Family History Archives - Page 20 of 26

Georgie’s Memories – Part 5: At School

On May 20, 2022

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Elementary School

I started to school in September 1924. There was no kindergarten then, no school buses. The 1^st Grade had a room to themselves but most rooms had 2 grades in them. There were no lay teachers – the school was run entirely by sisters. They were the Franciscans of Perpetual Adoration and the mother house was in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Elementary School

I started to school in September 1924. There was no kindergarten then, no school buses. The 1^st Grade had a room to themselves but most rooms had 2 grades in them. There were no lay teachers – the school was run entirely by sisters. They were the Franciscans of Perpetual Adoration and the mother house was in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Georgie’s Memories – Part 4: Horses

By Michelle

On May 13, 2022

In Family History

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Horses in everyday life

When we lived at the Bruegenhempke Place (which was a farm owned by Grandpa Wellman – the house was a log house covered with white siding) Grandpa always drove over with the team hitched to a farm wagon or the spring wagon as it was called. When there was a lot of snow in the winter, he would hook up the bob sled. I remember one horse was called Prince and sometimes Grandpa would ride him. He enjoyed riding horseback. Farming was done with horses and everybody raised hay.

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Horses in everyday life

When we lived at the Bruegenhempke Place (which was a farm owned by Grandpa Wellman – the house was a log house covered with white siding) Grandpa always drove over with the team hitched to a farm wagon or the spring wagon as it was called. When there was a lot of snow in the winter, he would hook up the bob sled. I remember one horse was called Prince and sometimes Grandpa would ride him. He enjoyed riding horseback. Farming was done with horses and everybody raised hay.

Georgie’s Memories – Part 3: And Automobiles

By Michelle

On May 6, 2022

In Family History

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Automobiles

Since I was born on October 23, 1917, the automobile and airplane share my infancy. I remember when there were more horses with wagons or buggies around the square in West Point than there were automobiles.

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Automobiles

Since I was born on October 23, 1917, the automobile and airplane share my infancy. I remember when there were more horses with wagons or buggies around the square in West Point than there were automobiles.

Georgie’s Memories – Part 2: Planes and Trains

By Michelle

On April 29, 2022

In Family History

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Airplanes

An airplane passing over was an event recorded in the weekly paper. People asked each other if they had seen it. Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic was a headline, a marvel at the time.

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

Airplanes

An airplane passing over was an event recorded in the weekly paper. People asked each other if they had seen it. Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic was a headline, a marvel at the time.

Georgie’s Memories – Part 1: At Home

By Michelle

On April 22, 2022

In Family History

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

Georgie’s Intro – November 23, 1986

These essays are being written because I have often thought how nice it would be if, say, my great-grandmother had written about what life was like when she was growing up. It would have been so interesting to know how people’s daily life and experiences fitted in with the history that was being made at that time.

At Home on the Bruegenhempke Place

When I think of it, it is always summer. I used to get up in the morning, go out to look at the flowers and garden. If a new flower had opened I would go in to tell my mother and be disappointed if she had already seen it.

As our family went through my mother’s personal effects, we discovered these essays, handwritten in a spiral notebook. Immediately, we knew we had found a very special look into the early life of someone we loved and admired. We’re sharing them here in the hope that others may enjoy them as well.

Georgie’s Intro – November 23, 1986

On March 18, 2022

In Family History

As the weather starts to change, the maple tree in the back yard starts to drip sap. It’s not a sugar maple, so it wouldn’t make a sweet syrup. Plus you need a lot of sap to make syrup.

Georgie talks about making syrup in the notes she wrote about growing up in West Point. On the Bruegenhempke place, there was a row of soft maples north of the house. Sometimes they collected the sap and cooked it down.

Her great-uncle Ben Wellman had a sugar camp in the timber, and in the spring collected maple water. In February, when it froze at night and warmed in the daytime, they collected maple water in buckets. Maple season in Iowa lasts 3 to 4 weeks.

Image shows a group of people standing together. there are trees with buckets hanging on them in the background. — The three youngest boys are Georgie’s uncles Ben, Tony, and Al Wellman. You can see the buckets hanging on the tress.

Aunt Teresa would make maple sugar candy in a pan with molds which all had different designs on the bottom. You can buy or make your own maple sugar candy today. It is often shaped in molds that look like a maple leaf.

The Bruegenhempke place is near the upper right corner here (labeled G. Wellman). Ben and Teresa Wellman lived on the property just north of the road (labeled Kasper Nolte on this map).

Digging Deeper

This is an interesting article on the history of making maple syrup posted by the Maple Valley Syrup cooperative.

Stories of family, creativity, and diverse distractions.

Tag: Family History Page 20 of 26

Georgie’s Memories – Part 5: At School

November 23, 1986

Elementary School

November 23, 1986

Elementary School

Georgie’s Memories – Part 4: Horses

November 23, 1986

Horses in everyday life

November 23, 1986

Horses in everyday life

Georgie’s Memories – Part 3: And Automobiles

November 23, 1986

Automobiles

November 23, 1986

Automobiles

Georgie’s Memories – Part 2: Planes and Trains

November 23, 1986

Airplanes

November 23, 1986

Airplanes

Georgie’s Memories – Part 1: At Home

Georgie’s Intro – November 23, 1986

At Home on the Bruegenhempke Place

Georgie’s Intro – November 23, 1986

At Home on the Bruegenhempke Place

Happy birthday to a couple of cousins – Mabel and Mildred

Happy birthday Great Grandpa Isadore Link!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Hoel!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Eleanor!

Cooking up a sticky situation at the sugar camp

Digging Deeper