The following recollections are from Mary Kaiser Conard, written in 1988, she describes her memories of  her maternal Grandparents as well as her mother and each of her Aunts and Uncles. Please do not copy these or otherwise distribute them without permission from Mary Kaiser Conard.

AUNT BARBARA

 I am guessing possibly this might be a silver anniversary picture.  Here is another very special lady, Aunt Barbara. Married to Uncle Steve, nine years her senior, at aged 25, she took on a ready-made family of eight, then had four of her own.

On the photocopy of the Manifest of Alien Passengers (included), it indicates that daughter Barbara had a deformed hand and an eye infection causing the family's detention at Ellis Island for three days.  At this point in time, I question the wisdom of the bureaucracy of the immigration Services.  It is my understanding they weeded out the eye infections because this often led to blindness, thus eventually to non-productivity. (A thought that has been disproved many times over in recent years.) What in God's name did these people think a family of seven would do?  Dump a helpless 8-year old on to society?  People then took care of their own, and I might add, very capably.  Her deformity consisted of a misplaced finger on her right hand.  A finger grew from the area between forefinger and thumb.  While that finger itself was useless, I understand, she accomplished everything with the remaining Fingers.  All the housewifly chores of a big family.  She could crochet beautifully, and handled a needle and thread as easily as you or I. 

Fate dumped on her once more in her lifetime.  After they were in America for about four years, diphtheria shots were to be given to those who had not had them, and she reacted to the serum.  She spent a time ill, then recuperating, and before the Family realized it, some muscle damage was done to her ankle.  Auntie wore "Granny boots" which were fashionable for awhile, and when they were no longer available at stores, Aunt Clara tells me that Uncle Steve had her buy an orthopedic type shoe.  I could not see alot of difference in them, and what alot of women were wearing. She had a limp. 

Aunt Clara also told me that Dad's nephew, Gottleib Heinrich, took a shine to Aunt Barbara, but Aunt Martha (Kaiser) Heinrich put the "kibosh" on the romance, "Because she is a cripple." Oh how the Heinrichs missed out on that one.  Also that another fellow from their neighborhood liked her (I think his name was Billy Bongartz).  Grandma Klara quashed that because Billy was not a Catholic.  This says something to me: That she must have been as charming in her youth, as I remember her in later life. 

Married the some year as my folks, going to their house was a real blast, as her kids were close in age to all of us.  We played some in the house, but that didn't last too long.  The dirt on the North side of the chickenhouse, where the hens "fluffed" was so perfect for making mudpies.  Sundays we were there, we must have frustrated her fat hens something awful ... She also had some pretty ducks. 

Her spotless home that I remember best was a newly built one, complete with running water.  Their farm was north of WaKeeney.  Aunt Clara tells me financially there were not the dread money worries as there were in our family, as there were active oil wells on the property.  All of their sons, that I know of, were farmers, which leads me to think that Uncle Steve and Aunt Barbara were instrumental in helping set them up.  Both of Aunt Barbara's sons died in accidents; Leonard at aged 33 in a farm accident, and Stephen at 55 in a pickup-camper accident.  Her youngest Dorothy died relatively young, also, from cancer, I was told.  Barbara, 59, (1988) presently lives in WaKeeney. 

Aunt Barbara was my confirmation sponsor.  There's something special about the memory of her warm, protective hand on my shoulder as the Bishop administered the Sacrament. . At which, I might add the confirmandi probably were all scared witless.  We were drilled in the Baltimore #2 Catechism till our heads reeled.  We were told if the Bishop asked a question to which we could not give the correct answer, we were going to have to leave and not receive the sacrament for four more years, for that is about as often as the Bishop came.  We practiced, practiced, practiced, the Confirmation procession and hymns and admonished, "Don't lose your place or your sponsor won't find you when time comes." 

Ridiculous!  Our sponsors went into the pews right behind us, and the nuns acted as though

our sponsors were complete idiots. . that one could not step behind the candidate they we're sponsoring.

She was kind.  She'd never back me up against her daughter, Barbara, and ask, "Why don't you hurry up and grow?" like Aunt Rosey did sometimes with her daughter, Theresa.

It was from Aunt Barbara and Uncle Steve that we got the little white dog that was such a big part of our growing up.  That little dog sat under the table at mealtimes and ate more of my "Schpeck " (fat) that I did, and was admonished to eat, "So you grow." 

I remember her best with beautiful, silky red-auburn hair.  She smiled alot and easily.  She was a good cook and she came the day before Bob and I were married and helped prepare our wedding supper.  We shared a bed the last night I was single. 

I think, from her I learned the truth that it's not what you have (a deformed hand or stiff ankle) that makes you what you are.  I don't recall I ever gave those things much thought.  This I do know; she gave true meaning to words like "good" and beautiful. 

By Mary Kaiser Conard, 1988