The 1951 Kaiser "Blew Me Away"

I noticed the articles on the blog about two individuals that drove Kaisers. I remember Dick Stasser, but when I knew him we were both too young to be driving cars. I also have a Kaiser story with a Haigler connection. In 1955, after graduation from The University of New Mexico, I spent the summer in Haigler with my aunt, Dorothy McKay. On 15 JUN 1955 we drove to Denver for the day, and as we passed through Fort Morgan on US 34 I spied a 1951 Kaiser Deluxe 4-door sedan on the used car lot of Meng Motor Sales. I was in the market for a car, as I was entering the Army in September and needed "wheels" for the adventure. I had admired Kaiser designs, and each summer I was in Haigler I would visit Vic Stasser's showroom to look at the latest model. The 1951 just "blew me away". On the way back from Denver I bought the Kaiser and took it with me that September to Fort Knox. I went to Germany in 1956, and the Kaiser returned to Haigler where Dorothy kept it and drove it around town for a number of years. It was Caribbean Coral with a tan top. The tan top was courtesy of the original owner, as the 51 Deluxe did not come as a 2-tone. In 1986 I took it out of Dorothy's garage and had Stanley Smith in Imperial do a restoration - returning it to all original Caribbean Coral. It went with me to St. Louis, then to Oklahoma City, and finally to San Antonio. On 15 June 2005 I sold the car to a Kaiser collector in Waco, Texas exactly 50 years to the day that I bought it. It did, however, spend the majority of it's life in Haigler, and I suspect many who remember Dorothy will remember her driving it around town for a number of years. The attached picture was taken while it was in St. Louis - a year after it's restoration. Kent San Antonio, TX USA

Notes about the Straub Family

It is always fun to hear from someone who runs across The Haigler Blog when they are searching for family ancestors. Kim from Saskatchewan, Canada is such a person. She contacted me and we have been writing back and forth for a few days. I thought I'd post the notes we've written because some of you will remember the Straubs and some of you might even BE the Straubs!!

My name is Kim from Taber, Alberta, Canada. My gramma came to Saskatchewan with her mother from Haigler, Nebraska. I’m doing family history and I’m having a block. My great gramma was married to a Straub, he passed away we think in Haigler. I don't have her maiden name. My gramma was Rosalie Straub. I’m just new at this family tree thing. I have some ages and deceased dates. I will get back to you with this. Great site by the way. I hope to visit some day to my families’ roots. My family has been there in the late 60's to visit some Rose's and Biers families. Thanks for your time. Keep up the great web site. I hope to one day put some great family history on the site.

Hi Kim,

Great to hear from you!

I will forward your email to other people who may remember your grandmother.

I believe that Rosalie Straub may have been a neighbor of ours in Cheyenne County Kansas which is just south of Dundy County Nebraska. We called her Rosie Straub and her children went to school at East 10 school district where we also went. She lived less than a mile south of the school and raised her children alone as far as I remember. Names that come to mind are Paul and Luella.

Was it your mother or father who was one of her children? My mother is 93 years old and remembers a lot of people from that area and had some of the Straub children in her classroom when she was a teacher. I will ask her.

In the mean time, you might want to focus your search in Cheyenne County Kansas, since they actually lived south of Haigler, Nebraska about 6-10 miles.

Also, if you have not already joined Ancestry.com, you might want to consider it. Their resources have been very helpful in my own family research and are worth the cost.

Talk to you soon. Sherri

Thanks Sherri for your fast response. And all your info and links. I will keep in touch. It was my mother. my gramma was young when she came with her mother to Saskatchewan. I think my great gramma is Augustine. Her husband’s sister is Rose or Rosalie. I think? I'm just getting it all straight. Thanks again. Kim

Hi again Kim,

I thought I remembered that the Straub family was among the German Russian families that arrived in Cheyenne County in the late 1800s, and I did find them on a list compiled by Paul Reeb who researched the immigrant families that settled in Northwest Kansas. Here is a link to that list. http://www.odessa3.org/collections/comps/link/stfran.txt

“The Clearing House” is a very good resource for your research, also. http://www.grhs.com/vr/ch.htm

Good luck. You are embarking on a very addictive project!!

Sherri

Thanks again. I found out my great gramma is Alvina Straub and her husband was August Straub. He died around 1905. My dad visited an old homestead where there were two wooden crosses. My gramma was alive at the time. She thought one was her dad's. My gramma was Rosalie Straub. She was born I think in 1905 and past on in 1985? Approximate. I’m waiting to here back from my aunt, my mom's sister who is going to be 81 on May 8. I’m trying to give her a little history for her birthday. Thank you so much its great your mom is so spry for her age. My mom also told me when she was still alive that my gramma was left handed and in those days, they tied your hand behind your back to make you write right. kinda neat little tid bit.

Thanks for taking the time. Hear from you soon.

Hi Kim,

I got the following letter from my mom today. She is 93 and remembers alot about people around Haigler.

Sherri

====================

This just has to be our Rosie Straub. (the great gramma was "married to a Straub") So --The gramma would be one of Rosie Straub's daughters.

I have a hard time to realize that those little dolls are gramdmas now. I wonder which one.

I remember that Hannah Beeler Zuege and Lottie Beeler Workman were nieces of Jake Straub. Their parents lived in Oklahoma.

Rosie Straub had brother, Harvey Hofer living south of Benkelman, Nebr. He and Alice have 4 boys. Rosie's sister, Amy Hofer Andres, of Haigler, Nebr.

Yes, the Straubs lived about four miles into Kansas. On a Haigler, Nebraska mail route. Like us.

Rosie's family:

The names as I remember are Oscar, Elsie, Ida, Paul, Lucille (?), Bernice, Irene, Harry, Louella. They lived in a small basement house. Rosie kept it clean and neat as could be-- besides all the work she had to do helping with the farm work during her husband Jacob's last years and after his death. That was before I knew them except to know who they were and where they lived. I remember seeing Jake Straub in town.

Rosie sold us what we call the "west pasture". We farmed her land on the quarter by the school house. She was a wonderful woman.

When I taught E-10 school was 1942 after Oscar, Elsie and Ida were through 8th grade. I had Paul, Lucille, Bernice, and Irene in school.

Some details: Oscar worked for us on our farm for one winter and then for Marvin Mills Ranch for several years. Then he worked for the County maintaining roads from then on until he retired. Oscar, Ida, Paul and one other (I think Lucille but am not sure) married Tuckers. Irene married one of the Garners. Elsie married Curtis Miller first, then John Cook. One of Elsie and Curtis's daughters married a Wright (brother of Nadine Workman).

I will write another letter about the Biers and Roses. (Remember that our Irene married Herman Rose) And the Lampes--Louise Bier's family. All related.

Love, Mom (Alice Gregory)

Hello Sherri,

My aunt got back to me. Alvina Phillipine Brady married Samuel August Straub around 1900. My great gramma had 5 girls with Samuel or August. I'm not sure which name he went by.

Here is what i found in the 1910 census . My great gramma, Alvina, and her girls were listed:

Mary-died at infancy, Lydia age 9 -died of the flu before 1914, Amelia (Emily) age 7, Rosa (Rosalie Augustine) age 5.(my grandma), Lizzie age 2 was a half sister with the last name of Foster.

My great granpa died around 1904. My aunt jogged my memory with the story that he had bad teeth (gout) in his gums so he put blue stone on them? - Some home remedy that killed him. That's the info I remember my gramma and mom telling me. My great grandmother re-married a man by the 1st name Foster and had Lizzie. Their marriage was annulled.

My aunt remembers her gramma, Alvina talking about living in Nebraska where they all worked at an orchard? That might have even been another state she's not real sure.

My great gramma Alvina, then came to Saskathewan, Canada in around 1914 and married Phillip Meyer. My gramma and grampa (son of Phillip Meyer) got married, but not sure of the date. I will have to go to my records.

My gramma, Rosalie, went to grade three in the USA. There's a little tid-bit about the Straub's.

Thanks for your mom's info again. They could be cousin's to my gramma, I'm not sure about brother's and sisters of my great grandparent's. That's another page in history!

It's kind of ironic that there is a place near Haigler called Ashton Flats, I read a bit about a ranch in the area. My son's name is Ashton. That is who I'm doing the family history for.

Thanks again for your time, have a great day.
Kim

(edited for privacy and clarity)

What a Difference A Day Makes

Blooming Trees

April 30, 2008




St. Francis, Kansas
April 30, 2008





















Snowing
May 2, 2008

St. Francis, Kansas
May 2, 2008



-- Leah Brewer

May 2, 2008 - Haigler Weather

May 2, 2008

I was disappointed to see the weather report for Haigler today!! I thought by the first of May we would be having 60 and 70 degree weather during the day, but NOOOOOOO,..... it is cold and a threat of SNOW is in the air!!

Teacher and Superintendent - Carl S. Hoffman - 1927

I have paid another visit to The Haigler Blog, and I spied items from the 1927 HaiglerSenior Class. I was quite pleased to see them, as my father, Carl S. Hoffman, was on two documents as well as his written name on one. He was a teacher in the school, and he may well have been Superintendent by that year. I left comments on those sections relating to the fact that while serving there, he met my mother Ruth Herring. They were married while he was teaching there. He retained a lot of documents relating to his early life, but I have never seen those on the Blog. I do have a picture from those days at the High School, and I have attached it. You are most welcome to post it if you wish.

KentHoffman
San Antonio, TX USA

Carl S. Hoffman

Playground at District 67 South

Country Schoolhouse 67 South now has all the playground equipment installed. The 100+ year old carousel merry-go-round came from a country school near Malcom, Nebraska. Bidding was done on-line to acquire this item.
The swings and slide sets came from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Wray, Colorado. Floy Fisher Ruggles and her family donated this equipment to the church many years ago --and now helped donate it to district 67 South. Plans to add a teeter totter are still in progress. The equipment was installed with the help of volunteers-- Steven Crouse, Marlin Crouse, Marv Carlock, Stan Carlock and Jerry Olsen. Concrete was poured at the bases by the Bob Krutsinger crew of Benkelman.
Everyone is welcome to come see the continuing progress at the school site during the open house over Memorial/Alumni weekend.

50 Year Reunion for the Class of 1958

The Class of 1958 will be celebrating their 50th Alumni Reunion this year. John Schwartz cannot attend because of his health.

Stan Carlock

John Corder


John Schwartz

Doris Simms

Carol O'Dell

Barbara Neville

Coming Home on Memorial Weekend in Haigler

Saturday, May 24 - 1-5 p.m. - open house- Haigler Legion
Community Bldg.; Saturday evening - banquet in Benkelman
and also the Haigler Class of 1958 - 50th reunion ;
Sunday, May 25- 12 noon pot luck at the Legion Bldg. and
2-5 p.m. open house at the country schoolhouse 67 south on
Porter Avenue. - On Monday morning, 10 a.m. - Memorial
Service at the Haigler Cemetery.

--LaNeta