A Review of Homes Found in Aspinwall

In Aspinwall's first years, there were apparently some 300 people living in town, and as far as we can tell, the "city limits" were about the same as they are today. Where did all these people live? Many of the store owners and their families lived in apartments inside the businesses; railroad workers lived at the section house and depot which are no longer in existence; several homes have also been torn down or destroyed by fires and never rebuilt; and it could be that the families were simply larger than those of today.

We have tried here to include all the past and present homes of Aspinwall; we have listed as many of the previous occupants as we could find, but most of the "memories" begin about 1900 or after. The 1982 residents, their occupations, and the ages of the children are also included.

The remodeled school, shown in 1982 A. Aspinwall School House until 1959; remodeled by Robert Schilling; Lyle and LaVonne Anthony; 1982 - Gary and Joyce (Otto) Vinke and sons, Brian, 18, Craig, 17, Todd, 15, and Lynn, 11. Gary is employed at Aspinwall Co-op Company. Joyce works part-time at L.R. Nelson Corporation.

ODDS AND ENDS
The Uselding home burnt twice in town, just two doors from our home. The first one was an old house; they built a nice new home and years later, it burned. Then they built a house just west of Aspinwall and that also burned one night.
There were many fires around the countryside, especially barns. Two pool halls burned in Aspinwall, also the dance hall, elevators and lumber shed. The night the elevator burned, the rats were running around the top of the elevator while it was burning; this happened on a "dance night" and we were there.
Clara (Eickelkamp) Ehrichs

Mrs. Milda Lorenzen lives in this remodeled school house. B. School House moved in from north of Astor by Robert and Helen Schilling in the middle 1950s, which they remodeled; John and Milda Lorenzen; 1982 - Mrs. Milda Lorenzen, retired.

C. John Jr. and Bertha Ehrichs, house built by John in 1915; Mr. and Mrs. Chris Lund, Otto and Emma Schmielau, William "Billy Sunday" and Elsie Hansen; Chris and Caroline Ehrichs; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fuller; Eddie and Gertrude Hensen; Meves and Erma Wiese; 1982 Mrs. Erma Wiese, retired.

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Louie Ehrichs and sons Glenn and Gene built their Aspinwall home with two garages.

D. Louie and Clara Ehrichs - Louie and his sons built this home in 1946; Mrs. Ida Schultz; 1982 - Ted and Rhonda (Wiess) Jansen and children Jessica, 5, and Christy, 2. Ted is employed by Chicago Northwestern Railroad Company. E. Pete and Elsie Siem; Andrew and Elizabeth Boyens; Louie and Clara Ehrichs; Henry and Anna Jansen; 1982 - Marcellus (Sal) Grundmeier, operator of Grundmeier Garage.

F. Mrs. Gluckstadt; Hans and Eliza Soll; John and Anna Woest; Andrew and Elizabeth Boyens; 1982 - House gone.

ODDS AND ENDS
A barn filled with hay was destroyed by fire on the Chris Brandt farm west of Aspinwall the morning of May 26. The Manning Volunteer Firemen answered the call at 8:30 a.m. when lightning struck the barn. Lost in the blaze were 10 60-pound pigs, 500 bales of hay and a hog self-feeder. More than 200 pigs were driven from the barn to safety.
Manning Monitor, May 29, 1969

The home of Roy and Ruth Soll. G. 1982 - Roy and Ruth Starner Soll; they built the home in 1948. Roy is the owner of Soll's Service, and Ruth is a teacher in the Audubon School System.

Henry and Dora Nagel H. Henry and Dora Nagel; Tom and Lucille Rowan; William and Dora Soll; Charles and Esther Stief; 1982 - House torn down. ODDS AND ENDS
After assisting at home with the general farm work, Mary (Kruse) Gottsch went to Manning and took a three-month course in dressmaking at the Noisick home. Here she learned by chart and not by patterns how to cut material for dresses. At the completion of her course, she sewed in various homes for 50c a day. Calico and lawn were the basic goods used then, and they sold for 5c and 3c a yard.
Mary was born in Hayes Township December 29, 1873. She was married to William Gottsch October 21, 1896.
Interview in August 24, 1956 Denison Bulletin

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Christian and Emma Hollander, 1907-1920 I. Tom Dutt, grain buyer during 1880s and 1890s; Jurgen Koester and son Fred (original house burned); Matthias and Maria Carstensen (new house built in 1902): Christian and Emma Hollander; Charles and Margaret Schroeder; Howard and Margaret Kuchel; Janet (Ehrichs) Kroll; Calvin and Nancy Stammer; Dallas and Brenda Warnke; Tim and Roxanne Henkelman; Delaine and Joyce Waterbury; 1982 - Richard Stoberl, farmer and livestock buyer.

Meves Schacht, seated, and his children, from left, Henry, Rich, and Frieda. J. Meves Schacht and children; Henry and Seina Kai; Richard and Anna Schacht; George and Ella Beck; Herbert and Edna Rowedder; Martin and Julia Benischek (divided into two apartments); Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Mundt, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Ehrichs, and Mr. and Mrs. Ken Sublett lived upstairs when George Beck lived downstairs; Chris Massen lived with the Becks; 1982 - Mrs. Julia Benischek and Gladys, house again one home.

Hans and Margaret Hansen and their son, "Billy Sunday." K. Hans and Margaret Hansen; Fred and Hannah Boyens; William and Rosa Schroeder; Richard and Shirley Swanson; 1982 - Alvin and Clariss Christian Jansen; Alvin is a Patrol Operator for Crawford County and Clariss is employed at L.R. Nelson Corporation. L. John and Anna Musfeldt; he built the house in about 1882; The Thomssens; Mrs. Christensen; Mrs. Jansen; William and Antonia Wiese; Mr. and Mrs. Art Brandenburg; Clyde and Delpha Olsen; Anna Schacht; 1982 - Dean and Marge Hoffman Brincks Hupp and children, Neil Brincks, 16, and Jeff Brincks, 12. Dean is employed at the Aspinwall Co-op.

M. Andrew Boyens family; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Christiansen, Sr.; Peter and Reka Christiansen, Jr.; John McMahon; William and Theresa Ranniger; Ray and Margaret Ohde; William and Dora Soll; Holland and Mildred Phillips; Eddie and Gertrude Hensen; Alfred and Alma Schroeder, Sr.; 1982 - Alfred Schroeder, Jr., retired.

N. Creamery built in 1895; Harry Hays family lived upstairs; building moved about 1902; William Wolters family/Hardware Store; Louis and Mary Schroeder/Hardware Store; Harry and Marie Schroeder lived with his parents; Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Steckelburg; Darlyne and Eddie Dahleen; Marcellus and Evelyn Grundmeier; Marcellus Grundmeier; 1982 - Roy Schilling Welding Shop.

ODDS AND ENDS
I remember traveling to the state fair and to family reunions at Lake Okoboji in our blue Essex.
Dorothy (Ehrichs) Kusel