The Waschers

Subjects: (Left to Right): Elfriede, Ernest and Alma Waswo Wascher.

Date: 1915.

Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Maternal Grand Aunt.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. 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.

Alma Waswo Wascher was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1883. She married Ernest Wascher on June 7, 1905, and they had two children Ernest Jr. born in 1908 and Elfriede born in 1909. Alma passed away on January 14, 1968 and is buried in the Beverly Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

Judith's father was Ernest Wascher Jr. She wrote the following about the family:  William Moeller(husband of Minnie Waswo) was the uncle of Ernest Wascher Sr.  William Moeller was the brother of Anna Elizabeth Moeller who married a Wascher.  William and Ernest Sr. were not only uncle and nephew, but also brothers-in-law as they married sisters (Minnie and Alma).  Their children, therefore, were related on both their mothers' side and their fathers' side of the family.

I am in contact with Judith, and perhaps she will be able to provide additional information.


Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann, the later years.



Photograph provided by Judith Jacob

Subject: Minnie Waswo Moeller, Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann and Alma Waswo Wascher.

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.

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.

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.

Gathering at Minnie's Home

Date: 1913
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Occasion: Unknown
Photographer: George Daniel Waswo

Subject:
Counter Clockwise starting at the top left: Minnie Waswo Moeller, Alma Waswo Wascher, Albert Allen, Albert Waswo, William Moeller, Robert Waswo, Ernest Wascher, Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann.

I have very little information as to the occasion of this photograph. It was a family get together. Judith Jacob thinks this photograph was taken at Minnie Waswo Moeller's home that was located 79th and Throop Street in Chicago. I am positive that this photograph was taken at the same time and location as the photograph posted two weeks ago, Two Brothers. If you look carefully, Robert Waswo is wearing essentially the some clothing, and is sitting on the porch stoop with his pipe.

I scanned this photograph with high resolution, so if you zoom in, there is still excellent detail. I really notice the family resemblance between Grandma Waswo Giermann and my own mother. In later pictures of Grandma Giermann, she loses a lot of weight, and was sickly in her later years.

I also love the stained glass window next to the front door on Minnie's house. My grandmother Lucy T. Waswo, had similar style stained glass on the building she owned on Richard and Ring Streets in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Grandmother Lucy always called it her piano glass. She would tell me a piano should go under the stained glass. Grandmother did not own a piano, and her sofa was beneath the 'piano glass'. I can remember laying on the sofa and watching the sunshine through the 'piano glass" filling the room with color. If we left Grandma Lucy's house in the evening when it was dark, I would look up to see the indoor light illuminating the 'piano glass'. What a beautiful sight it was. That memory will forever live in my mind.

Waswo Family

Date: May 17, 1914
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Occasion: Unknown
Photographer: George Daniel Waswo

Subject:
Top Row (Left to Right): Ernest Wascher, Alma Waswo Wascher, William Moeller, Albert Allen, Minnie Waswo Moeller, Johana Lueth Waswo Giermann.

Bottom Row (Left to Right): Elfrieda Wascher, Ernest Wascher, Walter Moeller, Florence E. Allen.

I have very little information as to the actual location and occasion of this photograph. It was a family get together, perhaps Mother's Day? In the United States, Mother's Day was given official recognition by Congress on May 9, 1914, after efforts by Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This could have also been an engagement or meet the family gathering for my Grandfather George Waswo and Grandmother Lucy Traulsen. My grandparents wed in August, 1915.

Judith Jacob thinks this photograph was taken at Minnie Waswo Moeller's home that was located 79th and Throop Street in Chicago. It could also have been at Johana Waswo Giermann's house. It appears to be photographed in a backyard.

Judith Jacob also shares this tidbit of family history: "It is Ernest Wascher Sr. who is in the picture. My(Judith Jacob) father was Ernest Wascher Jr. By the way, Bill(William) Moeller was the uncle of Ernest Wascher Sr. Bill(William) Moeller was the brother of Anna Elizabeth Moeller who married a Wascher. Bill and Ernest Sr. were not only uncle and nephew, but also brothers-in-law as they married sisters (Minnie Waswo and Alma Waswo). Their children, therefore, were related on both their mothers' side and their fathers' side." This certainly makes tracing the family tree a little easier when one shares more relatives!

And if you are wondering how the Allen children fit into this photograph as well as the family history, Judith Jacob relates the following. I asked why Frederick William Waswo committed suicide, and below is Judith's answer. I have added the information contained in the ( ).

"Fritz(Frederick Waswo) committed suicide for a couple of reasons...depends on who is telling the story. First of all, he had major business reverses in the tavern and in the sausage making business. He had a number of customers who couldn't pay their bar tabs and therefore stopped frequenting his establishment. A worker in the sausage factory sabotaged a whole year's worth of sausage which had to be thrown out. What tipped the scales, supposedly was that Edith (aka Ida Waswo) Allen got a social disease from her husband David Allen. The way Grandma(Alma Waswo Wascher)told the story was that when David Allen (always known from Grandma(Alma Waswo Wascher)as "That rotter, Dave Allen") asked for Edith's hand in marriage. Fritz(Frederick Waswo), knowing of David's reputation, asked him if everything "was all right." When David assured him it was, Edith and David got married(September 18, 1896 in Milwaukee, WI). Shortly after, Edith discovered the problem. According to Grandma(Alma Waswo Wascher), David thought the whole thing was quite funny. Fritz(Frederick Waswo) was so distraught and depressed at all this, he shot himself on April 2, 1896. He left a note saying he was going to do the deed on April 1, but he didn't want to be an April Fool. My grandmother(Alma Waswo Wascher), about age 12, and your grandfather George(George D. Waswo) about age 11, discovered their father's body(Frederick Waswo). Supposedly all was in the newspapers, but I have been unable to find any evidence of that.

Edith and David went on to have several children, at least three of whom were born without any problems one would think they would have if their mother had a social disease. Florence(born: December 28, 1903)(married Dr. Neil Desenis, a dentist), Albert(born: June 4, 1897)(married Marguerite) and George(born: June 1898) (married Margaret.) I would have to check my records to make absolutely sure of the names and dates of all this.

After Edith died(August 15, 1909), David Allen also committed suicide(in 1909). As there were many people out to get him because of his bad behavior, he stood in a window across from a fire station in full view of many firemen and put a gun in his mouth(he did this so no one would be accused of murder). Without parents, the three children were split up. Florence went to live with Bill(William) and Minnie Waswo Moeller. One of the boys, I think Albie(Albert), went to live with his grandmother Johanna Lueth Waswo. George went to live with the Allen family(in-laws). Supposedly Florence and Albie(Albert) had it pretty good, but poor George had to work very hard even as a young lad with the Allens."

I remember hearing essentially the same story from my Grandmother, Lucy T. Waswo and Florence E. Allen Desenis. However, Florence related that both her and Albert went to work at a very early age to support the family. This was customary during this era.

I have also heard the story that David Allen and Edith Ida Waswo eloped to Milwaukee for the wedding before Frederick Fritz Waswo could change his mind about the marriage. David and Edith's marriage certificate is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.