February 14, 1900

From the
The Atlanta Constitution February 14, 1900

My first is in river but not in creek,
My second's in Roman but not in Greek,
My third is in liver but not in heart,
My fourth is in carriage but not in cart,
My fifth is in night but not in day.
My sixth is in light but not in fay,
My seventh's in ice but not in snow,
My eighth is in glean but not in mow,
My ninth is in vowel; my whole you'll surmise,
Is a token of love to pretty blue eyes,
And also the name of a good old saint
Whose birthday is kept with paper and paint.

Today is St. Valentine's day--the day when the serious young man gets sentimental and the sentimental young man bethinks himself of a fitting word that will rhyme with "love", and spends long, wearisome and a vast amount of brain tissue in constructing a love lyric. For St. Valentine's day was set apart years and years ago as the occasion when sentiment should run riot, and man and maid alike were privileged to convey to each other through the medium of honeyed missives the tantalizing thoughts that their feeble tongues were unable to utter.

Connected with the sending the sending of a valentine--one of the lace-edged, speared heart kind with flowing lines of love encircled with a wreath of forget-me-nots; or with a brace of Cupids hovering around, and costumes of importance--is tradition that the identity of the sender is to remain a deep secret and the recipient must guess for herself.

It is exceedingly doubtful if this was ever a deep-rooted desire on the part of the young man who had spent $5 on a flimsy love token. Certain it is that the youth of today doesn't try very hard to hide his identity. He may make a pretence, but the pretence is so palpable that he does not even deceive himself.

No, in these days of competition the lovesick youth doesn't disguise his handwriting, and the chances are that his initials are under the flap of the envelope. Tonight he'll call on the young lady and if she doesn't say something about the missive he will be pretty apt to bring the conversation around to the point and exclaim in the midst of a dead calm, as if the idea had just occurred to him:

"Dear me, today's Valentine's day, ain't it?"

To which the young lady will reply in tones of equal surprise:

"Really, you don't say so! I'd forgotten all about it."

This is a signal for a pause. After fifteen minutes elapse, during which time the youth is engaged in tracing imaginary designs on the carpet with the toe of his patent leathers, he looks up and says:

"Did you get me anything?"

And if the young brother of the girl knows his business he'll leave the room at the this stage of the proceedings, for they've got a lot to talk about that wouldn't interest him in the least.

There has been a noticeable falling off in the number of valentines sent during the last three or four years, but the day is still pretty generally observed by the youth of the country. If there has been a decrease in the mail on Valentino's day during the past few years, there is an increase in the number of pounds of candy and the dozens of roses sold on this day.

One reason given for the gradual disuse into which the day seems to be falling is the popularity of the 'comic' valentine. The usual proportion of these hideous looking things will be sent today by the small boy.

In this morning's newspaper, the perfect valentine made by a first grader states, "Go to the Frying Pan and have some blue cheese dressing from the salad bar."

Happy Day to all.

e

BEAGLES!!!

Rachel and Jubal play the piano together
Rachel and Jubilation "Boxcar" --That is what Rachel called her.
Jubal and Ryen in September of 1980.
You can't see Jubal, she is just beyond the pit. Bud is eight in this picture.

I kept my sweet Thomas awake last night. I had to be certain he remembered, (and rejoiced with me), that a beagle won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show which took place Febuary 11 and 12 at Madison Square Garden.

When I saw UNO warbling after the win, I remember Jubal, Rachel's beagle doing the same greeting. She would bay at butterflies and moon beans in the night. The neighbor would open their bedroom window and tell her to go to bed, and she would.

UNO won best in show, Jubal won our hearts.

Uno never dug its way out of a rusted floor board in an old Chevy at Kroger's and bolted when Rachel's dad, in a different hat, called to her. It was a long three days searching for her. The pound said that beagles can find their way home, the problem was they put their noses down and didn't have traffic savvy. We came home after another search and she was standing in the front yard like, "Where have you been"?

Although very loving, she was also strong. When Rachel wanted to walk her around the block as a little girl, we put two leashes on her collar. One for Rachel and one for Scott.

She was also a chewer. In a brief period of time, she tore through the center of Rachel's bed. Making a hole in the spread, blanket, sheets, and mattress pad. Another time we came home and she had chewed the fabric off the back and seats of the sofa. The new Bible recieved as a gift, all leather bound, had the protective wrap around gnawed off. And she would look at you like, "WHAT?"

She would be the family pet for thirteen years. She had a stroke a few months before she died. The doctor said she had a leaky heart and to take her home and love her.

Happy memories of Jubal and congratulations to UNO!

e

Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

Rachel, Bud, and Ryen near the statue of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Missouri.
Lincoln's tomb in Sprinfield, Missouri.

Today is the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. The state of Illinois celebrates this day as a legal holiday, whereas the rest of the state's group Lincoln together with ALL presidents on President's Day.


President Lincoln's mother died at 49 from milk sickness. Milk sickness, or puking sickness is caused by eating the meat or drinking the milk of a cow who has eaten the snake root plant. His father remarried. The family moved first to Indiana, then to Illinois. The move took place in 1830--Lincoln was now 21 and on his own.

Mary Todd was from a well to do family in Kentucky. She 'escaped' from her family and came to Springfield to live with her sister where she met Mr. Lincoln. Lincoln married Mary Todd, together they had four sons, all born in Springfield, Illinois.

Robert: On Sunday, July 25, 1926, Robert went to bed as usual, but when the butler entered the bedroom the next morning he found that Robert had passed away during the night. According to Robert's physician, he had suffered a "cerebral hemorrhage induced by arteriosclerosis." Robert was 82. Robert was not buried in the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield. His final internment occurred on March 14, 1928, at Arlington National Cemetery. Robert was eligible for burial in Arlington because of his brief service in the Civil War and his service as Secretary of State. His wife made the decision to have him buried in Arlington.

Willie: Willie and his brother Tad liked to pretend they were soldiers and mimic the guards. When their father could get away from his duties as President, he liked to play with his boys. Willie's death devastated his parents. Mary Lincoln could not bring herself to attend his funeral and remained bedridden for three weeks; she would not emerge in public for months afterwards. Abraham Lincoln, who had stayed at Willie's side through his illness, would shut himself in his room after his son's funeral to weep, and often had dreams of spending time with his son. He never fully recovered from the loss, Lincoln was so distraught over his young son Willie dying, he had Willie's coffin exhumed twice so he could look at and hold him again. Willie died of typhoid, probably from bacteria laden water at the White House, he was eleven. His casket would be exhumed again and moved to Springfield.


Edward: In December of 1849 Eddie became quite ill with what was thought to be diphtheria. Most likely the disease was really pulmonary tuberculosis. Mary rubbed his chest with balsam. However, after 52 days of acute illness, Eddie passed away on February 1, 1850. He wasn't even four years old.

Thomas Lincoln: ("Tad") was the fourth and last child of Abraham and Mary Todd. He was born on April 4, 1853. Tad was named after Thomas Lincoln, Abraham's father who had died in 1851. Tad's head was unusually large at birth. Abraham, viewing the contrast between the large head and tiny baby figure, thought he resembled a tadpole which was the origin of a nickname that stuck for the rest of Tad's life. It is believe Tad died of Tuberculois, in Chicago, IL at the age of eighteen. He is buried with his father , mother, and brothers at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, IL.

How fortunate many of us are to have our children become adults. Imagine what it must have been like to have four children and three of them die before you. It is no wonder Mrs. Lincoln was considered insane, after all, she saw her husband shot and three sons die. Such is was her suffering when she and her husband wrote this poem:



Those midnight stars are sadly dimmed,
That late so brilliantly shone,
And the crimson tinge from cheek and lip,
With the heart's warm life has flown -

The angel of Death was hovering nigh,
And the lovely boy was called to die.
The silken waves of his glossy hairL
ie still over his marble brow,
And the pallid lip and pearly cheek
The presence of Death avow.

Pure little bud in kindness given,
In mercy taken to bloom in heaven.
Happier far is the angel child
With the harp and the crown of gold
Who warbles now at the Savior's feet
The glories to us untold.Eddie,
meet blossom of heavenly love,
Dwells in the spirit-world above.


Angel Boy - fare thee well,
farewellSweet Eddie,
We bid thee adieu!
Affection's wail cannot reach thee now
Deep though it be, and true.

Bright is the home to him now given
For "of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Lincoln's birthplace and family home are national historic memorials: the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened in Springfield in 2005; it is a major tourist attraction, with state-of-the-art exhibits. The Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery is located in Elwood, Illinois.

e

February 11- Abiding Memories

When someone dies that you know and have cherished, one is flooded with other thoughts of other relatives and friends who have died. Old trunks woke up this morning with an awareness of it not only being Walter Steinhauer's funeral, but also February 11, which is the day of my grandfather's funeral.


It's been greater than 30 years since my grandfather's service. I remember how my parents protected me and help me through those days. My grandfather was 97 +, yet, for a grand daughter with heart filled memories, it was too soon.

Daddy insisted that grandpa a builder, have an oak casket. Mother insisted that the spray on the casket be only long stemmed roses. Grandpa loved his rosebushes, which he raised and nurtured after grandma died in 1966. Only the best for this dear soul.

Granddaughter's, Grandsons and blended families will all have remembrances whether it be today or 30 years or 60 years from now. There is a kind of silent ministry which takes place within us for those who walked with us when when were children. Memories will be made for all who love Walter just as for all of us who loved my grandfather.

It's cold in northern Minnesota this time of the year. And in the country, where the only trees are planted in rows called wind breaks; the wind blows the snow and the snow polishes the roads. The best we can hope for is sunshine and no wind. It was a sunny and bright day for grandfather funeral. During the service daddy and I held hands promising each other we wouldn't start cry although we both did.

After the service, the casket would be brought back to Thief River Falls and placed at the mausoleum until spring when the ground was not frozen. He would be buried in Rindal next to Grandma in the family plot.

Irving Jarshaw, Bob Lasha, Rolland Sande, Chester Swanson, Herman Loberg, and Otto Lappegaard carried grandpa down the steps of the church. At the brief pause before they put him into the hearse, I pulled the rose from the spray on his casket. I told daddy I'd be right back.

He asked me where I was going. I told him I was going to the cemetery, which is adjacent to the church, to lay a rose on grandma's grave. I faintly heard him say, " you're not dressed to stomp for the snow." The fashion boots in 1977 were not high enough, yet I went anyway because it was important for me to say to grandma, grandpa dead and I wanted her to have a rose.

When someone dies, funeral home's provide a book, which for the most part is like a memory book. I inherited my familie's memory books. Many of the names that I've mentioned in the blog over the last year signed my grandfather's memory book. Grandfather was well liked; the signatures transcends eras in his life from people who've lived in Rosewood to people that he knew in town including Mrs. Lloyd(Ella) Anderson, and Julia and Oliver Rye.

Mother took the time to write the names of all the people who sent cards. This is beyond flowers and money. Even now decades later, I look at these names and realize that grandpa touched a lot of people.

Funeral are more than a spiritual service, it is a way to say goodbye to a good friend, or as in the present, a grandfather, a great grandfather.

Abiding memories,

e

The Steinhauer Line

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your comments. I appreciate your reply.

Perhaps you will help Old Trunks double check the list of the children and tell us the names of the great grand children. Together, we can expand the genealogy. This is, after all a blog about family how a family grows.

I have spent the morning searching the Steinhauer lineage my own software and in Ancestry.com and also the records offered by the state of Minnesota.

Please advise us as to who the grand children are and who they are married to and their children. Walter's two sons, Harold and Bruce, are not married.

IRENE married Bill Mehrekens.
Their children:
Paul
David
Peggy

CLEO married Ken Swanson
Their children:
Matthew
Laurie

JEANETTE married Doug Grund
Their children:
Keith (25 Feb 1965)
Who married Mary L Tubbs on 2 Sept 1989

Darrel (14 Mar 1966)
Barbara (13 Oct 1971)
Who married Peter L Rioux on 28 Aug 1993

DONNA who married John Fosholm
Their children:
Jill Marie (3 June 1976)
Sarah

GLADYS who married Tom Alhin
Their children:
Jerry
Archie

PATTY JO who married to Jim Klementson
Their children:
Erin (11 June 1981)
Jackie (11 Aug 1979)
Megan (10 Mar 1987)

Help Old Trunks list the great grand children of Walter.

For those of you who read this blog on a regular basis, the following is the comment is what I am addressing. If you wish to read the entire post, please go to the blog titled Walter W Steinhauer.

Anonymous said...
I have known Walt for 10 years now. He was always a kind and caring man and he will greatly be missed by all. I think it nice that Ella's grandchildren and great grandchildren were included, as they too loved and cared for Walt. However, there is little mention about Walt's 15 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren in this revision. They too loved their Grandpa Walt and enjoyed their time at the farm, family get-togethers, fishing, etc. Yes, family relationships should not be looked at jealously. Life is difficult enough, and one should not take the opportunity to exclude others as they did not get their name in the paper. This is a difficult time for all those who knew and loved Walt and it should be a time of coming together and not a time to pull people apart. I have read the official obituary at http://www.funeralplan2.com/green/obituaries?id=121961. I do not get the sense that the intent was to exclude anyone from obituary, but rather, Walt had a large, loving family and it would be difficult to list everyone by name, that loves and misses him. However, this "unofficial revision" just seems as though as it was done for the competition. At this difficult time, I feel this was inappropriate.

An Anniversary of an Anniversary

February 10

It is on this day in 1940 that Ella Doloris Lundberg and Stanley Kenneth Ranum were married in St. Hilaire, Minnesota.

From the pages of the Thief River Falls Times,Rosewood News, we learn Stan and Ella were in Rosewood visiting with his parents, Benhard and Julia Opseth Ranum.

FEBRUARY 1940
2 1 Stanley Ranum and Miss Ella Lundberg visited Mr. And Mrs. Benhard Ranum on Sunday

2 15 1940 Stanley Ranum and Miss Ella Lundberg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Lundberg of Thief River Falls were united in marriage Saturday evening by Reverend Dahle. Their attendants were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ranum.

The bride wore a powder blue dress with black accessories and her attendant wore a black crepe dress with gold accessories. The bride had been attending Lincoln High School. The groom is a carpenter.
(in an announcement in 2008, it would read Phillip Lundberg of Thief River Falls and Mrs. Clara Henry of Downer, MN.).

Have I told the story about how they had three flat tires on the way to the parsonage? Or that, because of the flat tires, he handed the minister his last bill and asked for change?

How they met remains a mystery; there is no one left close enough to her to tell me. I do know they moved in with Benhard and Julia for a time yet mother spent most of her time with her own father, Phillip and his second wife, Mae when Daddy was out of town doing carpentry.

We know that Mother and Daddy and Greg lived in Olaf Opseth’s house across from the Anderson’s. Later, the house would be moved to town, on Main Avenue, and the addition would double the space. As you remember, Olaf and his brother Gustav, lived across the ’road’ from each other; Lloyd and Ella bought Gustav’s house.

The house that was moved was not the first place the threesome lived first. They rented an apartment in Thief River Falls. The Rosewood News states, “Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Anderson and children and Ilene Rye visited at the Stanley Ranum home in Thief River Falls on Wednesday."

Stan took his carpentry skills to a new level and formed a construction company. He would build and design buildings and houses over a forty year span. The last project, was their home Kendall Avenue. Beginning with Olaf's house on Main, they would move seven times. The game was build, live, sell, make a profit, build, live, sell, make a profit. In 1975, they designed the house on Kendall with the luxuries they always wanted. There, they would sleep in the sand.

e

Walter William Steinhauer

Walt and Ella
Walt holding the Century Farm sign
Walt and Ella at their home in Thief River Falls

Walter Steinhauer, 93 died Thursday, February 07, 2008 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, MN. Funeral service will be at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, February 11, 2008 at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Holt, MN with Reverend Nancy Hanson officiating.

Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at the Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN with a 5:00 P.M. Prayer service on Sunday evening and also at the church for one hour prior to the service on Monday.

Burial will be in Holt Cemetery, Holt, MN.

Walter William Steinhauer was born on September 29, 1914 in Marshall County, near Holt, MN, the son of Fred and Ida (Ortloff) Steinhauer. He was baptized and confirmed at Nazareth Lutheran Church and attended Manor School and Holt School, graduating from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls. Walter was united in marriage to Alice Rye on September 9, 1942. Walter and Alice were married 41 years. Alice passed away in 1984.

Walter and Ella Rye Anderson were married on January 11, 1986; celebrated their twenty second anniversary in January.

In his younger years he farmed with his dad; he would take over the farm, specializing in grain and dairy cattle. The farm, homesteaded under the presidency of James A Garfield, has been in the Steinhauer family and earned the honor of being a century farm in 1982.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards and was an avid reader. Walter loved family gatherings. He enjoyed his visits with all the grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was a member of Nazareth Lutheran Church where he served on the church council, and he was also a member of the Holt and Marshall County Central School Boards for 26 years, a member of Excel Township Board and Marshall County Soil and Water Conservation for 21 years.

Walter is survived by his wife, Ella of Thief River Falls, MN; seven children: Cleo (Kenneth) Swanson of Missoula, MT. Harold Steinhauer of rural Thief River Falls, MN, Jeanette (Doug) Grund of Baudette, MN, Gladys (Tom) Ahlin of Elko, NV, Donna (Jon) Fosholm of rural Newfolden, MN, Bruce Steinhauer of Thief River Falls, MN and Patty (Jim) Klemmetsen of rural Thief River Falls, MN; son-in-law, Bill Mehrkens of rural Thief River Falls, MN; 15 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; five step children; Dorothy Anderson (Larry) Schneider of Paola, Kansas; Richard Anderson (Judy) of Deming, NM, Robert Anderson of Albuquerque, NM, Judy Anderson Sorum (Arlen) of Thief River Falls, and Shirley Anderson Hagen (Keith) of Gatzke. Ella's grandchildren adopted Walt as a very special person in there lives. Her grandchildren who also feel the loss are: Larry Gene Schneider, Lynelle Dickey, Susi Anderson Upuni, Richard L Anderson, Rachel Anderson Thomae, Bud Anderson, Ryen Anderson, Lisa Arnold Metzner, Nenna Arnold, Brenda Hagen Friesner, Vincent Hagen, and Juanita Watne.

Walter was especially kind to Ella's great grandchildren and knew Walt as a great grandpa. The children visited him often. Those great grandchildren that knew him from the Thief River Falls area are Shalin Anderson, Kelsie and Jordan Hagen, and Brigette and Bailey Watne. To them, he was Grandpa Walt.

Alfred (Joyce) Steinhauer of Midland, MI; brother-in-law, Ralph (Atropa) Rye of De Soto, KS; sister in law Gertrude Nyvall, Thief River Falls, MN, and several nieces and nephews also survive. Friends as well as family reminsce their friendships with Walt.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Alice; daughter, Irene; son-in-law, Ken Swanson; grandson, Paul Mehrkens; and brother, Robert.

Loving prayers and thoughts to all who knew and cherished him. Take moments to think about how he touched your life. Think about how this widow and widower meshed families together. Think about what Ella said before their marriage when asked if she loved him. She said, "I not only love him, I am in love with him". Ella told her daughter that she was now alone. She, of course, still has her family but that isn't the same, is it? Consider the days with your mate as precious, just as Walt and Ella did on their second marriages and remember just because one isn't a 'blood' parent, grandparent, or great grandparent, one can still adopt them and honor them as 'one of your own.

e