Relatives, Friends
& the family homestead

In the fall of 2002, we returned to Freeport with my grandmother's ashes.
These photos were taken on that trip.

All photos copyright 2002, Robert Bike

wedding photo

Mom, at the church where she married Dad on December 4, 1943, in Elizabeth, Illinois.
Their wedding photo was taken on this very porch.

 

Barb Bremer

Mom with her friend, Barb Bremer.

 

Bike homestead

This is the renovated farmhouse that my ancestors built.
The farm was homesteaded in 1848.

 

Bike barn

The Bike farm. Barn and machine shed shown.

 

Bike homestead

The Bike homestead in Buckeye Township, Stephenson County, Illinois.

 

Richland Creek

Richland Creek, flowing through the Bike homestead.

 

Bike barn

The dilapidated barn on the Bike homestead.

 

1319

This is the home I grew up in at 1319 S. Carroll Avenue, Freeport, Illinois.

 

maple trees

House showing the two maple trees.

 

1319

My bedroom was upstairs, on the back right.
I planted the trees on the right, and the tree that is now a stump in front of them.

 

Cruiser

This is our rental car, in Krape Park.

 

Cruisin' in style

Mom with the Cruiser, in Dubuque, Iowa.

 

North Carolina

Mom with the Cruiser, showing our North Carolina plates.

 

Barb Fiene

Claudia with Barb Fiene at Grandma's funeral.

 

Ida Otte

Mom with Ida Otte at Grandma's funeral.

Remarkable Stories, Volume 1 by Robert Bike

From events in the lives of Tutty Baker, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Guiteau, Leonard Colby, Jane Addams and Bob Wienand come stories that will amaze you. Welcome to Volume 1 of our living history.

Only $11.99 paperback; only $0.99 ebook.

 

Joe Janshen

Mom with Joe Janshen at his farm southeast of Freeport. Joe passed away in 2010.

 

memorabilia

Joe has an amazing collection of memorabilia from the WLS National Barn Dance.

 

Playful silhouettes

Playful silhouettes at Joe's farm.

 

Farmall

Joe prefers Farmall tractors. They all run.

 

WLS

Some of the WLS memoribilia.

 

old record

Patsy Montana record.

 

Nehi

Joe collects various tools and signs, too.

 

tools

Do you know what all these tools are for?

 

Dekalb Seed Corn

My first job was detasseling corn for the Dekalb Seed Corn Company.

 

Joe Janshen

Joe Janshen with another of his old Farmalls.

 

farm auction posters

Joe also collects posters from farm auctions.

 

antique posters

Posters from 1861 and 1879.

 

circus posters

Old circus posters.

 

shoulder yoke

Joe demonstrating how a shoulder yoke works. Looks like hard work!

 

Oak Brand ice cream

Remember Oak Brand ice cream?

 

old Farmall

Another old Farmall.

 

more silhouettes

More silhouettes in front of Joe's barn.

 

Joe's barn

Joe's barn.

 

Joe's farmhouse

Joe's farmhouse.

 

Donna & Jim Neubauer

Mom & Claudia with Donna & Jim Neubauer.

 

Neubauer children

The Neubauers' children, Scott & Lorna.
Scott is in school learning to be a minister.
Lorna died in an auto accident shortly after this photo was taken.

Remarkable Stories, Volume 1 by Robert Bike

From events in the lives of Tutty Baker, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Guiteau, Leonard Colby, Jane Addams and Bob Wienand come stories that will amaze you. Welcome to Volume 1 of our living history.

Only $11.99 paperback; only $0.99 ebook.

John Wagner

John Wagner, my father's cousin.

 

John & Inez Wagner

John's parents, Inez and John. John father was my grandmother's brother.

 

Wagner ancestors

John Wagner's grandparents.

 

antique chair

This chair was made by my great-great-great grandfather more than 150 years ago.

 

heritage chair

Another view of the heritage chair.

 

chair

The chair is still solid after all these years.

 

artwork

This chalk drawing, on John's wall, is a companion to the artwork in my home, apparently by the same artist.

 

old tools

Some of the Wagner antique tools.

 

Wagner wagon

John Wagner played with this wagon as a boy.
Note that it was made by Wagner Mfg. Co. in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

 

Centennial Farm

John's farm was settled by our ancestors, my great-great grandfather.

 

Wagner farm

The Wagner farmstead.

 

Wagner farm house

The Wagner farm house, built in 1894, is over 100 years old.

 

John Wagner

John Wagner with one of his cats.

Remarkable Stories, Volume 1 by Robert Bike

From events in the lives of Tutty Baker, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Guiteau, Leonard Colby, Jane Addams and Bob Wienand come stories that will amaze you. Welcome to Volume 1 of our living history.

Only $11.99 paperback; only $0.99 ebook.

Lucille

My mother with her childhood friend, Lucille Eberle Servatius Miller,
at Grandma Wienand's burial site in Oakland Cemetery.

 

Henrietta Wurtzel

My mother with Mrs. Henrietta Wurtzel.

 

Ralph and Violet Stearns

Relatives Ralph and Violet Stearns. Ralph is Arthur's son,
and Arthur is Grandma's brother.

 

Jim & Esther Bushelle

Relatives Jim & Esther Bushelle. Esther is Ralph's sister, Arthur's daughter.

 

memorial service

Claudia, Mom & I at Grandma's memorial service at St. John's Church.

 

Barb Fiene

Barb Fiene with Claudia, Mom & I.

Latest Copyright March 26, 2013

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