Mother's Day

Written by my mother, Elsie Louise Roesch Smith.    

To My Daughters On Mother's Day

Dedicated to Kathy, Sharon, Janine & Robin

Mother's Day 1989 

What better time than Mother's Day 

To express some thoughts I seldom say.

Four precious little girls, like peas in a pod,

Sent straight from heaven a gift from God

Rearing children is a lifetime process

But so rewarding is each small success.

Sometimes the end never seems in sight,

Then suddenly there you were, grown overnight.

Years of time and money spent, more than worth every cent.

"I wonder where that fanny-whacker went?"

Curls bouncing on little heads, secrets shared at night,

Nicknames given in love, Gram and Nannie's delight. 

A picnic, a trip to Cape Cod to see the ships,

A walk in the woods brought smiles to your lips.

I'd like to keep you forever but know that I can't,

Because for such a short time you were only lent.
The men that you married are wonderful as well,

I love them all dearly, Jeff, Tony, Victor and Mel.

How proud I am of you

In everything you say and do.

When your children are grown and you can see,

That they are everything you wanted them to be.

Good mates and parents loving and caring,

With wonderful memories for sharing,

The cycle us complete.

My grandchildren are surely blessed,

But I might as well confess,

That the luckiest person in the world is me,

Because I am your mother.

Love you Mom

Celestin Kaltenbach - Elected Official

Celestine Kaltenbach was born in Baden, Germany in 1813 and then coming to Potosi, Wisconsin.  In 1853 he was made Town Treasurer, the first town office to be held by a German. 

He  became the Dean of Postmasters in the United States holding that office from 1837 to the time of his death, March 18, 1891, at the age of 78. 

Before coming to Potosi he had mined iron for three years about Dubuque.  On coming to the "Hollow" he started a store (in the location then known as Van Buren) which he carried on for more than fifty years.  He held several town offices and was so much esteemed in the community that to hundreds his advice or admonition was law.

His grandson, Celestine David, named for him married into the Roesch family when he wed Gwendolyn September 26, 1934. 

He graduated from Potosi High School in 1918 and went to Duluth, MN to study electricity.  He was a mailclerk at St. Paul in 1919.  He worked for years in Potosi State Bank starting in April 1923, and was postmaster for 34 years prior to his 1968 retirement. On September 26, 1934 he married Gwendolyn A. Roesch.   A member of Grant County and State Historical Societies; National Legion of Postmasters and American Legion WWI veteran.  They lived at Whitewater after 1987. 

Gwen passed away in an assisted  living facility.  Her obituary read as follows:

POTOSI/WHITEWATER—

Gwendolyn Alice (Roesch) Kaltenbach, 86, formerly of Potosi, died Wednesday, Aug. 2, 1995 at the Fairhaven Residential Facility in Whitewater, where she had resided since 1987.

She was born Feb. 26, 1909 in Boise-Lancaster, the daughter of Lake and Edna (Thomas) Roesch.  She married Celestine Kaltenbach on Sept. 26, 1934 in Dubuque, Iowa.

She was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church and the Altar Society in Potosi.  She was a member of the Grant County Historical Society and the DAR.  She attended Lawrence University, the UW-Madison and was a graduate of the UW-Platteville.  She taught high school at Lancaster and Cornucopia for five years.  She authored a historical booklet entitled “Old Potosi” and other magazine articles.  She was also employed at the post office in Potosi for many years.

Surviving are a son, David (Shirley) Kaltenbach, Seattle; a daughter Diane (Jack) Trojan of Whitewater; two grandchildren, Andrew (Trecia) Kaltenbach and Lisa (Doug) Bush; one great-grandson, Jacob Kaltenbach; a brother, Keith Roesch, Lancaster; a sister Anita Schaefer, Potosi; a sister-in-law, Nellie Schenk, Whittier, Calif.; and other relatives and friends.

Interment services were held on Tuesday at St. Thomas Cemetery in Potosi with a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial at a later date to be announced.  Memorials may be given to the church, the DAR or the Grant County Historical Society.

The Skindingsrude Funeral Home in Whitewater served the family.

 

Coquina Art

I just returned from a month long vacation in Florida.  Had a wonderful time dining in my favorite restaurants, enjoyed a three hour kayaking tour in and around the Thousand Islands of the Banana River where we saw dolphins and manatees so close we felt we could touch them.

Went to the Florida Historical Society and donated 14 newspapers of the Eau Gallie Record dating as far back as 1910 that my great grandfather William Russell Roesch founded.  His son, William Phillip, my grandfather, and he were both writers and editors.  When I approached my uncle Clyde, William Phillip's son who lives in Bunnell, Florida about donating the Eau Gallie Record newspapers, he gladly offered them to me to present to the Historical Society, which was most grateful.  Once they are digitized, the society will give both of us copies on a disk.

The town's name of Eau Gallie means rocky water.  It was given this name because the area has rocky ledges of coquina rock which gives the land a firm base.   I never really questioned how coquina was made except to assume that little crushed shells fused to together at the water's edge until I read an article in one of the newspapers before turning them over to the Historical Society.  Coquina rock is used everywhere as treasured art pieces.  Here is what my great-grandfather wrote in the newspaper to tell the story of the coquina rock.

"To the stranger here one of the things that particularly attracts his attention is the unusual rock formation along the river shore.  Coquina rock is the result of ages of work by millions of minute insects collectively.  This insect is closely related to the coral insect and works in the water in the same manner.  A peculiarity of their work is the fact that in many places as along our shores, they work in a circle making about one foot of rock around a sand core about twelve inches in diameter, thereby when the sand is dislodged leaving long straight perpendicular holes in the rock about every foot, these holes here are often quite deep penetrating the earth for many feet. 

"In the Atlantic about one-fourth  mile from the beach another line of the rock is being built and in time to come will retain enough of the drifting sands to make that the shore line."

These are obviously too heavy and large for me to carry home.  So I have a piece about a foot long that I have displayed in my greenhouse window with other shells.

Have a Laugh or Two

The Eau Gallie Record posted jokes on a regular basis for their readership to enjoy.  Here are a few that I will share with you.

A cow stood on the railroad track.
A train came around the bend.
She never had been hit before
But she got it in the end.

A young lady with vamp blue eyes and a store-bought complexion came into the Record office the other day.  And after watching the Linograph in operation for a few minutes said to the operator, "That's an extra large typewriter is it not - but where do you put the paper?"

This is leap year.  If some flappers assume some of Danny Cupid's modesty, they might hit what they shoot for before 1925.

I know a little man
and he plays a little flute.
I know why all the neighbors
are learning how to shoot.

Olde Southern Charm

One of the most fascinating places I have visited is the Eau Gallie Cemetery.  It is not only a beautiful olde southern cemetery, but it holds the history of the town of Eau Gallie, Florida that was established by its founder, John Carroll Houston in 1862.  It is also sad to note that in 1969, this wonderful historical community merged into the city of Melbourne, much to the chagrin of many of its citizens.

Just about anyone that was important to the growth of this gallant little town is buried in the Eau Gallie Cemetery.  I may be biased, but that doesn't change the history, for it is written.  In this cemetery rests Jesse Kerrick, owner of the grocery store and fire chief.  Gov. Gleason and his family is there.

 

The Rossetter family, James, who became known as a leader in the local fishing industry and founded a wholesale fishing enterprise.  He also became an agent for the Standard Oil Company.  Upon his death his daughter Carolyn applied for and took over her father's job and became the first female agent and held the job for 62 years. 

Here you will also find Dr. William Creel, the first doctor to stay in this community, a much loved man who was referred to as one of God's chosen people and the town named the new causeway spanning the Indian River for him.

 

When the Civil War began John Carroll Houston the IV began to operate boats on the Indian River in the interest of the Confederacy,  He was the first man to navigate this river and became known as Captain John.  He was captured and kept prisoner at sea for three months and at the end of the war he was paroled in Key West.

My great grandfather, William Russell Roesch, first mayor of Eau Gallie, his son William Phillip and partner in running the Eau Gallie Record and family members all rest here.  The stories of Ada, Nellie, Lena, and Clarence have been told.

There are many stories of others here who built roads, homes and churches, belonged to various organizations, all to help each other turn a wilderness into the neighborhood community known as Eau Gallie.  But pictures are worth a thousand words.

Keeping A Short Leash

This black sheep will have to remain anonymous, because it is an entity that is still in business.  Most likely the individual that did this to my family years ago, around the time of the depression, is no longer with us.  The strange thing is, nothing was ever spoken of it, and the parties who were also neighbors remained kindly to one another, at least face-to-face.


Restaurant on the left
Gas Station on right

My grandmother, Florence, ran a dining room that was a regular stop for truck drivers.  As a matter-of-fact, one of the truck drivers would let my mother, at the of twelve, drive his truck about 1000 yards up the road, stop and let her out.  She would then walk home and the driver would continue on his way.

Some of the other customers included citrus farm laborers.  At noon the workers would leave the orange tree fields and go to my grandmothers for lunch. The plantation owner wasn't too happy that his workers were spending the salaries he paid them paying his neighbor not only for lunch but also purchasing gasoline for their automobiles.  My great grandfather, Emond, ran a gasoline repair business that sat on the same property.

So the good business owner built not only a lunch room but a gas station as well on his property.  Then told his workers they must buy their lunch and gasoline there.  Seems to me he wanted the salary he paid them put back into his pockets. 

The question is "Why did the laborers do what they were told?"

Update:  3/1/19 The entity, Harvey's Grove went out of business three months ago. So I feel free to divulge their name.

Mary Jane Houston



 

Charles John Young and Mary Jane Houston

Mary Jane Houston, my 2nd great Aunt, was a daughter of John Carrol Houston, one of the first settlers of Eau Gallie Florida. Her mother was Mary Virginia Hall a/k/a Mary Virginia Murray.  Her father gave her a dower of land.

On April 6 1897 Mary Houston Young signed away a portion of her dower rights  She and her husband, Charles John Young, signed the warrant deed transferring a lot in the Houston addition to Eau Gallie to the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Missionary Juristiction of Southern Florida, for the purpose of building a church already named "St. John's.

They were among the first 29 communicants of St John's Church.  They aided and assisted by money and work in building this church. The documents were witnessed by Henry Hodgson and Jno. E.M. Hodgson, Notary Public.  The examination of title (search)  was made on April 16 1897, and the transaction recorded in Deed Book "B.B." pg 650, on May 1 1897. 

Mary and her husand Charles
are buried in the Eau GallieCemetery,
Eau Gallie, Florida

Mary Houston Young was sister to my great grandmother, Ada Louise Houston Roesch.  They are all buried in the Eau Gallie Cemetery. Whereas Mary and Charles Young built the St. John's Church, Ada and her husband William Roesch built the St. Paul's Methodist Church.

As the membership grew at St. John's, it became necessary to enlarge the Church.  It just amazes me that it was decided  to retain to the original sanctuary so the new church  was enlarged around it.  The old sanctuary is beautiful.

I wish everyone respected history this much.

The Young family moved to Miami about1922, where Charles Young continued to work for the East Coast Lumber and Supply Company.   

25 Years Into The Future

Written by my grandfather, William Phillip Roesch, Publisher of the Eau Gallie Record in 1925.  In his words, February 5, 1925.



"Conditions change with the passing of time; 25 years ago when the writer was a boy, a street or road in this section paved with oyster shell with a width of 8 ft. was something to wonder at, and to go out of our way in order to drive over it.  Today we accept as a necessity 40 ft. asphalt streets and 18 ft. concrete roads - even pledge our property collectively in order to provide additional streets and roads, so that we may move quickly and comfortably from place to place.' 

"Twenty-five years in the future, in 1950, it is possible the elaborate systems of streets and highways of which we are so proud today will be used only as a parking place for our airplanes.  It is more than probable, it is certain, that development of transportation will continue and the airplane of 1950 will be even more a necessity to everyday life than the automobile of 1925 or the bicycle and horse of 1900."

Lessons of Fear

Rumors run rampant out of fear and that is exactly what happened when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Innocent people can and do get hurt and not just from bombs.


OHI FAMILY FARM CIRCA 1941

Edward Minour Ohi, a Japanese family had a farm in Eau Gallie, Fl, and was a neighbor of my great grandfather, William R Roesch. The Ohi's were a quiet  family raising their children and working to make a living like every other American family. They grew beans and other vegetables taking their harvest to market to sell.  You can see the family relaxing on their front porch.  Little did they know that fear was about to change their lives so dramatically.

It was rumored that Ohi would write messages on his roof for the Japanese enemy war planes to see giving them an advantage to win the war; which was far from the truth. It was also rumored that their oldest daughter managed to get out of America and back to Japan. 

The family was wrongly imprisoned like so many others only to be released after the war. The Ohi family were guilty only out of the fear of a nation's imagination.  The lesson here is to not let fear get the best of you in any situation, that's when mistakes are made and people get hurt; possibly you.

In March of 1915, the 1st Annual Brevard County Fair was held in Eau Gallie.  Edward M. Ohi won 1st place for the Best Vegetable Collection.

Mr. Ohi ran this ad in the Eau Gallie Record:
Ruby King Peppers $3 per 1000
Florida High Bush Egg Plant $5 per 1000
Livingston Globe Tomatoes $3 per 1000



A tale of Two Wives

 Thomas Pierce was superior to his brother Isaac.  Isaac was apparently much the slimmest link in the genealogical chain from Isaac, through the oldest sons down to the present time.  Both brothers married into the Booth family, but scarcely if ever were two women more dissimilar.  Isaac marrying a woman decidedly his superior, and Thomas one as much below his station.  Isaac's wife Judith  was a most industrious, enterprising, neat and tidy person, not stingy or mean but economical, and as a result adding thrift to the affairs of her family.  

Thomas' wife Naomi, became the synonym of laxness, laziness and utter worthlessness.  She was always complaining, sick, sick, always sick, too feeble to attend to a house-keeper's legitimate cries, too feeble to cook, and indeed too feeble to get out of bed till it was cooked and fully prepared for eating.  When she came to the table, she astonished all beholders with her gluttony." 

"The mulish Isaac Pierce Jr through the assistance of his model wife, made his life a success.  His more intelligent brother Thomas incapable of resisting the downward and distructive tendency in his, encumbered and ever discouraged as he was by this burden of Naomi like a mill-stone about his neck."