Notes

“Our trip to the West” written by Lorenz Ernst

History of its discovery:  In 2021, in the process of moving Alice Frenz from her 55+ apartment to an assisted living apartment, a storage closet was emptied.  Most of the items had not been touched since her previous move 20+ years earlier.  One box contained items from her mother, Lydia Ernst, and it included a scrapbook about Lydia and Lorenz’s trip to western states.  Text was written by Lorenz, who also took most of the photos.  He added their own photos, purchased photos, and lots of postcards to the scrapbook, but most of these were stacked one upon another and taped to the pages of the scrapbook.  To photocopy the scrapbook, many of the photos and postcards were disassembled and inserted on additional pages.  Other than that adjustment, the scrapbook is just as it was prepared in 1949.

Dates:  Started 11 AM June 19, 1949, ended July 8, 1949

People mentioned:

Lorenz & Lydia Ernst, age 59 and 56.

Mr. & Mrs. Art Handshke (corrected spelling is Arthur A. Handschke):  Lorenz Ernst had a weekly egg route for which he drove from the farm to Milwaukee, stopping at homes to sell eggs and chickens.  After conducting his route, he would visit a grocery store where he would sell any unsold chickens.  The grocery store owners were the Handshke’s with whom they took their “Our trip to the west.”  The U.S. city directory gave their address as 2777 N. 23^rd St., Milwaukee.  Art’s wife was Erna.  Art was 53 in 1949; Erna was 48.  One or both may have been students at Milwaukee Lutheran High School as they made a contribution to the school in 1946.

Aunt Marie Ernst of Blue Hill, Nebraska – Age 73, married to Louis Bernhard Jonathan Ernst (deceased by the time of their visit), uncle to Lorenz.

Clara Ernst Koepke – Age 40, daughter of Marie and Louis, cousin to Lorenz.  Her husband died in 1941.

Mrs. Freida Kurth “the banker”

Walter Jonathan Ernst of Grand Island, Nebraska – Age 62, son of Louis Ernst and his first wife, Louisa.  First cousin to Lorenz.

Walter Bellin of Montebello, California

Chief Willowbird – Chris Willow Bird was born on February 20, 1887, in New Mexico. He was an actor, known for The White Scar (1915) and Where the North Begins (1947).

Walter & Pauline Ernst – Walter, age 65, is Lorenz’s cousin.

Postcards to:

Elroy Ernst, age 24, unmarried

John Ernst, age 18, unmarried

Lester & Irmgard Tews, married August 1948

The car: 1949 Buick

Dynaflow:  Transmission Rear Leak Seal Kit Torque Ball Retainer

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