Today's post shows one of Jerry's maternal great aunts, Charlotte Behrndt (1882-1973) sister of his Grandpa Charlie, a woman who married Otto Ziemann (1885-1975), an oddity where the husband outlived the wife. Charlotte, known as Aunt Lottie taught in the rural schools around Hokah MN. I understand that the requirements to become a teacher were quite different in her day, but still this was an achievement for this poor Minnesota farm girl. They did not know they were poor so they went about their lives just fine. It was a professional career and she would travel around the old roads driving old model t's and sometimes on horseback to teach children in one room school houses through all kinds of weather.
Wedding photo 1905 |
In 1905 she and Otto married and they lived in various places in northern Minnesota as he was a butcher, employed by meat markets and then hitting the big time as a salesman for the George Hormel Company of Austin, MN with a territory stretching from La Crosse, Wisconsin to Duluth, Minnesota. They had two sons, Howard who went by Larry ( I don't know why?) and Norman. I have not yet found photos of the sons and their respective families. In 1922, they moved to La Crosse, WI where Otto opened his own meat market and grocery store that he operated until he retired in 1945. Being a Behrndt girl, Charlotte was accustomed to hard work, so I suspect that city living felt like living in the lap of luxury to her.
This next photo shows Charlotte with her siblings and parents, Adelbert and Sophia Behrndt from a few weeks ago. This was at Adelbert's and Sophia's 50th wedding anniversary in 1923, oddly everyone is dressed in dark clothing, which would have indicated a somber event to me had it not been labeled on the back of the photo. Charlotte is the 2nd from the right standing and Charlie, Jerry's grandfather, her brother is standing amidst his sisters behind the parents. There are those bigger women and smaller men.
All the Behrndt's gather with Adlebert and Sophia in front |
Charlotte and Otto Ziemann and Esther to the right |
This photo is a newspaper clipping of their 50th anniversary in 1955. He still has quite the head of hair and she looks lovely with her pearls and corsage.
Otto and Charlotte Ziemann 65th anniversary This last photo of them taken at their 65th anniversary in 1965 shows them differently, Otto is taller than Charlotte, which we know was not so all their lives. Evidently she had shrunk significantly. Also, it appears that they are not quite as well or hearty as ten years previous at their 50th. Still, recognize that they are survivors ,their celebration was hosted at their same home in La Crosse, WI. That's Aunt Lottie and Uncle Otto. As always on this blog, click on the title above to get to the Sepia Saturday host site where you can then click to see others' postings in this international event of the week! Or click right here, if you prefer http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2010/09/sepia-saturday-43.html |
What a nice blog you have here. I went to college in LaCrosse and spent fun times in LaCrescent. Apple festivals!
ReplyDeleteIsn't Sewing with Nancy's name Ziemann? Any relation?
I am going to become a new follower.
How fascinating to see the photos throughout their lives from the lovely young couple on their wedding day and on 'til 65 years married. That is a long time!
ReplyDeleteOtto sure had a lovely full head of hair! 65 years of marriage is quite an achievement! Really nice progression of photographs.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that only in the first and last photos of them was he taller than her. They are a handsome couple in the first photo. The second photo, the one of the family, is quite fun. They look like a happy group of people.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed following this couple through from their wedding day to their 65th wedding anniversary. what a wonderful lot of photos that tell so many stories. I agree with you that it's all history, and I love history too.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see the aging process in the anniversary photos. You have your work cut out for you as I would think in laws would be harder to do. I get so overwhelmed that I just leave them lay for a while and then I start digging in the boxes again.
ReplyDeleteThere is something so interesting about family histories such as this : Of course they are not our families but the stories are no less fascinating for that. They are ordinary stories of ordinary people, but, on examination, they all tend to be extraordinary in their own ways. Thanks for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeletelovely story. maybe, in the last pic, the photographer had him stand on a phonebook or something...
ReplyDelete;)~
HUGZ
Like Ticklebear, I suspect that Lottie didn't shrink that much. I think she might have been perched on a stool, Otto standing beside her. And I would suspect that if the family was not wealthy, they probably had one good set of clothes to wear to church and funerals and special occasions -- in dark colors.
ReplyDeleteYes,I Agree With Alan.An Extraordinary Journey Made.Thank You For The Attention You Give Them.
ReplyDeleteGreat set of pictures. You are so lucky to have them! (Maybe she is sitting down in that last photo?)
ReplyDelete