mamma and papa

Subject: Henning William Traulsen Sr. and Alma Helen Wolff
Occasion: Unknown
Date: Unknown
Photographer: Wollensak Studio, 500 National Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Henning was born on December 23, 1860 in Karlberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He emigrated to the United States and arrived on May 5, 1885.

Alma Helen Wolff was born on November 23, 1865 in Schniedermuhl Proving
Rosen, Germany (my spelling may be incorrect as I was reading it from a very old document). Alma arrived in the United States on October 12, 1882.

Henning and Alma were the parents of my maternal Grandmother Lucy Albertine Helene Traulsen. They were wed on October 15, 1886 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On the back of the photograph is written mamma and papa, and it appears to be in my Grandmother's handwriting.

I take a break once again in the time line, to return to a photograph I recently found of my maternal, maternal, great, great grandparents. Unfortunately, I know very little about this photograph. I feel it was taken after 1886 the date of their wedding, as both appear older to me. The photograph is mounted on heavy cardboard.

Henning and Alma ran a bakery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The exact location is unknown to me. After Henning's death in 1906, the bakery was run by Arthur, Henning Jr. and my Grandmother Lucy. I do not remember any stories that revealed the demise of the bakery. Arthur passed away in 1960 and Henning Jr. in 1966.

Next week we will discover what life beheld the bakers, and my Grandmother Lucy's role.

You are cordially invited...

Subject: Lucy Traulsen, age 24, and George D. Waswo, age 31.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Occasion: Wedding Day
Date: August 18, 1915
Photographer: Unknown

The wedding day of Lucy and George! These are the only two pictures I have found to date from their wedding. I really do not know too much about their wedding. I don't remember my grandmother ever sharing stories about that special day.

I do remember stories about my grandparents courtship. My grandfather was a traveling salesman for the Fleishman Yeast Company. George got this job through his Uncle Fredrick Lueth, who at the time lived in Kansas City, MO. Lucy met George when he visited the family bakery in Milwaukee.

I remember my grandmother telling me, she liked George because he had a job, a car and $500 in the bank! I also remember a scrap book filled with postcards that George wrote her during his sales travels. He also brought back souvenirs from his trips. Many of them were silver spoons from the cities and states that he visited. While I have not been able to find the scrap book of postcards, I do have some of the silver spoons he brought back for Lucy. Spoons that she always treasured.

My grandmother moved next door to us in the late 1960's. At that time, she gave the spoons to my mother. My mother purchased a wooden rack, and displayed some of the spoons in this rack. The rack hung in a hallway near the kitchen. My grandmother was very practical, she gave the spoons to my mother so she would not have to keep them polished. Of course, as I got older, it became one of my jobs to polish the spoons. At the time I did not appreciate it, but now I treasure the spoons as my grandmother and mother did.

Please examine the photographs closely. I love the long white gloves Lucy is wearing. Also note the placement of the flower corsage. In the bottom photograph, I see a cross necklace Lucy is wearing. I do not remember this necklace. It may be packed in a box, as some items I hastily packed, or my mother did give some of the family jewelry to her daughter-in-law.

If you look at George, you also see the flower boutonniere. As in previous photographs, please note the watch fob on the left breast pocket. There was a button hole near the boutonniere, at one end of the fob was a button that was attached to his hole, the chain led down to a small pocket in the coat, where the pocket watch was kept. This was the style of the era, as you will also see this on the photograph of Lucy's brother Henning in a post from July 2010.

George Daniel Waswo

Subject: George D. Waswo
Age: 29
Location: Jefferson Park, Chicago, Illinois
Occasion: Unknown
Date: May 31, 1914
Photographer: Unknown

My plan was to post the wedding pictures of George Daniel Waswo and Lucy Traulsen in August; as August was the month of their marriage. However, while going through some boxes, I found additional photographs from this era of my grandfather and grandmother. My mother, Norma, gave me these photographs years ago. I forgot I had them. Near the middle of September the wedding photographs will be posted.

I know very little about this photograph other than the date and location. This was written on the back in my grandmother's handwriting. I am unsure whether he was dressed for work or to go out. The date is very close to Decoration Day, or Memorial Day as we now call it. Decoration Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. So perhaps George is dressed up to pay his respect towards the family members that passed on.

I love looking at these pictures of my grandparents in their youth. It amazes me to see the family resemblance between Grandma Lucy and my mother, Norma, and Grandpa George and my Uncle George, Norma's brother.

George Daniel Waswo with his mother's cat

Subject: George Daniel Waswo with his mother's cat.
Age: 29
Location: Jefferson Park, Chicago, Illinois
Occasion: Unknown
Date: May 31, 1914
Photographer: Unknown

My plan was to post the wedding pictures of George Daniel Waswo and Lucy Traulsen in August; as August was the month of their marriage. However, while going through some boxes, I found additional photographs from this era of my grandfather and grandmother. My mother, Norma, gave me these photographs years ago. I forgot I had them. In the following weeks I will post photographs of my grandparents from their courting days. Finally, near the end of September the wedding photographs will be posted.

I know very little about this photograph, but it is one of the very few I have of my grandfather in a casual setting. Most of the photographs are professional or of my grandfather in more formal attire.

It even further amazes me to find a picture of my grandfather with a cat. Per my mother, Norma, George did not approve of pets or animals whether they be inside or outside. Norma was always the animal lover and wanted to bring strays home, but her father George was always dead against it.

As an adult, Norma usually had a pet. Even when she lived in one of grandmother's apartments, she had a little dog. Grandmother didn't mind animals one bit, as long as she did not have to take care of them. During my childhood we had a number of pets, one dog and several cats. Norma never cared to have more than one at a time, but I can remember a furry companion through most of my childhood.

So, we have the mystery of this photograph. I will never know the full story behind it.