Waswo Grocery Store

My Grandparents George Daniel Sr. and Lucy Waswo owned and operated a grocery store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Per my Grandmother's account it existed from 1915 until the early 1940's.

The top picture is the building located on N. Richards and E. Ring streets. The date in the upper right hand corner is 1905. I am not sure this date is accurate. In 1905, George Daniel Sr. would be 21 years old, and Lucy would be 15 years old. My grandmother stated that while George Daniel Sr. was courting her, he worked for Fleishman's Yeast Company. My grandmother remembered him visiting the family bakery, and that was how they were introduced. This occupation was verified by my Cousin Judith Jacob, as George Daniel Sr.'s Uncle Frederick T. Lueth is the one responsible for helping George Daniel Sr. to get the yeast sales job. My guess is this photograph is from around 1915.

The middle photograph is from 1925 of the second grocery store owned by my grandparents. They did not run two stores, but purchased this building on 4100 W. Burleigh Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is the childhood home of my mother, Norma and her brother George Daniel Jr. They lived in the flat above the store. Per my Cousin Caroline Loose, my grandparents did not sell the first store. I am not sure, but they probably rented the building. I do not know the reason they moved to Burleigh Street, perhaps better location and less competition. My grandfather was a shrewd businessman.

The bottom photograph is also from 1925, and is the inside of the Burleigh Street store.

There are many stories that I remember my grandmother and mother telling me as a child, and I will share some of them in this post. As all businesses go, there is competition. There was a family named Kohls that also ran a family grocery store. I remember grandmother telling me how the two would always tried to under cut each other. My mother would speak on how the entire family worked in the store. She would talk about how cookies, crackers and pickles all came in barrels, and that you could pick the exact amount you wanted. As a treat, the children were allowed to take a cookie of their choice from a bin. The family hardly ever took a vacation together, as someone always needed to be present to run the store. As a result, grandfather and George Jr. would take a trip together while the ladies ran the store, and visa versa. My mother would tell me that the Great Depression did not impact her during her childhood. Her parents ran a grocery store, so there was always food on the table. I am sure my grandparents struggled financially, but they did not share that fact with the children.

With the untimely death of my grandfather, George Sr. in 1939 from cancer, my grandmother was left to run the grocery store on her own. I remember her telling me how difficult this was. At the time, it was uncommon for a woman to go to the farmer's market to purchase produce for the store. Grandmother had no one else, so she would go, as George Jr. was in college and later serviced in Asia during WWII. The 1940's was the start of the era of supermarkets, and the Kohls purchased a chain in Michigan, perfected the concept and started a chain of supermarkets in Milwaukee. Like many small businesses, the small corner grocery stores were doomed.

My grandmother sold the Burleigh Street store. She had the Richards and Ring remodeled with the first floor converted into two apartments. Grandmother lived on the second floor and rented the two bottom units. I remember the Richards and Ring home, as we visited there many times when I was a child.

The Richards and Ring home was sold in 1969, and my grandmother moved into the townhouse that my father had built. The building was torn down sometime during the late 1980's.

Three Generations

Again, I depart from the time line to honor Father's Day.

The top photograph is the only know picture of my grandfather, Louis Forrai. It is a photograph of a photograph that my father took during the 1970's. The original was worn and faded. I always felt my father did a remarkable job of restoring this photograph. He made several copies, and I have one framed and hanging on my wall.

My grandfather, Louis was born April 18, 1892 in Hungary near Budapest. His father was Steven Forrai and mother was Mary Mandoki. He married my grandmother Rosalia Prusek on February 20, 1906 in Hungary. They emigrated to the United States on July 8, 1912.

While in Hungary, they were shop owners and middle class. If you are familiar with Eastern European history, this was an era of war. My grandparents were tired of the war, and left their homeland with their two daughters (Mary and Elizabeth) for America and a new life. They had practically no belonging except for the clothes on their backs. Records reveal they left Belgium for Ellis Island, New York. Once they arrived in New York, they stood in line for over 10 hours to register.

Employment opportunities were scarce, but in New York they learned of the need for laborers in Ohio. My grandparents left New York for Ohio where they labored digging ditches and building roads for the State of Ohio. Their two daughters went to school while mom and dad labored during the day. At night they all practiced and learned English. Grandma had to quit working when she found out she was pregnant (with my father). The four of them found whatever work they could and saved their money.

By 1917, my grandparents had saved enough money and purchased a dairy farm near Kalamazoo, Michigan. Grandma told many stories about life on the farm and raising dairy cows and hogs. She would say, nothing went to waste, not even the squeal of the pig! Farming was a totally new experience for the once shop owners! Life was good for the next two years, until the flu epidemic of 1919 struck. The whole family came down with the flu. The community banded together and helped each other out, with the well doing the daily chores for those who were ill. My grandfather recovered, but went back to work too soon. My grandmother said it was because of his pride. My grandfather caught the influenza the second time, and was too weak to recover. He passed away on February 6, 1919 at the age of 36. He died in Brandon, Michigan and is buried in Ortonville, Michigan. He never realized his dream of becoming a United States citizen.

The middle photograph is of my father, Joseph Frank Forrai. He is reported to be born near Cleveland, Ohio on April 26, 1913. However, a birth certificate could never be found because of a fire at both the court house and the church where he was baptized. The records of the midwife listed him as Steven Forai with a birth date of April 28, 1913 in Cleveland, OH.

This photograph was taken in 1941 in Cudahy, Wisconsin prior to my father being called to serve in the US Army during WWII. My father was 29 years old when he was called to the service. I have a few more pictures to share at a later date, and will continue Joseph's story. Joseph passed away on January 25, 1999. He is buried at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

The last picture is of Louis Forrai, first son of Joseph Frank and grandson of Louis Forrai. My full name is Louis George Forrai. Louis is my paternal grandfather's first name, and George is my maternal grandfather's first name. Now you all know how my name came into being. As Father's Day honors fathers, I was named to honor my grandfathers.

This photograph was taken by my father in the mid 1960's. It was taken in our dining room against the west windows on Luther Avenue. It has always been one of my favorite photographs, and brings back many happy memories.

In Memory of Norma Elsbeth Waswo Forrai

I am taking a departure in the time line this week, to honor the memory of Norma Elsbeth Waswo Forrai, my mother. She passed away on June 9, 2009.

The top picture is of Norma and her mother, Lucy Traulsen Waswo. The picture was taken the summer of 1922. Norma was about 7 months old. This picture was taken in the backyard of the Waswo Grocery Store and their home, on E. Ring and N. Richards Streets in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The middle picture is of Norma taken on August 17, 1946. Norma was the maid of honor of her best friend, Gloria LaPorte Strei. The photograph was taken on the front porch of the home of Earl and Helen LaPorte in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The LaPortes have been close family friends for many years. Helen LaPorte was best friends with Lucy T. Waswo, and Helen's daughter Gloria was Norma's best friend. I had never seen this photograph before July 2009. When I traveled to Wisconsin, to have mom placed next to dad, Gloria Strei gave me this picture. The photograph captures my mother in her youth. Though taken before I was born, I became attached to it. I call this photograph 'Forever Norma', as it portrays her as I know how she would like us all to remember her. Sun in her eyes and a smile on her face, she was very happy on the wedding day of her best friend. Gloria married William F. Strei and they have been married 63 years. They reside in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

The bottom photograph of Norma was taken on Mother's Day in May 2007. The Adult Daycare she attended photographed a portrait as a gift for each client's family. Norma loved the color purple, and this was one of her favorite outfits. Mom enjoyed the daycare very much. She loved watching old western movies, playing the card game UNO, and dancing. She looked forward to going every day. The adult daycare was a blessing for me, as I could work full time and rest at ease knowing that mom was being well taken care of.

Norma spent most of her adult life employed in public service. She worked for the gas company, Milwaukee Public Library, Greendale High School and for Milwaukee County. She was always kind to people and her coworkers and customers always spoke highly of her. I remember her sense of humor and the smile on her face. She had a long and happy life. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and my dad. I will always love her.

Arthur Herman and Lucy Albertine Helene Traulsen

Subject: Arthur Herman and Lucy Albertine Helene Traulsen
Occasion: Unknown
Date: September 1891
Photographer: Unknown

Family Link:
Parents: Henning and Alma Helen Wolff Traulsen
Children: William Paul Edwin (1887-1899); Arthur Herman (1889-1960); Lucy Albertine Helene (1891-1987); Henning W (1893-1966); Alma Bertha (Reichardt) (1897-1966).

This is the last of the photographs that I have currently scanned that was mounted on heavy cardboard. Unfortunately, the border was cut away, apparently to allow the photograph to fit in a frame. Therefore, I do not have the identity of the photographer.

From a previous post, we learned that William Paul was the first child of Henning and Alma, and that William passed away in 1899. I have heard from my Cousin Dorinne Green, that William is buried at the Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, WI. Dorinne lives near the cemetery, and says she will photograph the headstone.

In this picture we have Arthur Herman who would be the second child. He was two years old in this photograph. Arthur is standing. Seated in the chair is Lucy Albertine age 6 months and the third child. Lucy is my grandmother.

I can remember looking at this photograph as a young child. I always thought it was a photograph of two girls. I guess this was the style of the era for boys and girls to wear what I would consider a dress. I remember grandma telling me that the boy standing was her brother. I found it very amusing that he was wearing a 'dress'. Plaid must have been the fashion design of the era as well. I do not have any memory of Great Uncle Art, as he passed away when I was one year old.

Viewing this photograph as an adult, I admire what must have been a very difficult time preparing and posing children. Especially Lucy, who was only 6 months old at the time. This was so unlike the digital age where you can fire away the shots, keep the best, and discard the rest. It amazes me how perfect this photograph is, almost like two china dolls posed for a toy advertisement flier. I can visualize the photograph displayed on a mantel or table in the home of my great grandparents. Apparently, the Traulsen's treasured their children.