Sommerer Family Website

Good enough for who it's for

the twelve

Uncle Mahlon’s Story (part 5)

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I did not know any of my siblings really well. They were all far enough apart, but I do remember some specific memories of a few. From oldest to youngest they are: Elizabeth, Lillian (Sis), Bud (Earhart), Felix, Marjorie, Vernon, Beatrice, Me, Cleopha, Lolly, Naomi, and Lloyd.

I don't think this has been on the website before. I don't have a larger version.
I don’t think this has been on the website before. I don’t have a larger version.

I remembers Elizabeth cleaned the house and took care of the siblings because she was the oldest. Once she moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, Elizabeth did the same things for other people as well. Elizabeth was grown up and moved out before I was born.

I remembered a time with Vernon when a neighbor gave a horse drawn wagon load of apples to our family. The apples were either bought or picked. To keep the apples fresh for a longer period of time, we had to dig a hole then line and cover the bottom with straw. After the straw, the hole was lined with tarpaper to waterproof it. Straw was then put on top of the tarpaper. When someone wanted an apple out of the hole you had to dig another hole to get back in, grab an apple, and then cover the hole back up with the dirt. Because of this system with the tarpaper and straw, the apples would not freeze, but would be kept fresh. Anytime work was done like this there were never tractors, but rather horses with manual plows.

I remembers Felix and Bud worked in the Civilian Conservation Core (CCC). This was a government program for boys who worked on rocks, bridges, and around cemeteries. The boys were allowed to keep half and the other half went to the boy’s parents.

 

Grandpa, Grandma and The Twelve at Honey Creek

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A few months ago someone actually sent me a new copy of this photo. I don’t actually remember who did it, but I would like to know, so maybe you could take credit in the comments?

Anyway, this copy is much better than the one that I had. Not only is it missing the annoying blue ink spots. It actually has everyone in the picture. But I still don’t know when this was taken or what the occasion was. Am I right that it is taken at Honey Creek, below the school office?

Original (click to enlarge)
Retouched a bit (click to enlarge)

Click on either version for a larger picture, and email me if you would like “suitable for printing” copy of either one.

Adolph, Theresa and The Twelve

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Grandma Grandpa and the twelve at Honey Creek
Click for larger image

I have a confession to make. I’ve had this better copy of this picture ready to put on the website for over two years. But I told Sam that I wouldn’t put up the version with Aunt Lolly on it until he made his first comment on the website.

That happened last week, so I guess I’d better hold up my end of the bargain as well. Isn’t this a nice picture? You can see the old version here if you’ve forgotten what it looked like already.

So, when was this taken? What was the occasion?