Merry Christmas!

We left Texas on Saturday morning and arrived in Green Bay Sunday night.  Time for a little time off with family for the Holidays.  There may be a stray post here and there, but for the most part, I'll see you all in the new year!

Sunday's Obituary - SGT Lester J. Uelmen

"New Fane Soldier Dead, Barton B-24 Gunner Missing

A telegram from the war department conveyed the sad news to Mrs. Betty Uelmen of New Fane Monday morning that her husband, Sgt. lester J. Uelmen, 25, was killed in action Jan. 13, near Strasbourg, Germany.  The dead sergeant is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Uelmen of New Fane.

Sgt. Uelmen entered the army Dec. 4, 1942, and had basic training at Camp Chaffee, Ark.  From there he went to Camp Campbell, Ky., and then to a port of embarkation on the east coast.  He arrived at a port in France on Oct. 27, 1944.  Moving through France with an infantry division of the seventh army, he was killed in his first combat.  his last letter, written to his wife, was dated Jan. 9, in Germany.

Sgt. Uelmen worked at the Kewaskum creamery prior to entering the army.  He was married to the former Betty Krueger of New Fane on Oct. 12, 1940.  his wife resides with her parents, the William Kruegers, at New Fane.  He is further survived by his parents and two brothers, Pvt. Elmer, with the third army in France and Lawrence of New Fane."

There was no publication information with the clipping which was passed on to me.  The newspaper was almost certainly from Wisconsin and the story would have been published after January 13, 1945. 

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Stockings

The Tabor girls - Christmas 1974

I actually have the stocking I used when I was a little girl.  My mom made it out of felt.  Each one of us had our names on ours and a little toy pinned to the top.  Mine was a Santa head.  You would pull the cord at the bottom and Santa's eyes would open and the toy/pin would light up.  It's still attached to my stocking and the eyes still open, but not without difficulty.

When our oldest was born my husband and I went to K-Mart and looked at stockings.  I had little time (and skills) at the time to make stockings for everyone so we found pre-made stockings that we liked.  We bought four since we knew we'd have at least one more kiddo at some point.  I got felt at the craft store and cut out letters to glue our names on our stockings.  It wasn't quite like mom's, but the intent is there.

We didn't hang our stocking by the fireplace.  We just laid them on the tile by our lovely fake fireplace.  I'm sure my parents were most likely concerned that having the stockings hung would just be temptation for us to pull at them and pull something down on our heads!

We open our stockings first thing in the morning...before presents.  It gives parents time to enjoy that first crucial cup of coffee while somewhat appeasing the kids' desire to get into some goodies.  I can appreciate that more as an adult. 

Where do you put your stockings and when do you "open" them?  Is it a new tradition or is it what you used to do as a kid? 

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Grab Bag - Crafts

My mom was always very crafty.  I like to think that I inherited a little of that as well, but nothing compared to the mad skills my mom has!  She had the Farm Journal Christmas Book and had made some of the decorations from it for our house.  The ones I remember clearly are the nativity and the Santa Claus mobile.  I thought she had made the candle with presents as well, but it's not as clear in my mind.

When I got married back in 1999 in Hawaii, my mom (knowing how I loved the nativity) made one and shipped it to me.  I absolutely love it!  It just made it feel more like Christmas with it there.

I know my older sister has fond memories of all the crafty (and yummy) items in this book, because a few years back she went on eBay found copies of it, and PRESTO!...a little bit of our childhood was placed in our hands!  Now mom's not the only one with a copy! :)

Next year I've got to get to work on that Santa mobile and perhaps the candle.  I wonder how fire safe that candle IS!  Oh well...as long as I don't leave it alone.

Were there any special home-made decorations that your parents or ancestors made that you cherish?

The Villers Saga, Part VII

This clipping was published under the column "State News" without any subheading and was published in "The Bismarck Daily Tribune" on January 13, 1898.

"In the trial of the Villers murder case at Jamestown the evidence of Mrs. Tromer was continued, she being still ill and weak, and being forced to give her testimony from a reclining invalid chair.  She told of the disappearance of Tromer, her husband, and of the fact that after his disspearance Villers had come to her with letters that he said were written by Tromer, stating that he was east being treated for his eyesight.  Testimony was also given of the statements of Villers after the disappearance when he was asked if he knew anything of the whereabouts of Tromer, and stated that he did - that Tromer had gone west.  The most sensational testimony of the day was that given by one Alex Frazier, who testified to having a conversation with Villers, the latter stating that Tromer had run away.  Villers also stated to him that he had heard Tromer and his wife having an altercation one time, when she had asked him to kill her, Villers stated to the witness at the time that he would not be surprised if Tromer returned at any time and killed her and threw her body in an old well.  This testimony is significant from the fact that Mrs. Tromer was assaulted afterward and thrown in the well, but Villers and not Tromer was the man who did it."

MJ Villers was convicted of attempted murder of Mrs. Tromer several years prior to this murder trial, and it certainly looks like he's guilty, but what pops into my mind when I read this is that we've already established he's guilty of trying to kill her and throwing her in the well.  Is this new evidence?  Seriously?  It has to do with the other trial.  Not that it isn't dramatic and I'm sure it sold papers, but it's old news.

The trial of attempted murder just seemed to have had much more substantial evidence as opposed to circumstantial evidence.  Ah, history!

One more mini post and then the long article concluding the trial!

Blog Caroling - Christmas Pipes

I love Christmas Carols!  I simply cannot wait until after Thanksgiving to start listening to them.  I've had to compromise with my husband though so I don't play any Christmas music until November 1st.  There are so many beautiful songs out there, and while I love Bing Crosby, Elvis, the Rat Pack and even Veggie Tales,  by far my favorite Christmas album is "Beautiful Carols with Celtic Women", by Celtic Woman.

I was torn between 2 songs, "Christmas Pipes" and "The Seven Joys of Mary" and I went with Pipes, but it was close!

Christmas Pipes

Christmas pipes, Christmas pipes
Calling us home on Christmas night
Call us from far, call us from near
Oh play me your Christmas pipes

Christmas bells, Christmas bells
Over the hills and over the dells
Ringing out bright, ringing out clear
Oh ring me your Christmas bells

Christmas strings, Christmas strings
Playing the peace that Christmas brings
Fiddle and bow, gentle and low
Oh play me your Christmas strings

Christmas choir, Christmas choir
Christmas carols 'round Christmas fire
Holy night, angels on high
Round up your Christmas choir

Christmas band, Christmas band
You're waiting for me with your Christmas band
Cymbal and drum, rattle and hum
March out your Christmas band

Christmas pipes, Christmas pipes
Calling us home on Christmas night
Call us from far, call us from near
Oh play me your Christmas pipes

Good to be home to your Christmas
Good to be home to your Christmas
Good to be home to your Christmas pipes 

The Villers Saga, Part VI

Another episode in the epic saga of Martin Joseph Villers.  Two articles again, since the first is rather short.

This first article ran with no title and was just one of many paragraphs under the heading "The City"

The Bismarck Daily Herald, December 31, 1897

"It is said that a change of venue may be asked for in the Villers case when it is called in district court at Jamestown next week, if any difficulty is experienced in securing a jury.  Villers' counsel would naturally prefer a trial in some other county of the district more remote from the scene of the crime with which he is charge, and where less pronounced opinions have been formed, but if it appears that a fair trial can be obtained it is said that Attorney Ellsworth will not seek to unnecessarily delay a verdict being reached"

Well, of COURSE he would want the trial in a different venue where less pronounced opinions have been formed!  Who wouldn't!?!  OK...I'm done...

"The Villers Trial

The Bismarck Daily Herald, January 12, 1898

The taking of evidence in the trial of Martin J. Villers the prisoner from the penitentiary who is on trial at Jamestown, for the murder of August Ttromer, began in that city yesterday morning.  The first witness called by the state was the coroner, Dr. Baldwin, who testified to the inquiry which had been held over the remains of Tromer discoverd in a field, and who stated that in his opinion death had been caused by a blow on the head from a blunt instrument, dealt with a great deal of violence.  The different exhibits in the case were identified by the coroner, they being a portion of the scalp with a little of the hair attached, a portion of the skull, to which the scalp was sttached, the latter being still bloody and discolored, pieces of the clothing of the murdered man, and the pipe, knife, and other articles found with the body.  Another exhibit in the case is the pocket handkerchief, knotted about the neck of the dead man by his wife before he left home, the knot having been identified by her.  The second witness in the case was Mrs. Tromer, the wife of the murdered man, who testified that she last saw her husband on the 14th of September, 1894, the time he left home with Villers.  She told how he was dressed.  An objection was made to her testimony by the defense, and during its argument, she fainted away, and upon her recovery went into violent hysterics, and the feeling in the court room was intense.  In the afternoon Mrs. Tromer had to be carried into court in an invalid chair and identified the handkercheif, clothing and some of the articles worn by the dead man."

She faints during an objections?  I object!  Actually I would have wanted to slap her.  I've got little tolerance for silly, hysterical people.  Talk about melodrama!  Maybe that's why Villers tried to kill her years before.  OK that wasn't nice, and I'm biased...but if you were watching this in a nice little fictional world of CSI, wouldn't you say the same?

Soon we'll be onto the documents of this case.  They are more challenging for me to transcribe.  My wonderful, darling husband got me several early Christmas presents, to include a new all-in-one printer so I can now scan legal documents.  Can't wait!