Mystery Monday

This is a case where we know the name of the person in the photo, but not how he is related to the Kroening/Ponczoch side of my tree. If you recognize him and know how he fits, please leave a comment or send me an email! George Larson

Thursday Treasures

Haviland China Our family was lucky enough to inherit the wedding china of my husband's great grandparents, Charles Frederick Ehle and Gertrude Ethelyn Smith. Charles and Gertrude were married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 21 December 1904. The china is from Theodore Haviland, Limoges and is marked as made for Gimbel Brothers in Milwaukee. The pattern … Continue reading Thursday Treasures →

Curiouser and Curiouser

Meet the Libbeys This is a continuation of the Charles Reif vs SB Paige story. This post is focused on the mother and sister of Mary Elizabeth Libbey Fagin who was the second Mrs. Paige. This is the 9th and final installment in the series. Elizabeth Nelson Libbey was born in Ireland probably in about … Continue reading Curiouser and Curiouser →

Mystery Monday

This lady belongs on the Kroening side of my tree. She could also possibly be a Pupp, Geiger, Carl, or Newmeier. If any one recognizes her, please contact me or leave a comment!

The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige

Part 8 -The Historical Record of Mrs Paige The task of the detective hired to research Mary Elizabeth Libbey Fagin Paige's past would have been daunting. It seems as though Mary - and her mother, Elizabeth Libbey - deliberately tried to muddy the waters regarding their history from the beginning. Even today, with the ability … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige →

The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige

Part 7 - The “Real” Mrs. Paige from the Appleton Crescent, Appleton, WI13 January 1883, Saturday, page 3 The brothers of Mr. SB Paige were suspicious of his new wife from the beginning. She was 30 years his junior and seemed to have materialized out of nowhere after the death of the first Mrs. Paige. … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige →

The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige

Part 6 - The Persecution of Mrs. Paige from the Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA6 July 1883, Friday, page 1 There is an interesting slant to the newspaper stories published in Oshkosh versus the stories written from Davenport. The Oshkosh papers seemed to favor the cause of the Paige family and the Davenport paper seemed to … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige →

The Curious Case of Charles Reif and SB Paige

Part 5 - The End of Mr. Paige from the Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI 12 March 1884, Monday, page 4 After the announcement of the marriage of Simon Bailey Paige to Mary Elizabeth Fagin in New York on January 9, 1883, the newspapers in Oshkosh were largely silent on the subject. The afternoon of March … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif and SB Paige →

The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige

Part 4 - The Suit The Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper published a brief article detailing three suits brought against Simon Bailey Paige on May 2, 1881. Mr. Paige was preparing to move to Davenport, Iowa and the suits were served before his departure. Former first assistant Charles Reif of the Oshkosh fire department was suing Mr. … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige →

The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige

Part 3 - Dissension in the Ranks In the days following the fire, word began to circulate that the Chief Engineer of the fire department RJ Weisbrod and First Assistant Charles Reif were at odds. The Oshkosh Northwestern published comments on December 7 by Weisbrod accusing Reif of drunkenness and insubordination following the retrieval of … Continue reading The Curious Case of Charles Reif vs SB Paige →