I wonder

 Old photographs are interesting.  

My Great Grandmother (Hadwig) is in this photo on the right.  I have another photo of her taken the same day.  The photo was taken on my Great Grandparents farm.

The fellow on the wood pile is a mystery.  My Great Grandfather (Christian) had crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis and spent most of his time in a chair or on the couch.  My Great Grandmother took care of him.  

Christian is a bit of a mystery himself.  He came to the East Coast on a ship...by himself?...probably not.  Did his family die on the ship?? Maybe.  His name before he was adopted was Christian Higher.  

Anyways back to the wood pile guy...he looks tall and he had a dog that apparently would follow him anywhere.  My Mother did not know who he was.  I will speculate that is was one of my Great Grandmothers children...Louis maybe as he was tall. (My Grandfather Albert was not tall and his two other brothers would have both died by the time this photo was taken.)

I am working on family information this Winter getting bits and pieces of information compiled...Granddaughter Savannah is interested in family history...so it will be shared with her. 

We had a quiet day yesterday, I did some laundry and organized a few things....we watched a movie in the afternoon...Frosted on Netflix...we both fell asleep. 

I made smoked pork chops, smashed potatoes and sweet corn for supper.

Minnesota weather: High was 10 F or -12C  Low was 5F or -15C eh!  Headed into the deep freeze on Thursday and beyond. 

Far Side

A funeral book

 Many of the blog readers had never heard of a Funeral book.  Perhaps it is a Midwest thing?  Anyways when someone dies the Funeral Home gives the family a book.  It has room for all the pertinent information...name, birth, death, location of service and burial...etc...it also serves as a guest book for the mourners to sign. 

This is a look into my Great Grandmothers Funeral book from 1968.  The front is decorated with a golden door and Cala Lilies.

Grandma Hattie

The newspaper clipping and her funeral pamphlet.

A handwritten list of expenses and the people who attended. 

Not much of her information was filled in...so I did it...57 years later.

I do not recall Grandma Hattie.  I recall my Mother going to the nursing home to visit her, nor do I recall the funeral. 

A four generation photo taken in the spring of 1952.  Me and my Mother, my Grandfather Albert and my Great Grandmother Hadwig (Hattie) she was 74 years old in this photo almost the same age as I am now.

Far Side

 

1946 and 1968 Funeral Costs

 While helping my Mother go through "stuff" we have run onto some interesting bits of information. 

Funeral Costs for my Grandfather's parents. 

The 1946 bill for funeral services for My Great Grandfather Christian Drewes total $364.50

The 1968 bill for my Great Grandmother Hatwig (Hattie)  total was $787.00

My thoughts were :  Great Grandpa got flowers , Great Grandma got a vault and underwear ...must have been some fancy underwear too for $3.   The sexton of the cemetery also got a dollar. 

Interesting the things that were kept.  Great Grandpa did not have a funeral book...just a bill. 

My Mother asked "What do we do with the funeral books? Throw them out? "  So I brought three of them home with me...my Great Grandmothers, my Maternal  Grandfathers and my Maternal Grandmothers.  I will have a look through them and pass them down to my baby brother.  My Grandmothers funeral book needs to be updated...so I shall do that. 

I was hoping to find a proper obituary for my Great Grandparents.  I found a newspaper death notice for my Great Grandmother. 

Far Side