No Grandmother.!

I could say the little family of Gustav and Elizabeth JAESCHKE had no Grandmother living in Amerika by them. At least not by the time the children were grown. Elizabeth did have her
estranged father. Her blind Grandmother from the Brookman Seil side had lived with her father in Iowa. Though a mature young man Gustav, had neither mother or father to turn to for his parental needs. As I was posting tombstones this morning, it dawned on me how it must have been for our settlers as they raised their children and went through their lives without their parents.

There was not the grandma around who told family stories about their parent when they were young. Not the mother whom one reminisced with about love ones back home. Not that same mother who might occasionally volunteer to take over with the children, so they can have some spare minutes to themselves.

As often said their involvement was almost like A divorce or dead to each other across the ocean. Maybe a letter now and then. But the war took away so much contact that they dearly would have wanted.

I guess I was thinking strongly of Elizabeth SEIL, who came to Iowa to live by her father,just missing her grandmother living with him. Maybe her fathers new wife Anna fulfilled the role as Grandmother to Elisabeth and Gustav's many children. Maybe she became close to Elisabeth and fulfilled a mother or friend role.

Gustav,
I suppose he had his many friends, young and older who waved in and out of his daily life in his vast life as a husband, father, musician and farmland owner.

His family was not not dead to him.
I am not sure what happened to his family letters that he must have received from his remaining family by Danzig. Thankfully Berniece Jaeschke and Gary SORENSEN TOLD ME that contact remained with Anna and Max MUHL especially after the war when they were sent care packages.. In fact I have heard that he went back to visit family and so did his daughter Louise.

Who fulfilled the grandmother role? Who told them family stories. Who did the baking rolls or cookies. Making special visits. What else does a grandmother do? I suspect August and Anna SEIL ( nee VOGEL ) fulfilled both roles.

Three over from left is Anna Vogel Seil. In Back row short man with hat peeking between the two women is August Seil.

I never had much for a grandmothers involvement in my life. Annie had died Young amd my moms mother lived in california. So that is why I say, 'what does a grandmother do'?
I think maybe most of the time, the children, just did without. They like so many others in the times as pioneers in America, they just adjusted to it as it was Just the way it is. and that was that. And moved on in life. They all understood how it was in their community and helped each other.