Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann

Photograph provided by Judith Jacob

Subject: Back row: Unknown, Ernest Wascher Jr., Albert Waswo.
Front row: Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann.
Occasion: Unknown.
Date: Unknown, about the late 1920's.
Location: Chicago, Illinois.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Maternal Great Grandmother.

Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann was born August 18, 1848 in Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. She married Frederick William Waswo on October 10, 1869 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois by Pastor T. Grosse. Frederick committed suicide on April 2, 1896. I have no information when she married Mr. Giermann, but the two had no children. Mr. Giermann preceded Johana in death. Johana passed away on May 18, 1935 at age 86 in Chicago, Illinois.

On the back of this photograph was written: "Poor ma's face shows suffering, don't it". Grandma Giermann passed away on May 18, 1935 at age 86.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photograph. This was a photocopy provided by my cousin, Judith Jacob. These are the only photographs that I have of Grandma Giermann in her later years. In the next few weeks, I will post these remaining photographs of Grandma Giermann.  Judith believes that all of these photographs were taken at Grandma Giermann's home located at 5328 Leland Avenue, Jefferson Park, Chicago, Illinois in the late 1920's to mid 1930's.

Seasons Greetings The Forrai's 1963

Subject: David and Louis Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1963.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

You can see over the past several weeks, that the early Christmas greetings centered around the fireplace. The stuffed animal in the photograph was made by my Grandmother Lucy Traulsen Waswo. She was very creative, and I always loved the animals she made. The one in the photograph was a little dog that I had named 'Brownie'. The stockings hung by the fireplace were knit by my mother, Norma Forrai. I still have that sock and it hangs on the door knob in the family room this very day.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Seasons Greetings 1962

Subject: Joseph, Louis, David and Norma Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1962.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, 1961

Subject: Joseph, Louis, David and Norma Forrai.

Occasion: Christmas.

Date: 1961.

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.

Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first three weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas, 1960

Subject: Joseph, Louis and Norma Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1960.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first three weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!