Joseph Forrai, circa 1934

Subjects: Fourth from the left, Joseph Forrai(age 21).

Date: 1934.

Occasion: Work Photograph.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. I found this photograph in a box while going through my mother's belongings after her passing.

On the back of the photograph was written 'work 1934'. This photograph was most likely in the possession of my Grandmother Rose, and at one time passed to my father.

During this time, my father worked for Patrick Cudahy. Patrick Cudahy was a meat packer, and my father worked his way up to traffic manager. My father started at the company at age 16 in the mail room. My father only completed two years of high school, because his family was poor, he had to go and work to support his mother and siblings.

A traffic manager was responsible for the shipments of the product by truck, rail and even ships. Patrick Cudahy was a major player in shipping pork products both fresh and canned. My father continued to work for the company into the 1960's, until the company was sold and my father laid off.

Joseph Frank Forrai, The Photographer.

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Subject: Joseph Frank Forrai(age 26).
Date: 1939.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Occasion: The Photographer.
Photographer: Al Paskowicz.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.

For those of you who knew my father, you will always remember him having a camera in his hand. Photography was his favorite hobby. I think now with digital photography, he would be completely amazed.

Most of you reading this will probably have no idea of what my father is holding in his hand. If you guess camera, you are completely wrong. I will post the answer at the bottom of the page. My dad not only photographed, but also developed his pictures. In the house where I grew up, there was the darkroom designed and built by my father to his strict specifications. I can remember spending many hours observing as well as assisting my father in the making of prints. He preferred black and white, as color photographs manually is quite a labor and time consuming process.

In this photograph is a photometer to determine the light level of the room and subject. On the meter is a 'slide rule' that helped you decide what f-stop and aperture to use. What you take for granted in your digital camera, at one time you had to use your mind and hands to set the camera to obtain the best possible photograph. Photography was more of an art than a science.

My Uncle Al Paskowicz also shared the passion for photography, so my father had an ally for his passion.

Joseph Frank Forrai

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Subjects: Joseph Frank Forrai(age 26).
Date: 1939.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Occasion: Out for a swim.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.
 
I remember this photograph from my childhood. My father was quite the swimmer in his 20's. He would relate how he would swim in Lake Michigan from Bradford Beach out to the break water. The distance out was 1 mile, so round trip was 2 miles. Regardless of the time of year, Lake Michigan rarely warms more than 65 degrees. It always was too cold for me. I am still amazed that my father could tolerate such cold water for an extended period of time.
 
My father was also a swim instructor at a local pool. He would tell stories about his weekly  swim classes. They separated the males from the females, and he was the instructor for the males.
 
My mother always found it amusing, that all these stories of such a great swimmer, and he never taught his sons how to swim. I attended swim lessons as a young boy and was terrified. It wasn't until college that I took a swim class and actually learn to swim.

Norma, Lucy and George with our maroon Chevrolet

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Subjects: (Left to Right): Norma Elsbeth Waswo(age 11), Lucy T. Waswo(age 41) and George D. Waswo, Jr.(age 15).
Date: 1932.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Occasion: Unknown.
Photographer: George Daniel Waswo, Sr.
Relationship to me: Mother, Maternal Grandmother, Uncle.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me. The caption on this picture is: Norma, Lucy and George with our maroon Chevrolet.

All through my childhood I heard stories of the Maroon Chevrolet. This must have been the most beloved car of the Waswo family. If memory serves me correctly, this was a photograph from about the time they purchased the car. This was just seven years before the passing of my Grandfather George Sr.

My mother had a red wooden toy car that was part of her doll house. It looked very similar to the car in this photograph. She always called it the 'maroon chevrolet' and though I never really played with the doll house, I do remember playing with the wooden toy car when visiting grandmother.

Grandmother Traulsen with friends

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Subjects: (Left to Right): 2 friends and Alma Helen Wolff Traulsen.

Date: 1930's.
Location: Unknown.
Occasion: Unknown.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Great Grandmother.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me. The caption on this picture is: Alma Helen Wolff Traulsen on the right with two friends. This is the only information I have. These are the very few photographs that I have of Great Grandmother Traulsen later in her life. You may do a key word search on this blog to find earlier photographs and entries.
 
Alma Helen Wolff Traulsen was born on November 23, 1865 in Schniedermuhl Proving Rosen, Germany.  She emigrated to the United State and arrived on October 12, 1882. She married Henning Traulsen on October 15, 1886 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They had five children with four surviving to adulthood. Alma Traulsen passed away on March 8, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Herman and Bertha Wolff

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Subjects: (Left to Right): Herman and Bertha Wolff.
Date: 1930's.
Location: Unknown.
Occasion: Unknown.
Photographer: Unknown.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me. The caption on this picture is: Alma Helen Wolff Traulsen's younger brother.  This is the only information I have.

Last Known Photograph of Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann

Provided by Judith Jacob

Subject: Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann.
Occasion: Unknown.
Date: 1934 - 1935.
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.

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. This is the last photograph of Grandma Giermann that I have. 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.