over steaks, mostly with a lot of fat and gristle. We wrapped a bunch in wax paper and carried them back to the Kassel’s. The steaks were received with so many “ooh’s” and “ahhs” that we were embarrassed to think our leftovers could mean so much. We arrived at Kassel’s while they were still eating. It amazed me to see SPAM (a canned meat) on the table. (Aboard ship we often had SPAM and eggs for breakfast, SPAM and cabbage for a noon meal and even cold SPAM left out for midnight snack. Tante Elsa urged me to "try some, it’s really good." Not on your 1ife, I hated the stuff. But I did learn that it had been part of a food package sent to them by my mom.

I also believe that it was this same afternoon that we came back to the ship and observed an interesting exercise in the ingenuity of some longshoremen. There was considerable cargo in foodstuffs and, in this case, there was a torn bag of flour. Please remember that money itself could not buy food, and rations were very short for the Germans. Three German longshoremen were filling their trouser legs with flour. Apparently they had tubes sewn into the inside of their trousers and could manage to supplement their families diet in this devious and most ingenious manner.

I'm quite certain that the following day was Sunday and both Delmar and I went to a cathedral service with Tante Elsa and Hanni. They planned to return to Schlangenbad the next day. When we left the church, there was a box for an offering. I still had a fistful of Reichmarks in my pocket. They were useless to me, so I contributed. Tante Elsa and Hanni made sure that I regarded it only as play money anyway. That day we also managed to get a phone call through to Onkel August, so I did get to speak to him briefly on the phone. That afternoon, Delmar and I pulled out all the stops in bringing as much largess off the ship as we could. There were nine raw eggs in Delmar's field jacket pocket, a number 10 can of pineapple, and other assorted goodies contributed by the galley crew. We had already given up most of our warm clothes, keeping only our work clothes and something for the train ride home. How did we get all this stuff off the ship? On an earlier day, the Army gate guard was very cold and I gave him my good set of fur-lined gloves. After that we were never checked. My wool turtleneck sweater went back to Schlangenbad and was still being worn by my cousin Erika when I came back to Germany in 1952 with the US Army. Delmar gave up his reindeer sweater and whatever else could be spared. We also gave them several cartons of cigarettes and cigars (as well as some to Herr Kassel) because they were worth far more than money. I should also mention that both women wore slacks, somewhat out of fashion for the times but certainly necessary for the cold weather. They indicated that they were made from dyed US Army blankets.

We met Tante Else and Hanni once more on Monday and had “lunch” of spinach soup[ix] at what must have once been a very nice restaurant. It was my impression that the waiter had helped them when they arrived in Bremen, but at that time I really didn’t understand how. We then accompanied them to the train station. I recall being very uncertain of how to say goodbye and how to extend greetings to people in Schlangenbad who were so close to me and yet virtually unknown. There was also a concern about how I was going to describe all this to my mother. It was again almost a relief when they kissed me goodbye (somewhat to my embarrassment) and we finally parted. We returned to the ship. I may have gone ashore once more with Delmar and some of the other crew, but most of the time I ate, slept and read until we sailed. I think we did take something to Herr Kassel’s as a thank you before we departed.

We sailed sometime in mid-week and were immediately urged to clean and disinfect that part of the ship that had had livestock as cargo. After only two days, we were told that we were putting in to Middlbsborough, England (near Scotland) to take on a load of pig iron for ballast. The unloaded ship was running high out of the water and the North Atlantic was quite rough at this time of year. We were in port at least three days while being loaded. We did see a stage show that featured a black singer, whom I misidentified for years as Ella Fitzgerald. Not long ago, however, I found the theater program from that night that identifies the “Crooning Blackbird – star of stage and radio” as one Adelaide Hall. Quite amazing to us was the option of smoking in the theater during both the movie and stage show. We did get a shot of British fog coming out of the theater that night; it was nearly impossible to see from one streetlight to the next. We stopped in a pub and were fascinated by the manner in which beer was literally “hand-pumped" from kegs. Rather bitter stuff. The toilet? Well, you stepped into the shadows between the buildings and used a trough that emptied into the gutter!

From Middlesborough, the trip became longer because a decision was made to use the “southern route” which skirted the Azores and West Indies. On Christmas Day, we lay on the deck watching the flying fish in the ships wake. This time, we landed in the port of Baltimore on December 30th, 1946. Good old Brethren Service Committee was on hand with our pay, and we hopped a train to D.C. We had several hours before our train left for Cincinnati but not enough time to really see anything. Of course, the weather was cold there, too. I recall arriving in Cincinnati on New Year's eve and leaving sometime that night for Chicago. We ultimately arrived in West Bend on New Year's Day. No one knew for sure when we would arrive, and when I called my parents no one answered. (I think they had gone to church.) Delmar's parents picked us up and dropped me off just before my mom, dad, and brothers returned. That night I described an almost blow by blow account of meeting Tante Elsa and Tante Hanni. Perhaps I would have liked to go again, but now it was time to go back to work at the utensil company and return to my place in the family.
[i] Kewaskum, Wisconsin
[ii] Now the UCC
[iii] Polish currency
[iv] In fact, General Patton even labeled the non-fraternization policy “dumb.”
[v] A WWII Victory ship could cross the Atlantic in about 10 days; a Liberty ship took half again as long!
[vi] The Purser handles most of the administrative business aboard ship, and I had done some typing for him while off-duty. I assumed that he wanted typing help or something.
[vii] River pilots are indeed well paid specialists.
[viii] At that time, their rations included ¼ lb. of butter, ¼ lb. of sugar, ¼ lb. of bread and some fat [when available] per person per week. In fact, Tante Elsa and Hanni brought most of what they had to eat in a basket from Schlangenbad, because no one knew if their ration cards would be good in Bremen.
[ix] Spinach soup was the only item available on the menu without rations.

In My Memory

2008-03-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

by Carl Paul Graupner
[Letter to Jim Graupner, 24 February 1988. The letter has been edited by Jim Graupner for grammatical usage and ease of reading.]

The farthest I can go back in my memory is when we lived in Dortmund-Dorstfeld when I was about four years old, first in an old house, then the company built a block of new houses, maybe five homes together like in a condo. That was open country, so all the friends we had were few, but all in these homes.

When I was five and a half, Dad took a new job in Oberhausen, at the Zeche Roland Coal Mine; that colliery was a new field or coal area. But, we moved first to Muhlheim-Dumpten, which was even closer to the mine than where we lived in Oberhausen. In Dumpton, I first started school when I was six. That year [1914] was also the beginning of World War I. The school was nearby, and the training field for soldiers was also in that area, so we could watch them a lot. Dad was not called up for military duty right away.

We did not live in Dumpton long, before we moved to Oberhausen, to another block of houses that the [Zeche] company owned. There we lived until I came to America. My dad was called into service soon after, in 1916, but he never got to the front; he was a training officer (Sergeant) not really so far away, so he came home often (the name of the town was Paderborn). I then went to grade school till I was 10. After examinations I attended the Oberrealschule in Oberhausen. That School and the Church I was confirmed in are still standing--even after World War II.

In Oberhausen, during World War I, Dad had a stable built in back of our house where we kept a sheep, pig, chickens and rabbits. So, I became acquainted with animals. We had a big garden about 3/4 mile from the house, so we always had feed for the animals. Also, there were places where we could stake out the sheep.

In the summer of 1917, the last year I was in grade school, they asked children if they would like to work on farms for their board in Pommern. I didn't know at the time how far away that was, but I said "sure." I said nothing at home right away, but I was always ready for adventure, and I was not sure if the folks would let me go. But, my fears were relieved, for they let me go. It was always one less mouth to feed. Oh, did I enjoy that.

Funny thing is, I don't remember the train ride that much; or how long it took. The first stop I remember was Stettin (Seczein), where we all got off. We were in a large building where we could stretch and where we were served milk and milk biscuits, and Oh, it was so good.

Funny thing. I don't rmember the train ride that much, or just how long it took. The first stop I remember was Stettin [Szeczine], where we all got off. We were in a large building where we could stretch and we were served milk and milk biscuits and oh, it was so good.

The resto of the trip was much better. The train stopped often then and let off children [apparently, Philip related, Carl didn't know any of the children]. The town where about ten of us were taken off was Plauen, in Kreis Slave [Slawno]--that's something like a county. We were picked up by wagon and horses and taken to the village, which was away from the railroad track.

When we arrived, the people came out and picked out whom they wanted. I should have yielded to the rules, for a lody wanted me, but I refused, for I got acquainted with the boy who came with the wagon. he told me they had three horses [on their farm]; that was the drawing card I needed; also, the people [Garbe Family] did not ask for a boy, they had three of their own. But the Garbes took me in anyway; all four of us boys slept in one big bed. So there was no problem.

Of course most of the men in the village had to go into the military service, but Mr. Garbe came home once in a while. The village had nine Russian prisoners of war and Garbes had one of them--a strong young man whom I got to like very much. he took care of the horses and his bed was in the horse barn. And he, being the only grown man there, did all the work which required horse power.

The women took care of the cows and pigs and chickens. They also did all the milking. The families and livestock were kept in the village. There was one big main street and on both sides, the farmers' baurenhofen were located.

The buildings were situated in a circle, with the big barn to the street and a big, high gate which was only open during the day. From the inner yard you could go into all the stables. The house itself was to the back but a little apart from the stables. The manure pile was in the center of the yard. It was made like a dish, so the water would not spread out. The yard was paved all around with stones. So the land was spread out, some of it quite a ways.

There were no fences anywhere. If you pastured the cows, someone had to stay with them all the time. Such was my job from seven in the morning to about 12:30 noon.

Then the cows came home for water; later one or two of the boys took them out again in the afternoon. Then I could do what I wanted, but mostly I went along in the fields and helped at whatever I could. Most everything was done by hand anyway. Even the raking of the hay; and typing grain or digging potatoes. They did have a grain cutter drawn by horses, but the cut grain had to be tied by hand and shocked. I got no money, but I did not need any except once when the cirsus came to town. Mr. Garbe gave me a quarter, which I spent riding a horse Merry-go-Round.

Those were wonderful days and weeks. I never thought of home or wrote even though my mother sent along a pack of stamped cards. All to my sorrow, when I found out I could have stayed two months longer with ermission from my arents. But that experieince stayed with me and was my main reason to become a farmer someday. And through the war I learned much about the United States, and that's where I wanted to go.

A letter from Frank Boser

My parents had friends by the name of Rehns, they had three children, the oldest of whom was Ernst. He was in the Merchant Marines. He happened to be on this side of the ocean when the war was declared, so he stayed here [United States]. He lived in New Jersey and became a painter. He used to visit his folks every five years and always came to see us. I like him very much, but I thought maybe someday I would talk to him about my going to the United States. But it never came to that.

One day the folks got a letter from Frank Boser, a first cousin to my father; he somehow had out address. Frank's mother and my grandmother or father's mother were sisters. I don't know anything aobut them, but they also came from Sachsen.

But this great aunt of mine was already married in Germany because Frank and Agnes were born there and came here when very young. I never heard when they immigrated to this country, but they had three more children in this country that I know: two boys and one girl. One of the boys was Bernhard who lived in Green Bay; the other boy, Aughust, married and lived in Kaukauna. They were both papermill workers. The girl, Lizzi, lived in Milwaukee.

Frank had his farm in West DePere. Agnes married Dan Leininger who was a harness maker in DePere. Frank, in his letter to us, asked for information as to family history. He was more interested because he was born there. On further correspondence he asked if anybody was interested in coming to the U.S. Of course, that was something I hoped to hear, so I begged to go.

The time was really bad int he early 20's because of inflation. We had a lot of worthless money. It was so bad that workers were paid twice a day so they could spend it before it lost its value.

I wrote to Frank and he offered to buy tickets for two and we could pay him back, because they were really poor themselves. He had only 80 acres which included some woods; and their sixth child was born the smae month I came there.

So we were all set!

First my father thought he ought to cfome with me, but how could he? So my sister Ida decided to come with me. We always got along together well. She was 21 at the time.

When I think back how everthing worked out that time. We thought we could come together on one passport, but immigrants were under a quota, and we found out almost too late that the German quota was filled with one person. So, by inquiring, we found that I could enter on the French quota because I was born in Lorraine, which became French territory after the Treaty in 1918.

But, so we each needed a passport, but the time was so short that the photographer could not give us a picture for the passport unless I had a negative. As it so happened, I had gone to him for a small picture the year before to surprise my parents; so, if we could find theat negative, we would be all right. Ida and I asked permission to look for it. The photographer had a room that was just fuilled with negatives; but we found it, knowling about what time it was taken.

We got the picture and they wtold us that we could go to Cologne (Koln) to the Immigration Office at the embassy and they could make a copy of the one Ida had. So we were all set! We were booked on the Albert Ballin (Hamburg-American Line). When it was time, Dad took us to Hamburg. We had to be there tow days ahead of time to get our shots and everything in order. It was kind of a sad farewell in Oberhausen--and also when we left Dad behind. We left from Cuxhafen, right on the coast, because the big liners could not come as far as Hamburg. We left on the 27th of September and arrived in New York on the 9th of October, 1923.

From Ellis Island to Wisconsin

August Nehls: New Ulm Pioneer, Brickyard Stalwart

2007-11-24T14:16:00.001-08:00

Drawn from August Nehl's obituary and an article entitled "Honorable Couple Is Married Fifty Years" first published in the Brown County Journal in April 1929 and in November 1930, respectively.
Edited by Jim Graupner

August Nehls, well-known pioneer resident of New Ulm and valued brickyard employee of Fred Aufderheide, died of kidney and bladder trouble at his home on South Valley Street, 77 years ago today. Twice he was "very generously" remembered by the New Ulm Brick & Tile yards for his service: initially as the brickyard celebrated his first quarter-century and again when he retired, after 40 years of continuous employment.

Nehls was born in Pyritz, province of Pomerania, Germany, 4 February 1847. He attended school in the village of Pyritz and later was apprenticed to a blacksmith and toolsmith, there.

In 1870, at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (19 July 1870 - 10 May 1871), Nehls entered military service for Prussia and the North German Confederation. As a soldier in the Second company, Fifth Pommeranian Infantry, Regiment No. 42, Nehls is reported to have participated in a number of active encounters during the conflict. The following year peace was restored when France surrendered and Prussian Germany proclaimed itself the German Empire.

On 4 June 1874 Nehls sailed for America and came directly to New Ulm. Mr. Nehls first employment was as a hired farm hand in the vicinity. In April 1881, Fred Aufderheide hired him as a worker in brickyards, which Aufderheide had acquired the year before from __ Winklemann. So Nehls started his employment at the brickyard when it was in its infancy and continued his service there as the business expanded and prospered for the next 40 years.

On April 14, 1879, August was married to Rosa Hartneck by the Rev. Gustav Reim at St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Ten children were born to this couple, three of whom preceded their father in death. Surviving Mr. Nehls were his widow, and the following children: Mrs. Fred Wandersee, Otto and John Nehls, New ulm; Mrs. Louis Johnson, Clarks Grove, Minn.; Mrs. Arthur Swenson, Albert Lea; Mrs. Fred Hager, Mankato, and Mrs. Hugo Hoffmann, Sleepy Eye. Also surviving the deseased were 14 grandchildren and a brother, William Nehls, of New Ulm.

Mr. Nehls was buried in the Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm.

Emma Aufderheide Boock: 123rd Birth Anniversary

2007-11-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

by Jim Graupner

Emma Aufderheide Boock's 123rd birth anniversary is today.

Fred Aufderheide's Immigration

2007-11-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

by Darcy Kleeman Boock

Today I received some new information from Helga Johann auf der Heide regarding Fred Aufderheide's immigration. The Sophie she refers to is Fred's older sister who married Rosenfeld. The Heinrich Beineke she mentions might very well be Sophie Beineke Aufderheide's father. Did anyone know that he had immigrated? I copied Helga's two emails into an attachment.

Darcy

6 November 2007

Dear Darcy!

Yesterday I went to the library in Lengerich. Here is also a little archives. Mr. Berghoff are working here, he did me give the old book with the names of persons, they emigrated.

I find only one name "Johann auf der Heide". The name is: Sophie Friederike Johannaufderheyde. Eltern (parents) in Schwien Heuer (house from Schwien farm). Geboren (born)2. November 1841. Auswanderung (Emigration): August 1858.

Is it possible, that Sophie Friederike Johannaufderheyde was a sister to Friedrich Wilhelm Aufderheide?
Then I find the name: Heinrich Beineke, Heuerling, born 26.10.1791, emigrated 1859.

The book in Lengerich is not complete. Mr. Berghoff said, the people, they went secret to the U.S.A. were not registered in the book. Perhaps Friedrich Wilhelm Aufderheide went secret to U.S.A., if he would no go to the military. This was a often reason from the young mans.

Helga Johann auf der Heide

Google Map: Johann auf der Heide Farm

2007-10-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

by Darcy Kleeman Boock

Hi, I'd like to share a Google Maps link with you where you can see the original Johann auf der Heide farm and also you will see where Gerhard and Helga Johann auf der Heide live.

The farm is in the center bottom of the map. There is a ring on the south side of the farm for liquid manure storage. If you follow the triangular shaped piece of land to the northern point of the triangle, you will see a dark roofed house on the right side of Nachtigallenweg, which is where Gerhard and Helga live.

You can zoom in and out on this map. Also use the arrows to manuever. Kattenvenne is to the west and a little north. Nachtigallenweg is the eastern border.

Enjoy!

Darcy

Link:

This email was sent to you by a user on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com)

Carol Gieseke Baer: 84th Birth Anniversary

2007-10-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

by Jim Graupner

[Carol Gieseke Baer, born 26 October 1923 in New Ulm]

Ironically, I spent the entire day working with Carol's letters to Gertrude, yet missed the fact that today would be her 84th birthday anniversary. Carol grew up in New Ulm and graduated from DMLC as a Lutheran elementary school teacher. She taught in Mankato up until the time that she and George Baer were married. Soon after they were married, she and George traveled to Nigeria, where George served as a missionary. Carol and George's daughter, Pam, was born in Nigeria.

When they returned to New Ulm, George assisted as pastor at St. Paul's. Later Carol and George moved to Hazelton, SD, for five years and then to Emanuel Lutheran in St. Paul, where he had accepted calls. Finally, they moved to Watertown where George accepted a teaching position at Northwestern. Hertha nee Aufderheide and George Gieseke followed the Baers as they moved from New Ulm to St. Paul and to Watertown.

Carol passed away recently, having battled with cancer. She and George enjoyed having their daughter Pam and husband Robert Schmutzler, children, and grandchildren nearby in Watertown.

The 25 July 1912 letter from Carol's Grandfather Fred Aufderheide to her mother, Hertha Aufderheide, provides insight into the Aufderheide background that many of us share. Carol, as one of the youngest of the Aufderheide grandchildren (along with Arthur and his brother, Fred) and certainly connected with the Gieseke families of Nicollet and Brown Counties, maintained contact with friends and relatives throughout her life. She was passionate about family history and ensured with her letters that her family story would be a legacy for her own children.

Carol Elizabeth Gieseke (Mrs. George) Baer
George Theodore Gieseke and Hertha Margaret Cornelia Aufderheide
George Gieseke Sr. and Wilhelmine Marie Lange
Friederich Gieseke and Henrietta Voges

Carol Elizabeth Gieseke (Mrs. George) Baer
Hertha Margaret Cornelia Aufderheide and George Theodore Gieseke
Frederick William Aufderheide and Elise Maria Schapekahm
Eberhard Jacob Johann auf der Heide and Sophie Elisabeth Beineke (buried in Minneapolis)
Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide and Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs
Jorgen Johann auf der Heede and Anna

Jim

PS: There's something about October for Carol's family:

Pam: b. 6 October 1947
Carol: b. 26 October 1923
George and Hertha: m. 9 October 1917

Ringel, Germany: Locating Aufderheide Origins

2007-10-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Discussion between Philip and Jim Aufderheide

[Ringel locale in the area of Lengerich, Germany]

Hmmm. You are right, Philip.

I went into one of the satellites and looked up Ringel, Germany. It appears now to be a wide spot in the road. Perhaps Fred was born on one of these several farms? Perhaps Ringel was never a thriving village. Interesting. I wonder how we could find what was there in 1853?

You know, as I find out more, it just brings up more questions. Isn't it fun?!

Jim Aufderheide

[Philip's Old German Roadmap]

Hi,

In answer to Jim A's mail with the aerial view of Ringel, I scanned my German road map of that area...showing Lengerich, Kattenvenne, Ringel ....and I might add, Wiethoff. Lienen is on the next page, so that doesn't show up.

If you would like to see an old map of the area, go back to Darcy's email of March 03, 2007...subject: Re: Aufderheide Pedigree

I too am enjoying this latest whirlwind of mails.

philip

Thanks, Philip.

You know, they all are in relatively close proximity. So I see Kattenvenne Moor on the map...but that is not a Heide, is it? Isn't a moor a Mark?And I went back and printed out Darcy's older map. Can't tell how large a hamlet Ringel it is. Question: if there really is not village there anymore, why is Ringel still on the map? Or is that like a township designation? We have Milford Township outside of New Ulm, but there are no buildings, per se, and really never were other than a township hall.I didn't notice the JAP when I copied and pasted.

I wonder if I should talk to my wife about going back to my original surname: JAN UP DE HEE. Actually, that almost sounds Dutch! I received an article from a friend about the origins of surnames. They apparently did not begin until the middle ages, and, with the changes in language, those developing surnames changed much into the 18th and 19th centuries.

Our JAN UP DE HEE to JOHANN AUF DER HEIDE to AUFDERHEIDE is a terrific example of that development.

Jim Aufderheide

To me this whole process is so exciting, so mentally fulfilling. What are the chances of a group of relatives with the will, the motivation, the interest, the intellect, the creativity that you folks have coming together on one endeavor like this? How absolutely fascinating! I am in awe watching a group like this!The view from satellite made me think of an older email exchange between you and Darcy where you talked about Fred being born in a small farm house in Ringel. What are the chances that one of those buildings around that wide spot in the road pictured in the satellite shot was where he was born? I wonder how we could ever know?Think of the importance to our families of that location...

Think of the importance to our families of the location of the farm in the picture that Gerhard and Helga sent us... What a rush!!!

Jim Aufderheide

Dear Jim,

Ringel is a "place", if not a little village. If there is such a thing as a township, this one would be Lengerich...since these little hamlets go by the name Lengerich-Ringel etc. "Moor" is a fen (=venne...remember that v is pronounced as our f in German) or bog, but is not unconnected to "Heide". "Mark" is usually used in this form to indicate a border area. However, I have also seen it used to indicate fields or woods that are used in common by a community. There may be other uses.I doubt that Ringel was ever larger than it is now. Farmers generally live together in Germany with their fields surrounding the little collection of houses.

The scale of the map can be seen by the red numbers which indicate the number of kilometers between the red markers on roads. The large numbers indicate distance between the large markers with a circle instead of a dot. I mile = 1.6 kilometers.I wonder if William Wiethoff came from WIETHOFF on this map. Did he know Bernadina Aufderheide before he emigrated? A peek into the book of emigrants from Lengerich that Heidi Johann adH mentioned might give some clues to that.

My 2 cents.

p.

Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide's Parents Confirmed; Additional Note: On death of Infant Girl

2007-10-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

by Darcy Kleeman Boock
23 October 2007

Revision: 27 October 2007: "Infant Death," by Darcy Kleeman Boock*

[The farm Johann auf der Heide in Kattenvenne]

Kattenvenne, 23. October 2007

Dear Darcy!

Thank you for the E-Mail and the old picture from Fred /Elise. It is very interesting for us too, that we know from you.

Yes, it is so, the father from Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide was “Jörgen Johann aufr Heede” (born 1711, death 16.3.1798 – he was 87 years old -) He married Anna (family name ?), she was born 1734, death 4.6.1782, she was 48 ½ years old.

The family-book from the church in Lienen started in the year 1711 – and so, we cann’t find here all the dates earlier.

You write, the family from Fred Aufderheide moved from Lienen-Kattenvenne to Lengerich-Ringel, and so, we must look in the emigrant-book from Lengerich, perhaps we find here the name. We know a person, they has this book, and we’ll ask him for a look.

We sent you an old photo from the farm Johann auf der Heide (Gerhards brother is living here). Gerhard, his father, his grandfather and so on were born in this house.

A family-story (telled from Gerhards father Gustav) is so:

Once, in the Midlle Ages, three brothers with the names Johann, Gerd and Dierk came to Kattenvenne. Here, they find enough ground, and they settled here. Johann and Dierk became ground with heather, and they build a farm on the heather. Gerd became borderland /march, and build here his farm. In the time(maybe 1500), who family-names created, Johann’s family-name started with “Jan up de Hee”, Dierks family-name with “Dierk up de Hee” and Gerd’s family-name with “Gerd vor der Mark”. So you can find all the three family-names in Kattenvenne now.

A brother from Gerhards grandfather (Friedrich Johann auf der Heide, born 1860 in Kattenvenne) emigrated in 1881 to USA, first to St. Louis, his uncle (Gerd vor der Mark) was living there. His name chanced also to Fred Aufderheide. Today, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren are living in Indianapolis. We visited their in September 2007.

Gerhard and Helga

Revision: Death of the twin baby girl, born 21 Feb 1800:

Hello All,

I didn't find a lot today at the Oakdale FHC, but I did make copies of some important family records. I also found the death of the twin baby girl born 21 Feb 1800 to Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide and Anna Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs. She, Anna Catharine Elsabein, died 7 Mar 1800 and is listed as 12 days old, but that doesn't quite match up with her birthdate.I also failed to give you the parents of Anna Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs. Her father is listed as Alte (old man) Averdalhoff and her mother is Catharina Herssmans. I've also seen this surname as Hersmanns, which I think is probably more correct.

Darcy

As Yet, Unconnected Aufderheide Lines

2007-10-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

On Oct 23, 2007, at 11:37 AM, Jim Aufderheide wrote:

These are the earliest names I have from the New York group and the Ohio group.
First, the New York group:
Charles Frederick Auf der heide - born 1840, Germany - died 31 May 1899, New York
Second, the Ohio group:
Christian Aufderheide - born 14 Feb 1832, Germany - died 12 Nov 1896, Ohio

I wonder if either of these could be descendants of the Johann Hindrich line. If so, both groups have followed those descendants' children down to the present time here in America. Would be great to tie the lines together. Can you check and see, Darcy, with your German connection?

Jim Aufderheide

Additional Johann H. Johan auf der Heede Family Information Found

2007-10-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

by Darcy Boock,

Hello All,

I went back to the LDS Family History Center in Oakdale Saturday and found the remaining four children of Johann Hindrich Johan auf der Heide/Heede and Anna Maria Sophie Magdalene Braeven/Breven.

6. Johan Ernst Wilhelm born 23 Mar 1791
7. Anna Sophia Elisabeth born 12 May 1793
8. Johan Wilm Rudolph born 6 May 1795
9. Anna Catharina Elisabeth born 10 May 1797

Gerhard Johan auf der Heide descends from the second oldest child Ernst Rudolf from the first marriage and the rest of you descend from the youngest child Eberhard Jacob from the second marriage.

This is amazing! To not only find someone by the same name of Johann auf der Heide living in Germany today, but to find him living near the old farmstead in Kattenvenne AND to have him be so closely related. WOW! And to think that they did this same research that I am doing now 24 years ago shows that they also have an interest in family history.

Gerhard and Helga also have taken the family back one more generation that I have not yet found. In the information they sent me they have the father of Johan Hindrich listed as Jörgen Johann auf der Heede, born 1711 and died 16 Mar 1798 and the mother as Anna, born 1734 and died 4 Jun 1782.

Darcy

Isabel Aufderheide (1917-2007) Obit

2007-10-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

Isabel B. Aufderheide
[Reprinted from THE JOURNAL 17 October 2007, New Ulm www.nujournal.com]
Note: The same obiturary was published in the Star Trib, www.startrib/obituaries.com; photo reprinted from the Star Trib article..

Aufderheide, Isabel B., age 90, a retired professor of English at the Minnesota School of Business and longtime authority on English usage, died at her home in Edina early Monday October 15, 2007, after a brief illness.

Ms. Aufderheide, a 1939 graduate of Macalester College, taught at the Business School for 39 years, beginning shortly after WWII and retiring in 1985. During her tenure, she also served as a consulting expert to The Minneapolis Star-Journal in the 1950s and its reader-generated, question-and-answer feature concerning proper English usage.

After the business college was bought by the International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT) Corporation, she was honored as the company’s Employee of the Year in 1976.She was also an avid and accomplished bridge player and aficionado of crossword puzzles, routinely solving The New York Times puzzles in ink. She was a long-time supporter of the Guthrie Theater and Minnesota Public Radio.

She was keenly interested in Asian culture and politics and was an early devotee of foreign student exchange programs. She had been scheduled to engage in such a sojourn in Japan just prior to the breakout of hostilities that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Her exchange was cancelled by the Japanese.

Isabel Aufderheide was born April 5, 1917, in the tiny southwestern Minnesota village of Wanda. She was the first of five children born to Gustav and Anna MacDougall Aufderheide. The family moved to a farm near Lamberton when Isabel was a baby, and she graduated valedictorian from Lamberton High School. In the interim, her mother died when Isabel was 10.

After graduation from Macalester College, Ms. Aufderheide was an English teacher at Pelican Rapids and Glenwood high schools. She left teaching during WWII to serve as the official hostess in charge of the social program and facilities at Sioux City Airbase, in Iowa. She moved to Minneapolis after the war to join the faculty at the business college.

Ms Aufderheide is survived by her sister, Jean A. Stark of Tullahoma, Tenn., and 13 nieces and nephews. Her other sister, Wilma, became vice-president at controller of what was then Dayton-Hudson’s department stores. Both of her brothers, John and Ernest, were veterans of WWII.

Funeral Service Saturday, October 20, 12 NOON at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave. Mpls., with visitation a half hour prior. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials preferred to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Elusive Oberdahlhoffs-Johann auf der Heide Marriage Date Found!

2007-10-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

by Darcy Kleeman Boock
16 October 2007

With the help of Helga and Gerhard Johann auf der Heide, I now have a marriage date of 2 Nov 1798 for Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide and Anna Maria Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs. Helga also verified my assumption that Johann Hindrich had been married previously, however, I never would have guessed that he had been married first to an ancestor of Gerhard's!

I had searched through those marriage records about 5 times and came to the conclusion that the marriage took place other than Lienen. I checked once more tonight since I had an exact date to look for and I finally found it, but it wasn't easy. The marriage records on the microfilm I was looking at this evening ended Oct. 1798. So what happened to Nov. and Dec.? On the last page of these marriage records there was a small notation (in German script) that said, "Seite 104 befindet sich am Schluß des ______."

AH HA! Find page 104 at the end of "something". I scrolled through death records for Lienen 1833-1898 and finally found the lone page 104 at the end of those and the elusive marriage record!. Joh. Hind. Joh. auf der Hiede was 49 years old when he married Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs, who was 28. Some of the wording is lost in the centerfold of the book, but my guess is that it says, "2ten Ehe" or his second wife.

I made a poor copy of this marriage record before the printer didn't work at all any more. Hopefully I can make another copy when the machine is repaired. I also found 5 of the 9 children from Joh. Hind. Joh. auf der Heide's first marriage before I ran out of time. I will search for the remaining children either Sat. or next week.

1. 24 Jun 1782 Johann Hindrich
2. 15 Feb 1784 Ernst Rudolf
3. 23 Jan 1786 Catharina Sophia Elisabeth
4. 8 Aug 1787 Anna Catharina Marie
5. 23 May 1789 Johan Berndt Friedrich Wilhelm

Joh. Hind. Johann auf der Heide's correct birth date should be 4 Jan 1749. I had found this birth/baptismal record earlier, but I wasn't sure it was the correct person until Helga verified this date. Anna Maria Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs' correct birth date should be 5 Dec 1770.

Darcy

Darcy Boock's Research Advances Johann auf der Heide Connection to Second Line

2007-10-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an email that I sent last night to Gerhard and Helga Johann auf der Heide and their answer to me. Philip, I am happy to hear that you would be willing to translate my letters to them for me. How did I do on the first paragraph. My grammar probably stinks. Enjoy the news. We are getting closer.

"Darcy Boock" <gdboock@pressenter.com> schrieb: > Hallo Gerhard u. Helge. Heute hat ich ihr Brief erhaltet. Es ist sehr > interessiert. Ich finden vielen Namen Johann auf der Heide in die alte > Kirchenbücher von Lienen und auch von Lengerich microfilmed by die Kirche > von den Mormons. Ich habe vielen Namen in mein Database und addieren mehr > jeder Woche. Ich will Ihrer Ahnentafeln studieren und ein anderer Brief > schrieben Sie bald. Ich habe ein sehr Woche zu tun. Ich bin sehr glücklich > zu Sie finden. > > I need to write this part in English. Do you think that Johann Hindrich > Johann aufr Heede geboren 4 Jan. 1749 was married 1st to Anna Maria > Magdalene Breven and then after she died in 1798 that he married 2nd to > Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs? Because Johnann Hindrich was 22-23 > years older than A. M. Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs. I found a death record for > Johann Hindrich for 19 Juli 1816. You said that he died after 1811 and I > know that he died before 1841 when his son Eberhard Jacob was married. Do > you think this is our connection through a 2nd marriage? > > Darcy Boock > River Falls, Wisconsin USA > >

Hallo Darcy! Thank you for your E-mail. We think you are right with your supposition. 25 years ago I (Helga) make for my family genealogy intensive.

In my old manuscripts I find out:Johannaufrheede, Johann Hindrich (b. 04.01.1749 d. after 1811, 1. married 07.10.1781 with Anna Maria Magdalene Breven) together they had 9 children. His wife Anna died 03.08.1798 and then he maked 2. married (2.11.1798)with Anna Maria Elisabeth Oberdalhofs (b. 1770, d. 1837), they did have together 3 children (1.: 07.03.1802- son Rudolph - //2.: 20.04.1805 son Friedrich //3.: 02.10.1808 son Jacob ). I think, thats your ansisters.Perhaps, you have the same dates. Regards from Gerhard and Helga /Lienen-Kattenvenne / Germany

New Johann auf der Heide Letter to Darcy Boock

2007-10-15T18:06:00.001-07:00

Today I received a letter from Gerhard and Helga Johann auf der Heide with two pedigree charts from Lienen-Kattenvenne. The letter is attached. I have a very busy week, so will not be able to do too much with the letter and my Johann auf der Heide database. I have emailed him to let him know that I am very interested in this family name and will write more later. Wanted to share this with everyone. This is all so exciting. Has anyone heard of Isadora Spurlock who is mentioned in the letter from Modesto, CA?

Darcy

[Eliese] Elise Marie Schapekahm Aufderheide: 150th Birth Anniversary 1857 - 1929

2007-10-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

by Jim Graupner, et. al.
[...with exerpts from writings by Gertrude Graupner, George Gieseke, Carol Gieseke Baer, Norbert Boock; genealogical information provided by Jim Aufderheide, Marilyn Boock Schmidt, and Darcy Kleeman Boock; translations by Philip Graupner, and materials from the Emma Marie Aufderheide Boock collection. Photo identification by Jim Graupner.]

Elise (Eliese) Maria Schapekahm Aufderheide
9 October 1857 Gehrde, Hanover - 6 August 1929 New Ulm

Elise (Eliese) Marie (Maria) Schapekahm Aufderheide was the third of five children born to Gerhard Johann Schapekahm (1820) and Maria Adelheit Kaiser (1829) 150 years ago on the 9th of October 1857 in Gehrde, Hanover, Germany. Her siblings included Johanne Margaretha Maria Schapekahm (born on 13 June 1852 in Rusfort, near Gehrde), Herman Gerhard (born 28 April 1855 in Gehrde), and Gehard Herman (Jr.), born 16 August 1860 in Rusfort, near Gehrde.

The Early Years in Gehrde

Sadly, when Eliese was five years old, her mother died on 14 April 1863, having never recovered from the stillbirth of her daughter on the 21st of February 1863. Eight years later, on 16 August 1871, Eliese, Johanne, Herman, and Gerhard Jr. emigrated with their father directly to New Ulm. Little is known about their lives in Gehrde, except that Eliese attended school, much as her mother had done.

Surviving are two composition books, one from Eliese's mother, Maria, and the other from Eliese. The compositions, written in the old German script, reveal little about their lives, except that they had received a practical education. Interestingly, they also clarify (or confuse) the name order and spelling preference for their names in their own hand. For example, Maria's Composition Book's title page reads "Maria Adelheit Kaiser Gehrde 4th October 1843" and the inside back cover reads "Johann Gerhard Schapkahm". Eliese's book has an ornate frontisepiece and no title page, but the contents of apparently formal business letters are signed in a variety of versions of Elise's name: "Mara Eliese Schapekabe", "Maria Eliese Schapekabe", "Elise Marie Schapekabe" and "Eliese Schapekabe." Perhaps she was trying out different versions that she might use for immigration purposes. The first page of Eliese's book contains a notation of her first two sons: "Wilhelm Johann Aufderheide geboren 17 April 1883" and "Karl Hermann Wilhelm Aufderheide geboren 19 August Morgan 1/2 4 ? 1889 gafundt 13 October" [jfg].

[Maria Adelheit Kaiser's school composition book at age 14 (1843) in Gehrde. Notation at the top from Emma Aufderheide Boock is recent. jfg collection]

[Details of writing examples in Eliese Schapekahm's Composition Book from early 1871, above. Below is the inside cover page with Wilhelm and Karl's birth notations. jfg collection]

Later notations.

When Eliese was 14 years old in 1871, she emigrated with her father and three brothers from Gehrde to America. Her girl classmates wrote notes with various sentiments and quotations written on them that she collected, as shown on the following note, dated Gehrde 28 May 1869. Many were from the spring of 1871 [jfg collection].

The obituary [REWIEW, 19 August 1891] for Eliese's father, Johann Gehard Schapekahm, born 17 May 1820, recounted that he was a soldier for eight years in Gehrde, Hanover. After emigration in 1871, his sons became contractors, builders and carpenters in New Ulm. Johann was characterized as "a respected and useful citizen" in his obituary.

Eliese Schapekahm and Friederich Aufderheide Marry in 1871

The following exerpt is drawn from an account of Fred Aufderheide and the New Ulm Brick & Tile Company, published in 1916 in the History of Brown County, F. A. Fritsche, M.D., Editor:

On March 25, 1881, Fred Aufderheide was united in marriage to Elisa Schapekahm, who was born in the town of Gerde, Hannover, October 9, 1857, daughter of Gerhard and Maria Adelheid (Kaiser) Schapekahm, both natives of that same section of Germany and the parents of four children Mrs. Aufderheide having a sister, Mary and two brothers Herman and Gerhard. Mrs. Schapekahm died in her native land in 1862 and Mr. Schapekahm and his children then came to the united States, settling in New Ulm, being seventy one years of age at the time of his death. Elisa Schapekahm was thirteen years old when she came to this country and she grew to womanhood in new Ulm, where she married Mr. Aufderheide.

The man Eliese married (1881) was a resourceful, successful, and enterprising entrepreneur. Like Eliese, Fred Aufderheide also emigrated from Germany when he was young--just 17 years old in 1870. After learning the brick-making trade in Cincinnati, he founded the New Ulm Brickyards with his brother-in-law, William Wiethoff, and became proprietor in 1875.

Already by 1885, Fred and Eliese could celebrate a thriving business at the brickyard with a workforce of maybe 18 workers; a family of two children: William, born in 1883 and Emma, born in 1884; and a beautiful new home at the brickyard. Soon, three more children were born to Fred and Elise: Karl (1889), Herman (1892), and Hertha (1894). Eliese played a key role in the success of the brickyard by managing a turn-of-the-century household, which included boarding a couple of workers and producing home-made meals for the workers.

[1885 Photo of Aufderheide brickyard home, soon after it was built]

The brickyard office was located in the house, with the office entrance (shown above) on the west side facing Minnesota Street, so brickyard business was conducted within the context of a household of domestic activity (laundry, cooking, cleaning, seamstering, chickens, gardening, etc.). Eliese had hired women who helped with the meals and ran errands. And, until the children were of middle-school age, they were educated by a hired tutor at home. Thereafter, they were taken to school by horse-drawn buggy during fall and spring or by a horse-drawn open sleigh in winter. And, of course, Phillip, the beloved carriage horse was every child's favorite.

[1910 photo of Philip pulling the cutter along Minnesota Street in front of the Aufderheide home, with brick-drying sheds in the background.]

Over the years, the brickyard operations expanded with of new methods of producing brick, the addition of tile production, and more efficient transportation and distribution of the products. Increasingly, sons Karl and Herman assumed greater responsibilities in brickyard operations and in January 1921, they purchased the business from their father. During these years, Fred's entrepreneural interests went beyond the brickyard, into banking, a funeral home, and land speculation out West.

In 1906, Elise and Fred celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with this portrait (detail), taken for the occasion. Their first-born, William, died in 1900. The four surviving Aufderheide children, standing behind their parents are: Emma Marie (m. Arthur Boock 1908), Karl Herman (m. Clara Weddendorf 1913), Herman John (m. Esther Sannwald 1917), and Hertha Margaret (m. George T. Gieseke 1917). They had ten grandchildren, all but Frederick born during their lifetime: Norbert Boock 1909, Gertrude Boock 1912, Carl John Aufderheide 1914, Esther Boock 1914, John (Jack) Aufderheide 1916, Howard Aufderheide 1918, Ruth and Robert (twins) Aufderheide 1919, Arthur Aufderheide 1923, Carol Gieseke 1923, and Frederick Aufderheide1928.

Photos and Remembrances

Ca. 1918 brickyard photo, possibly by Karl Aufderheide, of his parents Fred and Eliese and Karl's sons Carly anJohn. Without exception, Eliese's grandchildren recall both the work and play activities of the brickyard homestead with affection.

A large gathering at an outdoor venue to perhaps celebrate Eliese and Fred's 35th anniversary on 25 May 1916. Uncles John Schapekahm (with bowtie) and Wm Wiethoff (kneeling) are to the extreme left.

Revising my date from the 1983 Settler on The Aufderheides, where the date was estimated as 1920, perhaps this undated photo was taken by Karl Aufderheide (running into the photo from the left) on the occasion of Fred and Eliese's 30th Anniversary, 25 May 1921. One clue is the absence of John and Mary Schapekahm; another is the estimation of the ages of the kids.

IDs from left to right first row: Herman Raabe; Albert Plagens; Norbert Boock with ball; Jack Aufderheide; Ida Boock (Mrs. Adolph) Klause; Clara Weddendorf Aufderheide with Ruth and Robert (born 1919); Esther Sannwald Aufderheide with Howard (but not Arthur); John, Lester, and Willard Raabe; Olivia Raabe kneeling behind with twins Henry and Herman; Mrs. Ferdinand Sannwald kneeling; Carl (Carly) Aufderheide seated; Wilhelmine (Mrs. Christian Frederick) Boock; and Gertrude Boock. Back Row: Karl Aufderheide (kneeling from left); Andrew (from Morton); Ferdinand Sannwald; Grandpa Fred Aufderheide, Adolph Klause; Rose Plagens; Hertha (nee Aufderheide) and George Gieseke, Emma (nee Aufderheide) and Arthur Boock; Grandma Weddendorf; Herman Aufderheide,John Weddendorf; and Eliese Schapekahm Aufderheide

Perhaps this portrait was taken by Herman Aufderheide on the west side of the Aufderheide home in the summer of 1912. Emma Aufderheide (Mrs. Arthur) Boock was living in Spencer at this time. Karl Aufderheide and Clara Weddendorf would be married the following year on 12 July. From left: Clara Weddendorf, Eliese Schapekahm Aufderheide, Hertha Aufderheide, cousin Ida Schmidt from Minneapolis, Hertha Weddendorf, and Karl Aufderheide.

Eliese's Aunt Mary and Uncle John Hermann Schapekahm for a family gathering at the brickyard for Easter Sunday 20 April 1919. Esther Sannwald Aufderheide's mother is "comforting" Eliese from the giggles of presumably something happy. The Schapekahms departed New Ulm in September 1920 to live near their children in Milwaukee.

Gadgets and New Technologies Added Excitement

Relatives who knew Fred and Eliese thought highly of them; this regard is reflected in the anecdotes included below. A number of wonderful photographs of Eliese and Fred with their children, grandchildren, friends and relatives have survived; it's a legacy that not every family is fortunate to have.

With the development of excellent studio photographic technology, family portraits were in vogue. With early Twentieth Century advancements in portable personal cameras, candid snapshots and outside group photos could be taken by amateur photo-enthusiasts. Three family photographers of that time were Karl Aufderheide, George Gieseke, Jr., and Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke. It's hard to attribute photos to specific individuals, but one might infer, in context with the subject, who might have taken the picture.

George had a Graflex camera and developed his own photos. Hopefully, some of his photographs might yet emerge. I interviewed George at nearly 100 years old at his home in Watertown, Wisconsin. With a bright smile opening on his face, he spoke reverantly about Hertha's mother. "Elizabeth? Well, she was a very pleasant person; very congenial. She served all the meals during the day and also on Sundays when the whole relationship got together; she always served the food. She was great in taking care of the grandchildren; that is the boys, Gertrude and my daughter, Carol. She was a very friendly person."

The Aufderheide's had a penchant for other technologies as well, whether they were an Edison phonograph or a radio kit that they could assemble, but especially new automobiles. Fred Aufderheide, who never drove his cars, but nonetheless purchased them, originally had a Dodge which Hertha drove for him.

Uncle George remembered that his own first car was a two-passenger Model-T Ford which he and Hertha loved to drive. The car in the picture above shows Hertha and Herman in that very Ford at the brickyard, in 1917, the year she and George were married (at the brickyard homestead). [Photo presumably by George Gieseke. Fall 1917]

George recalled, "Hertha drove cars throughout her life. At age 14, she drove the Dodge car for her father, Fred Aufderheide. The old gent bought a Dodge car, a five-passenger open-top car--curtain top--and she did any driving when the old man wanted to go anywhere; her father or mother wanted to go anywhere and she did the driving. The car was later given to Hertha after we were married and she continued driving for her parents."

Karlie Aufderheide with Grandma Eliese feeding the chickens kitchen scraps as one of the Aufderheide dogs monitors the action. Photo probably taken by Karl Aufderheide in 1916, the year Karlie got a little brother named John, but known as Jack.

This photo, perhaps taken by George Gieseke, might be from 1924 at the brickyard, with the George Giesekes, Herman Aufderheides, and the Arthur Boocks. Front row left: Eliese Aufderheide, Gertrude Boock, Arthur Aufderheide, Fred Aufderheide; Back row left: Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke with daughter Carol, Emma Aufderheide Boock, Howard Aufderheide, Norbert Boock, Esther (Sandy) nee Sannwald Aufderheide and Herman Aufderheide.

On the hill to the west of Minnesota Street from the brickyard and east of what is now 19th Steet is a great hill for sledding. There are a number of photos of college-aged members of the Aufderheide family and friends taken in winter. Hertha Aufderheide and Norbert Boock are identified in this photo, along with another Aufderheide dog named Bruno.

This photo was taken on the northwest corner of the Aufderheide house near the office entrance, probably taken in 1924. From the left are Grandma Eliese (seated) holding a pet dog; Norbert and Gertrude Boock are in front with Carol Gieseke; Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke, Emma Aufderheide Boock, and Grandpa Fred Aufderheide. Most probably George Gieseke is taking the photo. At that time the Boocks lived with the Giesekes, having sold their home on State Street.

[Note: Additional rememberances by Norbert and Gertrude Boock, the oldest grandchildren of Fred and Eliese will be posted separately. Previous articles about the Aufderheides and the Brickyard and the Aufderheide homestead can be found in the archieves of this blog. jfg]

1871 Letter to Johann Plath

2007-10-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Contextual commentary by Jim Aufderheide
Translation from the original letter by Philip Graupner

This interesting letter from F. Camentz is to my Great Great Grandfather Johann Plath, father of my Great Grandmother Hermine Plath Weddendorf. The Plaths were from Röbel, Germany and the letter confirms the date of their arrival I had from family lore, August of 1867.

It is clear from the letter that Johann maintained ties to his home. The familiarity in the letter indicates a friendship. What really fascinates me is the casual commentary on their lives, and the desire to come to America, clearly a land of opportunity. The questions and comments on opportunity in the New Ulm area again indicate an ongoing correspondence. Fascinating! It is clear that part of the reason for the growing German community in New Ulm was the letters going home from those already here, encouraging others to follow to this new land.

Checks of local records and census records don't show an F. Camentz here in New Ulm; I wonder what happened? While there are Camentz shown in Chicago area census records, they do not seem to match this person.

I find it intriguing that Camentz ran a lime kiln. My Great Grandfather Fred Aufderheide founded the family tile business on property purchased from one of the largest lime kiln operators in the area in 1880, a William Winkelmann. The remains of one of Winkelmann's lime kilns still exists in the woods south of New Ulm.

What is even more wonderful is that this letter from 1871 still exists for us to glimpse at the past! [Jim Aufderheide, 10 October 2007]

(A transcription of the 1871 Letter from F. Camentz to Plath)

Lieber Freund Plath!

Vier Jahre sind bereits verfloßen, seitdem wir uns zum letzten Male sahen, aber es wird hoffentlich keine 20 Wochen mehr dauern, daß wir Alle das Vergnügung haben werden einander good day zu sagen. Ich habe nämlich meinen Kalkofen und mein Haus verkauft, Bertha wird confirmiert, und Fritz hat um 3 Wochen seine Lehrzeit beim Herrn Carl Schubart beendet, und meine Frau und Großmutter sind auch gar nicht abgeneigt dahin zu kommen. Aus Deinem letzten Briefe ersah ich, daß New Ulm sich furchtbar hebt, und so sind da wahrscheinlich ganz gute Geschäfte zu machen. Da Du schon bescheid weißt in der Gegend, so bist Du wohl so gut und schreibst mir ob Fritz sein Geschäft da wohl fortsetzen kann, und ob in der Nähe von New Ulm Waßer ist. Auch hast Du wohl die Güte und schreibst wie viel Dir die Reise von Chicago nach New Ulm gekostet hat, (Daß heißt à Person), und wie theuer die Acker in der Umgegend ist, denn es sind aus Röbel Mehrere, welche dahinzukommen gedenken. Auch habe ich mit dem Mädchen, welches früher bei Dir diente u. an welches Du geschrieben hast gesprochen, sie hat sehr großen Lust Dir nachzukommen. Bitte schreibe mir auch, wie es da mit der Kürschnerei geht.
Hoffentlich wird dieser Brief Dir und die Deinen bei guter Gesundheit antreffen. Bitte schreibe recht bald wieder. In der Hoffnung auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen, schließt
Dein
Freund
F. Camentz

Röbel,
d.16.3.71

Viele Grüße von uns Allen.

The Frenchmen are beaten from the German and shall pay, in five years, five thousand millions of france, and Elsaß and Lothringen have fallen to Germany. (sic)

(Translation of the 1871 Letter from F. Camentz to Plath)

Dear Friend Plath!

Four years have slipped away since we last saw each other, but hopefully it will not be more than 20 weeks before we have the pleasure of saying “good day” to each other. For I have sold my lime kiln and my house, Bertha has been confirmed and Fritz will have finished his apprenticeship with Mr. Carl Schubart in about 3 weeks, and my wife and grandmother are not at all against coming there. From your last letter, I saw that New Ulm has risen greatly and therefore, it is likely that one could do a good business there. Since you are familiar with the region, be so good and write to me if Fritz could continue his business there, and if there is water near New Ulm. Also, be so good and write me how much the trip from Chicago to New Ulm cost you (per person), and how expensive farm land is in the area, for there are several people from Röbel that are thinking of coming there. Also, I talked to the girl who used to work for you and to whom you had written. She would like very much to come to you. Please write too, how the furrier business is going there.

Hopefully this letter will reach you and yours in good health. Please write back soon. In the hope of seeing you again soon, I will close.

Your
Friend
F. Camentz

Röbel, the 16th of March, 1871

The Frenchmen are beaten by the Germans and in five years must pay five billion Franc, and Alsace and Lorraine have become German territory.

(translator notes: 1871 saw the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the beginning of the Second German Empire.
Röbel is a town on Lake Müritz in the Mecklenburg Lake District.)

[Translation and translator notes by Philip Graupner, 10 October 2007)

Keeping Our Family's Story: What's Ahead?

2007-10-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

by Jim Graupner

Photo: Jim Graupner, Jim Aufderheide, and Herb Schaper at the Kaiserhoff Restaurant in New Ulm, on 8 October 2007 met to share ideas and information about family history.

One can hardly imagine a more pleasant day than driving to New Ulm from the Twin Cities through the beautiful autumn colors of the Minnesota River Valley to spend some time with the likes of Jim Aufderheide and Herb Schaper. Arriving at Jim and Sylvia's beautifully restored home above Pioneer Park (originally, the Otto Schell home), Jim invited me into a bay-windowed alcove with a cup of hot coffee and a plate of doughnuts. Our conversation soon centered on current interests in our family history endeavors.

An informal agenda emerged: 1. Organization and Coordination of Archival Materials and Genealogy, 2. Bequesting Collections, and 3. Family History Workshop/Reunion. These aren't new topics of discussion, but many of us "keepers" seem ready to move forward to coordinate our efforts, even as we pursue our individual interests in family history and genealogical work, and formulate plans for a family reunion in the near future.

What's so gratifying to me is the enlightened, altruistic approach that Jim Aufderheide, Darcy Kleeman Boock, Herb Schaper, Julie Humes, Marilyn Boock Schmidt, Philip Graupner and others have brought to this time-consuming passion. Essentially, that approach is to gather, document, archive, and produce family history resources for our own generation and the generations of this great family that follow.

Organization and Coordination:

Our interest in the area of organization and coordination is to set up software that makes the transfer of digitized resources, like genealogies, efficient. Jim Graupner, for example, is the furthest behind with digitized genealogical information, both on the Boock-Aufderheide side, which had been done extensively by Darcy, Herb, and Jim Aufderheide, and on the Graupner-Glaser side, which has not been digitized extensively. Of course, every family's genealogical interests will probably be unique, but the sharing of existing resources makes the work much easier.

The software that are currently being utilized include: Reunion (Mac) by Jim Aufderheide, Family Tree Maker (PC) by Herb Schaper, and PAF by Darcy Boock. Jim A. uses File Maker for organizing documents, articles, and photos, and Herb uses Access for the same purpose. These or like programs with cross platform capabilities can be used with either Macs or PCs.

Darcy alerted this information to me through the following email:

Hi Jim, Once you download a family tree software program of some sort on your computer Jim A. and I can export our files to you. Then you don't have to reenter all the information but are still able to edit it. Right now I have separate files for each family name, but there is a way to merge them. I'm just not sure how yet. I think Jim A. uses Family Tree Maker, or was that the program that Herb uses. I think Jim has a Mac, so he may be using Reunion or something else. I use the free downloadable program from LDS www.familysearch.org called PAF (Personal Ancestral File). It is a very easy program to use. Check it out.Darcy

Bequesting Collections:

It's fairly intuitive to understand the sociological value that family histories can have; in some cases the collections of artifacts, prepared materials, and verified family records are the life's avocation of family historians. They may also have value both as real and intellectual property. Keepers generally want these collections to remain as durable legacies, available to those left behind. The question remains, however, how the collections can be maintained, protected, and available.

Sadly, despite efforts to the contrary, family history collections often do not endure. Horror stories of boxes of materials and photos being jetisoned upon the incapacitation or death of collectors, museums selling collections or making access to materials difficult, anachronistic technologies rendering resources virtually unavailable, etc. abound. Families need to address this issue. I've submitted some of my work and materials to the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison; they are generally interested in primary documents and printed materials and photographs and have contacted Philip and me to discuss what and how our collections may be maintained. We've considered providing some level of financial support for making our materials available for research in the WSHS.

Other may consider passing on their work and materials to other family members who may be interested--I'd guess that's how most of the Keepers have gotten the stuff that they now have.

Jim Aufderheide has frequently said that making his work freely accessible to family members who are interested is the best way to ensure that it will endure and expand for future generations. Digital libraries make this mission possible.

Family History Workshop/Reunion:

Darcy Boock, Jim Aufderheide, Philip Graupner, Julie Humes, and Herb Schaper--and perhaps others, have raised the idea for a family reunion in New Ulm for the descendants of the original family immigrants. Darcy recently reiterated this idea, calling for concrete planning. Philip has offered a practical "how to" based on his experience with helping organize The Graupner/Glaser Family Reunion, the next of which will be held in Door County in July 2008. Darcy recently wrote:

Hi Philip, What is the date of the Graupner Reunion and where will it be held? We really would like to get going planning a Boock, Aufderheide, Schapekahm, Ruemke, etc. Reunion in New Ulm, but I will need some help from you. Like how should I start??? Where in New Ulm would be the best place to hold such a reunion? Can you give me a little heads up on the planning that you have done on the Graupner Reunion? How soon did you start planning and sending out information before the actual reunion will take place?Jim A., Jim G., Marilyn, Julie any ideas. If our niece Christi Boock is already working on planning the next Dave Boock, Jerry Boock, Marilyn Boock Schmidt Reunion for the summer of 2009, I think we better get going also.Darcy

Another approach, in the meantime, may be to have those most involved in keeping family history to meet relatively soon to come prepared to meet, share materials, demonstrate use of data base and family history software, possibly set protocals on how materials are digitized, referenced, filed, shared, and plan the structure and program of the family reunion, etc. This preliminary step is compelling to me because it's relative easy to set up, it involves a smaller group, and I'm sure to make some progress getting my own stuff organized and available.

Okay, this is some of what we shared. Immediately, we knew that all the Keepers needed to be involved in clarifying what our next steps should be. For my part, although I am less familiar with planning a Reunion, I'm pretty sure that we could plan an effective workshop--I know that Darcy sets these up regularly. I'd immediately volunteer to work with anyone who thought that a workshop might be useful.

Pamela Jean Baer Schmutzler: Congratulations!

2007-10-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

by Jim Graupner

Pamela Jean Baer Schmutzler and her wonderful family celebrated her 60th birthday, Friday evening. Hard to believe, as always, that time passes so quickly when looking at this three-generation photo of Pam, age two, with her mother, Carol Gieseke Baer, and her maternal grandparents, Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke and George T. Gieske.

[Pam's father, George Baer, is the photographer, taking the photo in front of their home in Hazelton, North Dakota, where he had taken the pastorship of St. Paul's Lutheran Church (July 1950) .]

[Left: portrait of Robert E. and Pamela Schmutzler (1982); Right: portrait of their two children, Brent and Tami Schmutzler (1982). Pam and Bob have six grandchildren.]

It's safe to say that Pamela Baer is the only descendant of Fred and Elise Schapekahm Aufderheide to have been born in Africa. The circumstances surrounding her birth are very interesting. I'll try to recount some of the details by drawing from an article Carol Gieseke Baer, Pam's mother, wrote for the Autumn 1983, The Settler, entitled "Recollections."

Carol Gieseke graduated from Dr. Martin Luther College in 1944, and was called to teach First and Second Grades at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. She and George Baer had been dating, when in 1945 he was called as a missionary for the Synodical Conference in Nigeria, West Africa. In the year that followed, George persuaded Carol to resign her position, marry him, and travel to Nigeria.

"George was ready to go to Nigeria in the summer of 1945, but after World War II it was extremely difficult to get air or sea transportation. After many months of waiting, the Mission Board finally decided to send George to the Synodical Conference Black Mission in Alabama until June 1946. Thus, I was able to finish my second year of teaching and we were married in Mankato at Immanuel Lutheran Church June 25, 1946."

After some difficulty locating a new car that they could take to Africa, they left New Ulm to their departure point in New York on September 14, 1946. Fortunately, the newlyweds stopped in Burlington, Wisconsin, where Carol's cousin Gertrude Boock Graupner and Carl lived, with their family of three little boys. [Photo of George and Carol, standing, and Carl with Jim, Ken and Philip. The new Ford Deluxe stands next to the '38 Chevy at Hall's Point in September, 1946.]

When the Baers got to New York, they boxed up the Ford for shipment to Nigeria. After some delays they finally departed (October 8th) for Robert's Field, Liberia, via Newfoundland, Shannon, Lisbon, and Dakar, Senegal. "To our dismay, that [Robert's Field] was as far as the travel agency booked us, plus many other missionaries. We spent eleven days there waiting for a plane that had room to fly us to Nigeria. Planes were always full, and no advance reservations were possible. Therefore, we finally flew north on Air France's tri-motor, German Junker at almost tree-top level to Sierra Leone. After a day there, we boarded a ship which took us down to Lagos, Nigeria, in six days." From Lagos it took several days by train to Aba (Nov. 2), which was 45 miles from their destination, which was traversed by car through the jungle to Obot Idim, their home for three years. They were quickly immersed into a very different world.

"Our first home at the Mission headquarters, Obot Idim, was a bush house which was built of a framework of bamboo poles covered with mud, a thatched roof of palm leaf mats, and a cement floor. Walls inside and out were covered with a fine white sand. The doors and windows were without glass or screens. Wooden shutters on the windows were seldom closed. A veranda around the house helped to keep it cool in the 90 degree to 100 degree constant, humid heat. Mosquito nettings attached to a frame completely surrounded our bed from after 4 P.M. until morning. Yellow fever and malaria were threats even though we had shots and took an anti-malarial drug daily." The home got its electricity from a portable light plant. This was the home into which Pam would be brought when she was born.

"...our daughter, Pamela Jean, was born October 6, 1947 in Calabar. The hospital for "whites," or Europeans, as we were called, had eight beds. The doctor and nurses were from England. Aides were native blacks. T get to Calabar we traveled one hour by car and two on a river launch; so it meant going several weeks early. We brought back our bouncing, eight-p0und daughter who immediately became a U. S. citizen by registration at the American Consul's office in Lagos."

This photo was taken on a trip to Watertown tavelled by Norbert and Marian Boock and Carl and Gertrude Graupner in October, 1967. Pam would have been 20 years old and about to be married to Robert Edwin Schmultzer on 30 December 1967, in Watertown. [From Left: Marian and Norbert Boock, George and Hertha Gieseke, Gertrude Graupner, and Carol Gieseke Baer.]

The connection between Art and Emma Aufderheide Boock and George and Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke was especially close, not only because Emma and Hertha were sisters, but because the Boocks lived with the Giesekes for a time from 1924, and later purchased a house together. Gertrude baby sat Carol and later were best friends. Carol was a bridesmaid in Gertrude and Carl's wedding in 1939, both graduated from DMLC and taught at parochial schools before they were married.

Further Johann auf der Heide Research

2007-10-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

by Darcy Kleeman Boock

Note: See Johann Heinrich Johann auf der Heide Descendency Chart on right side bar; from Jim Aufderheide.

The photo copy of the Lienen church record from 1800, below, is from Darcy Kleeman Boock, whose translation of the document is found at the end of this posting.

Hello All You Fellow Family History Researchers,

I have been doing more research on the Aufderheide line in the Lienen church records. As I stated in my last post I was researching for another brother of Eberhard Jacob Johann auf der Heide, who was the father of Fred William Aufderheide. I found the older brother and additonal children born to this family, but still have not been able to locate the marriage of his parents. A brother Conrad Rudolph Johann auf der Heede was born 7 Mar 1802 and was baptized 19 Mar 1802 (documentation FHL microfilm #526268, entry 33 under baptisms for the year 1802). I looked further and found twins born 21 Feb 1800! The little boy was stillborn, but the girl survived and was named Anna Catharina Elsabein Johann auf der Heide. She was baptized 28 Feb 1800 (documentation FHL microfilm #526268, entries 16 and 17 respectively under baptisms for the year 1800). Since none of these children were listed as illegitimate, the marriage of their parents Johann Heinrich/Hindrich Johann auf der Heide and Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs had to have taken place before 1800. I searched marriage records from 1784-1798 and did not locate the marriage record, so will go back and search the marriages again for 1799-1805 and look more closely at the records. It is very possible that if Johann Heinrich's wife was not from Lienen, that the marriage took place elsewhere. I found very few Oberdahlhoffs listed in these church records and the earlier ones were spelled Averdahlhoffs (Anyway, I think this is probably the same family). I attached a copy of the birth record for the twins with a translation, so you can see what kind of records I am looking at. Philip, am I close on the transcription of the schrift?

I am now finding the surname Johann auf der Heide as Johann auf der Heiden, auf der Heyde, auf der Heede, and Johan aufrheede, and auf der spelled aufr and Apr, so spellings are getting a little tricky and I have to search the names carefully.

By using the Formula of 8870 to calculate the birthdate from the age at death, I calculated Johann Heinrich auf der Heide'e birth to be 18 Jan 1748. I did not locate this birth, but found one for 4 Jan 1749, but no parents are listed! I will search these early records again.

It is amazing the number of twins I have found in the Lienen church records. I have never seen so many twins before. I also noticed that a village south of Lienen is Twillingen, which means twins. Interesting!More research this week...........Darcy

Birth/Baptismal Record, Transcription and Translation
of Twins Born to
Johann Heinrich/Hindrich Johann auf der Heide and His Wife Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdahlhoffs of Kattenvenne.

21 February 1800
Lienen Church Records
Lienen, Kreis Tecklenburg, Westphalia, Germany

Transcription

No. 16: Der Col: Johan Hind: Johan auf der Heide ist von seiner Frau A: Marie Elisab: Oberdalhofs d. 21ten Feb ein Todtes Sohnlein geboren welches d. 22ten begrabt.

No. 17: Der Colon: Johan Hind: Johan auf der Heide _____ von seiner Frau 2 Zwillinge geboren 1 Sohn und 1 Tochter, von der Sohnlein todtger Welt gebornenne beide sind geboren d. 21ten Feb: und des Tochterlein getauftt 28ten, und genannt Anna Catharina Elsabein. Gev. [abbreviation for Gevatter] Anna Cathar: Heidgress, Marie Elsab: Evers üm Wittenbroks, John: Ernst Dregger.

Translation

Entry number 16 under births/baptisms for the year 1800: The farmer on a full-size farm (Colon) Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide’s wife Anne Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhofs gave birth to a stillborn little son on the 21st of February [1800], who was buried on the 22nd.

Entry number 17 under births/baptisms for the year 1800: The farmer on a full-size farm (Colon) Johann Hindrich Johann auf der Heide’s wife gave birth to (2) twins, one son and one daughter, but the little son was born dead into the world; both were born on the 21st February [1800] and the little daughter was baptized the 28th [of Feb] and named Anna Catharina Elsabein [Johann auf der Heide]. The baptismal sponsors were Anna Catharina Heidgress, Marie Elsabein Evers from near Wittenbroks [probably Westerbeck just to the west of Lienen], Johann Ernst Dregger.

Aufderheide Ancestor Documentation: Darcy Boock

2007-08-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

Documentation of Aufderheide Ancestry in Germany

Letter from Darcy Boock, 28 August 2007

[Wedding photo portrait of Elise Schapekahm and Fred Aufderheide from Elaine Schapekahm; posted by Darcy Boock]

Hello All, I am continuing my quest to find more information on the Aufderheides in Germany. I have several microfilms on loan from the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City and plan to order two others tomorrow evening. I spent quite a bit of time viewing those films last week now that the wedding is over and we are back from delivering wedding gifts to Andrea and Jedd in Atlanta.

This week I start back to school, but I can still squeeze in one more evening of research this week.I found Frederich Wilhelm Aufderheide's father's birth record in the Lienen church records. Eberhard Jacob Johann auf der Heide was born 2 Sep 1808. FHL (LDS Family History Library) microfilm # 526269 entry 99 for 1808 would be the documentation for Eberhard Jacob. Some of you may already have this information, but now I actually saw the church record and not an extraction, which Jim A. already had. His father is listed as Johann Heinrich Johann auf der Heide, his mother Marie Elisabeth Johann auf der Heide, nee Oberdalhoffs. So what I am finding in the old church records is that the surname was originally Johann auf der Heide and sometimes spelled Johann auf der Heyde, but the i and y are interchangeable.

When the families immigrated from Germany the surname was changed to Aufderheide. In doing research on the Internet to try to learn more about Lienen I found a Gerhard Johann auf der Heide who is the head master of the Lienen Elementary School and I have composed a letter that I hope to send out to him this week. Maybe we will learn more about this family and in particular the family name.

I then found the death record of Marie Elisabeth Johann auf der Heide, nee Oberdalhoffs. She died 11 Mar 1837 at the age of 66 years and 6 months. I calculated her birth to be abt. 11 Sep 1771. On her death record it lists that she has three sons, so I started searching for the other two. I found Friedrich Jacob Johann auf der Heide, born 23 Apr 1805, but haven't been able to find the other one yet. I need to order another microfilm. FHL (LDS Family History Library) microfilm #526269, Entry 34 for 1805 would be the documentation for Friedrich Jacob. I also checked for a marriage record for Johann Heinrich Johann ADH and Marie Elisabeth Oberdalhoffs. I could not find it on the microfilms that I have on loan, so the marriage would have taken place before 1799 and I am guessing the other son was born about 1800-1802.

When Eberhard Jacob Johann ADH and Sophie Elisabeth Beineke married on 2 Apr1841 in Lienen, his father was listed as deceased, so I knew to look for his death record before that date. I finally found it! Actually I found the deaths of two Johann Heinrich Johann ADH, but one was listed as living in Kattenvenne and the other in Höste. I know from other records that your ancestor lived in Kattenvenne (in the church records spelled Kattenfenne, but again the v and f are interchangeable), so I now know which one is your ancestor. Johann Heinrich Johann ADH died 19 Jul 1816 at the age of 68 years and 6 months. So Johann Heinrich and his wife died close to the same age, but over 20 years apart. This looks a little fishy to me and I will continue my research. There is no doubt that they were married and that he was 23 years older than her, but could he have been married before? The column that tells how many children survive him is missing on this earlier death record, so unfortunatey that isn't going to help me any. He was 60 when Eberhard Jacob Johann ADH was born! If I can find their marriage record that will tell me if he is a widower and that I should look for an earlier marriage record and the births of other children. We'll see what turns up.....I'm excited to share what I have found so far.

I have also attached a photo of Fred and Elise that I don't think anyone else has. I cleaned the photo up as much as I could with my software. Darcy

[Darcy's Addendum, dated 30 August 2007)

Good Morning Everyone, A couple of additions to my post of last evening. The photograph of Fred ADH and Elise Schapekahm was given to me by Elaine Schapekahm. This original photo is 2½" x 4". She also gave me the original 2½" x 4" photos of Fred and Elise that the large drawings were made from.I forgot to mention that Johann Heinrich Johann auf der Heide died (1816) of consumption (tuberculosis) after one year under a doctor's care. Anyway that is what I would take the meaning to be if it lists cause of death to be con[s]umption with doctor 1 year.

Another find that I made is that Marie ADH, Fred's older sister, was baptized as Catharine Sophie Friederike ADH. I could not find her in the year 1840, but I found her birth to be 2 Nov 1841. The date we had previously was 2 Nov 1840, which would have made her birth illegitimate. She was baptized 9 Nov 1841. The documentation for this birth/baptism is FHL microfilm #465570, Entry 128 for the year 1841. Adolph ADH, Fred's oldest brother, still eludes me, but I will keep searching for him. Darcy

Marilyn and Fred Schmidt: Married 45 Years

2007-08-12T03:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary, Marilyn and Fred!

Marilyn Boock and Frederick G. Schmidt celebrate their 45th Wedding Anniversary today. They were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer, Wisconsin on Sunday, 12 August 1962. The following is from the Marshfield News Herald:

Trinity Lutheran Church of Spencer was the scene of a wedding ceremony Sunday, aug. 12, when at 4 p.m. matrimonial vows were exchanged by Miss Marilyn Jane Boock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Boock, Spencer, and Frederick G. Schmidt, son of the Rev. and Mrs. herbert Schmidt, St. Thomas, N. D.

The groom's father performed the ceremony and the bride's father gave his daughter in marriage. Philip Graupner, the organist, played "aria in F Major," by Handel, and "Trumpet Voluntary in D," by Purcell.

Two white bouquets and palms provided a setting for the wedding.

The bride's white floor-length gown of silk organza had a neckline and gown front trimmed with re-embroidered Alencon lace. Her bouffant veil was secured to a pearl and crystal crown and she carried white pompons and red roses in cascade formation.

The bridal aids--Miss Magdelene Streufert, St. Louis, Mo., the maid of honor, and Mrs. George Ness Jr., Marshfield, the bridesmaid--were attired in aqua street-length gowns of silk organza, the full back drawn together by satin roses.

Paul Schmidt, St. Thomas, N. D., was best man; David Boock, Spencer, was the groomsman; and Steve, Leon and Bob Schmidt, all of St. Thomas, N. D., ushered. [The flower girl (top photo) was Cheri Plath Stromberg (Bill and Bonnie Oelrich Plath's daughter).]

The wedding supper was served in the church parlors, after which a reception was held at the home of the bride's parents. Wedding guests came from St. Louis, Mo.; Chicago, Ill.; St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Brainerd, Minn.; St. Thomas, N. D., and from Milwaukee, Marshfield, Bonduel and Lac du Flambeau.

Following a northern Wisconsin honeymoon, the Schmidts will reside at 6316 N. Rosebury, st. Louis, Mo.

Mr. Schmidt, a theological student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., is a 1961 graudate of Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind. Mrs. Schmidt, who was graduated from Spencer High School, will receive her bachelor of science degree from Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Ill., on Thursday, Aug. 16. She has been employed as a teacher in Bonduel, Wis., and Dundee, Ill.

Graupners Return from Germany: 1964

2007-08-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary, Carl and Gertrude Graupner turned over the responsibilities of running their dairy farm to their four college-age sons and travelled to Germany with the two youngest children, Chuck and Cathy, during the summer of 1964. At the moment they returned home, landing at the Central Wisconsin Airport on 9 August, 43 years ago, they may already have known that this venture represented a watershed change in the family.

[Photo: In Tante Anna Beckers' living room (clockwise) in Barstadt: Tante Hanni Graupner, Tante Else Graupner Dauer, Gertrude Boock Graupner, Anna "Oma" Selma Glaser Graupner, Carl Paul Graupner, August Dauer, Cathryn Graupner with Lumpi, and Anneli Graupner]

Philip wrote: The 1964 trip was 43 years ago. Dad and Mother were 56 and 51/52 respectively. I seem to have forgotten how young they were then....the whole family in Germany was still so young and optimistic. The house in Bärstadt was new, the Dauers and Hadrichs were already working on plans to build in Schlangenbad. Their return and Grandpa Boock's death were so close together that I have forgotten their actual return to Spencer. The four who stayed home (and Grandma and Grandpa) probably were eager to show that the place was still there.

I suddenly feel quite old.

Gertrude and Carl's 25th Wedding Anniversary was celebrated in Barstadt, at the Sommer Restaurant, at the end of their trip to Germany in 1964. Surrounding the table clockwise from Helga Graupner (foreground) are: Anneli Graupner, Cathy Graupner, Christine Aufderheide, Gertrude Boock Graupner, Carl Graupner, Anna "Oma" Graupner, Anna GraupnerBeckers, August Beckers, Erika Dauer, Elsa Graupner Dauer, Ross (New Guinea), August Dauer, Rose Mitchell [Mrs. Howard] Aufderheide, Stan Aufderheide, Chuck Graupner, and Dean Aufderheide. Howard Aufderheide probably took the photo. The Carl Graupners had travelled with the Aufderheides to Belgium.

Back at the farm:

John was 17 years old in the summer of 1964. Ken (22) and John shouldered the farming operation mostly on their own, while Philip (21) and Jim (19) worked at the Pathfinder Mobile Home plant across the street from the farm and managed the household. Grandma and Grandpa Boock frequently dropped by in their red Studebaker Lark to keep an eye on things.

The view among the older boys was that, in the absence of parents and despite occasional problems, things were going well and that life was good; John was more circumspect.

The photo above was taken during one of the adventures that summer. During previous trips to Hatfield park, interesting rock outcroppings were spotted north of Neilsville. The boys drove out one Sunday afternoon and had a great time exploring the formations, which were located in the middle of a farm.

Herzlichen Gluckwunsch, Gertrude! At 95!

2007-07-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

Gertrude Boock (Mrs. Carl) Graupner celebrated her 95th birthday, surrounded by her family at her home in Remembrance Home in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Gathered about Gertrude from the left side of the photo are: Debbie (Gille) and Chuck Graupner, Ken and Pat (Graves) Graupner, Ed and Cathy (Graupner) Busby, Philip Graupner and Jim Graupner. John and Kathy (Kangas) Graupner are missing.

Gertrude was the second of three children born to Emma Aufderheide Boock and Arthur Lincoln Boock, in Spencer. Norbert was born in 1909, Gertrude in 1912, and Esther Hannah in 1914 (died on 30 August 1917 in New Ulm). The family moved to New Ulm in 1914 and returned to Spencer in 1930, where Arthur Boock was Cashier of the Spencer State Bank, which he had previously founded in 1908.

Gertrude matriculated at Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm and graduated in 1933, when she took a position as a teacher at St. John's Parochial School in Burlington, Wisconsin. She met Carl Graupner (who emigrated from Germany in 1923) in Burlington and they were married in Spencer on 5 August 1939.

Five children were born to Gertrude and Carl in Burlington: Kenneth, Philip, James, John, and Cathryn. In 1948 the family moved to Spencer, where Carl started farming. In 1952, the sixth child, Charles Paul, was born. Over the years, Gertrude and Carl enjoyed 14 grandchildren.

Besides raising six kids and managing the homestead, Gertrude graduated from Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point, taught for many years at Spencer Elementary School, was involved in the activities of Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer (including directing the choir), and travelled with Carl to Germany for family visits at least a dozen times.

Carl died in August 1996, at age 88. Gertrude continued to manage the farm until the summer of 2003, when she moved to Beaver Dam.

Gertrude was always delighted that her birthday coincided with those of her "twin," Eleanor Oelrich (sister of Marian Oelrich [Mrs. Norbert] Boock, who was also born in Spencer on 17 July 1912), "Bunny" Soles (Mrs. Kenneth) Graves [Spencer, 1902] and good friend, Robert Ip of Munich, Germany.

Also, to be remembered on her birthday in 1951, was the departure of Carl's mother (Anna Selma [Glaser] Graupner) and Carl's sister (Johanna "Hanni" Graupner) from Le Harve, France, on the ocean liner "Washington" for an extended visit to the United States.

Clara Weddendorf Aufderheide: 119th Birthday Anniversary

2007-06-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

Remembering Grandma

by Jim Aufderheide

The three children who stayed in New Ulm, Ruth, Jack and Buddy, and their families spent much time at Grandma’s house during our (the grandchildren's) childhood years. I always felt like I was home when I was at Grandma’s house. The families spent holidays there, enjoying being together in a warm, welcoming environment.

Until Grandma died in 1974, I never spent a Christmas Eve anywhere but at Grandma’s house. Even in the last several years of her life, when she lived in an apartment, her four children and their families would come home for Christmas Eve, and aunts and uncles and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and cousins would fill the house with stories shared, a warm, joyous time. [Karl and Clara's Family: Karl, Clara, Susan and Robert (Buddy) twins, John (Jack), and Carl (Carly) ca. 1930s]

Karl and Clara Aufderheide Family Portrait (193os): Karl, Clara, Ruth and Robert (twins), John, and Carl.

Grandma was an active person, involved in church groups at St. Paul’s, in various civic groups, and was always on the go. In 1954, on the occasion of the New Ulm centennial, she and her sister, Hertha, took a trip sponsored by a local travel agency back to the homeland. At the age of 66, away she went! She had a grand time...just one example of her adventurous spirit.

Grandma was always doing something; she was not an idler. She sewed, she quilted, she gardened, she did crossword puzzles, she tried painting, she read.

During the 50s, she took a community ed class in making pottery. In keeping with an active mind, she got her sons to take her to one of the Brickyard clay pits and she dug some clay. She took the clay to the instructor, Lloyd Marti, and asked whether it would work for making pottery. Lloyd helped her get the clay in shape, and Grandma made pots out of Brickyard clay (I still have one on my shelf.)!

Grandma loved flowers. The empty lot between her house and the house of A.P. Boock was a beautiful garden that she tended. During the summer there were always blooms, a veritable canvas outside her dining room window. I have fond memories of Grandma wandering around the yard with a flower in her hand. She would often pick one and carry it with her, a reminder of the beauty in her yard. Grandma loved wildflowers also. She and her son, Buddy, would spend many summer weekends in the woods or country ditches, looking for wildflowers. And she knew all their names!

Which leads to another facet of Grandma: she was a very intelligent person. She read always, books and newspapers. Grandma used the public library (Bert Ruemke next door worked there). She read the New Ulm Daily Journal and the Minneapolis paper daily, completing the crossword puzzles daily also. And she thought about what she read, was willing to discuss it, and had an opinion about it (and was not afraid to voice it!).

Finally, Grandma loved her family. She loved having her kids and grandkids about. She paid attention to what was going on in our lives, and talked to us about it. Grandma was a great listener and would interact with us all about our lives, and the world around us. What an absolutely great lady! I consider myself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to spend 25 years of my life around her...

"Boock Dies Mowing Lawn" May 31, 1961

2007-05-31T06:57:00.001-07:00

"Boock Dies Mowing Lawn"

How fitting that our Greatuncle, Albert Peter Boock, known as "A.P.", should have died at age 83, while mowing his lawn on an 89 degree afternoon in New Ulm, the day after attending the Memorial Day parade and the services at the New Ulm cemeteries and visiting friends that same evening.

New Ulm newspapers featured articles about A.P. Boock, one of New Ulm's favorite citizens, including: the New Ulm Journal ("Boock Dies Mowing Lawn") and the New Ulm Review ("Death Stills A. P. Boock, Last Local Survivor of Spanish-American War").

Our family has always been fascinated by this extraordinary, renaissance man, which the New Ulm Journal Editorial, 1 June 1961, described as " Boock was old soldier, musician, civil servant, city promoter, baseball player, and all-around citizen. His quiet enthusiasm will be missed." A. P. will have been born 130 years ago this August 27 to Wilhelmine Plath and Christian Frederick Boock, German immigrants.

One might add that A. P. was an amiable character: gregarious, drawn to service, thrifty, clever and entertaining, a penchant for story-telling and humor, consumate letter-writer, traveler, as well as thoughtful and energetic devotee to civic projects and church activities. [Photo right: Emil Buenger, Paul Hachbarth, A.P., ?, and brother Arthur goofing off for the camera.]

This picture was taken by Journal photographer, Bob William, of A. P. Boock (at left) walking away from the Memorial Day program at the New Ulm cemetery. He was helping another old soldier, believed to be William Joern of Nicollet. The following article is reprinted from the NEW ULM JOURNAL, Vol. 63, 1 June 1961, with photographs from the family collection scattered throughout:

A.P. Boock, one of New Ulm's most prominent senior citizens, died Wednesday while mowing the lawn at his home, 318 N. Minnesota.

A heart attack took the life of the 83-year-old former city councilman, who had not been ill. Bock attended the Memorial Day parade Tuesday and the services at the New Ulm cemeteries. He went calling that night on friends.

Boock's sister-in-law, Miss Bertha Ruemke, said she begged him to take it easy during the hot afternoon Wednesday--89 degrees--and not mow the lawn. But he told her that he would only cut "a couple of rows."

"I know what I can do," she quoted him as saying. Miss Ruemke, who lives at the same address, said she worked upstairs for awhile, then came down and noticed that the sound of the power mower had stopped.

Lying on Grass

She said she looked out and saw him lying on the grass beside the mower. He had apparently been able to turn it off before collapsing.

"I called the doctor, but I knew he was gone," Miss Ruemke said. "Just yesterday he helped take charge of everthing in the parade and everything went fine."

Boock was seen by many in Tuesday's Memorial Day parade. He was on the committee which arranged the details of the observance.

"He was just as chipper as ever today." Miss Ruemke said. "I know he could have lived longer." [Miss Ruemke is Bertha Ruemke, the younger sister of A. P.'s wife, Emma.]

A globe-trotter in recent years, Boock was planning his next trip--this time to Russia. That was to come after he presided at the state convention of the Spanish american War Veterans this summer.

Boock is a past state commander of the Spanish vets. He dropped out of the University of Minnesota to join the army in 1898, and has been active in the Spaniosh vets ever since.

Joined Eagle Mill

When he left the service, Boock joined the Eagle Roller Mill Company at New Ulm, then the largest industry here, and severed in many jobs before retiring in 1947. he was an accountant, manager of the traffic department and district sales manager.

A tall, thin man, Boock was well known for his activity in civic affairs. He served 16 years on the City Council, five of them as president. he lost a close race with Alfred (Paddy) Baltrusch the last time he ran, and hung up his political hat.

When New Ulm in 1953 suffered an economic blow by the closing of the wheat flour mill, which eagle had sold to International Milling Company, Boock invested in New Ulm Industries Inc. He was a director at the time of his death.

One of his most recent projects was helping to build highland Manor on N. Highland. He was a director of the New Ulm Memorial Foundation which put up the $250,000 home. He also was a director of the Union Hospital, the Brown County Historical Society, and was active in Junior pioneers.

Had Musical Career

Boock also had an illustrious music career. He joined the Concordia band when only 9, and played in the University of Minnesota band when a student. [Photo below: Anton Gag photo of the New Ulm Concordia Band. A. P. is located in the top row fourth from right, next to the pillar. He played the cornet.]

He was principal musician of the 12th Minnesota regiment Band, of the Second Regiment Minnesota National Guard Band, director of the Concordia Band and the Pioneer band, of New Ulm, a warrant officer in the 205th Infantry band and a onetime director of the Gibbon Municipal Band. [Photo left: Arthur Boock drove Olivia Raabe, Gertrude Boock, and brothers Lester and John Raabe to Lake City to visit Norbert Boock, Willard Raabe, and Uncle A. P. Boock, who were in the band, camping with the Infantry Band. L-R: Gertrude, Arthur, A.P., Lester, Olivia, John, Willard, and Norbert.]

In recent years, Boock wore Seven League boots. He had been around the world, toured south America, Canada, Europe, Mexico, the South pacific and had the Soviet Union on his intinerary had he lived. All of this travel came after he was 78 and too New Ulm Journal-KNUJ-trip to Europe in 1956.

Son of Blacksmith

Albert P. Boock was born in New Ulm, Aug. 29, 1877, to Christian Frederick Boock and the former Wilhelmina Plath. his father was a blacksmith. He was a graduate of New Ulm High School. [Photo left: Wilhelmine nee Plath and Christian Frederick Boock wedding portrait.]

Boock married the former Emma Ruemke on June 26, 1903, in St. Paul's Lutheran Church of New Ulm. They clebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1953. She died in November of 1954.

Surviving are the brothers and sisters, Mrs. William ruemke, Los Angeles; Mrs. Louis Broeker and Mrs. Herman Hardt, both Milwaukee; Arthur, Spencer, Wis., and Oscar, Waterloo Wis.

Historischer Schul=Atlas

2007-03-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

"Europaische Provinzen des Romischen Reichs," F.W.Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bearbeitet und herausgeben von Alfred Baldamus, ernst Schwabe und Julius Koch, Bielefeld un Leipzig, Verlag von Velhagen & Klasing 1923.

This map is a compilation of the eleven Roman provinces after the establishment of the Roman Empire by Caesar Augustus. Magna Germania was territory beyond the direct control of Rome and beyond the Rhein and Danuvius (Danube) Rivers.

Note "Graupius M." in Caledonia (Scotland).

Emma's Story: Once Upon a Lifetime

2007-03-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

ONCE UPON A LIFETIME
Emma Marie Erna Gertrude Aufderheide Boock
November 13, 1884 – March 13, 1967

by Marilyn Boock Schmidt

(Contributor credit is given at the end of each section)
[Photo at Norbert and Marian Oelrich Boock's new home in Spencer, August 1951. Left: Emma Aufderheide Boock, Jerry Boock, Marilyn Boock, Norbert Boock, David Boock, and Marian Oelrich Boock.]

Emma was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, the second of five children born to her German immigrant parents, Elise (Eliese) and Fred Aufderheide, who founded the New Ulm Brick and Tile Company. Emma, fifteen when her older brother, William (17) died in June of 1900 of an illness that plagued him throughout his life (probably asthma), shouldered the responsibilities of an oldest child of entrepreneurial parents, early on. Emma had two younger brothers, Karl and Herman (who later took over the family brickyard operations) and a sister, Hertha.

Emma graduated from high school as Valedictorian of her class and was awarded a scholarship to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, but didn’t attend college because she was needed by her father to help with office work at the brickyard.

In 1908 Emma married Arthur Lincoln Boock, whom she knew from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, as a classmate in New Ulm High School and as a bright young man whom her father was grooming to assist him in his business and banking ventures. That same year Emma and Art moved to Spencer, Wisconsin, where Art became Cashier of the Spencer State Bank.

Their first child, Norbert Frederick, was born in Spencer on July 25, 1909 in a small white house close to the present intersection of highways 98 and 13. In 1910 the three moved into their newly-built home at Mills and Pacific in Spencer. Gertrude was born in 1912 and Esther in 1914. That same year Art was offered the Cashier position at the new Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank in New Ulm, a business venture of Emma’s father, and so the family returned to New Ulm, while Art’s brother, Oscar Boock, assumed the Cashier position at the Spencer Bank.

Art and Emma built a beautiful brick home on State Street and their lives revolved around the activities of the extended Aufderheide and Boock families in New Ulm. Emma was busy raising her family, active in their social circle, with relatives and involved in activities at St.Paul’s. Sadly, young Esther died August 30, 1917, of spinal meningitis and for a short time Emma’s children lived out at the brickyard while their house was fumigated.

In 1925 Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank was closed and obligated to reorganise. As part of this reorganisation Art left the bank and began selling insurance. They sold their house and rented the upstairs of her sister, Hertha and George Gieseke’s house on Minnesota Street. Norbert and Gertrude attended school in New Ulm.

In 1930 Oscar and Cora Boock decided to move to Waterloo, Wisconsin, where Oscar became Cashier of the Waterloo Bank. This gave Art and Emma an opportunity to return to Spencer, where Art assumed Oscar’s position at the bank. Both Norbert and Gertrude graduated from the Lutheran High School in New Ulm. Norbert went on to the University of Minnesota and Gertrude to Dr. Martin Luther College. Emma occasionally drove them to New Ulm for family visits and for schooling.

Norbert and Marian Oelrich, a local girl, were married in 1937. Gertrude married Carl Graupner, from Burlington, in 1939. Soon there were nine grandchildren. Norbert and Marian moved to Spencer from Minneapolis in 1945 when Norbert joined his father in banking, later built a home on Main Street in Spencer, with Norbert selling insurance. Carl and Gertrude began farming in Spencer in 1949. As a result, from ages 65 and 68 to their deaths, Emma and Art were very close to their growing family.

[Photo in Spencer (1948) at the A. L. Boock's: Upper Left: Uncle George Gieseke, Norbert Boock, Marilyn Boock, Grandpa Arthur, Grandma Emma Aufderheide Boock, Cathryn Graupner, Marian Oelrich Boock. Lower Left: Jim Graupner, Gertrude Boock Graupner, David Boock, John Graupner, Philip Graupner, and Ken Graupner.]
Arthur passed away August 16, 1964, after suffering a heart attack while on a visit to New Ulm. Emma died in her home in Spencer on March 19, 1967, of cancer. Both Emma and Art are buried in the Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm, next to the grave of their infant daughter, Esther. (Written by grandson Jim Graupner on the anniversary of Emma’s 122nd birthday.)

“Mother loved to talk of her childhood, about the pets they had to care for, even a peacock and guinea hens. Grandpa (Fred Aufderheide) bought them bicycles, which they used in warm weather to go to school. At first a tutor, who also kept books for Grandpa, instructed the children at home. Willie, the oldest son, suffered from asthma. Mother was a fifth grader when she started going to the Lutheran school in town. (New Ulm) Sometimes a horse and buggy took them to school. The horse spent the day at the livery stable until school was out. Emma and her siblings were musical, learning piano, and the three who attended D.M.L.C. played the organ and violin also.” (Written by daughter Gertrude Boock Graupner in THE SETTLER)

Emma left us no journal of her early married days in Spencer, Wisconsin and so her grandchildren have gathered information culminating in two views presented next:

View 1:

“I haven’t seen anything that shows that Emma and Art were either having problems, particularly bothered by the life they lived in Spencer, or as a stay at home parent. I didn’t see that from brother, Oscar and Cora Boock, either, who started in an even smaller village---Wayside, and then moved to Spencer in 1915. We have so many photos of social activities in New Ulm, but most of them were at the brickyard and involved sledding, boys doing their thing in the woods, photos of ladies dressed in white laced dresses, family picnics. My view is that they happily lived in the world that was, without special requirements for material things or social status, even though they had it by virtue of parents being significant entrepreneurs and active in their church and DMLC. I’m not sure they had much social intercourse with the many other families in town who were better educated or who also ran business enterprises, were Catholic or Turners. A group photo taken in Spencer probably shortly after their arrival indicates how quickly Emma became acclimated to Spencer “society.” We see 30 lovely young ladies, fashionably dressed and written in Emma’s hand are family names as Pickett, Ingham, Graves, Heath, Stoltenow, Damon, Schaefer, Marten, Hanson, Andrews and Heath, respected names even 60 years later.” (Contributed by grandson Jim Graupner)

View 2:

“Emma was surrounded by family and friends in New Ulm until she and Arthur moved to Spencer immediately after their marriage on July 15, 1908. It would be a lonely time for her, moving to a rural town far from home. Photos of Spencer in the early 1900’s show a small business district with wooden sidewalks and muddy roads. She had the title banker’s wife, but she was a high school graduate with honours, moving to a town with no high school or college, no Wisconsin Synod Lutheran church with its special liturgy and hymns, but a Missouri Synod Lutheran church. High German was spoken in one location, Low German in the other. A postcard from her mother Eliese in March of 1909, showing a snowy downtown New Ulm reads on the back, “Dear Children, be comforted. With God’s help everything will get better.” Mama Was her mother referring to the snowy winter, to her daughter’s lonliness living in Spencer 5 months pregnant with Norbert and living in temporary housing?

When we moved to Edmonton in 1965 before the birth of our first child, Jonathan, Grandma Emma sympathised with me, verbally and in letters, having experienced moving to Spencer before the birth of her first son, Norbert. In both cases the move was because of a husband’s career, not our choices. She was lonesome for home already during her first month in Spencer and her mother-in-law in New Ulm missed the newly weds. “I am very pleased that dear Emma wants to come home. Oscar (another son) left yesterday, which is very hard for me. If this goes on I will soon be all alone. Mother” (Written to Art and Emma August 20, 1908 by her mother in law, Wilhelmine Plath Boock and translated from German by grandson Philip Graupner) One year later her mother showed concern in a letter mailed to Spencer: “How is little Norbert doing? We think about him every day. Keep washing him in this heat so that he doesn’t get sick on me. We miss you so much since all of you left for it is lonely. Let Hertha help you and don’t let the girls (Hertha and a friend, Martha) come home for the heat is just as bad here with 100 degrees in the shade. Mamma” (Written by her mother Eliese Aufderheide)

Two generations later, a November 13, 1965 letter to granddaughter Marilyn living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada stated, “We are all still up in the air about the new increase in family and wish that you were not so far away so we could see him (Jonathan) often. December 7, 1965 she wrote “You now always remind me of us when we first were married and had no car. We did not always get home for Christmas, either. It took 16 hours by train one way and once I did not get home for two years.” About her first Great Grandson, living 1300 miles away: I said "that boy should have a drum for Christmas" and everyone looked aghast. I was kidding, of course.” And January 8, 1967, “We called a Pastor from Canada and he accepted. Now I wish it were you folks. Wouldn’t that be nice to have little Jon closer. Now I’ve got my strength too, to hold him. I was in very poor shape when you were here, was too weak to hold him. Love to you, especially to Jon.” (Letters written by Emma Aufderheide Boock after the arrival of her first great grandchild. She had met him for the first time during the past summer but her cancer and medication left her weak. Baby Jon was held close to her and she had strength only to stroke him.) Her early years in Spencer would have found her quite housebound, spent caring for her three children born during that time. How excited she must have been after six years when they moved back to New Ulm. (Contributed by granddaughter, Marilyn Boock Schmidt)

Did Emma Aufderheide Boock find hapiness in Spencer? Above were presented the views of two grandchildren, but the decision is yours.

Fred Aufderheide wanted Art and Emma closer so that Art could be cashier at his new Farmers and Merchants Bank. In 1914 they and their three young children moved back to family and friends in New Ulm, though they left behind in Spencer a lovely new house, friends at the church and in Marshfield.

Art had built an eleven room, brick house on State Street in New Ulm for his family. The sixteen years back home in New Ulm were full of happy gatherings. “When I think back, Norbert and I really had a nice childhood. With the Boocks, Ruemkes, Aufderheides, Raabes, Schapekahms, Weddendorfs and Giesekes intermarrying, there were cousins who became aunts or uncles, etc. In the summer we’d gather for picnics in a wooded area or in a meadow near a river close to Grandparents Fred and Elise Aufderheide’s home and brickyard business. A great many open Dodges would bring the relatives with lunch baskets, to share in the fun. Ball games, cards, hiking and exploring made for enjoyable outings. In the winter we’d have fun sliding down hills or skating on the nearby pond.

For a while relatives even formed an orchestra amongst themselves-violins, cornets, xylophone and reeds. Aunt Emma A. P. and Mother could have played the piano, too. Cousins, aunts and uncles from Minneapolis would come for several weeks in the summer. Norbert and I spent time helping at the brickyard, weeding, looking for potato bugs, hunting eggs and feeding the chickens. The grandparents had hired girls for the house and hired men for the brickyard work. We all enjoyed their big wind up Edison Record Player, a radio and one of the first cars in New Ulm. (Excerpts from The Settler, by daughter Gertrude Graupner.) The family has many photos of large gatherings from those happy years.

Emma was busy with all of the activities of family, friends, church and Dr. Martin Luther College (DMLC) during those 16 years back in New Ulm but much sorrow came her way also. “In 1917 three year old daughter Esther suddenly died of spinal meningitis. The disease was considered very contagious and so Norbert and Gertrude were sent to the Grandparents. The private funeral was conducted from the house, which was then fumigated and closed up for a week.” (From The Settler, by daughter Gertrude Graupner.) “It must have been very difficult for my mother (Eliese Aufderheide) when we all moved in with her.” (Overheard by granddaughter Marilyn) Emma’s cousin, Aurelia, married the day before, placed her wedding bouquet on Esther’s grave. Emma was known to avoid funerals when ever possible for the rest of her life.

In 1925 the bank closed and their eleven rooms, beautiful brick house on State Street was sold. “The family lived in upstairs quarters in a house that Art & Emma and her sister, Hertha and George Gieseke had purchased.”(Recorded on a tape given by daughter, Gertrude Graupner) Nine years later, in 1926 her father, Fred Aufderheide, died of cancer when Emma was 42 years old and her mother, Elise Aufderheide died of the same disease in 1929 when Emma was 45. During those years she spent as much time as possible at the brickyard, helping out.

Art and Emma moved back to Spencer, Wisconsin in 1930 when Arthur was again offered the Spencer State Bank cashier position, left vacant when his brother, Oscar, moved to a similar position in Waterloo, Wisconsin. It was just the two of them as son Norbert was travelling and attending the U of Minnesota in Minneapolis and daughter, Gertrude was completing high school in New Ulm and continuing her education at DMLC. They purchased from Oscar and Cora Boock the white clapboard house they had originally built during their previous stay in Spencer. It, too, was a beautiful, eleven room house.

Jobs were scarce in the early 1930’s so having a husband as the town’s banker would come with some prestige for Emma. The ‘30’s and early 40’s were the years she drove her children back to New Ulm and Minneapolis when they came to spend summers in Spencer. She became involved in a weekly Tuesday Evening Bridge Club which included Mrs.A.J. McIlhattan, Mrs.Charles Haslow, Mrs. Emil Marten and Mrs.Harry Hermanson, joined the Spencer Women’s Club, played the organ for Trinity Lutheran Church and was a member of it’s Altar Guild and Ladies Aid Society. A photo of its membership shows her to be a fashionably dressed member which included mostly farm women in homemade house dresses. She was a volunteer with the newly organised library and did lots of reading herself, including magazines as The Saturday Eve. Post. In a letter to daughter Gertrude in the spring of 1938 Emma wrote of attending a band concert, being invited to son’s in-laws, Minnie and Frank Oelrich for a social Sunday and provided meals for Frank Oelrich when he took a part time job in Spencer. Letter writing consumed much time, corresponding with her children, cousins, aunts and her sister, Hertha, to whom she wrote twice a week. (Postage was economical compared to long distance phone calls.) During WW2 she assisted with the preparation of bandages, sent packages to relatives in Germany, wrote to local soldiers, knit mittens, socks, scarves and afghans, braided rugs and sewed patchwork quilts from Arthur’s old woollen suits.

The wedding of her son, Norbert and Marian Oelrich, took place in Spencer in 1937 and she and Arthur hosted the wedding reception of their daughter Gertrude and Carl in 1939 at their home. “When their first granddaughter came to visit from Minneapolis at age two months Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Boock hosted a party inviting the Facklams, Haslows, Schowchos, Seitz and Martens,” (from a newspaper clipping) Photos taken on their front lawn in Spencer show them hosting Art and Emma’s siblings and spouses, his mother, their two children and spouses and the Oelrich family, in-laws of Norbert.

In 1945 Arthur invited son Norbert to join him in the Spencer Bank as assistant cashier, a position he kept until 1952 when Norbert left to form his own insurance company. That fall Norbert, Marian, Marilyn and David (Jerry was born later) moved from Minneapolis to Spencer, into the apartment that had been made from the four large bedrooms on the second floor of the Boock house. It was an exciting time for Emma having family so close once again. She said, “Sharing this big house helps me to be generous and not selfish.” Norbert’s family lived there for four years until they build their own house on the west side of town. The upstairs continued to be filled by renters until the property was sold in the ‘80’s. In 1949 her joy doubled when daughter Gertrude, Carl and five children (a sixth was born later) moved from Burlington. Wisconsin to a farm just south of Spencer which Arthur had purchased. Now her immediate family was living close by and became an important part of her social life for her remaining twenty years.

Her grandchildren remember those years with the following memories:

MEMORIES OF GRANDMA BY HER GRANDCHILDREN

From Marilyn Boock Schmidt:

My first memory of Grandma Emma was in the early 1940’s when we’d drive from Minneapolis to Spencer to visit. The large, white, clapboard house in Spencer had four bedrooms upstairs for company. There would be a flurry of activity in a cold upstairs when beds were made up. (It seemed in style to make the beds once company had arrived, not before.) There was the smell of moth balls when bedding came out.

Her light reddish brown hair was rolled in the back, with fine wisps of hair framing her face. She wore wireless glasses, the kind popular now in 2007 and very little make-up, except for some “powder for my nose.” She smelled of talcum powder which she used after baths and under her girdle. If she wasn’t’ wearing an apron she’d wear an old housedress over a newer one for gardening and kitchen work, which she could quickly take off if company came. Her hands were quite knarled from arthritis. The backs of them and her arms had many freckles. Her comfortable black shoes and purse she’d replace with the same model once they were quite worn. She always wore skirts and dresses. I never saw her in slacks. Her Sunday dresses often had shades of brown and paisley prints. Once when her kitchen needed repapering she had it recovered in the same pattern, yellow with green vines the same she was replacing.

The years we lived in their upstairs apartment Grandma was so kind to me: a swing was hung in the basement for my entertainment. Grandma washed on Tuesdays so that my mother, with her three children, could have the traditional Monday wash day. Grandma taught me to make May baskets, dolls out of her hollyhocks, to do jig-saw puzzles, to play solitaire and other card games. She had a great sense of humour and would have a good chuckle over games like Old Maid, Authors and reading the cartoon “Hazel” when the Saturday Evening Post arrived. She said that early in their marriage she laughed when husband Arthur spilled a can of paint and he never painted again after that. One year for April’s Fool Day her trick was to place wads of cotton into her otherwise delicious home made dinner rolls. She would feed the neighbour dogs when grandpa wasn’t home.

Grandma looked on the positive, didn’t say unkind words about anyone, was tolerant of those with ideas different from hers, and had a kind, quiet personality. I looked forward to spending time with her as she had a bottom kitchen drawer full of items for her grandchildren to play with, also a large doll house and a miniature cast iron kitchen range. Her home-made cookies and rolls were delicious and for family dinners she’d always prepare extra food the children would like, like “weenies.” When we lived in the apartment upstairs my cat Goldie and I would often slip down to spend time with her and she’d welcome us eagerly, always had time to play. I used her large upright piano for
lessons, for practice and she’d give me pointers. The double garage had an outside stairs in the backyard which led to a wonderful playroom.

Grandma never complained about her health, never had anything more serious than “just the sniffles” though she always carried a cloth handkerchief up the sleeve of her dress.

Having lived through the depression she continued to be a saver of string, butcher paper and wax paper. She washed her dishes in a pan which she carried outside and poured over her roses, killing any bugs and fertilising the soil at the same time. In her kitchen was a small stove, near the basement steps, which she used to take the chill off the house in the mornings, burning her accumulation of paper. The coal burning furnace chores were hers, also, doing what ever it needed early in the morning and before bedtime.

Celebrating family birthdays was important for her and she’d arrive with a cake she’d baked and decorated and a practical hostess gift as a pound of butter. Sundays she’d entertain us and Graupners with a chicken dinner, stretching her dining room table so we’d all fit. The Grandparents purchased one of the first televisions in Spencer and we’d arrive for the Sunday eve. meal, to eat and watch Jack Benny and Ed Sullivan as the TV was in the dining room. She also enjoyed Father Knows Best, What’s My Line, I’ve Got a Secret, the Burns and Allen Show and wrestling –yes, wrestling which came on late at night!

Her Christmas tree was always standing in the cold sun porch, with the glass doors closed. Every year her gift from Grandpa was a box of chocolates with lots of paper money inserted under the ribbon.

Once I’d left Spencer for college she’d mail me postage stamps to encourage me to write. She was faithful with her letter writing for the eleven years after I left home until she died. Once she accompanied my folks on a visit to Dundee, Illinois where I was teaching and treated us at a local restaurant. I helpfully took her green coat from the coat stand, helped her put it on and they left for home, where she realised it wasn’t her coat, much too big. I went back to the restaurant, but hers (a much better coat) was never returned.

The last time I saw her was the summer of 1966 when we came home to show off our new son, Jonathan, her first great-grandchild. “Will you come by in the morning before you leave?” she asked. We had a 1300 mile trip home, needed to get an early start, and were not able to stop by to say goodbye. I regret that. She died the next spring, two months before her second great-grandchild was born, and I regret also that she missed that news, but was comforted to know she died at home, in her own bed, with her wire framed glasses still on her nose. I always felt close to her, perhaps because my mother told me as a child that I had “the Aufderheide look and had her easy going nature.”

From Kenneth Graupner:

I wish I had more recollections of conversations and discussions with Grandma Boock to share, but I don’t. I remember her always as elderly, plump, friendly, kind, non-critical, interested in us, but not opinionated, not advising us as to what to do. If she did advise daughter, Gertrude, I never heard it. She seemed the calm, the accepting foil to Grandpa’s strong statements on religion, politics, communists, Eastern Jewish bankers, and in his last years, his campaign for truth, integrity and redress in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.

She didn’t talk so much as she quietly did her things. By the time I knew her, she no longer played organ in church. I don’t think I ever heard her play piano. She played cards with Lucille Tack and others (Tillie Martin lived in the brick house a block to the east – Douglas St., Esther Callahan might have been another), was active in the Women’s Club and the Ladies Aid, volunteered in the village library. (Somehow I knew this was important to her and that books and reading were a great pleasure.)

I remember family dinners at her house, hearty, nourishing food but very standard. I remember battered cooking pots, her drinking coffee from a jar. Perhaps the strongest food memories were that she made Farina for breakfast, not oatmeal. It seemed refined, perhaps a bit genteel to me, a real treat because my mother Gertrude rarely made Farina. I remember cakes and cookies; she definitely had a sweet tooth.

She was rather plain in many ways, yet had a slightly genteel air about her – she knew her worth and position and didn’t have to impress others. She always tended a garden which included raspberries. I don’t think Grandpa did much except perhaps to spade in the spring. She had a hired man – I think the bachelor who lived in the 8’x10’ brooder house, who cut her lawn and did other yard chores.

Her own job/focus clearly was homemaking. I’m pretty sure she did some knitting and, at one time crocheting, in addition to cooking and cleaning. She may have had some help from Mrs. Blanchard across the street.

I always had the sense that Grandma Boock was an unofficial social service agency, making sure the marginal folks had a legitimate income by hiring them for various jobs. I do remember the depression era stories of her feeding countless people, mostly men (“Bums” is not the right word), who were riding the rails in search of work, destiny, etc.

That makes me realize she befriended everyone, knew everyone, was loved by everyone, watched out for people without butting in.

I don’t remember hearing her talk about the past, certainly not like my mother has spoken so pleasurably about growing up in New Ulm and the Brickyard. I’d say she tended to live in the present. Nor did I hear her express regrets as to what she wished she had done. She always seemed fairly content, even in those last years when husband A.L. was “so off the beam.” She continued to worship at Trinity even though A.L. drove elsewhere.

I know that she and Grandpa Boock were very excited and pleased when Oma, Carl’s Mother, and Hanni (Johanna), Carl’s youngest sister, came from Germany to visit in 1951; and I recall they were equally and vicariously involved when my parents and Cathy and Chuck took their six week trip to Germany in 1964 (my father’s first return to Germany since the early months of 1933). It was only 10 to 14 days after their return from Germany that Grandpa died on a trip to New Ulm. We all stayed at Sandy Aufderheide’s place for the funeral. As we all left, I remember (this is one of the most striking images I have of Emma) a woman in shock with a ghostly pallor. Still, from what I could tell, she did quite well after Grandpa’s death. Although she drove in open cars from Spencer to New Ulm and back in the early days, I don’t believe she ever drove the new Studebaker after WWII, and no longer drove in her older years.

She developed a large cyst on her thigh about the year before she died. It was a rhabdomyosarcoma, an unusual cancer of muscle cells and it had already metastasised to the lung (I already was in medical school and somehow I learned these things. Possibly went on an appointment to the oncologist: I’m not sure). But I do know she had mild chemo injections (perhaps every 1-4 weeks) which greatly reduced the cancer and kept it at bay for many months. The chemotherapy was not too toxic, and the goal was comfortably palliative and the oncologist even made a couple trips to her home toward the last to give the injection so she wouldn’t have to journey to Marshfield Clinic. I contrast this with the more aggressive approach of son-in-law, Carl’s oncologist, a man who could not tolerate “losing” to the cancer. I know that I visited her and took several photos of her sitting on her sofa in her living room; quite thin and frail but enjoying the conversation. She died in March ‘67; the last 2 months needing more help from Marian, Gertrude and Mrs. Blanchard.

Although Emma and Art had visited us in Burlington a few times when we lived there, the trip was over 5 hours and our house was very small. I’m not sure where they stayed. So, I really didn’t get to know her until we moved to Spencer when I was 7.

I also heard the story, but not from her, that she was valedictorian of her high school class and her father insisted she work in the brickyard office; so she turned down a scholarship to Gustavus Adolphus College in Mankato.

Coming back to the driving, Art was an absolutely terrible driver, but I never heard her get angry with him despite many near misses with Greyhound buses and other vehicles.

In the early years in Spencer a frequent Sunday afternoon entertainment was a ride through the countryside with Art and Emma and usually 2 children in front, or perhaps Art and Carl in front and then 2 adults and 4 children in back. Of course, Art knew each farmer and the history of each farm. Amazingly, I enjoyed those excursions. And there were Sunday or holiday excursions to Wildwood Park in Marshfied or Rock Dam or Cherokee for picnics, swimming, etc. I remember Emma’s big insulated jug – stainless steel outside, but functional. She certainly enjoyed her family, especially the grandchildren. In our family, I think red haired John was a favorite; perhaps because when Cathy was born in March of 1948, 16 month old John went to stay with her for 3 months because he was so lively (we moved to Spencer right after Christmas of 1948).

I wish I knew much more of her childhood and adult years but this is what I can add. She was a very comfortable Grandma; one knew she was interested and cared and was proud of her family. It always seemed to me that my mother got along quite comfortably with her mother and it was good for my mother to be raising her family in the town where Grandma Boock lived.

From David Boock:

When living upstairs at Grandpa and Grandma Boock’s in Spencer we had a cat, Goldie. Grandma liked the cat a great deal and I think it spent most of it’s time with her. Also, Grandpa permitted it to sleep on his lap evenings when he sat in his chair.

Although she was educated, intelligent, talented and was financially secure, she treated everyone with respect and decency. She did not flaunt her position or herself. Although she played bridge with the elite of Spencer and belonged to the Woman’s Club, she had friends among the poor and lowly. Grandpa was the Bible thumping, in your face Christian, while Grandma lived her faith through her treatment of others.

For example, “Bums” knew the Boock house and knew they could get a hand out from Grandma. Also, the grandparents supported an old man, Charlie Hebert, who lived in a chicken coup first at the corner of #13 and #98 until he got moved to the marsh on the west end. He did yard work and odd jobs for them. Grandma paid him well and gave him meals and food to take home. A number of marginal folk in Spencer were paid well for tasks they performed for Grandma. Her neighbour, Lydia Blanchard worked for her and took care of her prior to her death – socially two different people, but friends. I never heard anyone say anything bad about Grandma Boock.

I remember her playing the pump organ in the church balcony, which she pumped with her feet. She also had a piano at home but I seldom remember her playing it. Perhaps this was due to the arthritis in her hands. I can visualise her fingers seeming to go in all directions, yet she never complained.

In my mind, Grandma’s kitchen was most famous for the lady bugs she had on her plants. They never were killed. On the wall between the windows which had the plants and bugs, above the stove, was a black woman’s silhouette. I think it was a gift from the Baers when they were missionaries in Africa. She also had a small wood stove in the kitchen in which she burned paper. The best baking she produced was a small bun made from folding the dough together before baking, also her cookies and a coffee cake. I can remember hoping that she would serve hot dogs for meals as they would be OK, as cooking was not her thing. Instead she had many other talents and interests.

Grandma always seemed to have money in her purse. I don’t know if she had her own funds, family money or just handled the household funds. Whenever we went anywhere with her she would buy the meal and give the driver “gas money.”

She always dressed well, often putting an old dress over the better one to keep it clean, particularly when in the garden. She always grew little red cherry tomatoes; she had raspberries and the plum trees. I remember her hollyhocks which could be made into little people.

Grandma never drove the car but always renewed her license as she thought she might want to drive someday. She loved to play games and always seemed to have a puzzle set up on a card table during the pre or early T.V. days.

I remember a trip we took to the Black Hills. Grandpa didn’t go as he had been there once already. Being a small person and sitting in the back seat, she once hollered out on that trip, thinking we were going over the side of the road into a drop off as she could not see the road. She attended my college graduation in Eau Claire and bought dinner at Heckels in 1965. Cheri met her once, in 1967 just before Grandma died.

I think Grandma would have fared better in today’s world as her knowledge and skills would have been more respected and utilised than what they were in the decades she lived.

From Jim Graupner: (In addition to the synopsis of her life written on the anniversary of her 122nd birthday, found at the beginning of Once Upon a Lifetime)

Grandma was a good card player, stuffed her hankie in her sleeve, used some sort of talc for perspiration in the days before air conditioning, called police officers “cops” and didn’t particularly like them, except maybe a Blanchard who was a cop.

She gave Mom a dollar when she drove Gramma shopping in Marshfield, shared a passion with Grandpa for collecting, kept the connections with her New Ulm family regardless of the conflicts and was truly aware of the activities of her grandchildren, having real insight into matters.

Gramma was loving, but not bold or particularly demonstrative in her loving. She was not afraid to drive to New Ulm or have Annie Fritsch or Art Gustman at the table or drifters/”bums” at the door. She volunteered as an itinerant librarian and as a Civil Defence look-out person.

She was refined, but not haughty and always looked past the socio-economic differences in relating to people and according them respect and dignity.

I don’t think that she and Art were a poor match.

From John Graupner:

Of the time I was left to stay with G’ma and G’pa Boock, when I was about two years old, I can remember nothing. I do recall them telling about a time when they had taken me to church and I had attracted some unwanted attention by running up and down the center aisle…an active Christian, certainly, but no zealot. I do recall times (non-specific) sitting with G’ma and G’pa in church. The hard, wide wooden benches. Trying so very hard to sit still and behave but never quite succeeding because it was just too long a row to hoe. Extreme boredom. Pastor Mueller. Turning around on the bench to study everybody around us. Getting pats on the butt or a tug on the arm to sit down. Grandma digging in her purse for something to distract me like a Chicklet, or a torn half-piece of Spearmint gum, a toy or a small book. They always sat on the left side of the church about half-way to the front.

After services G’pa would stop at Kuethe’s Drug Store to pick up the Sunday paper. I don’t remember which paper, only that I liked the comics.

I felt comfortable being with G’ma. G’pa was intimidating, gruff, demanding. It has been said that I was G’ma’s favorite because of my reddish Aufderheide hair. That’s not true. It was my charming personality—NOT. I don’t know about favoritism but I felt kind of flattered that it might be true.

Grandma, it seemed, was always a potential source for a treat, hard candy or something. There is a round, flat, pink peppermint candy I liked. Sometime G’ma allowed us to have a similar candy, a Pepto-Bismol tablet. Or a Tums. Maybe because of that I found their bathroom worth exploring. There was a glass on the sink in which Grandma soaked her false teeth. Once I was entertainingly shocked when she took out her teeth for us to see.

Exploring wasn’t a big pastime at G’ma’s house, but the most interesting places I recall were the basement. It was warmer, cleaner and less obstructed than ours. The furnace and boiler were noteworthy. There was a big walled-in cistern. Grandma had her laundry sinks and her brownish, home-made bars of soap. G’pa had a wood box that he saved specifically for us (me?) to pound nails into it, or pull them out, or saw a board on if we could. G’ma would sometimes have him haul it up to the kitchen for me, along with a jar of used nails and his straight-clawed hammer which took two hands to lift.

Another place that fascinated me was the crawl space under the roof to the sides of the bedroom upstairs. The Norbert Boocks lived there, I think, when we first were shown this discovery. It was small but it had huge potential because it was like …hidden.

The room above the garage was good adventure, with its own outside stairway. G’pa had storm windows up there. The garage below was too ordinary, packed gravel floor, often
damp. Back in the house I mustn’t forget G’pa had the desk in their bedroom that had so many pens, pen tips, ink, paper clips, thumb tacks and other intriguing useful things and oddities. G’ma would try to find used paper for us to draw on the back.

Grandma had milk delivered to her porch. The cream separated into the tops of the bottles, which were designed for that. Grandma hung laundry on the porch, which was screened in. I seem to remember she hung fly paper strips near the door. Grandma was an amazing fly catcher herself. In spite of her arthritic, knobbly-knuckled hands she could snatch a fly off the table with surprising deftness.

Grandma’s neighbour friends were interesting and a couple were a little repulsive. I remember being brought over to Mrs. Blanchard’s. I don’t know why but I was somewhat frightened of her. Mrs. Peterson (?), the bearded lady just across the road, was as strange as a circus attraction. Her house was too closed up and smelled strongly of cooking cabbage or something. She seldom seemed to come outside her house.

G’ma never drove the car. She had a license. She said she got hers by registering for it at the bank. No driver tests. I suppose she did know how to drive. I, like most all of us, had occasion to drive for them. I didn’t get my license until late 1963. I vaguely remember driving them to New Ulm in the red Lark. It must have been in the summer of 1964. I was inexperienced with big city driving and at one point, after missing our turn off, G’pa had me turn around on the freeway. On the way home we stopped at a church by Lake Wissota, east of Chippewa Falls. Grandma had packed a lunch. She described how they used to always stop there. It was sort of a landmark. Travellers relied on landmarks more before maps were improved.

I was twenty years old when Grandma died. I was in the army, stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. I wasn’t allowed a pass to attend the funeral, and that didn’t greatly upset me, but now not remembering. I sort of taunted G’pa and G’ma during the ’64 Germany trip by building the fake still in the woods. I occasionally took advantage of G’ma by showing up for lunch at her house instead of walking home in the days before we did hot lunch. I loved her big meals, like at Christmas, with all the relatives. She cooked chicken remarkably tender. And she was a tender person, I think. She took the edge off Grandpa’s hardness and made him a more likeable person.

From Granddaughter, Cathy Graupner Busby:

I don’t have anecdotes about Grandma, just random memories:

I remember that Grandma and Grandpa Boock took their turns in the watch tower over the 1 story fire station to watch for enemy planes.

Grandma drank her coffee from a bean jar. I have the battered old pan that she used for her dinner rolls. I remember sitting on their huge dictionary at the table, and later on the piano bench with Cousin Jerry.

Grandma allowed my friends and me to wash the raw egg out of our hair after freshman initiation; we should have used cooler water.

I also stayed on Grandma’s couch covered with her cedar-scented blanket when I had a stiff neck and Mother had gone to pick berries with the boys.

She told me that a dead Indian was buried in the hill against the north side of the house under the living room window. (It was a large tank for storing furnace oil) I remember Sunday drives through the country with all 10 of us in one car.

Grandma’s and Grandpa’s 50th wedding anniversary celebration was held in the church basement. We sang “The Old Gray Mare Ain’t What She Used to Be” and “Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet.”

Do you remember that Grandma’s doctor told her to drink a beer with a raw egg in it to boost her blood?

I remember 2 dish drying incidents, but I don’t remember who was involved in which, Jerry or John. On each occasion we were helping to wash & dry the dishes in the sink next to the bathroom. One boy put the dishes on the porch and the other broke a dish –with the same result—neither had to dry anymore dishes.

When the basement floor was poured, we could roller skate down there.

There were a few toys in the attic above the garage, including a small cabinet (much like the Indian in the Cupboard cabinet) that I thought was a doll cabinet, although it was probably a medicine cabinet.

We rarely went upstairs or even into the front foyer where the stairs were. There was a bedroom at the top of the stairs next to the kitchen that was saved for Grandma’s company, even though the apartment was rented. I think that the bedroom set there was perhaps their original bedroom set which later went into the attic of our farm house after Grandma died. When we cleared out the Spencer house, Erin asked for the old bed frame from the attic and we added the similarly dark dresser from the “purple room.” I was surprised to find that they were a matched set, which looks wonderful in Erin’s room with a puffy white featherbed.

After Grandpa died, I stayed several nights with Grandma to keep her company. She was worried that she would keep me awake, so she gave me Mogan David wine to help me sleep.

Grandma kept scrapbooks with newspaper clippings of all her grandchildren.

From two of Norbert’s sisters-in-law, Marian’s siblings, who knew Emma from the 1930’s:

“She was such a kind person, really wonderful. On the farm we never had pop, but when visiting Mrs. Boock she would serve it in the living room carried on a special tray filled with fancy cut glasses, complete with ice cubes and ginger ale. She was so nice to me when I stayed in Marian and Norbert’s upstairs apartment working my first job after high school, at Kuethe’s Drug Store. She had an easy going personality.” Bonnie Oelrich Plath

“I remember her as a kind old soul, warm to everyone she met. Everyone liked Mrs. Boock. I never heard of a single person who didn’t. Life dealt her some hard knocks but she took control of her life and made the best of her situation. We had a lot in common and I always felt a special bond towards her.” Lillian Oelrich Woodkey Johnsrud.

From the Marshfield News Herald:

Mrs. Arthur (Emma) Boock, 82, died at her home Monday morning, March 13, of old age complications. Jasper Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday, March 15, at 12:30 p.m. in the Trinity Lutheran Church, Spencer. The body was then taken to the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm, Minnesota for Thursday services at 12:30 pm. The Rev. William H. Ruhbusch officiated and burial was made in the Lutheran cemetery in New Ulm, Minnesota.

The former Emma Aufderheide was born November 13, 1884 at New Ulm, Minnesota. Her marriage to Arthur Boock took place July 15, 1908 at New Ulm.

After their marriage the couple moved to Spencer where he was a cashier in the bank until 1915 when they moved to New Ulm. In 1930 they returned to Spencer.

Mrs. Boock was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, the Ladies Aid and Guild. She was a member of the Spencer Woman’s Club.

Two children survive, one daughter, Mrs. Carl (Gertrude) Graupner, Spencer, and one son, Norbert, also of Spencer. Nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. A sister, Mrs. George Gieseke, Watertown.

Besides her husband she was preceded by one daughter and three brothers.

From The Spencer Record:

Final Rites Held for Mrs. Arthur Boock

Funeral services were held at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church for Mrs. Arthur (Emma) Boock. Rev. William Ruhbusch officiated. The congregation sang “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” and “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Arnold Brusewitz.

Pallbearers were Jerry Boock, Charles Graupner, David Boock, James Graupner, Robert Schulte and Kenneth Graupner.

Those from Spencer attending the final rites in New Ulm, Minnesota, on Thursday were: Mrs. and Mrs. Norbert Boock, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Graupner, Kathy, Charles and James Graupner, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Oelrich, Pastor Ruhbusch and Mrs. Irvin Jasperson.

Espenhorst Letter: The Schapekabe Farmstead

2007-03-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Translation by Philip Graupner

[This letter from Hermann Espenhorst, was sent to Karl Aufderheide on 26 May 1972, as a response to his inquiry to the City of Osnabruck about the village of Gehrde, the region of the Shapekabe Farm. Mr. Espenhorst, age 72 at the time the letter was forwarded to him, was an expert in regional history and took on the project of searching out the answers to Karl's questions.

DarcyKleeman Boock had obtained the Espenhorst letter and had asked Philip Graupner to translate it about a year ago. He has forward the letter now because of his research on Gehrde, which was posted here on 14 March 2007. jfg **Photo left: Philip Graupner by jfg.]

4558 Bersenbrück, 26 May 1972
Bahnhofstraße 19
(Trainstation St. 19)

H. Espenhorst
Diplom-Engineer

Very Honorable Mr. Aufderheide!

Your letter of 28 March (19)72, addressed to the City of Osnabrück, was forwarded on 11 April to the community of Gehrde. I just happened to go to the town office there and your letter was shown to me, it being well known that I am interested in local history and possess some expertise in this area. I came from there originally but spent my life elsewhere working as an engineer. Now that I am in my 72nd year, my wife and I have returned to Bersenbrück --5 km. north of Gehrde-- to live out the remainder of our lives.

Bersenbrück is about 5 km. west of the village of Gehrde and is the county seat of Bersenbrück County (1965 population, 80,000) B(ersenbrück) is a station on the rail line between Osnabrück and Oldenburg and is situated 40 km. north of Osnabrück.

The village of Gehrde is likewise the hub of a Parish with the same name. (1965 population, ca. 500 -- the whole Parish ca. 1600 inhabitants) The entire Parish, consisting of the rural communities of Gehrde-Bauerschaft, Large- and Small-Drehle, Rüsfort and Helle, are almost exclusively involved in agriculture. The main village, Gehrde, has the church in the center, plus schools, tradesmen, bar-restaurants, bakeries and shops. Although most do some farming on the side, they are not farmers.

The Schapekabe (or Schapekave) Farm is situated about 1 km. SSW of Gehrde. The form of the name “Schapekahm” is essentially the same, although is a worn dialect-version of the old name. Although the Schapekabe family name disappeared over 100 yrs. ago, the name still sticks to this farmstead. Everyone knows it.... and in the form that you are used to writing it. A hundred years ago or so, the farm was inherited by a Wehrkamp zu Höm and has likely been leased out since that time. A few years ago, the last tenant, Vortmann, gave up farming the land but continued to occupy the buildings. The fields are tended by the owner who lives very near. The ancient names of the individual farms are not so easily erased. In most cases, these old names of farms in the Gehrde Parish no longer coincide with those of the people living on them, although in most cases the old bloodline is continued through relationship. The old Schapekabe buildings burned down in about the summer of 1948, so that nothing of the “old” is around any longer. (lightening strike) The main farm buildings that you see today were built not long after.

I have not looked up the church record entries that you were interested in, since, as you will see, there was a more simple way offered. I have in front of me the diary of the former Gehrde sexton and teacher, Cramer, written from 1850 to 1857. There are many details, such as a reference to a Schapekabe son who married into the present-day farm of Wehrkamp zu Höm. He must have been born about 1816. Unfortunately, his first name was not given. The marriage with the Höm daughter produced 7 children. When the husband died on 23 Dec. 1855 (lung sickness), three children were already dead. A son, Gerhard (8 yrs. old), died on 24 Feb. (18)56 and a daughter on 12 March ‘56. Thereafter, another child died during the fall of ‘56, so that in the end only one child remained. According to that, the husband and 3 children died within one year. The mother chose not to attend the burial of the last child. Both sets of grandparents were still living. The diary reports that the “Old Schapekabe” (he was probably born around 1785) was being searched for during the “French Period” (ca. 1803 - 1813) because he was to be pressed into Napoleon’s army. He skipped out of the country to BRAKE in Oldenburg and couldn’t be apprehended. Our region belonged to two countries. Hannover was allied with England through the union of the royal families. Since France had been at war with England for almost 100 yrs., Hannover found itself at war with France too. Oldenburg, the border of which is at most 3 km. away, was an independent entity and as such, remained neutral and not directly affected by the war.

A Kaiser farmstead is very near and it is quite possible that your ancestor, Adelheid K(aiser) came from this farm. To be sure, in those days there were other Kaiser families in the Gehrde Parish.

To all your inquiries you can get exact answers through:
W. Pohlsander, 1271 Roosevelt Ave.
Salt Lake City 5, Utah
He came from this area and is the unsurpassed specialist in all of these questions, especially since he has transcripts of all the church records from our region. He can read my handwriting too. 10 yrs. ago, I had a lively correspondence with him. As a result of too much work in my profession, I unfortunately let the connection break. It is something I regret to this day. You can learn more from him than if you started looking in Gehrde yourself.

My best greetings and wishes

Your Hermann Espenhorst.

4558 Bersenbrück, 26 Mai 1972
Bahnhofstraße 19

H. Espenhorst
Dipl. - Ing.

Sehr gehrter Herr Aufderheide!

Ihr Schreiben vom 28 März ‘72, gerichtet an die Stadt Osnabrück, wurde unter dem 11 April an die Gemeinde Gehrde geschickt. Als ich dort zufällig in das Germeindebüro kam, wurde mir Ihr Brief vorgelegt, da es bekannt ist, daß ich mich für Heimatkunde interessiere und demnach auch einen gewissen Überblick habe. Ich stamme von dort, habe allerdings mein Leben als Ingenieur durchlaufen u. nachdem ich im 72. Lebensjahr stehe, bin ich mit meiner Frau nach Bersenbrück --5 km. westlich Gehrde-- zurückgekommen, um hier meine alten Tage zu verleben. Ich will mich bemühen Ihnen weiterzuhelfen.

Bersenbrück liegt 5 km. westlich das Dorfes Gehrde und ist Mittelpunkt des Kreises B (ersenbrück) (1956...80,000 Einwohner). B (ersenbrück) ist Eisenbahnstation an der Bahnlinie Osnabrück - Oldenburg und liegt 40 km nördlich von Osnabrück.

Das Dorf Gehrde ist wiederum Mittelpunkt des gleichnamigen Kirchspiels. (1965...500 Einwohner, das ganze Kirchspiel...1,600). Das ganze Kirchspiel, aus den Landgemeinden Gehrde-Bauerschaft, Groß- und Klein-Drehle, Rüsfort und Helle bestehend, betreibt eigentlich nur Landwirtschaft. Das zentrale Dorf Gehrde hat als Mittelpunkt die Kirche (evangelisch), die Schulen, Handwerker, Gastwirtschaften, Bäckereien u. Geschäfte, die fast alle noch etwas Landwirtschaft nebenbei betreiben, doch kaum Bauern.

Der Hof Schapekabe, oder Schapekave, liegt etwa 1 km SSW von Gehrde. Die Form Schapekahm ist im Grunde dasselbe, doch eine dialektisch verschliffene Form des alten Namens. Obwohl der Familienname Sch(apekabe) seit über 100 Jahren verschwunden ist, hängt dieser noch heute an dieser Hofesstätte. Jedermann kennt ihn, wobei die von Ihnen angewandte Schreibform die übliche ist. Seit diesen rund 100 Jahren, ist der Hof an Wehrkamp zu Höm vererbt und vermutlich auch seit der gleichen Zeit verpachtet. Seit einigen Jahren hat der letzte Pächter Vortmann die Bewirtschaftung der Ländereien aufgegeben u. bewohnt nur noch die Gebäude. Die Ländereien werden von obrigen Besitzer, der ganz in der Nähe wohnt, bewirtschaftet. Aber der uralten Namen der einzelnen Höfe (Farmen) sind nicht so leicht ausrottbar. Bei den meisten Höfen des Kirchspeils G(ehrde), decken sich diese alten Namen mit denen der heutigen aufsitzenden Familien nicht mehr, wenn auch i. d. meisten Fällen die alte Blutslinie durch Verwandschaft erhalten ist. Die alten Gebäude Sch(apekabe) sind etwa i. Sommer 1948 abgebrannt so daß vom “alten” nichts mehr vorhanden ist. (Blitzschlag). Das Haupt-Wirtschaftsgebäude, was Sie dort heute sehen, wurde bald danach neu errichtet.

Die Sie interessierenden Daten aus den Kirchenbüchern habe ich nicht eingesehen, da es, wie Sie nachher sehen werden, einen einfachern Weg gibt! Vor mir liegt das Tagebuch das ehemaligen Gehrder Küsters u. Lehrer Cramer, geführt von 1850 bis 1857. Es enthält viele Einzelheiten; auch die, daß ein Sohn Schapekabe in den heutigen Hof Wehrkamp zu Höm einheiratete. Er muß um 1816 geboren sein. Sein Vorname ist leider nicht angegeben. Aus der Ehe mit der zu Höme Tochter gingen 7 Kinder hervor. Als der Mann am 23 Dez. 1855 starb (Brustkrankheit), waren schon 3 Kinder tot. Ein Sohn Gerhard starb am 24.2.56 (8 Jahre alte) und eine Tochter am 12.3.56. Dennach starb innerhalb eines Jahres der junge Ehemann und 3 Kinder. Bei d. Beerdigung des letzten Kindes vermochte die Frau, bzw. Witwe, dem Leichenzuge nicht mehr zu folgen. Beide Großelternteile haben damals noch gelebt. Vom alten Schapekabe berichtet das Tagebuch (er möchte um 1785 geboren sein), daß er während der “Franzosenzeit” (ca, 1803-1813) gesucht worden sei, um unter Napoleon Soldat zu werden. Er sei demnach nach BRAKE in Oldenburg ausgerückt u. nicht zu fassen gewesen. Unser Gegend gehörte 2 Länder. Hannover, der mit England durch Personal-Union verbunden war und weil Frankreich seit nahezu 100 Jahren mit England im Kriege stand, befand sich auch Hannover mit Frankreich im Kriege. Oldenburg, die zu dessen Grenze höchstens 3 km sind, war ein eingenständiges Gebilde und daher neutral u. vom Kriege nicht direkt berührt.

Ein Hof Kaiser liegt ganz i.d. Nähe u. es ist durchaus möglich, daß Ihre Vorfahre Adelheid K(aiser) von diesen Hof stammt. Allerdings hat es damals noch mehr Familien Kaiser im Kirchspiel gegeben.

Alle Ihre Fragen erhalten Sie genau beantwortet durch.....
W. Pohlsander 1271 Roosevelt Avenue
Salt Lake City 5 Utah
Er stammt hier aus der Nähe u. ist ein nicht zu übertreffender Spezialist in allen diesen Fragen. Insbesonders hat er Abschriften aller Kirchenbücher unserer Gegend. Er kann auch meine Handschrift lesen. Vor 10 Jahren stand ich in lebhaften Schriftwechsel mit ihm. Infolge übermäßiger berufsmäßiger Belastung musste ich leider den Faden abreißen lassen. Ich bedauere das heute noch. Sie werden bei ihm mehr erfahren als wenn Sie in Gehrde selbst anfangen zu suchen.

Meine besten Grüße u. Wünsche

Ihr Hermann Espenhorst.

Gehrde, Germany: Schapekahm Hometown

2007-03-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Gehrde introduces itself
Translation of „Gehrde stellt sich vor“, by Philip Graupner.

[ When I was poking around looking at town websites, I found a particularly good webpage for Gehrde...hometown for the Schapekahms/Schapekaves. One gets to it by way www.bersenbrueck.de/samtgemeinde/ and clicking on Gehrde. The Gehrde stellt sich vor (Gehrde introduces itself) was unusually detailed for such a website and I thought that some of you would find it interesting. Since the "translate this page" came up with gibberish, I tranlsated it. Once again, there are lots of old words that aren't to be found in a dictionary or at de.wikipedia.org so I make my best guesses. I think I now have a better idea of what these words mean, although there often is no direct English, or certainly American, equivalent. I am trying to get up to speed on the farming social classes after the lastest Aufderheide insights...or should I say, latest Johann aufr Heide insights. The website includes some photos.
The map is from my Autoatlas. You should be able to enlarge it somewhat by "klicking" on it. p.g.]

The community today consists of six localities, each with its own history.

The village of Gehrde came into being after its church was founded in the first half of the 13th Century. The first house stood around the church yard and along Feldstrasse (Field Street), which the church and the Gehrder castle. The castle, which perhaps existed as early as the 10th Century, was the seat of counts. It was situated on two islands surrounded by water. Later, this court also owned a mill. This structure stood near the present-day Gehrke-Torborg farmstead, which is southwest of the present village center. The first houses, documented from 1359 A.D., lie along the connecting street between the castle and church. On the east side stood eight small farmsteads that, as was the case with the castle and some of the houses on church property, were fiefs of the Bishop of Münster. Before the 30 Yrs. War, the actual village consisted of about 20 houses. It wasn’t until the 17th Century that the area along Langen Strasse (Long Street) was developed.

In the 19th Century, a few more houses were added along Lindenstrasse toward Gross Drehle (Large Drehle) and on the “Blumenhalle” (Flower Hall Rd.?) toward Rüsfort. Only after 1970 was a series of new developments started, so that today the village of Gehrde extends far into what was once the agricultural land of the farming communities of Gehrde and Rüsfort.
The center of the original settlement of Gehrde lay along the road to Schevenriede. There are only a few houses there today with nothing to remind one of the old Gehrde settlement that once stood here with about five farmsteads. This old settlement was mentioned in documents are early as 977 A.D. This was connected to the Schevenriede Settlement, whose impressive half-timbered houses are much younger in age. It sprang up as a “cottager”-settlement in the 15th Century. Similar is the settlement “Königsort” on the road to Groß Drehle. This name has as little to do with a “king” (König) as the group of houses that lie along the street to Bersenbrück, named “Kaiserort,” has to do with an “emperor” (Kaiser). Both names originated from family names here (Konig and Keiser).

On the south, Gehrde is connected to the locality of Groß Drehle. It consists of two groups of houses. To the north is the Drehler “cottager”-settlement “Im Moor” (In the Moor) and to the south is the core of the original village which was also mentioned in 977 A.D. There was a castle in Drehle too. It most likely stood near the old district border, which today is marked by a stone. Perhaps it was the count’s court at which the German Emperor, Otto the Great, signed the “apud treli” proclamation. There was a water mill in Drehle too. The name of the area called “Mühlenstätte” (Place of the Mill) is a reminder of it. South of Groß Drehle, the locality of Klein (Small) Drehle is joined. It was settled from Drehle in the 12th. Century but remained part of its mother parish of Neuenkirchen when the parish of Gehrde was founded. It wasn’t until 1817 that this part of the village was finally incorporated to Gehrde. There was also a water mill in Klein Drehle (named Trimpemole). Groß- and Klein-Drehle belonged first to the Desenberger District and in the judiciary districts, both religious and secular, of Damme. The rest of the parish was part of Ankum well into the 19th Century.

Helle, on the northern edge of community, also belonged to the Desenberger District. This locality, similar to Klein Drehle, was formed in the 12th Century. It was separated from the rest of the parish by a swampy low area. Some of its farmsteads were the property of the Bersenbrück Monastery, which made the easternmost Hof Twelbeck into a tax-free farm (Uthof) subject to special stipulations. Helle was so often cut off from the outside world by floods that it had to have its own cemetery. It also had its own school. This was also the case for Groß Drehle. Traffic connections were often so poor that one could only cross the Hase River and its tributaries at danger to one’s life.

The locality of Rüsfort got its name from one such ford through the Hase River. The ford was west of Hof Weglage (Road-Place-Farm), hence the name. It was perhaps by way of this road that scattered bands of Vikings came to plunder Rüsfort in 886 A.D. The old settlement lay northeast near the “Roten Haus” (Red House). In the late middle-ages, the settlement spread toward the east. The Schultenhof was founded and finally the “Ort”. The word “Ort” has nothing to do with the present meaning of the word. It meant something like “in the furthest corner”. In Rüsfort there were also some Markkottensiedlungen (district “cottager” settlements); the “Neustadt” and the “Fif-Hüsken-Ort”. These settlements too, did not exist until the 15th and 16th Centuries. Finally, there were also two manor houses in Rüsfort. The oldest, from the 13th century, is a dwelling tower on the Schöneberg(Klages) farmstead. The younger is the Merlage Manor, which was founded by a Swedish governor (Vogt) in 1641, but has no unusual architecture. Rüsfort and Gehrde have been “Siamese twins” from the beginning. There never was any visual indication of a boundary between the two. Earlier, even the northern part of the church yard including the present-day community offices belonged to Rüsfort. A memorial across from this remodeled half-timbered barn commemorates the more than one thousand year history, from which the citizens of Gehrde could still tell many stories.

Until 1950, the farm communities were more important than the little village of Gehrde, which naturally was governed separately. The settlements of Groß Drehle, Gehrde and Rüsfort go back to 977, although they were then just dependent outposts of the main estate on Langer Strasse. Not until 1200 A.D. did independent farmsteads arise. Through partition, the number of farmsteads grew and more and more land was cultivated. This expansion caused the settlements of Klein Drehle and finally Helle.

When the Gehrde church was built in 1221-4 A.D., there were around 40 farmsteads (without Klein Drehle, which did not become part of the parish or community of Gehrde until 1816.) That was the minimum number necessary to found a congregation. In the next three centuries, the number of farmsteads quadrupled. Later, there was hardly any further partitioning or new settlement. The growing population, if they didn’t already work as servants or maids, had to become tenants of small side- or back-houses or even earthen huts. Many of these laborers found income and bread in Holland making hay or cutting peat. Others went to sea, especially in the 18th Century. Many went on whaling ships, but many also got to East Asia and South America on Dutch merchant ships. To Gerhard Twelbeck, the transcriber of the Gehrde Church records in 1936 it seemed, on reading the death records, that Gehrde must lie on the coast because so many seamen were mentioned.

After 1830, the emigration to North America commenced. About a third of the population of Gehrde left. First the lower classes left; servants, maids and common-laborers. Then the children from the larger farms left and finally, the larger farmsteads were sold by its owners (examples are Kerrmann, Möddelmann, Kerhoff and Merlage) in order to immigrate to the USA.
During the 2nd half of the 19th century, a “Friends of Gehrde Club” was founded in New York. When the ambitious Gehrder mayor, G.R.Twelbeck, bought the first grain binder to be used in Germany from McCormick in Chicago, it was not problem to get the money to Chicago. There was regular travel to the USA to visit relatives and family. In contrast today, many Americans come to Gehrde to seek traces of their ancestors.

In the 20th Century, emigration to America lessened and many moved east (for example into the Province of Posen). After 1945, several hundred displaced persons from the bombed cities came to Gehrde. Many of them stayed, although the first years were not easy. They joined numerous clubs, which today still greatly influence village life.

Translation by p.g.
14 March 2007

Wanda Gag (1893-1946) Birthday Anniversary

2007-03-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

by Jim Graupner, with Jim Aufderheide

Although Wanda Gag, the famous New Ulm author, illustrator and artist, was actually born on 11 March 1893, she didn't make it into Emma Aufderheide Boock's Sands of Time until March 12th., so we'll take that as our cue to celebrate the Aufderheide family connection to this remarkably creative family, today. [Photo Portrait: Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society]

Wanda Hazel Gag was the oldest of seven children born to Anton and Elizabeth "Lissi" Biebl Gag. Her father was described by Gwenyth Swain, author of "Wanda Gag: Storybook Artist," as "Wanda's tall, artistic-looking" and her mother as "birdlike," who worked alongside her husband in a photography studio in their home. Lissi had taken an assistant position in Anton's studio, while in her teens, ca. 1888, an action that was a bit unusual because women mostly were employed as teachers, maids, cooks or seamstresses. Additionally, Wanda's biographer, Gwenyth Swain, wrote that most women, raised Catholic, "never" worked on Sundays, when many portraits were taken.

"Wanda Gag was born and spent her early years in the small building on the alley behind 301 North Minnesota. The building is still there. That is pretty well-documented, and pictures exist that show the building when Anton and his family lived there." Swain wrote about the humble beginnings of the Gag family by describing Wanda's "first home, between a saloon [301 North Minnesota] and a blacksmith shop [305 North Minnesota, where Christian Fr. Boock's blacksmith shop and wagon works was located; see Footnotes 1 & 2] in the small German town of New Ulm..." Wilhelmine Boock and her large family conceivably would have known the young Gag family, living next to them. By 1894, Anton Gag built a new house on North Washington, a few blocks away, in which he located his photographic studio.

[1. Observation by Jim Aufderheide 13 March 2007.]
[2. Jim Aufderheide, New Ulm, did some groundwork today, 15 March 2007, and took a photo of the existing building in which Wanda Gag was born, located on the same block as Christian Frederick Boock's Wagonworks and Blacksmith Shop. You can identify C. F. Boock's building in this 1913 Sanborn Map at 305 North Minnesota. The first Gag house is the pink set-back building on the corner of 3rd St. N. and the alley. The 1894 Gag House, now the Gag Museum, was located 2 1/2 blocks to the West on North Broadway.]

[Anton Gag Photo, from: Julie L'Enfant, The Gag Family," Afton Historical Society Press, 2002]

[Photo Portrait by Anton Gag, Lissi Biebl (left) and her sisters. jfg collection]
The Aufderheide family came to know the Gags and Biebls (Lissi's family) because the Biebls lived near the Aufderheide brickyard property. The Biebl sisters were hired by Elise Aufderheide as kitchen helpers in her busy household at the brickyard, which regularly served lunch to the large number of workers that Fred Aufderheide employed.

Cherished paintings, drawings, toys, and wicker benches rendered by Anton Gag, Wanda, Wanda's sister, Flavia or by the Biebl brothers, have been passed on from the Aufderheide family to their children and grandchildren. Perhaps Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke, youngest of Fred and Elise's children was most intimately involved with Wanda and Flavia because she, also, was interested in art and painting.

[Painting above: Signed, 1906 still life by Anton Gag, gift to Emma Aufderheide. Photo: Hertha Aufderheide Gieseke, daughter Carol, and niece Gertrude Boock on a wicker bench, perhaps made by the Biebl boys. The bench was located on the three lots between the Gieseke and the Herman Aufderheide homes on Minnesota Street.]

In 1983, Gertrude Boock Graupner and Carol Gieseke Baer wrote their recollections of their visits to their Grandparent's (Fred and Elise Aufderheide) brickyard home in New Ulm, when they were young. The following are exerpts from those writings and there are two videos by Gertrude: 1; 2.

Gertrude Graupner:

Afternoons in the summer, when weather permitted, at three o'clock, a lunch and coffee was served in the garden, just for the immediate family or friends visiting. One such afternoon I remember well. Two of Grandma's [Elise] hired girls were the Biebl girls who lived nearby on the Minnesota River with three brothers. They were the aunts of Wanda Gag, New Ulm's famous author and illustrator of children's books. She was a friend of Aunt Hertha and had brought sister flavia along from New York for a visit in their hometown. Flavia was close to Norb's [Gertrude's brother] age and mine. she showed us how to make parachutes out of handkerchieves and we, in turn, showed her the thrill of rolling down an incline in a big tile. She got her hand under the tile, and when we turned 0n the windmill pump to wash off the blood and the icy water hit the wound, she fainted. We got a talking-to for being so reckless!

Carol Gieseke Baer:

Since I was the second youngest grandchild of the Fred Aufderheides, I was only two when Grandpa [Fred] died and not quite five when Grandma [Eliese] passed away, my recollections of them and the brickyard are few.

Wanda Gag was a girlhood chum of Mother [Hertha] who would stop for a nice visit when she came from New York to visit her relatives. She had become a famous artist and author of children's literature.

She gave me autographed copies of her books "Millions of Cats" and "The Funny Thing." One time I recall having to sit very still on our kitchen table while Wanda sketched me. I still have the sketch done on tablet paper. Mother kept corresponding with Wanda until Wanda's death at about age sixty, and then corresponded with her sister Flavia until her death in 1978. Flavia also wrote children's books and sent copies to Mother. "Chubby's First year" is an autographed copy "to Hertha, a faithful and enduring friend." "Fourth Floor Menagerie" and "Tweeter of Prairie Dog Town" were autographed and sent "to Pamela Jean Baer" our daughter who was a child when Flavia wrote the books. Wanda's single uncles and Aunt Lena Biebl lived on the old Biebl homestead near the brickyard. Frank Biebl made a play merry-go-round for me with his pocket knife and some old tobacco cans. Mother often had him repair furniture for us.

Chr. Friederich Boock: Wagon Works

2007-03-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

This extraordinary photo was on a postcard, ostensibly sent from Wilhelmine Plath Boock on 26 April 1909 to her son Arthur and his wife Emma Aufderheide Boock in Spencer, Wisconsin. Nothing in Wilhelmine's note suggests that Emma is expecting a child in three months, nor is there any inquiry about Art's new job as Cashier of the Spencer State Bank. The short message is a fairly routine parental greeting.

The photo on the obverse is extraordinary because it is the only photo we've located thus far of Christian Friederich Boock's Blacksmith Shop and Wagonry, located at 304-305 North Minnesota Street in New Ulm. By this date, Wilhelmine would have moved from her home on Broadway to the light-colored building on the right side of the photo, located at 311 North Minnesoa Street and known as The Windsor House.

Interesting details of the photo include the enormous iron anvil atop the Blacksmithry, the building a block behind The Windsor House labeled "Saloon," the imposing Catholic School building, and the Italianate cupola of the New Ulm Cathedral. In between the chimneys is yet another cupola that suggests the Hermann Monument.

The Windsor House was a combined Boock homestead, where Wilhelmine, daughter Emma Theresa Boock Cordes, daughter Frieda, and son Albert Peter and wife Emma Elise Ruemke Boock lived, as well as boarders. The third floor was added when William and Emma Theresa Cordes partnered with Wilhelmine in making the facility both a home and a boarding house with five apartments.

Staatliche Einrichtung des Deutschen Reichs 1871-1918

2007-03-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

["Staatliche Einrichtung des Deutschen Reichs 1871-1918" F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bielefeld und Leipzig, Verlag von Velhagen & Klasing 1923, p. 120. Click on map to enlarge.]

Napoleonische Zeit II: 1812

2007-03-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

["Napoleonische Zeit II: Deutschland im Jahre 1812" F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bielefeld und Leipzig, Verlag von Belhagen & Klasing 1923, pp. 106-107. Click on map to enlarge.]

Napoleonische Zeit I 1803 und 1806

2007-03-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

["Napoleonische Zeit I 1803 und 1806" F.W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bielefeld und Leipzig, Verlag von Belhagen & Klasing 1923, pp. 102-103. Click on map to enlarge.]

Frankreichs et al, 1801-1812

2007-03-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

[Frankreichs, Russlands und Englands Vorschreiten 1801 - 1812" F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bielefeld und Leipzig, Verlag von Velhagen & Klasing, 1923, p. 101. Click on map to enlarge.]

F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas 1923

2007-03-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

[ "Deutschland im 18. Jahrhundert" (1786), pp. 94-95 F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas, Bielefeld und Leipzig, Verlag von Velhagen & Klasing 1923. Click on map to expand.]

Good Contextual Maps for Family History

2007-03-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

by Jim Graupner

This map of Central Europe 1815-1871, is one of my favorites for the period of the major emigration periods from the German Confederation 1815-1866, the North German confederation 1860-1871, and the German Empire in 1871, proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I. This map was the result of The Congress of Vienna 1815, which fundamentally described the boundaries of the European empires up until the First World War. Copyrited by The Century Co., 1932.

A series of maps from the geography textbook that both Norbert and Gertrude used at Dr. Martin Luther School in New Ulm will be presented in subsequent postings. The book is entitled: F. W. Putzgers Historischer Schul-Atlas: Grosse Ausgabe, Schutzformel fur die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika: Copyright by Velhagen & Klasing 1923.

A Light in the Barn

2007-03-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

By Jim Graupner
[Reprinted from The Settler, Christmas 1983, Vol. 2, No. 4; illustrations by Jim Graupner]

On the farm, despite the gradual transition between one season and another, there was always some point when we knew that we were in the throes of winter--a sudden snowstorm, perhaps. A light in the barn cast through thickly frosted windows the warm reality of the on-going life within; that milking was being done.

Winter was a difficult time on our dairy farm in Spencer. The bitter-cold weather manifested a whole raft of problems for our dad: pumps, silage, and watering cups on the stanchions would freeze; tractors needed "plugging in;" the barnyard and lanes would drift deep with snow. But it was a special time in our lives; the steamy atmosphere inside the barn mingled the smells of cows and of hay and silage and is as real, still, as the rememberance of the clean nip of the winter air outside.

The process of doing "chores"--bedding, feeding, cleaning and milking--was conducted virtually the same way both in the morning and in the evening. For Dad, the workday began as early as 4:30 a.m. and would end as late as 9:00 p.m. He would get up, have a cup of coffee warmed up from the night before, and just befoe he'd venture out into the darkness to throw down silage and feed the cows, he would call upstairs, "Boys!" We knew subconsciously that a new day had begun. By clever intuition we calculated the precious remaining minutes before the inevitable combination of "Boys, come on now!" and the feeble, but piercing whistle, "whwee, whwee, whwee" that would ascend the stairs from Mother below.

Perhaps Ken would already be on his way down, and then the other boys, pulling on their barn clothes frozen into whatever shape they were cast the night before and revived by our own body heat. A brief stop in the kitchen for kuchen and coffee and then out into the cold. The slam of the door was my clue to jump out finally from under the pile of quilts to join the others.

The barn was lighted with a row of bulbs down the center aisle, leaving the cows to eat in the shadows. The pungent fermentation of the corn silage thrown down earlier by Dad still lingered.

Without fail, Dad would say, "Good morning," to each of us as we rinsed the Surge milkers or started washing utters in preparation for milking the 40-odd cows.

We milked in order, generally speaking, except for Dad who took all the problem cows and had his own order. We milked the line from left to right, approaching the cows from the right side. We threw the black strap, onto which the milking machine would be hung, over the cow's back and then washed the cow's utter. The water was always very hot at first and cold later on; hands became chapped easily and nerve endinding dulled irretrievably. The massaging and washing of the utters had to be done just before the machines would be put on because the cows would quickly let down their milk; some cows just naturally let their milk down too fast and had to be taken care of first.

After they were milked, the cows would lie down with a big heave and sigh, or stood sleepy-eyed, breathing moist air into the cold hay; cats found a spot in the warm shallows of the hips of the resting cows.
Milk was poured from the milking machine into large pails and hauled by twos out to the milk house, separated from the barn by a breezeway. It took skill to deliver the milk without spilling through the two doors which always seemed to stick, and empty the contents into the strainer on the lid of the bulk tank. The milk house was warmer than the barn because it had a bottle-gas burner in it.

Usually milking was a very quiet process, the quietude punctuated only with the clink of the milk pail handle being released after yet another trip to the bulk tank. Sometimes Dad would hum or Herman, our German Shepherd, whose pedigree was of more common lineage, would get into an altercation with one of the dozens of cats. Sometimes we would start talking about some far-flung subject and drive it mercilessly beyond its merits. Often Philip would get us laughing with his rendition of some person or event or we might sing or quarrel.

But mostly, the pulsating suction of the teat cups extracting the warm milk from the full utters and the subsequent air-sucking noise upon completion filled the barn, turning our thoughts inward. It was a good time to do school work if a list of vocabulary words had to be known, or something to memorize, or a creative writing project to think about.

Herman, meanwhile, always found a cozy spot in the hay on the feeding aisles or on the floor near the action, his pointed ears keeping vigil even though his eyes might be closed. Periodically, he'd take a snap at a cat, if it was the wrong cat and came too close.

Dad took care of the myriad assortment of cats and the dogs and puppies. Cats had an incredible capacity for lapping down whole dishes of milk, heads together and bodies fanning out in a circle. Herman always drank what he wanted despite the cats, leaving them to fend for themselves.

There were good cats--the mousers and the mothers, like Tiger. There were bad cats--the parasitic types that hung in the shadows until feeding time; and there were wild cats in the hay mow whose broods lived out their lives in isolation. For various reasons, the cat population rose and fell--but there were always cats around.

The cows in winter stayed inside throughout the day except for a brief respite during the daily barn cleaning. At first our 110-foot barn was cleaned by hand; later a barn cleaner was installed. Backing in the manure spreader and filling it so that all the liquid could be contained was an art. This Dad accomplished himself during the school day and with help from the boys on weekends. Sometimes the spreader and tractor got stuck in the drifted fields and the manure had to be pitched off by hand. Otherwise, the manure was let to pile up until spring.

Cows were funny--predictably unpredictable. In summer, for example, they would head for the woods just as they were to be brought into the barn. Inside they would swish their tails--like a switch--simply to annoy a person while appearing to be perfectly innocent; or two cows might press together, lending their weight to pin a person in between. Sometimes they would step on your foot. And, in spring, they might sneeze or cough, discharging some unpleasantry from either end. Yet, in all, cows were lovable. Their faces were pleasant and reassuring and their soft throats and smooth necks were huggable.

We all had our own duties and responsibilities to perform before heading on into the house and breakfast. There was throwing down the hay. We would climb the wooden steps up to the mow which was a crisp, frosty world of its own, the moist air from below rising in the chutes and crystallizing on the stems and leaves of the hay and on the threads of the binder twine which held the bales together. Somewhere in the dark recesses of the beams, pigeons holed in for the duration. Bales were pitched down the chute, sometimes exploding apart if they hit just right.

And, there were the chickens in the chicken coop that needed to be fed with milled feed and bedded with fresh straw. We collected the eggs from beneath the laying hens; some pecking in retribution. At night a light near their roost extended their day and the radiant heat might have kept them from freezing, even if their drinking water did.

We always figured out the most efficient way to do our chores to facilitate the dash up the drive to the house, stamping the snow off our feet on the porch floor as we arrived, tearing off our barn clothes (that generic term indicating the miracle of Mom's stichery genius, and washing up thoroughly for school or for bed.

Dad had real tenacity; he never complained through all those cold, hard winters, with frost-bitten toes, frozen face and swollen fingers. He rarely, if ever, indulged fevers or sickness, stoically trudging out regardless. Watkin's carbolic salve cured a multitude of maladies including cuts and bruises. The normal sensitivities of hands and feet and back were put aside.

Mom, too, shared in the daily routine--daily washing milk machines and pails which came in rather dirty and went out sparkling clean. Out they'd go: one in each hand; one carried out the machines; one a stack of pails; one the hot water. Meals were orchestrated to meet the milking schedule. The weekly wash hung stiff and frozen on the line or was carried upstairs to hang on lines strung from door hinge to door hinge.

Farm life, despite the work, left an indelible imprint on all of us; there was pride in doing little tasks well. There developed a love of the land and an appreciation for the livelihood that came from it. Winters on the farm provided a true test of the spirit; our family not only endured that test, but thrived, owing much to those practical ethics learned in childhood.

Darcy's Birthday Surprise

2007-02-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

Darcy's Birthday Surprise: Amanda Reinke Kleemann

This posting was inspired by Darcy Kleemann Boock's 26 February 2007 email, relating the great news that through The Keepers blog, a persistent German woman, Ingrid, contacted her about possible family connections. As it turns out, Ingrid may well be Darcy's second cousin, opening a whole new chapter of family history and personal connections between them. Seems appropriate that this joyful story be told to celebrate Darcy's birthday, TODAY!
[Typically engaged in extended family activities, with camera in hand, Darcy is in the midst of Gertrude's 90th birthday celebration.]

Hi Jim and Marilyn,

I haven't been on The Keepers site lately and now I see that I am way behind on reading all of the material that you have been posting, Jim. You have been busy.

I think I told you that last week someone contacted me from Germany in regards to my father's mother Amanda Reinke. Ingrid is 56 and only speaks German, so I have been using Alta Vista Babel Fish Translations and my dictionary to correspond with her. She said that she remembers that her father once and only once mentioned that he had an Aunt Amanda who went to
America. It appears that her grandmother Meta is my grandmother Amanda's sister, which would make us pretty closely related.

I asked her how she found me on the Internet and she said that she first tried searching for Amanda Reinke, but there are too many by that name. So she tried just Amanda and Bresin, where she was born. I tried that same thing but there are too many people by the last name of Bresin. So I tried Amanda and Bresin, Kreis Lauenburg and then two hits came up that are both from/by me. One was a post I made to a mailing list back in 2001 and the other was from the interview of me that you posted on The Keepers blog. So she found me on The Keepers blog. Amazing isn't it!

I know very little about my grandmother. She never spoke English very well and was sick in bed a lot. She died when I was 13. I was very close to my grandfather, however. It is hard to believe that I could be so close to him and at the same time feel that I didn't even know my grandmother. I have a copy of only one letter that was written by Meta in Bresin and sent to my grandmother in 1913.

It is written in the old German Schrift, which I transcribed as well as I could and then sent it on to your mother, Jim, back in 1999 to translate for me. So I have this nicely written translation from her. The letter doesn't tell me a lot, but several names are mentioned who I believe are my grandmother's siblings.

Art and Em: Empty Nesting (February 1938)

2007-02-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Empty Nesting: February 24 1938

By coincidence, this newsy letter dated 24 February 1938, from Emma A. Boock to her daughter, Gertrude, happened to drop out while I opened yet another box of letters from the farm. I found the letter compelling because it revealed the new "normal" for Art and Em, with their grown children away, and the friendship they had with the Frank Oelrichs, Marian's folks. Although, Frank ran a large farmstead east of Spencer, the letter reveals that he had another vocation as well.

Norbert and Marian, newlyweds, were living in Minneapolis, where he was evidently taking a class and also working at Midland. The letter mentions that Marian was back home to visit friends and returned by train to Minneapolis on the 23rd. Gertrude was teaching at St. John's Lutheran School in Burlington, Wisconsin, and dating Carl Graupner.

Spencer, Wisconsin 2/24/38

Dear Gertrude:-

Marian left yesterday noon. Norbert sent a telegram that he was called back to the Midland before school was out and that he'd meet marian at the depot Wed. eve if she could come. She was real glad to get back to Mpls. altho she enjoyed seeing her friends here. Last Sunday Oelrichs invited Rev. Stapels and us for dinner and supper. Some more of their relatives came in the afternoon and they had a big crowd for supper. They left again after supper and we played cards till eleven. The men alone and Mrs. O., Mrs. Stapel, Marian and I. We played "Schafskopf" and had such a good time. Giggled all evening. Eleanore was home too but she, Lil, and the boys went to a party in the evening.

Mr. O. is working at the funeral home and he has been taking quite a few dinners with us. The mortician from Milwkee left again last Sat. He was too much of a city guy, altho he understood his business first rate. They have interviewed two embalmers this week and no doubt will have one again soon. The Mlwkee fellow would never fit in a small town.

Our "Bridge" met at Tillie Martens' Tuesday eve.

Washed & ironed this week and actually found a little time to work on my braided rug. This eve the Colby band is giving a concert at our hall. We bought tickets for that.

Our H.S. basket ball team is in first place. The teams will play their tournament at Abbotsford the first part of March.

Dean Seitz and the Jones tots are having a good time scooting down the side walk from our porch to the street. It is so warm today. We did not have much snow lately. Dad did not have to shovel paths very often this winter.

Yesterday morning Oelrichs & Marian came in real early because he worked at the funeral home. So we had a good visit, also a lunch, before we took M. to the depot. After that Mrs. O. went to Annie Schwantes, who now lives in the old Mrs. Stoltenow house.

Mrs. Brembach is Carrie Schapekahm. She is my mother's right cousin. We called on her when we were on the Mlwkee trip with Klause's but I suppose you forgot. She's got three sisters at Mlwkee--Mrs. Wm Landwehr, Tessie Schapekahm, Flora now Mrs. Bal. (She married a Hawaiian) and one brother at Pewaukee--John Schapekahm. I'm afraid you're not well versed in your history pertaining to your ancestry. Grandpa A. came from La[e]ngerig, Westphalen. Grandma A. from Gehrde Hanover. Grandma B. from Perchiesen Posen, and Grandpa B. from Schlesswig Holstein.

Your choir must be pretty good to get so many invitations.

Will close & mail this. Have a little shopping to do.

Love, Mother

Just noticed that I am out of envelopes for this stationary so will have to use a white one.

Gertrude Facklam will have to return from Manitowoc again. She went there thinking she'd get her job back sooner, but in vain. It sure is tough luck.

The Aufderheide Brickyard Homestead

2007-02-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Aufderheide Brickyard Homestead: Memories by Gertrude Boock Graupner
[Photos: jfg and Jim Aufderheide collections] [Revised after a visit with Jim Aufderheide on 21 February 2007]

[Winter detail of Fred and Elise Aufderheide homestead and brickyard from west, ca. 1910. Cutter is drawn by Philip, Fred's horse. Photo: jfg.]

As Gertrude Boock Graupner turned 88, still managing the farmstead in Spencer, she wondered whether she might make one last trip to her New Ulm. So, on 23-24 June 2000, my daughter Emily and I took Mother on an adventure to the wonderful city she still considers, at age 94, her home, where both her Aufderheide and Boock grandparents lived. During that visit, the short digital videos listed on the right side-bar of this blog, were produced.

On an earlier visit to New Ulm, in the late 1980s, Gertrude and I had stopped by the then-vacant Aufderheide homestead, to take a closer look the house that she knew so well, William Aufderheide (Jack and Joyce's son) happened to be heading home from work and saw us. William parked his pickup truck on side of Minnesota Street, near the old office entrance (on the west side of the house) and introduced himself to us. When he realized how interested Mother was in the brickyard history, he generously opened the house and gave us a tour. It was a mutually-appreciated experience, because Gertrude was able to recall the details and functions of the rooms and what furnishings and contents were located in each of the rooms and the upstairs bedroom, while her grandparents were living there.

[To my dismay, this happened so unexpectedly and the moment was so compelling, that I neglected to record or photograph any of it. Fortunately, we have this from a series of photos in Jim Aufderheide's collection.]

How did Gertrude know the Homestead so well? Although Arthur and Emma Aufderheide Boock lived in Spencer, Wisconsin, between 1908 and 1914, when their three children--Norbert (1909), Gertrude (1912), and Esther (1914)--were born, they returned to New Ulm for sixteen years. During this period, Norbert and Gertrude became acquainted with their many younger New Ulm cousins, frequently visited the Aufderheide Brickyard--young Norbert got a part-time job there, and later, Gertrude attended Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm.

In spring 1985, Norbert and Marian Boock had taken a long trip to California, and visited Howard and Rose Aufderheide. After returning to Spencer, Marian mentioned that Howard had wondered what had happened to the contents of Elise and Fred's Brickyard homestead. Earlier in May 1983, I had asked the same question of Carly Aufderheide, while working on the history of the Brickyard.

[Carly with Grandma Aufderheide on the west side of her house, feeding newly hatched chickens in 1916. P:jfg]

Hence, the following 1985 rough draft of a letter from Gertrude to Howard and my speculative drawings, based on Carl J. and Gertrude's recollections, were produced . Jim Aufderheide has also been involved in a more extensive research project involving the Brickyard and the homestead, so the following will hopefully serve as a contribution to that effort.

April 9, 1985
Spencer, Wisc.

Dear Rose and Howard: -
It was so good to hear how much Norb and Marian enjoyed their long trip [to California], especially their visit with you at your nice home. Marian mentioned you had wondered whatever happened to the Aufderheide belongings. As I lay awake early this morning, I went back in memory of all the rooms and tried to think who has the various items. Some things must have just stayed there for a while [after Fred and Elise Aufderheide passed away] for the Andersons [next tenants] to use. Will you bear with me, as I share this with you? Norb and I being the oldest cousins may have remembered the most, though Norb is rather indifferent about it all. You, Howard, must have good pictures of the home in your mind. Are you 6 years younger than I?

We entered the big kitchen of the house from the screen porch [on the northeast side near the windmill] and through the hall where the telephone hung. Remember the big square wood range in the south corner by the window? The sink, with faucets for well water was the followup for nice soft rain water, was first. Then a "pie cupboard" which held dishes and food at times. It's walls were of tin with punched designs (Carl Aufderheide told me they had it in their basement in St. Paul. The big table with all its leaves and the chairs and the couch which opened, I never knew who took them. The sideboard Meta Flick wanted and was given as a remembrance for her kind services. [Photo postcard from Hertha Aufderheide, 23 January 1911. East side view from 1909. As one entered, the kitchen was to the left, just beyond a small foyer where coats could be hung up on hooks. The window on the far left, was the master bedroom. P: jfg]

One door led to the bedroom in which two, 3/4-sized bedsstood and a high bureau with lilttle drawers on top. Aunt Hertha took the bureau and Grandpa's walnut bed; had them refinished by the Biebl brothers and Carol may still have them in use, unless Pam has them now. I can't remember who wanted the other bed--Grandma's. Uncle Karl took the safe. Your folks [Herman and Esther] took back the cedar chest, since your Dad gave it as a gift years before. My mother [Emma A. Boock] used the gray rug with blue design for many years--even brought it to Spencer for their bedroom. There was a round walnut table which Grandma later put on the screen porch for her plants!! Aunt Clara saw the value of it, had it restored beautifully and used it. I believe Ruth has it now.

The other kitchen door led to the former office which had a desk which Hertha had redone and Carol still has. I think your Dad or Karl took the leather and wood recliner. There was also a leather and wood sofabed where I slept usually. That, and the washstand I lost track of.

Then there was the parlor with its rose design carpeting (inlaid) and its cherry furniture. Hertha wanted the piano but never took as she had her own. Buds took it later and used it in his rec room after he built his house. I think my mother took all the furniture. Later we divided it between Norb and me. I still have one loveseat and a rocking chair, also the table and the big Bible which lay on the bottom shelf. The other loveseat, a chair with arms, and one without, Marian reupholstered and used for a while. Now Marilyn has them--she is such a "family heirloom" lover. She has a few frames, too, and old pictures. We have some frames, also. Our grandchildren get rocked in the rocker.

[The interior view of the Parlor, on the occasion of Emma Aufderheide and Arthur Boocks wedding celebration, 15 July 1908, looks to the southeast corner with the faux cherry door to the Master Bedroom and the window to the south. The floor is carpeted with a floral pattern as are the walls. The ceiling also has an ornate pattern. The wedding cake is sitting on a table (under which the large family Bible lay) that matches the armless chair on the left side of the door, a similar chair with arms on the Parlor's north wall, two love seats, and the upholstered Parlor rocking chair. A blonde piano sits left of the armless chair on the Parlor's east wall. The portrait hanging to the right of the door is of Fred's mother, Sophie Beneke.]

There was a bookcase and a few wooden smaller rockers and porch bench--can't remember who has them.
The bedding, the dishes, silverware and silver sets, the cutglass were divided amongst the four families.

I only saw the inside of the house once while Norm Anderson and wife lived in it. They both were so hard of hearing it was hard to make them understand who I was, but once Norm understood, he was very gracious. They kept up the rooms very well. It all seemed smaller than what I saw in my memory.

Norb took the Edison, maybe he still has it. And we have an old washstand your Dad and Uncle Karl had in their upstairs bedroom. What happened to the three beds upstairs I have no idea. Maybe they were given away later. There was little value to them.

When our parents died (Emma and Art), Norb and we divided [their belongings] all between us, except for the electric stove and washing machine. Dave got married soon after that and too the living room set, plus lamps, etc. Then Cathy married and took the dining room set, a little desk, and kitchen set, cedar chest--all of which she uses daily. We have several bedroom sets in reserve for our company. We couldn't bear auctioning anything. I share the piano and two trunks with old-fashioned clothes, Mother's wedding dress, and lovely blouses, etc. Many a style show has used them.

Gertrude

[Further Notes: Because of the five or six similar basement windows and the two window wells, the similar appearance of the foundation, Carl J. Aufderheide's 1983 note that the basement was built "of solid concrete and reinforced with railroad rails", and Jim Aufderheide's recollection that the basement was quite large, it might be that the house had a full basement underneath it. Jim Aufderheide related on 21 February 2007, that Grandma Elise was very fearful of a recurrance of the type of cyclone that leveled New Ulm in the late 1800s, and that Grandpa Fred made sure that the house would withstand such a storm.

When I commented on the elegant design features of the front of the house, with its four shuttered windows and the tall door, and the unusually high brick facade and substantial cornice of the North and South ends of the master bedroom/kitchen/East entrance half of the house, Jim Aufderheide pondered whether Herman Schapekahm, the prominent designer and builder of both residences and public structures like DMLC's Old Main, might have designed the brickyard homestead. He was Elise Schapekahm's brother.

In 1989, the house was bulldozed by the owners of the property at that time and there is a "For Sale" sign at the curb; it is difficult now to even imagine that an entire era of family history ceases to have any physical artifacts remaining on the property once occupied by The Aufderheide Brickyard and Homestead. jimg]

Closing note: Although this posting dealt mainly with homestead furnishings, a number of recollections published in THE SETTLER, Summer 1983, by Carl J. Aufderheide, Norbert Boock, and Gertrude Boock Graupner will eventually be reprinted here.

Albert Peter Boock: Renaissance Man & Family Historian

2007-02-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

by Jim Graupner

Charles Dicken's seemed to have it right; so many of the incidental connections in life seem to circle around to have significant impact later on. No one could have been more instrumental in setting things in motion than New Ulm's First Citizen, Albert Peter Boock. That assertion will only be posited in this short article, but substantial attention needs to be given this extraordinary figure.

When I began my family history avocation, I dedicated my efforts to the unsurpassed character of Wilhelmine Plath Boock. Equaled in character and energy was her eldest son, Albert Peter: scholar, social butterfly, businessman, humorist, musician, philanthropist, uncle extraordinaire, public servant, world traveler, family diplomat, man of rare humility.

It was Uncle A.P. who provide me with real substance for my nascent efforts at gathering information for a family history, by providing me with a genealogy for the Boock side of the family. Interestingly, in the same year that he shared with me his anscestor chart, a Walter Boock of California, happened to stop by Emma and A.P. Boock's home at 318 North Minnesota, to start his own ancestral journey of discovery.

Others, like Howard Aufderheide, in 1959, had urged Grandpa Arthur Boock to write the history of the New Ulm families; I had also pressured Grandpa Arthur and Grandma Emma for genealogical information. To their credit, although neither ever wrote family history per se, they did write letters to generous relatives who provided the much-desired information. A. P. was one of those who had a real passion about researching the past, but making personal connections in the present with relatives in the United States and in Germany.

Two letters with which I would like to introduce Albert Peter Boock, are of his hand from 1960. A.P. scopes out his itinerary for travels to Los Angeles, the Hawaiian Islands, Australia, and back to Los Angeles, where he planned to visit the Ruemkes. I find it fascinating that there are vague references to both Julie Harris Humes' family and our ["Gertrude's brood"] family, as well as Norbert's family, into which family historian Darcy Kleeman Boock married.]

New Ulm, Minn. March 22, 1960.
Dear Art:

Enjoyed your letter of 3/13. Leaving on my Polynesian Circle Tour tomorrow. Fly from Mpls. 11:30 P.M. arrive Los Angeles Thursday A.M. 5:30. Will be met at the airport by the tour leader of our African Safari. They stage a small reunion at Long Beach Friday 3/25--We fly to Hawiian Islands Sat. 3/26. On the way home expect to stay over to visit Em T, Elmer, Edgar and family. May also see Mrs. Gust. Hillemann. Geo & Esther from Madison called Saturday and Sunday on the Walter Hellmanns and us. Left for Mpls Sunday afternoon. Irwin Schmidt is home from the hospital, but we have no encouraging news.

After the cold wave in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the climate in the "Down Under" region will be very enjoyable.

Glad to note Gertrude & her brood are so industrious and ambitious. Hope Norbert will land a connection to his liking and with good remuneration.

Bert & I are as well as can be expected & hope you & yours are in good health, happy and contented.

Cordially, A.P.

A. P.'s second letter, written to Arthur Boock 26 May 1960, notes that he is "sending herewith the Boock family tree" and "a copy of a photo of Josias Boock" he received from Olivia Raabe, from the "old August Raabe photo album." These items are in my possession.

[Portrait of Josias Boock, born in Borghorst, 18 April 1811. Married to Wilhelmine nee Theede, born 19 october, 1815. Photo by W. Zacharias, Kiel, Schleswig Holstein. Notation in A. P. Boock's hand. Josias was Christian Friedrich's oldest sibling by 15 years; our Great, Great Uncle]

[A.P. Boock's Boock Family Tree and a Family Tree made for A. L. Boock. At the bottom of these letters, find a scan of the original response to, presumably, a heraldry inquiry from A. P. Boock to Ferdinand Seeger, M.D. , a genealogical searcher, from New York.]

New Ulm, Minn., May 26, 1960.

Mr. A.L. Boock,

Spencer, Wisconsin.

Dear Art:

In comliance with your letter of the 17th I am sending herewith the Boock family tree as far as I have been able to develop it- also a copy of a photo of Josias Boock which I got from Olivia Raabe, evidently left in the old August Raabe photo album by Herman's mother, Elizabeth Boock, sister of Christ & John H Boock. Sorry I could not be at John W[eddendorf]'s funeral, as I would have been interested in meeting all the relatives mentioned by you. I met Estella and Bertha Schmidt as well as Renee and her husband at the reunion we had a Elmer's place. Of course Emma T, Edgar & wife [Gladys] with their daughter [Carol] and grand daughter [Julie] were there. [L: Phil and Renee Schmidt Sessions (daughter of Irwin & Estelle Cordes Schmidt), Estelle, Edgar, Nelle Rae Cordes, Bertha Schmidt, Emma T. Boock Ruemke, AP Boock, Gladys Bille Ruemke, Carol Ruemke Harris, and young Julie Harris (Humes).]

When you complete your investigation of the Plath family tree, I shall be pleased to receive a copy.

Am now planning that trip to Alaska- altho no definite date has been determined, so can not promise to attend the formal dedication of your new bank building- however shall be pleased to run over sometime this summer- or as soon as I get a new or different car. My tires are about shot, but the motor and other mechanism are O.K. 6 by 16 tires are getting scarce.

George and Hertha were here for a brief call a few days ago. Geo. had some Mission Board biz. he expects to come again in June, when there will be another Mission convention or something. He wants to be relieved of his job- as he is only filling out the unexpired term of Bill Stelljes.

Glad to note your tribe is in good health and hop Gert will not undertake too much and ruin her health.

Cordially, A.P.

Reply, presumably to A. P. Boock, from Ferdinand Seeger, M. D., genealogist, New York, 14 December 1916, concerning a Boock "coat of arms."

1956 Aerial View of Spencer

2007-02-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Spencer, Wisconsin 1956 (looking west); Click twice to enlarge.

Spencer, Wisconsin 1956 Labelled Aerial View (looking west)