Unknown, Magdalena

Magdalena married WALDHAUSER, Andreas [End of Branch] Bef 1795. Andreas was born Bef 1777; died Bef 1877. [Group Sheet]

Katharina married Gaschler, Michael [End of Branch] Bef 1819. Michael was born Abt 1794; died 7 Mar 1860, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania. [Group Sheet]

Johann married ARTMANN, Anna 30 Jan 1842, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania. Anna (daughter of ARTMANN, Georg [End of Branch] and AUGUSTINE, Theresia) was born 21 Jul 1823, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania; died 6 Oct 1888, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania. [Group Sheet]

Theresia married BAUMGARTNER, Franz 9 Feb 1868, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania. Franz (son of BAUMGARTNER, Josef and Gaschler, Barbara) was born 26 May 1838, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania; died Bef 1938. [Group Sheet]

Johann married Baumgartner, Anna 6 Feb 1870. Anna was born 15 Feb 1854; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Alt. Birth: 1 Dec 1862; Date
• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen

Notes:

Biography:
Funeral Service notes show birth date as 12/03/1868
Grandma Klara (Baumgartner)If you look at the picture of Grandma, she didn't change too much in loo ks from when the family picture was taken to the time I saw her last. A b it more stooped, and in later years the addition of glasses. She is weari ng the traditional black Sunday dress of married women of our European Ger man Culture. There is only one uncharacteristic thing about the photo . .. The quietly folded hands. I keep expecting to see a rosary sprout ther e, or a crochet hook or some type of work. She always wore long dresse s, and while the color and print and Fabric type varied ', the style was u sually pretty much the same. Button front bodices, long sleeves in wint er sometimes 3/4 sleeves in the summer with easy fitting semi-full skirt s. Collars were of a varying style, maybe a peter-pan, a square cut spo rt type and sometime a ruffled one. Usually, in later years, her Sunday d ress was of a silky Feeling fabric, the one I remember best was navy blu e, With white pindots, and oh, there was one dark green with white print t hat I thought the material felt so nice on. She loved sharp contras ts in colors, so her cotton day to day dresses were more colorful. Usual ly of a subdued background, but with bright tasteful little flowers or geo metric all over print. Long cotton stockings and sensible black tied hoe s. No dainty hankies for this Grandma. A big white one. What money s he carried, was tied in the corners. . coins in one corner, folding mon ey in another, and her black rosary tied in the third. She might have h ad a purse, but I can't remember one. I can't remember if she wore any ki nd of jewelry, though she appears to have a small pin at her throat in t he family photo. (A real Queen doesn't need such ... she's regal without g ems)
Her hair was waist length, which was parted in the middle of her head, a ll the way from forehead to neck nape, then braided in two long braids. Th ese were then wrapped in a coil, low on the back of her head then fasten ed with celluloid large hairpins and curved combs kept the sides neat. S he uncoiled the braid's to sleep, and took the braids down each morning a nd combed this all out as we watched in fascination. Even Uncle Engelbe rt cannot remember when she wasn't a short fat little lady. She would s it quietly while we played house games around her. One of the games we en joyed alot was hide the thimble. She and one of my sisters conspired a nd the thimble was placed in the center of that braid coil of Grandma's ha ir. It stayed there, while Grandma crocheted on. Oh! How the re st of us searched and searched, then had to give up. The thimble was in p lain sight, placed like a candle in a Christmas wreath, and how they bo th laughed.
By the time I was old enough to remember her well, she was already havi ng problems with her right hip, and always carried a cane. She always us ed the lowest chair we had. The rocker in her room, where she spent mo st of her life very busily working on some project, was low and armless. ( She spoke German naturally with her family, and how much we missed by n ot knowing the language.)
Grandma spent some summers with us while I was growing. Enjoyed playing S olitaire when she had no partner and Rummy when she did. Frances was alwa ys ready for a game of Rummy. She'd get Grandma seated facing the ligh t, then read Grandma's hand reflected in Grandma's glasses. They played f or "blood". I'd hear, "You -darn kid." from Grandma, and "You cheated." f rom Frances, when one or the other would "go out" and "set" the other wi th a large hand full of cards. I was always too chicken-hearted to play c ards. I couldn't stand to beat Grandma. I didn't like to always be beate n, so I didn't get the cards out. That she and Frances cheated each oth er to win, I'm nor sure of, but they accused each other of it often enough .
Another expression stays with me. . ."You haff not to cry. " Mom saw o ne of Rose's friends hide a pint of whiskey in the alley behind the dan ce hall. She told Rose that she could not go to the regularly held Saturd ay night dance over at the Zeman Hall. Rose didn't know why Mom was bei ng so "unreasonable" and, of course, disappointed, started to raise furio us objections and cry. There's no doubt in my mind that Grandma knew wh y, because Mom probably already told her in German.
Mom had a lot of responsibility, as Dad was often away the whole summ er at jobs, and Mom worked out a lot too. I 'm sure now that's part of w hy Grandma spent summers with us.. to keep us out of serious mischief, tho ugh we'd never have known that.
I remember well, Freddie likes to make things with a coping saw. He'd c ut out a teapot, fastened on a couple of cup hooks for Mom to hang by t he stove for her potholders. This was cut from the end of a fruit box. Gr andma set him to making one for her. He brought it in to show her, and a sk if it had been sanded enough to paint. In his excitement the thing fli pped out of his hand and onto the floor, breaking off the teapot's handl e. Freddy was just shattered, he'd worked so long already. The two of th em heated a nail and burned tiny holes in either side of the wood and glu ed in match sticks to hold the thing together again, and with a coat of bi lious green paint, Grandma went home with a teapot shaped pot holder ra ck in her box to hang by her kitchen range.
I say "box" because I can't remember her with a suitcase. She had her "'t hings" in a box. If she had a suitcase, I wasn't aware of one, because th at box was the interesting thing she brought with her. In there were brig ht cotton pieces she cut and sewed together to make quilt blocks. Croch et hooks and cotton ... she didn't crochet with "book written" direction s. She studied a picture for awhile, then crochet the object portraye d. At 72 she could still crochet with fine and every colored threads. We 'd ask, "Grandma, what are you making?" She'd answer, "I crochet for fass ar (bazaar)." She was a member of St. Mary's Mothers Group, comprised main ly of a group of older women who could no longer participate in the more a ctive projects of moneymaking for the parish. These ladies did their pa rt by making things for scale at the church bazaar. One summer she was ma king balls and Oh! how each of us coveted one. She made striped ones, a nd using two threads crochet together veri-colored ones. She would ta ke a jingle bell from a discarded toy, wrap around it old material that w as no longer useful for putting into rugs and quilts and around this ba se is what she crochets the pretty cover. There may still be one aroun d. There was one in Mom's dome top trunk that Frances inherited after Mom ma died. I suppose Mom kept it to use for a pattern, or more likely we g ot to fighting over it, and she took the noise as long as she could and co nfiscated it.
I had almost forgotten about it, when after Mom died, Frances and I were t alking about Mom's wedding dress, and she said, "You've still got it." I s aid, "No, it should still be in Mom's trunk." We were at a lull time betwe en cow chores, and I said, "it must be, have you looked?"' Frances got t he key and we went to the basement to open the (now her's) trunk. The fir st thing she saw was that little ball. She picked it up and hugged it to h er. At that moment the memories came flooding back ... I couldn't begrud ge her that little treasure. She and Leroy had sacrificed so much to ca re for Mom, and Mom gave her the trunk and its contents. I write this n ow to preserve the memories ... many more are probably tucked away in obje cts in the inside of that trunk... Yes, the wedding dress was still there.
For "Fassar" she also made the three-piece chair sets ... the kind that a re placed on over-stuffed furniture to protect the arms and back rests, bu ffet sets, doilies, fancy pin cushions and novelties of all sorts for sal e. For her own house and for family she also tore up old clothing and croc het sturdy rag rugs.... round ones, oblongs, hexagons. Her favorite rug ho ok was one Uncle Jake (her son) fashioned from some very heavy wire, wo rn smooth as silver from hours of use. You can tell which granddaughters s he taught their first crochet stitches. She carried her hook under her pal m, as opposed to the modern crochet learning books that use the hook he ld like a pencil. ..over the palm. I can't recall that she did much embroi dery, though I know she finished a lot of our summer tea towel and hank ie projects we too soon dropped for other pursuits.
She taught us simple pastimes, like using a piece of string tied in a lo op and manipulating this till it seemed almost hopelessly snarled, then o ne loop over the finger, one tug and it was off your hand ... how to ma ke shadow animals on the wall, both in the lamplight and in the light comi ng from the window on the floor. How to play jacks with stones and a larg er rock. You really had to be fast, for a rock didn't bounce.
Sunday she spent with her prayers, perhaps a nap and reading her German ne wspapers that she brought with her ... I think it was called, "Familienbla t". When we'd ask her to sew doll clothes on Sunday, she told us, "What y ou sew on Sunday, the devil will make you rip out with your nose." A beaut ifully quaint way of saying, "Sewing is considered servile work. If y ou do this on Sunday, you can expect to go to hell for not keeping the Lor d's day Holy."
She liked flowers. I can still see her bending over tie 4 o'clocks picki ng seeds from the plants of the color she liked', and tying these see ds in a little square of cloth. I now can't look at a 4 o'clock without h earing her say, "The seed looks like rat shit." Maybe t hat's how she reme mbered what every seed bundle she made. How she ever did is a mystery, f or I can't remember her marking anything.
She didn't often cook at our house, but some of the things she did, I'll t ry to put down. I remember the strudel only once. She instructed Mom on h ow to put the dough ingredients together, then she and Mom put the dou gh on the table over clean cloths, and she and Mom put their hands under t he dough, and stretched and stretched until it was paper thin, and cover ed the whole table. Then they sliced apples very thin, mixed with cinnam on and sugar, and spread this all over the top. They used the cloths to r oll this together, much like a cinnamon roll is done ... baked... and Pres to! Food for the Gods. There was my favorite "Kaas Perogi" (Or Kess Knap hala, as the Kaiser's say). Flour mixed with egg to produce something li ke cut noodle dough rolled out in a large sheet. This was cut into abo ut 4x4 inch squares. A mixture of dry cottage cheese, eggs and salt was p ut in the center of the squares by rounded teaspoonful, then these squar es were sealed into triangular packets, boiled until the noodle dough w as done, drained and put in a large hot iron skillet in which was bacon gr ease or butter and gently turned over and over until all was deliciously c oated. Cut up leftovers with beaten egg over them were a treat too. Rose 's favorite was "Dawchala" It was simply grated potatoes with a little flo ur mixed in and put on a hot griddle until both sides were a golden brow n, then served with a smearing of thick sour cream. Grandma would stand a nd grate potatoes and fry Dawchala until we were stuffed like toads. Of c ourse, there was " Halushas". ...stuffed cabbage leaves. I didn't like th em, but everyone else did. Grandma could cut egg noodles as thin as a thr eat that went into chicken soup, and I might add here that everything on t he chicken was used, but the bill, talons, feathers and comb. The head w as cleaned of feathers and combs. .(and eyes) and the head boiled along wi th the rest. The feet were scalded, the yellow heavy skin taken off, talo ns removed ... and into the pot. These latter, I really liked. There was n't much there, but tasty nonetheless. Nobody knew about carcinogens, chol esterol etc. nor did we care. We ate it because it was put before us . .. a supper of watermelon and bread would shock the pants off a nutritioni st today.... as would a breakfast of coffee with lots of cream (or boil ed milk) and apple butter on bread, but those were things we liked and enj oyed to the fullest.Bob and I went to her house to invite her to our wedding, and she said, "W hen I feel good, I come." I secretly hoped she might, but when Uncle Paul 's car came and she wasn't with him, was sorely disappointed. She did s ee two of our three children.Bob found me one Monday noon, standing in the middle of the kitchen wi th a "weekenddelayed" telegram that said, "Grandma Schuster passed away this morning, F uneral Tuesday." Attached to this was a note that read, "The Western Uni on at Helena tried to call this telegramto you during the weekend, but due to the fact that the phone exchange o ut here (Danvers) was closed, they were unable to relay it to you."
Maybe it was just as well that I was not there to see her one last time. .. She lives on; in these words I have placed on paper, perhaps for you . .. I know that she does in my memories of this beautiful lady God ga ve me to call, "Grandma".

------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -----------------------------------------------------------
Go to Grandma's house." You didn't have to be asked twice. Always on Chri stmas and Easter. We'd top the rise, and, it never failed . . ."I see Gran dma's house first. " Then an argument about who did, all the way to the ya rd.
You entered at the door of the screened in porch, each carrying somethi ng for the celebration. Straight-ahead was the door into the house…to t he right was the porch swing. It must have been worn thin by the time we w ere all grown. To the left was a door, but that lead to Uncle Paul's roo m, and no one ever went through that door.
Though the main door and to the right was a big table, with chairs arou nd and a bench on the backside. Behind the bench was the double window wi th a stand in front where Grandma kept her "cheranies" (geraniums). In t he corner was the radio and lots of reading, including pulp cowboy and det ective magazines. Also, a kerosene lamp. Immediately to the left of the r adio corner was the door that led to the second story stairs. "Off Limits ." Now going around the rest of the room; the kerosene stove sat against t he stairwell wall. Then the pantry door... inside all sorts of nice spi cy smells. On the west wall was the big kitchen range and Grandma's bedro om door. On the South wall was the kitchen cabinet, to the left of whi ch stood the washstand with waterbucket and basin. A truly large and invit ing room.
Grandma's Room… Wide open as her heart to her "kids" of all ages. She w as always in her rocker at the North window. Her bed to the right of t he rocker. I suppose some chests of drawers.... there were her trunk s. A small stove back to back with the kitchen range in the kitchen, thou gh I don't remember a fire in it at any time I was there. . . and the wind -up Victrola with records. My Favorite--"The Big Rock Candy Mountain." Ir onic as it may seem, some years later I married a man who liked the song t oo as a kid ... only he simply called it, "The Bum Song". Just the ki nd of ingenious machine that should never have been replaced with electr ic motors and increased volume controls. We soon bored of the re-crankin g, and left it alone.... but we just had to mess with it for a little whil e. Gramma just had to be the most important thing in that room, as the fu rniture placement is rather vague. In the center of the south wall was t he "boys" room door, and by the time I knew the house well, it was Uncle P aul's room. Uncle Bert and Aunt Iva's room (yes, it was their home als o) was upstairs. I only remember being in Uncle Paul's room once and th at was to see the picture of Grandpa. It was only a thumb sized pri nt of his head posted to an ornate soldier's body on a certificate of sor ts ... and of course written in German (I wish I now knew the language ). Grandpa had been a cobbler in the Austrian Army, I'm told.
I seem to remember a china cupboard, but don't remember where it stood, th ough the cream separator sat in the southeast corner of the kitch en . . .. "Stay out from the back of there where the gears are, or you wi ll leave your dress full of oil."
The house showed lots of Gramma's handiwork. There were the crochet ru gs made from colorful rag strips. I know how, and have made them, becau se she showed me. She also made some in hexagon pattern. . put together l ike shingling in applique. These were made or heavy wool scraps. Sudden ly I can't remember if there were pictures on the wall. There probably wa s, but I didn't notice them. I remember oilcloth on the table. The ceilin gs, as I recall were wainscoting. I can't remember if the walls were pain ted or papered, or what they were. Small matter. It was the Garden of Ed en cause Gramma was there.
Now go back to the cement step outside the screen door. I don't rememb er the house any color but white. You will be facing South. To the Sou th East a ways was the water well and pump. I think there was a garden sp ace East of the pump towards the draw... to the North was the chicken-hou se and smoke house, rock bottomed and wooden tops and that dam toilet. .. perhaps built in the old country manner. It was a one-holer no pit. .. just an opening with a wooden cover to clean out the residue and p ut it on the fields. If the boys wanted to aggravate the girls, they ju st pulled off the back opening and stood there giggling. Nobody want ed to bare their behinds to that. Usually someone went yelling to the hou se tattling, instead of the older girls taking on those boys, and always s omeone came in a hurry to the rescue. I can't remember anyone getting a g ood spanking at Gramma's, but I'll bet there were some after they got ho me for not behaving at Gramma's house.
Now still standing on the step, you look a short ways to the Southwest a nd there is the root cellar (also used in Kansas for cyclone protection ). ."Stay out of it, and off the door." Everyone did. In line with the ro ot cellar, way across the yard was the barn with a sort of work shop attac hed, and due west quite a ways was the hog sheds. In that direction al so were the feed stacks. My guess is... either young milo, maise or so me other cane type plant. I can't remember graineries, but there must ha ve been.
Step off the stoop now, and go down the narrow sidewalk to the end of t he house. There was Gramma's flower garden. It was fenced and strictl y, "Off Limits" I don't remember trees and lawn ... who needed them? ... N ot many people had them with just a gas-fired pump-jack. With all this "O ff limits" business, what was there to do? We kids made our own fun and th at was no problem with a slug of kids almost all the same age. All I kno w, was that the days just weren't long enough, before Daddy was saying, "T ell Gramma goodbye" and Mom carried out all the empty dishes, and Uncle Pa ul joked about eating leftovers for a week.
Some things are certain: I am not alone in my thoughts and memories of th is house. I've been told, "You wouldn't recognize the place now. The hou se has been completely remodeled by Uncle Red and Aunt Iva's son, Mike." T hat is as it should be. . for if this were not true, the house wou ld be as so many other farm houses. . deteriorating and empty, with gapi ng window holes. One fact stands out most. ..Gramma had no "Off Limits" p laces in her life for any of this is what a Gramma's house is all about.
Mary (Kaiser) Conard 1984

Alt. Birth:
From Aunt Gay's records

Klara married SCHUSTER, Ferdinand 12 Oct 1890, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania. Ferdinand (son of SCHUSTER, Jakob and Mueller, Barbara) was born 1 Nov 1865, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania; died 21 Jul 1912, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Frank married Augustine, Elisabeth 29 Jul 1900, Voivodeasa, Suceava, Romania. Elisabeth (daughter of AUGUSTIN, Josef and POELMAN, Anna) was born 26 Oct 1885, Furstenthal, Voivodeasa, , Romania; died 24 Jan 1960, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Other Info or Events: Ancestry Chart
• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• 1910 Census: 1910, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• Naturalization: 21 Sep 1915; Declaration of Intent
• 1920 Census: 1920, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• 1930 Census: 1930, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• 1940 Census: 1940, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• Obituary: Aft 17 May 1980
• Biography: Abt 1988; Biographical Recollection by Mary Conard

Notes:

Naturalization:
Name: Frank Wenzel Schuster
Birth Date: 21 Jun 1891
Naturalization Date: 21 Sep 1915
Age at Naturalization: 24

1930 Census:
Frank W Schuster38
Rosa Schuster27
Louis Schuster7
Willie Schuster6 [5]
Freddie Schuster4 [4 3/12]
Thressa Schuster1 [1 8/12]
Jacob Schuster26

Biography:
UNCLE FRANK Just 21, when his Father died, he seemed to be "the man of the family" (fr om stories Mom has told) until which time Uncle Paul was older ... he rema ined unmarried all his life, and seemed to look after Grandma's business i nterests, during my growing up years.I'm told it was Uncle Frank who planned and built the addition to Grandma 's house.If you look at the photo of the house, the part to the left of the screen ed in porch seems to be an original, two rooms with a loft. Uncle Frank a dded the piece that "T's" the original. At first the porch was not enclos ed with screen. From what I can gather, he and Aunt Rosey lived at Grandm a's after their marriage, because Theresia had this to say about how you m ake money.
It seems Uncle Jake trapped skunks for their pelts, and as a result, he wa sn't so great smelling all the time, and Aunt Rosey complained about "stin k". All this Uncle Jake took without a word. (You know when you stink .) I would imagine that if he was home, he was needed to help with the wor k, and any money that was "made on the farm" had to stay with the farm, a nd skunk trapping was a way to make some pocket money for Jake. At any rat e, when the mailman brought the check for the pelts, Uncle Jake waved it u nder Aunt Rosey's nose and asked, "Now does this stink?" Mom always sai d, "Never criticize how much a job "smells" for which you earn your dai ly bread. The people that you have to worry about are the "stinkers" w ho become rich on the backs of others."
I guess I would describe Uncle Frank as being rather aloof. Gad! How he a nd Dad could argue. . over nothings, as far as I could see, but then we di dn't stick around much where the "old folks" were. Aunt Rosey was swee t. She always looked nice and she was a "town lady", as we kids called i t. She didn't have a chicken house in the back yard, her front yard had f lowers, trees and a lawn. I don't know just when they moved to Ellis, a nd think that Uncle Frank worked as a carpenter and finisher.
He and Aunt Rosey are Baptism Godparents to Freddie, Rose and I, as Nick a nd Theresiaare to Bill, Theresa and Richard, three of their five children. The oth er two are Louis and Frederick.
He must have been a thoughtful person. When we were small children, he bu ilt Rose and I each a doll bed. I still have mine that I converted in to a magazine rack.
We girls didn't hang around uncles much, and we didn't see Uncle Frank a nd Aunt Rosey much after we passed our early teens. I can't say, as I rea lly know much about him.
Up until 1988, they are the only Schuster couple that I know of for sure t hat celebrateda Golden Anniversary. I am speaking in-terms of Mom's family here, a nd in the year of 1988 there is only one couple left that still may g et to the "Golden" Uncle Englebert and Aunt Iva. They may have already, b ut no mention was made of it to me.
By Mary Kaiser Conard 1988

Frank married ASCHENBRENNER, Rosalia 15 Nov 1921, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. Rosalia (daughter of ASCHENBRENNER, John and AUGUSTIN, Barbara) was born 11 Feb 1903, Wakeeney, Trego, Kansas, USA; died 25 Nov 1973, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA; was buried 27 Nov 1973, St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• Biography: Aft 6 Jan 1980
• Prayer Card: Aft 6 Jan 1980

Notes:

Biography:
AUNT MARY, I never see a photo of Aunt Mary without thinking, "garden", and she alwa ys seemed to have a big one ...big as her heart, for she was always willi ng to share with anyone who'd had a hailed, drouthed out or hopper-eaten g arden. I can't believe it was because she had a choicer garden spot do wn below the windmill at her place, in a protected shallow draw. I just t hink that God gave some of us a special love of plants and growing thin gs and this was one of her gifts. She was the first of the Schuster gir ls married, at age 24 to Uncle Joe Locker ... 13 years her seni or .. . in 1916. (Her younger sister, Stephanie, at aged 19 married Unc le Joe's brother Lou, three months later.)
I heard her described once as "the least pretty" of the Schuster sister s, and I did a real double take. I never thought of Aunt Mary as anythi ng but beautiful. Her smiling face always beamed a welcome, and always wh en we dropped in there were treats in the cupboard. She once explaine d, "I always get so hungry when I travel."
I have a snapshot of Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary taken in the front yard of th eir place, but we never, went in that way, or sat in the living room to vi sit. The back door was where we went to find busy Aunt Mary doing somethi ng...and when you got inside her door, the most natural place to gravita te was to the dining room table by the East window for that cup of coff ee ... and a visit with her and the family. There were Mary and Anna, bo th schoolteachers, who were away at jobs alot of the time, and the boys, J oey and Lawrence.
I once remarked to Mom, "Boy! Her house sure shines all the time." Mom sa id, "Yes, I know, but there were "times". She'd work like a beaver getti ng everything all spruced up, then Uncle Joe would bring in harness to men d.
We didn't go visiting much during school year, so many of my memories of A unt Mary include Aunt Mary's donning her white bandanna (spotless, I mig ht add) and reaching for a paring knife. A warm vine-ripened tomato, a ta sty cucumber, and a vine-ripened melon ... Oh! -those were the things unri valed in taste. "Here is a new variety I want you to taste." They a ll tasted the same ... Super Good.
At aged 59 she laid Uncle Joe to rest and sometime after this, she moved i nto Ellis, next door to Aunt Fanny's, cared for by her daughter Anna.
The last time I saw her, her memory wasn't so good. We sat together on t he soft sofa and still felt her love. Mary Kaiser she found there, but n ot Mary Conard a grown woman with three grown children.I've always said each of my mother's sisters gave me something special, a nd from her I'm sure it was true appreciation of growing things ... especi ally those that nourished and sustained life.

By Mary Kaiser Conard 1988

Mary married Locker, Joseph 16 Nov 1916, , , Kansas, USA. Joseph (son of Locker, Joseph and Keister, Mary) was born 10 Dec 1879, Alsace-Lorraine, France; died 1 Dec 1951, Hays, Ellis, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• Obituary: Aft 9 Jun 1978; Ellis Review

Notes:

Biography:
THERESIA, This, of course, is the one of Klara and Ferdinand's children that I wou ld know the most about. She shared my life since birth and I called her " Momma" when I was little and Mom later.
The bridal gown that she wears in this photo, she made hersel f. It is of silk crepe, embroidered with white seed pearls. . waltz lengt h. Her tiny feet are encased in white satin pumps adorned with a white si lk "pouf" . Her jewelry is a locket, given to her when she and Dad were co urting, but I am getting ahead of myself in the stories. Their wedding w as a simple affair, Aunt Clara tells me. Mass at St. Mary's in Ellis in J anuary. Snap shows wind-blown dresses, but no snow on the ground. Their " carriage" was Uncle Mike's new car (which he drove) complete with glass in stead of isinglass windows. They were attended by Gottleib Heinrich (Dad 's nephew) and Aunt Barbara (Mom's sister). Aunt Clara says they just h ad a nice dinner with the family. She didn't say if or how many Kaisers w ere there, as Schuster's didn't seem to be given to "big blowout" celebrat ions.
She went to work of an early age. She spoke of a time when she was eleve n, working for a farm family. She'd been home over Sunday, and this fami ly came to get her and by the time they reached that house it was past sun down. The chicken house was dark, but she was sent to collect the eggs an yway, without a lantern. She reached into the nest, and to her terror, s he grasped and let go quickly of a large snake, filled with swallowed h en eggs. In my growing up years, the hoe was always very handy during t he warm weather, and no snake of any size was given quarter or mercy in o ur yard.
When she went to Ellis to work, she first worked for Waldo's then in ti me began to work for a banker's family named "Nichelson". Aunt Clara tel ls me. "Theresia had it good there, She had her own room, with a nice cro chet white bedspread on her bed. She learned to cook "good" because the Ni chelson's had everything to cook with. They let me come in and spend t he day with her sometimes, and play with the kids. There was only three k ids at first then a fourth.
I am guessing alot more rubbed off on Theresia ... how to set a table prop erly, the graciousness of a lovely big home. To use linen tablecloths a nd silver service ... Yes, she probably ironed those tablecloths too ... d ifferent from farm kitchens that mostly had oilcloth. These people also e ncouraged her to read, not only in the more familiar German but Engli sh as well.
Grandma Klara collected Theresia's wages every week when she brought the c ream and eggs to town. This money helped out to raise the younger childre n, and I would guess defray the cash costs of the farm. Because it was cu stom, Theresia was given one day a week and church time off, as we ll as an occasional Sunday. She stayed at Nichelsons on her days off, a nd Mrs. Nichelson gave her extra money for doing such things as crocheti ng edges on linens, embroidery and cutwork, hemstitching and such. This m oney she squirreled away and in time was able to buy herself a White Rota ry sewing machine, a dome topped trunk which she filled with nice things f or herself (a hope chest); a set of silver flatware; a Kodak Camera with b ellows and fabric for her own clothes. She was a valued employee, f or it was told to me that the Nichelsons offered her lifetime employment w ith them and a stipend for care in her older years if she would stay unt il the family was raised.
Theresia and Nick were introduced by Mom's friend, Mary (Ziegler) Renge l. Aunt Clara called Mary Rengel, "an untiring matchmaker". It is assum ed that Mary (a German Russian) probably knew other German Russians amo ng who were Uncle John and Aunt Theresia Kaiser. They lived and worked f or a time in Ellis ... John with the railroad. Also assuming Daddy visit ed Uncle John's for I have no knowledge that he ever worked in Ellis. Tran sportation from Park to Ellis was not too much a problem by then, as tra in rides were very available, however by this time (1920-21) Daddy had h is own car ... a Dodge. I have heard Dad referred to as "a high-steppe r" and Aunt Emma called him, "quite a lover-boy."
His photos show a good-looking man, and I understand, quite popular. Popul ar enough to have had a paternity suit slapped on him, and spent some ti me in the hoosegow, because he refused to. . ."Marry the mother of someo ne else's kid." This is probably a good reason why he sought a wife outsi de of his own "Kamradschaffen". He was a generous man, sometimes to a fau lt. He bought his bride to-be a ruby ring, a wristwatch and a locket, a ll of which she wore when she went to church at Park with him on the thi rd Sunday of their announcement of Banns. He gleefully reported a whisp er he overheard "She must anyhow be a school teacher, she wears a wrist wa tch."
Theresia, frugal and hard working was just about what was needed to try (t hough I don't think she ever did fully) to tame this macho, rainbow-chasin g, butterfly of a man. She one time said. "He was always looking for som ething golden over the next hill." "I'd just get one bedbug infested ho le cleaned up and livable, then he wanted to go someplace else, inste ad of knuckling down and making it where we were." I think the turnarou nd came in their marriage ... at least when he started listening to her so und reasoning ... when they'd been married for about seven years and had f our children. . I was just born. There was a foreclosure on land Dad h ad purchased "on a handshake" the previous year. The year following, wh en it came time to make the payment, he was also confronted with the mortg ages the previous owner had taken on the land, which of course, they cou ld not handle. Mom told me that they were not left completely destitut e. There were good people. Paul Herl just quietly came and chased the ca ttle into his herd. Uncle Mike Zimmerman drove off with the car. The mon ey changers came, sold off what there was and Mom and Dad were out of farm ing for good. Paul sold the cattle along with his and returned the mone y, and eventually Uncle Mike brought their car back. Oh yes, he always lo nged to go back to the land, I'm sure. He enjoyed the farm jobs he had, b ut one must work all year around to feed and clothe a young family. So on after, came the dust storms and the depression. Acquiring land was th en an impossibility.
Mom must have, after this, kept a real tight lid on things. They seldom h ad much money, but they didn't have debts either, just a couple that I rem ember that Mom worried about. A truck that took almost all of his wage s. . she bought home the beans for awhile, and a new Maytag washer. This l atter because-- the Health Department told her they could get out from und er quarantine after Frances had scarlet fever after the house was scrubb ed down and everything was laundered. The last time was to finance the ho me they retired to, and she moved from, to Frances and LeRoy's before h er final illness and death. Yes, a family car was also occasionally finan ced but payments were generally in the range that Mom's earnings could cov er... if Dad decided "sousing"' with his "friends" was more important th an his obligations to his family. I ask myself how many lives would ha ve been so much more pleasant without alcohol? I'm not saying a convivi al type of drinking is wrong. ..that's up to the individual. Even Jesus C hrist used wine at the Last Supper. He condemned no man, for he said, " It is not what goes into the body that defiles it, it is what comes ou t. I interpret that to mean that it is not liquor that is wrong, but how y ou use it, how it makes you behave when you do, and who is affected by it 's use.
Aunt Clara described Mom once as "clever", and I know she was, in spi te of the fact that the cash money she brought home was from domestic wo rk ... washing walls, mending, sewing, butchering chickens, etc. Were we p oor? I certainly never felt so. We had a good up-bringing. Taug ht to be honest in our dealings with everyone and hopefully ourselves. Th is meant learning instead of cheating at school; that there was no free ri de to anywhere; to save for the things we wanted; to chose when we spent o ur own money; the best value for the pennies we spent and that there we re times you never took money for something you did for another. We alwa ys had our penny for the collection plate on Sunday, furnished at fir st by our parents, and later from our own earnings. We lad a little musta rd jar apiece in Mom's trunk for depositing savings. Part of our sitter 's money had to go into that little jar to be spent on tablets and penci ls for school, and our summer's money (when we were old enough to work ou t) went for school clothes, and if we had enough for books. We really lea rned to take care of our books, for there was a good brisk trade goi ng on in schoolbooks at the beginning of school.
We also learned valuable lessons without being aware we were being taug ht lessons for "life". In her book, there were a few cardinal sins. To m isbehave in school; to play hooky; to take something that didn't belo ng to you ... and that included what belonged to your sisters and brothe rs ... (She said, in a good one-liner, " You KNOW what's yours, so keep yo ur hands off the rest "); borrowing at school; to sass our elders or be de liberately unkind to other kids; to laugh at another's misfortune; to cu ss or use God's name in anything but prayer. . and to leave the yard witho ut permission. The biggest sin we could commit in her book was to do some thing that she didn't want us to do, then to lie about it. We could sin a gainst her rules, but barely, if we told her we had overstepped the bounda ry. Then we might get a lecture, but Boy! , if we lied about it, we cou ld expect heavy punishment. She said we needed double because we did t wo bad things. . we didn't mind for one, and lied for two. Paddling and s itting on the chair for a while to think about what we'd done ... and in r are cases to say over and over, "I will not lie again." when we were young er, and grounding when we were older... Her grounding really hurt, for s he made it long enough for one to remember.
"Clever" I would say she was. Hand-me-downs were altered to fit each pers on who wore them ... and we all did. If the material was real good, she c hanged it with some sort of decoration she'd made herself or ric-rack or l ace or something she'd ripped off something else, washed and ironed, th en turned over to the brightest side. I never, as long as she had anythi ng to do with what I put on, wore an ill-fitting garment ... or one that w as spotted or dirty, or unpressed, for that matter.
Home was not a place to go when there was no place else to be .. Mom kn ew with seven people living together the place could become unlivable in j ust two days, if everyone didn't clean up after themselves. I can still h ear her say, "Do you know where you got it?" We were expected to put ba ck anything we dragged out ... I still don't do so hot in that quarter . .. Dirty clothes went into the wash basket, we were, expected to hang up o ur coats, change our school clothes after school and get after our chore s. The boys, to bring in kindling coal and water. The girls had jobs li ke setting the table, washing dishes, Folding clothes and simple flat piec es of ironing. Sometimes when we got home from school, and she had the cl othes folded, each person's in a pile, we were expected to put them awa y. We each had a section in stacked orange crates. Once when I asked h er to teach me to cook, she said, "No, I won't teach you how to coo k. "I have to cook for Dad, and nobody I know eats like your Dad." "Sa ve your learning for on the man you marry, and cook like he likes it ." We did make cakes for Sunday dinner, and cookies for school lunches som etimes, but I'm convinced she abhorred the wasting of a grain of flo ur or a drop of milk, that she just couldn't stand to see us leave a table spoon of flour spilled on the cabinet ... that should have been in the coo kies or cake.
Other memorable one liners: "The winter is long." this when we complain ed about washing jars and helping fix produce, for winter's canning . .. or picking the bugs off the potatoes with a can of kerosene in one han d, and a little stick in the other to knock the ugly beasties into the ca n. "if you burn your butt, you sit on the blister." A short blunt less on in chastity. In other words ... You fool around and get pregnant, y ou suffer all the consequences, for there's no extra money around he re to spirit you off to Denver or Kansas City to hide your shame ... or yo ur burgeoning stomach. She said, "There's no shame in a few patches, b ut dirt is another story.." I can still hear her say. . ."Wash your neck a nd ears." That meant. . . Everything ... or "Only a slop puts a silk dre ss over dirty underwear." meaning the prettiest dress can't hide the gri me and smell underneath. "Keep the floor swept, the beds made and the dis hes washed and you don't have to be ashamed of your house, even if the pri est walks in." I know darn well that meant clean curtains, washed window s, dusted furniture ... the whole nine yards ... in her book.
Another choice one: 'The cow has a birthday too." We got that in answer t o, "What am I going to get for my birthday?" We celebrated one birthday . .. Christ's. More: "People can take just about anything you have, but th ey can't take your learning." Thus she spoke of the value of an educatio n. "Finish your High School." In other words, a college education we can 't guarantee there will be money for, but get all you can, while you ca n. It turned out that any of us that expressed a desire for further schoo ling got it, for we each helped the other along. Since Frances did not wa nt to go further, they told me that I could live and work and save, a nd in October they'd take what I could save to help pay off the last $500. 00 of the house mortgage. (We did it the old fashioned way ... we earned i t.)
On marriage: "Marry a nigger if you want to, but make sure you want to spe nd the rest of your life with who you choose." This was not to cost aspers ions on those of another race, it was to point out that marriage in the be st of circumstances was a difficult adjustment ... in other words ... We' re not going to choose your mate, but you'd better be satisfied with yo ur choices or don't make one you can't live with.'
Self educated herself ... she used the books we kids brought home, and esp ecially with Johnnie for he was the First, she was appalled by wasted oppo rtunities. She once said, "I did Okay, until Johnnie brought home an Alge bra book, and there was something I couldn't do without someone else's exp lanation, and Johnnie was learning too, and he couldn't explain it so I co uld grasp it." She was Dad's written word, and the store clerk where she s hopped for groceries always turned the pad around to her for verificati on of the addition. In later years she still read German script and oft en did read letters to other people when they had a letter from a German p arent, and could not read this for themselves.
She once said, "If there's a dance in town the day I die, I want y ou to go to it." this expressed her feelings about a lot of mourning ov er things which you have no control. I think that if I could fault her f or anything in our upbringing it would be this: She did not hesitate to te ll us when she was disappointed, but was extremely slow, if ever to prai se a job well done. She signed our report cards without comment if they w ere good, but if it wasn't, we heard about it in spades. "Get your boo ks home and study harder. " And woe betide you if you didn't show up wi th them.
"You two girls go, and come home together." Yes, there is safety in numbe rs sometimes, but Gawd! How that must have often rankled Rose, a blythe, g ay, laughing spirit to be inflicted with a physically underdeveloped bookw orm who really didn't want to be along.
There, is so much more, but I must move along too. She was as private a nd devout in her last hours as she was in life. No words were spoken, s he just tucked her hands, with her rosary entwined, under her cheek, and w ith closed eyes, she sighed, and was gone.

By Mary Kaiser Conard 1988.

Died:
Died at Sheridan Count Hospital, Hoxie,KS

Theresia married Kaiser, Nicholas 18 Jan 1921, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. Nicholas (son of Kaiser, Karl and Nold, Anna Mary) was born 15 Dec 1893, Blyumenfel'd, , Kransnodarskiy Kray, Russia; died 20 Jul 1969, Wakeeney, Trego, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Michael's Cemetery, Collyer, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• Obituary: Aft 23 Feb 1971
• Prayer Card: Aft 23 Feb 1971
• Biography: 1988; by Mary Kaiser Conard

Notes:

Biography:
AUNT BARBARA
I am guessing possibly this might be a silver anniversary picture. He re is another very special lady, Aunt Barbara. Married to Uncle Steve, ni ne years her senior, at aged 25, she took on a ready-made family of eigh t, then had four of her own.On the photocopy of the Manifest of Alien Passengers (included), it indica tes that daughter Barbara had a deformed hand and an eye infection causi ng the family's detention at Ellis Island for three days. At this poi nt in time, I question the wisdom of the bureaucracy of the immigration Se rvices. It is my understanding they weeded out the eye infections becau se this often led to blindness, thus eventually to non-productivity. (A th ought that has been disproved many times over in recent years.) What in Go d's name did these people think a family of seven would do? Dump a helple ss 8-year old on to society? People then took care of their own, and I mi ght add, very capably. Her deformity consisted of a misplaced finger on h er right hand. A finger grew from the area between forefinger and thum b. While that finger itself was useless, I understand, she accomplished e verything with the remaining Fingers. All the housewifly chores of a b ig family. She could crochet beautifully, and handled a needle and thre ad as easily as you or I.
Fate dumped on her once more in her lifetime. After they were in Ameri ca for about four years, diphtheria shots were to be given to those who h ad not had them, and she reacted to the serum. She spent a time ill, th en recuperating, and before the Family realized it, some muscle damage w as done to her ankle. Auntie wore "Granny boots" which were fashionable f or awhile, and when they were no longer available at stores, Aunt Clara te lls me that Uncle Steve had her buy an orthopedic type shoe. I could n ot see alot of difference in them, and what alot of women were wearing. S he had a limp.
Aunt Clara also told me that Dad's nephew, Gottleib Heinrich, took a shi ne to Aunt Barbara, but Aunt Martha (Kaiser) Heinrich put the "kibos h" on the romance, "Because she is a cripple." Oh how the Heinrichs miss ed out on that one. Also that another fellow from their neighborhood lik ed her (I think his name was Billy Bongartz). Grandma Klara quashed th at because Billy was not a Catholic. This says something to me: That s he must have been as charming in her youth, as I remember her in later lif e.
Married the some year as my folks, going to their house was a real blas t, as her kids were close in age to all of us. We played some in the hous e, but that didn't last too long. The dirt on the North side of the chick enhouse, where the hens "fluffed" was so perfect for making mudpies. Sund ays 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 wi th running water. Their farm was north of WaKeeney. Aunt Clara tel ls me financially there were not the dread money worries as there we re in our family, as there were active oil wells on the property. A ll of their sons, that I know of, were farmers, which leads me to think th at Uncle Steve and Aunt Barbara were instrumental in helping set them u p. Both of Aunt Barbara's sons died in accidents; Leonard at ag ed 33 in a farm accident, and Stephen at 55 in a pickup-camper acciden t. Her youngest Dorothy died relatively young, also, from cancer, I was t old. Barbara, 59, (1988) presently lives in WaKeeney.
Aunt Barbara was my confirmation sponsor. There's something special abo ut the memory of her warm, protective hand on my shoulder as the Bishop ad ministered the Sacrament. . At which, I might add the confirmandi probab ly were all scared witless. We were drilled in the Baltimore #2 Catechi sm till our heads reeled. We were told if the Bishop asked a questi on to which we could not give the correct answer, we were going to ha ve to leave and not receive the sacrament for four more years, for th at is about as often as the Bishop came. We practiced, practiced, practic ed, the Confirmation procession and hymns and admonished, "Don't lose yo ur place or your sponsor won't find you when time comes."
Ridiculous! Our sponsors went into the pews right behind us, and the nu ns acted as thoughour sponsors were complete idiots. . that one could not step behind the ca ndidate they we're sponsoring.She was kind. She'd never back me up against her daughter, Barbara, and a sk, "Why don't you hurry up and grow?" like Aunt Rosey did sometimes wi th her daughter, Theresa.It was from Aunt Barbara and Uncle Steve that we got the little white d og that was such a big part of our growing up. That little dog sat und er the table at mealtimes and ate more of my "Schpeck " (fat) that I di d, and was admonished to eat, "So you grow."
I remember her best with beautiful, silky red-auburn hair. She smiled al ot and easily. She was a good cook and she came the day before Bob a nd I were married and helped prepare our wedding supper. We shared a b ed the last night I was single.
I think, from her I learned the truth that it's not what you have (a defor med hand or stiff ankle) that makes you what you are. I don't recall I ev er gave those things much thought. This I do know; she gave true meani ng to words like "good" and beautiful.

By Mary Kaiser Conard, 1988

Barbara married Nemechek, Steven 11 Oct 1921, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. Steven (son of Nemachek, Ferdinand and Aschenbrenner, Agatha) was born 25 Dec 1887, , , , Austria; died 30 Jan 1967, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Biography: Written by Mary (Conard) Kaiser - 1984
• Name: Aunt Fannie
• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• 1940 Census: 1940, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• Obituary: Aft 16 Jan 1988; Elis Review

Notes:

Biography:
AUNT FANNIE
From this lovely lady, I learned about granulated dishes, false teeth a nd seeds in salami. It was at her house in the country that I experienc ed a funeral for the first time. She with poise and dignity, laid her hus band, Uncle Lou to rest...she was 36... I was four, and my woolen dress it ched, and I asked, "Why do they cry."
There was always a smile of welcome whenever we came ... any time. She ca red for Grandma over the winters when a slip and fall on the ice out on t he farm could be dangerous. Her neat home in Ellis was so inviting. She l oved and could make the best coffee I ever fasted. I was about eight wh en she was at our house for dinner, and rinsed her dentures. We kids push ed and pushed like she did, but couldn't get our teeth out, and we knew th at she had some kind of magic in there. For a champion dish-breaker, tho se granulated dishes she had sure sounded like the real ticket.
She didn't coin the phrase, "I'd rather be an old man's sweetie than a you ng man's fool " but used it, when at 19 she married Uncle Lou (Broth er to Aunt Mary's husband, Uncle Joe Locker) who was 17 years older than s he. She raised four super nice children; Louise, Blanche, Frances and Art hur alone.
About the salami? We were at her house one summer day when she sent Arthu r, my sister Frances and I to the grocery store for salami for lunch. I 'd never eaten salami before, and encountered a peppercorn. She must ha ve seen the surprised look on my face, because she said, "If you don't li ke the seeds, pick them out. " Logical of course ... How often we p ut up with the peppercorns of life, simply because they are "there".
I remember her hair as being brown, and I can't remember her wearing it a ny way except in two braids, wrapped around her head like a regal crown.
She was my sister, Frances' favorite Aunt, and I think I know why. France s, forever the little peacemaker, didn't have a husband for Daddy to get i nto one of his loud "debates" that the Schuster men and in-laws always se emed to indulge. She said one time, "At Aunt Fanny's it's nice. Daddy go es over and argues with Uncle Jake, and Mom and Aunt Fanny talk about quil ts and stuff, talk Dutch and laugh."
In later years Uncle Paul Schuster made his home with her. Her last da ys were spent in a wheelchair, a victim of a stroke. Her daughter wrote t hat even after the stroke she remained bright and alert, cared for by Loui se (who was by this time herself a widow), and occasionally by daughter Bl anche. She was 89 when she passed away last January 1988.
One more little story, then I'll move on. In the back yard, back to ba ck with hers, lived a boy who was handicapped. He couldn't talk nor wa lk and spent his days hitching his chair up and down the back sidewalk a nd jabbering. We gawked through the fence. Seeing other children, he hitc hed his chair towards us jabbering his own kind of communication. We rac ed into the house to tell Aunt Fanny. She set us down, and explained th at we were not to mock or taunt him ... that he was a Child of God, ju st a little different. From this lovely lady, I learned compassion.

Written by Mary (Conard) Kaiser - 1984

1940 Census:
Stephaine Locker41 (Widowed)
Louise Locker22
Francis Locker15
Arthur Locker9

Stephanie married Locker, Louis 16 Jan 1917. Louis was born 27 Sep 1881; died 1 Jan 1934, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• Military Service: Bef 1919; WWI
• Obituary: Aft 8 Nov 1989; Ellis Review

Notes:

Biography:
UNCLE PAUL, I would guess that next to our Dad's, that Uncle Paul was the man that bro ught more sparkle to the little Schuster granddaughters' eyes than anyo ne else. A bachelor who didn't belong to anyone else, so he was "ours".
There were lots of Model A Fords in Grandma's yard, and he had the most gl amorous ... a coupe. I would guess that he took care of alot of Grandma 's business, for when she came, it was usually he who brought her. Thou gh the photos did not copy well, both are taken in uniform. he was my on ly uncle serviceman. He was inducted about 1918, about time the World W ar I -was closing. He was stationed of Camp Funsten in Kansas. 'So f ar as I know, be also was the only member of the family who went awayto a private school, and if I heard right, it was the forerunner of St. Jo seph's Military Academy at Hays.
We must have driven him nuts---all those kids on the farm at one time, a nd never knowing where they were going to be next. The only time he co me close to giving us "heck" was the Easter we found the newly tinned h og shed roof, and we were sliding down, head first, belly down. And th en he only said. "You shouldn't do that, you'll ruin your nice pretty dre sses." He told me years later, after I had children of my own, that his wo rst nightmare was that one of us would be seriously hurt. . God took ca re of that, and him, none of us ever were.
He was one of three uncles that visited in Montana after we were marrie d. He stayed four days and there was lots of catching up to do, of cours e. He was interested in politics and the night of one of the presidenti al conventions, our TV went out, and e said . . . "No matter... will be el ected, and it turned out that his prediction was correct. He did crosswor ds with a pen. Now, I love to do crosswords, but with the help of a big f at eraser, using pencil. An avid reader of everything, and also took an i nterest in the community. He served on the Agricultural Stabilization a nd Conservation Service Committee. I didn't know he was coming, and ask ed how be found us, he said he went to the ASCS office and asked. there t hey have maps of the whole county. His car then was a sporty Ford Falcon.
A recent newspaper account states that he has been a member of the Ellis A merican Legion for 70 years.
He lived at Aunt Fanny's after he retired from the farm. After Auntie's d eath, he moved and resides at the Good Samaritan Home in Ellis. It was al ways easy to remember how old he was. It was the same as the year . .. so this year, 1988 he is 88 years old.

Written by Mary (Conard) Kaiser - 1988

Obituary:
See Image

Also see record from Germans from Russia at familysearch.org
"United States, Obituaries, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1899-2012," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9JH-2TQK?cc=2367299&wc=3BKN-SP8%3A1547769401 : 14 August 2015), 100415110 > image 3288 of 8999; American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Lincoln.

Other Events:

• Immigration: 2 Jul 1904, Ellis Island, New York; on the ship Kaiser William the second from Bremen
• 1930 Census: 1930, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• 1940 Census: 1940, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• Biography: 1988; written by niece Mary Kaiser Conard
• Death Record - Civil: 19 Feb 1989

Notes:

Emigration:
at five months old from Austria

1930 Census:
Frank W Schuster38
Rosa Schuster27
Louis Schuster7
Willie Schuster6 [5]
Freddie Schuster4 [4 3/12]
Thressa Schuster1 [1 8/12]
Jacob Schuster26

1940 Census:
Jake Schuster36
Elma Schuster25
Lena Schuster6
Vivian Schuster4
Rosslee Schuster1

Biography:
UNCLE JAKEUncle Jake is what we called him and there were other Jake Schuster's in E llis. When I visited with a second cousin in Billings, she referred to th is quiet man as "one-eyed Jake". I'd never heard the reference before, b ut held lost an eye, injured with a steel fragment. He had an artifici al eye.He was the last of Klara and Ferdinand's children born in Austria, and w as a little sailor on the Kaiser Wilhelm at the age of five months.Ten years her junior, Mom called him her "grease monkey" because he was al ways taking something apart or experimenting with something. He was a go od mechanic. We took the family car to him for overhaul as long as he h ad his shop in the back yard together.He and Dad could really "souse" together, and occasionally both get a litt le "crocked". Mom said she hated to see this because Dad was a happy, boi sterous drunk and drinking made Uncle Jake very sad ... to tears, then she 'd cry too.He married Elma Mikelson, a vivacious, pretty, dark-haired lady ten yea rs younger than he. They had three girls; Leona Mae, Vivian Irene and Ros alie Ann. They called them, "Nonie, Toots and Tiny." Their house was alo ng Big Creek, and one time they lost everything to a flood. They bought ' another house away from the flood plain and after he and Elma were divorce d, she remained in that house, and he moved back to the house by Big Cree k. She was just 49 when she was killed instantly in a car accident. S he worked at Hays and had been in Ellis visiting. She was returning to Ha ys when her car hit a railroad abutment 1-mile West of Yocemento. There t he highway made two sharp corners as it crossed the tracks. Neither of th em had remarried. In later years Uncle Jake worked with the Ellis Coun ty Road Crew.In a recent visit (1988) Frances had with Leona (now Armbruster) she sai d, "He no longer recognizes army of the family, and is being cared f or at a rest home in Russell Kansas."I liked this introverted quiet man. I don't know as I ever carried on a c onversation with him, but it seemed at the family gatherings there was alw ays a time when he and Mom sat aside somewhere visiting, quietly togethe r. He didn't seem quite as outgoing as the rest of the family, so that 's possibly why I know so little about him. He was easy to trust, and t he quality I admire about him is his ability to render a piece of equipme nt into an unrecognizable pile, put the pieces back together correctly, a dd a little gas and "It goes."
By Mary Kaiser Conard 1988

Death Record - Civil:
Name:Jake T. Schuster
SSN:512-07-2433
Last Residence:67637 Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, United States of America
Born:8 Jan 1904
Died:19 Feb 1989
State (Year) SSN issued:Kansas (Before 1951)

Jacob married Michaelson, Alma 5 Feb 1931, Olathe, Johnson, Kansas, USA. Alma was born 19 Jun 1914; died 29 Feb 1964. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1930 Census: 1930, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA
• 1940 Census: 1940, Baker, Grove, Labette, Kansas, USA

Notes:

Biography:
AUNT CLARA, Aunt Clara was different from her four older, gentle, soft-spoken sister s. She, the only one not stifled by the Schuster attitude on decorum, a nd I attribute that to not leaving been raised under Grandpa Schuster's th umb, being only 8 when he died. The only sister who could be brassy to t he Nth degree at times. She had her own ideas about church. Unlike the r est who were regular and faithful she said, "I go when I darn well feel li ke it." She could hold her own in a good argument, and shouted her side wi th gusto. That could have come from having only brothers as siblings clo se to her own age at home.
Uncle Mike was always good-natured, could cuss like a trooper, yet he w as the only uncle I ever saw open a car door seating the ladies in his com pany.
The photos did not photocopy well, and I hardly think of Aunt Clara witho ut thinking of Uncle Mike at the same time. On the family portrait s he is about twelve, and it appears that she had plenty attention shower ed upon her by older sisters ... Look of those long curls. Mom once sai d, "She was the most willful, destructive little pest in the world." Grand ma Klara, while not objecting to Uncle Mike, thought she was too you ng to get married just two months short of her 17th birthday, but guess w ho did anyway.
As I remembered them, they always lived in Quinter, though his "obit" sa ys they didn't move there until they'd been married a couple of years. Abo ut the time I was ten, or so, he worked on the section crew of the Union P acific railroad out of Collyer. He drove back and forth and occasional ly after work would stop and bring one or two of us along home with h im to Quinter to visit for a couple of days.
Aunt Clara was one of a kind. She seemed always to know the "spice" in t he family and area and regaled it with humor and relish. She must have be en a very good mother, for her own children did not give anyone any reas on to do the same number on her kids. Every once in awhile she'd get a ba tch of "nerves", which Mom said she got because she didn't have enou gh to do. Though I don't think she ever had the habit, she's the only o ne of Mom's sisters that I ever saw with a cigarette.
In the family there were four kids. Robert (Bob), Michael Jr. (Mickey), C larence (Red) and Verdella, their only daughter. It was at their house th at I first encountered firecrackers. The only time 1 went fishing as a k id was with Uncle Mike Red and Verdella. We went to the lake north of Qui nter, and I didn't catch anything. Maybe I didn't then, nor do I now, s ee any reason for sitting with mosquitoes biting, getting an awful sunbu rn waiting on the whims of a stupid fish ... especially if it's only a mud dy-tasting catfish, at that.
Verdella had the first pair of slacks worn in the family (in her generatio n). Aunt Clara in her's probably too. It was Aunt Clara that persuaded M om that they were much easier to care for in summer duds than ironing dres ses. Remember that this was a time when women weren't allowed to vis it a Catholic hospital wearing slacks (what rot!) Mom might have worn th em in her lifetime ... if she did it was rarely. At any rate we begged M om to make us some, and she did. Daddy called them, "slats." Rose's we re a colorful stripe, and Frances' and mine were navy background with r ed and white sailing ships on them.
Aunt Clara and Uncle Mike were an attractive dancing couple, and I can s ay from experience that Uncle Mike was incomparable as a dancing polka par tner. The rhythm seemed to surround him like an aura. (He was the only o ther of the Schuster relatives as Dad was, that was of the German--Russi an decent, and I think that bunch comes out of the womb dancing.) Mom sa id dancing was a part of the social life when she was a girl, though I don 't think to the extent that it was in Dad's world.
We share cousins with Aunt Clara's family. Daddy's brother John Kaiser ma rried Uncle Mike's older sister Theresia. And to this I might add th at a greater contrast in the two women couldn't be more apparent than t he differences in the two Aunts. I doubt that Aunt Theresia Kaiser ever w ore a dress shorter than mid-calf. She wore lots of black, stockings a nd all. She wore her hair in the center part braided style of South Russi a. Her first language was German all her life. Devout to the limit, and c ompletely under the dominance of Uncle John.... all this what Aunt Clara w as not.
I think, from this Aunt I learned something special too, about the zest f or living your own person. She still calls it like she sees it, and if y ou don't like it, TOUGH.
By Mary Kaiser Conard, 1988

1930 Census:
Mike J Zimmerman29
Clara Zimmerman24
Robert Zimmerman5
Mike J Zimmerman4
Dean Zimmerman1

1940 Census:
Mike Zimmerman39
Clara Zimmerman34
Robert J Zimmerman16
Micheal J Zimmerman13
Clarence D Zimmerman10
Verdella G Zimmerman9

Clara married Zimmerman, Michael 30 Jan 1923, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. Michael (son of Zimmerman, Joseph and Wolf, Margaretha) was born 25 Dec 1899, Odessa, Russia; died 25 Feb 1972, Quinter, Gove, Kansas, USA; was buried , St. Michael's Cemetery, Collyer, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1910 Census: 1910, Glencoe, Trego, Kansas, USA
• 1940 Census: 1940, Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, USA
• Residence: 1942, Saint Louis, St. Louis (City), Missouri, USA

Notes:

Biography:
UNCLE JOHN, We never called him that. We had another Uncle John, and this man was alw ays "Big John". In our family there was Uncle John (Dad's brother), Big John (Mom's brother) Johnnie (our brother) Little Johnnie (Uncle John's first grandson), John Clare (Big John's oldest son), and of course there's "Freddie's Johnnie" (our brother Fred's oldest son).
Big John had the most wives ... four. Margaret, Delores, Audry and Ann a. One son John Clare by Margaret, and three children by Delores ... Rich ard, Sonya and Sandra (twins) He stayed the least "put" of the famil y. He told me that early in the lean years of the 1930's it became appare nt that though he, Paul and Engelbert were all bachelors working on Grandma's place, money was short and one of them was going to have to seek outside employment and he went. Some of the places that he had addresses were Denver, Colo. Casper, Wyo., Billings and Great Falls, Mt. Brother Joh nnie once called him, "The best diesel mechanic in the State of Colorado ." Aunt Clara described him as a man who made something of himself in spite of only an 8th grade education.
Little kids are pretty aware about things around them, and one Easter, "Everybody was there." But then a big man (to me) walked out of Paul's bedroom. Mom was the first to explain that he wasn't a stranger, the man was our Uncle, but we would call him, "Big John".
His daughter Sandra once said, "As a father, he wasn't much" I asked her why, and she said she got into trouble once in her teens, and when he got back off the road (he travelers alot, and the territory he covered was Eastern Montana . ..and vast) when she should have had a good tongue lashing, at least, all he asked her when he walked out of the Police station with her was, "Did you learn anything?" She said, Mom was an "alcholie" and we kids just "grew".
We saw him most often of any of the relatives, as he lived in Great Falls, and a neighbor had a Wagner tractor with a Cummins engine, and when he stopped to service that engine, he would stop in for a few minutes. During the latter part of his life and into retirement, we visited often with him and his fourth wife Anna, a native Pennsylvanian who had a whopping talent for cookery and a friendly warm heart. She worked at night supervisor of the kitchen at the Heritage Inn, one of Great Falls' convention centers.
I think in a way too, Uncle John was an introvert, For he enjoyed hunting and Fishing a lot. Perhaps that was because it was a way to get back into nature, for all ourpeople seemed to be drawn to the land. He once told me that rabbit, squir rel and coonwere fairly decent eating, but I nearly urped my uppers when he said, "Por cupine ain't bad, but I'd have to be pretty hard up to want a steady di et of that." This leads me to think that he didn't kill anything just f or "kicks".
He and Anna took Bob and I to bars where she enjoyed the poker machines. ( With her own money, and she had a little purse separate for just "play mon ey.") He enjoyed teasing the waitresses,and he always proudly introduced me to all his friends. . ."This is my niece." He'd get guffaws and comments like, "You're too mean to have a niece ." or "How come she's so cute and you're so ugly." His buddies were all jovial, laughing accepting people, and he had lots of friends.
He must have been a peaceable husband, for Richard, his son said that he o nly heard his parents argue once. . and that was over what to get Grand ma Klara for Christmas. She wanted to get Grandma a box of chocolate cove red cherries and some peppermint that she knew Grandma liked. He opted f or a Fifth of good whiskey. (I was told that in the old country that oft en times whiskey was used to give you a good appetite and to doctor a co ld ... with toddies.) He told Aunt Delores. "With the candy, she'll ju st treat the kids and if we get a good fifth of whiskey, she'll use it for herself" Richard said that they each went shopping, and Grandma got both.
When Anna called and said he'd suffered a kidney aneurysm, and that the prognosis wasn't good, I kept in touch every day. She called then and told me he was gone, and when the services were to be. We had a raging blizzard out the window that morning, but we dressed in long johns and wool pants (for that miserable time in the cemetery) and ventured forth).
His services were very beautiful. He had requested cremation. There was no casket, no miserable stand in a snowy cemetery, just beautiful flowers, a spotlighted crucifix and Father Malee conducting a meaningful service.... all this on Ascension Thursday.
By Mary Kaiser Conard, 1988

1910 Census:
Fred Schuster 43
Clara Schuster 39
Frank Schuster 19
Resi Schuster 15
Barbara Schuster 14
Stefanis Schuster 11
Paul Schuster 9
Jacob Schuster 7
Clara Schuster 4
John Schuster 0

1940 Census:
John Schuster 30
Margaret Schuster 24
John C Schuster 11/12

Residence:
Name: John Schuster
Race: White
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Place: Ellis, Kansas, USA
Birth Date: 3 Sep 1909
Residence: St Louis, Missouri, USA
Registration Date: 1940
Occupation: Mauring And Martin
Weight: 152
Complexion: Light
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5 9
Next of Kin: Paul Schuster
Relationship to Draftee: Brother

John married Unknown, Audry Aft 1927. Audry was born Abt 1909; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

John married Dreiling, Margo 13 Nov 1934. Margo was born 13 Mar 1916, Victoria, Ellis, Kansas, USA; died 26 Sep 1998; was buried , Larned Cemetery, Larned, Kansas. [Group Sheet]

John married Farmer, Delores Bef 1944. Delores was born Abt 1909; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

John married Earnharth, Anna Catherine Eckhardt [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: E. L. Schuster
• Name: Uncle Red Schuster
• 1930 Census: 1930, Glencoe, Trego, Kansas, USA
• Biography: Abt 1988; By Mary Kaiser Conard
• Death Record - Civil: 20 Jul 2000
• Obituary: Aft 20 Jul 2000

Notes:

1930 Census:
Paul Schuster 29
Clara Schuster 60
Englebert L Schuster 18
Listed living with brother Paul and mother.

Biography:
UNCLE ENGELBERT
I think he'd faint if anyone called him that. To us he was Uncle Ber t, or Uncle Red. Mom didn't like that latter, so mostly we called him Unc le Bert. She also said this tallest and slimmest of the Schuster brothe rs most resembled Grandpa Ferdinand in features and build. When I spo ke to him, and asked him if he remembered anything about his Dad, he sa id he was only nine months old when his father died.
In addition to Uncle Paul, he was a familiar part of Grandma's house, f or he always lived "at home", even after he married Aunt Iva. We got wo rd of their wedding in the mail. He got a pretty bride, we thought, and s he seemed to fit into the family gatherings as though she'd always been th ere. I wonder what she thought the first time, with that raft of relative s, each man with a bottle and each lady with an armload of food turning h er kitchen into a babble of chaotic, Good-natured arguments, with the a ir blue from cigarette smoke, and kids all over the place. We little gir ls thought she and Aunt Elma were "tops". Neither of them spoke German, a nd we could hear the latest ... we could always understand them, and we kn ew how to spell. Aunt Iva was really good-natured and laughed easil y. I don't remember her having to get after us for anything so maybe we w eren't too bad.
In addition to the two girls pictured ... Gwendolyn and Lois Ann, they ha ve a son Mike, who with his wife, Virginia, and three children now li ve on "Grandma's Place".I don't know if he owns it, or if Uncle Engelbert does now. In additi on to farming, Uncle Bert worked for the Federal Crop Insurance Corp. Th is entails measuring bins, assessing hail and drought damage fields, et c. At 77 he is still "on call" in the area.
Since he is one of the few of the family that still knows who I am, witho ut explanation,I try to keep in touch. He calls about once a year to see how the crops a nd cattle etc. are, or maybe just to check in. If I have a question about "family lore" I will give him a ring now and then.
I can't tell you why he is so special. . Is it his warmth and interes t? I like to think that it is, but more than that, I think that it's becau se that he and Aunt Iva gave such complete acceptance to the man I chose. No remarks about non-Catholicism . . ."You'll get homesick out there ." . . .. "It's the coldest place in America." all that sort of jazz.
I didn't see him often dressed like the man in the photo. More familiar to me were the bib overalls, or the dark colored matching work outfit s. He seemed to get along with everyone around him and the least argumentative, at least in my memory I do not ever hear him with a raised voice. In later years, although he was at Uncle John's in Great Falls, he was the few that I visited with "on my turf". Big John or Anna would ca ll and say he was coming, and Bob and I would drive to the Falls to visit with him. Still the quiet listener more than the avid talker, he is an interesting conversationalist. Like Uncle Paul he read a great deal, took an interest in methods of good husbandry, politics, history, family and many other current subjects. Both of us enjoyed his company .
I guess you could say, "He's comfortable to be around." for he's most li ke Mom in temperament. Though he was only a ten-year old boy when my paren ts were married. I have my doubts that this was due to the influen ce of a big sister.
I thoroughly enjoy being around this baby brother of Mom's ... as an Uncle ...as a Friend.
By Mary Kaiser Conard, 1988

Death Record - Civil:
Name: E. L. Schuster
SSN: 513-07-9941
Last Residence: 67637 Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, United States of America
Born: 13 Oct 1911
Died: 20 Jul 2000
State (Year) SSN issued: Kansas (Before 1951)

Obituary:
See Image

Englebert married Withers, Iva 27 Feb 1938. Iva was born 31 Jan 1914; died 28 Aug 2011, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]

Joseph married McKittrick, Elizabeth 23 Nov 1945, Ellis, Ellis, Kansas, USA. Elizabeth was born 24 Nov 1907, , , Kansas, USA; died 21 Oct 1987, , , Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet]