Fred and Emily (Schnabel) Shults

Image courtesy of Suzi.

After I just mentioned Fred Shults in the post focusing on his brother, William, Suzi sent me this photo of Fred and his bride, the 21-year-old Emily Schnabel. They were married November 20, 1912.

Here is the marriage announcement from the "Local Drifts" column of the Hobart Gazette of November 22, 1912, which I partially quoted in the earlier post:

Fred Shults, brother of Chas. and Wm. Shults who live in Ross township, and Miss Emily Schnabel, second youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schnabel, Sr., who live in Hobart, were quietly married Wednesday afternoon at Crown Point and are receiving the hearty congratulations of their many friends with whom the Gazette joins. The young couple will shortly go to housekeeping in the B.B. Bale residence near the Penna depot.

Wildflowers of Ainsworth: Corn Speedwell?

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I more or less matched this up to Corn Speedwell in Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Then I went on-line to try to confirm it. All the images brought up by a search for "corn speedwell" showed flowers that were more blue than this. So I don't know.

The plants are low and sprawling; the flowers tiny, less than ¼" across, with three large petals and one small.


These photos were taken in my garden. I won't be identifying any woodland flowers or mushrooms this year. Old age has finally caught up with Maya and she doesn't want to go for long walks in the woods anymore; only short walks in civilized places. And I can't go into the woods without a dog.

Scarlet Fever

We've heard nothing from the John Chester family since they moved to Gary.

When we finally do get news of them, it is sad:

Eddie, the 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Chester of Glen Park, formerly of Hobart, died Saturday [March 22, 1919] after an illness of a few days from scarlet fever. The funeral was held at the home Sunday afternoon, burial being in Crown Hill cemetery.

The Chesters had four children surviving, three daughters and a son.

Eddie rests beside Otto, the infant brother he never knew.


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Sources:
♦ 1920 Census.
♦ "Local and Personal." Hobart News 27 Mar. 1919.

Ruby Sherr (WWI-Era Photo Album)

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Image courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.

The handwritten note behind this photo reads:

Ruby Sherr
June 1918
At Old Base Ball Ground

I believe this photo dates to the same day as the one of the home guard band.

In the background, right of Ruby, you can see what looks very much like a brickyard stack spewing out smoke.

Checking the 1920 Census, I find a likely candidate in Ruby Shurr, 21 years old, living in Porter Township, Porter County. Her parents, Andrew and Clara, farm their own land. You can see the Shurr farm on this map, if you really want to.

Delilah (Random Pointless Photos)

No baby squirrels this spring (so far), but my sister has adopted one of two tiny kittens that were dropped off at the animal shelter where she volunteers. Delilah is still so young that she has to be fed by hand.


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Happy Easter!Enjoy It While It Lasts!

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Images courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.

These somber chicks look as if they were already contemplating their final destiny on the chopping block. And who received this Easter memento mori? Frederick Henrickson — the same little boy who got the serial-killer Santa Christmas card.



I hope the poor kid turned out OK, in spite of it all.

Fifth Liberty Loan Drive!

The war was over, but the paying for it wasn't. Late in March 1919 the Gazette announced the leadership organization for Lake County's part in the fifth Liberty Loan drive. John C. Cavender was chairman for Hobart Township. In Ross Township, the general chairman was Sam Wood, with Alex Boyd heading the effort in Merrillville, and William Wood in Deep River.

We shall see what parades, etc., may follow to whip up the bond-buying sentiment. For my own part and on behalf of these people, I'm tired of being harangued to buy Liberty Bonds — but I may be wasting my sympathy. Although many returning veterans said they were sick of war, I do not know that civilians felt the same way. It was still a time of fervent declarations of patriotism and a warlike hatred of all things German.

Such attitudes would be strengthened in anyone who caught one of the "special" shows at the Gem Theatre on April 5.

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"The Heart of Humanity" was war propaganda released in February 1919 — too late for the war itself, but in good time for the fifth Liberty Loan drive.

Go here to see a short clip from the film … now, don't you feel like buying some Liberty Bonds, just to show that evil Hun?


Sources:
♦ 1920 Census.
♦ Advertisement. Hobart Gazette 4 Apr. 1919.
♦ "The Fifth Liberty Loan." Hobart Gazette 21 Mar. 1919.