What Happened to the Headdress? A Spoering Family Mystery

 About five years ago, I wrote this post about German Wedding Traditions, brought about by a photo I found of myself, dancing in the hog trough at my younger brother's wedding.

http://attheriverbend.blogspot.com/2017/02/hochtied.html

Then, last month, I was asked to give a program at our genealogical society, and I chose that same topic.  I took some time to really delve further into the subject, especially as it applied to my family.

I looked at three wedding photos I had of three of the younger Spoering sisters - 

Lydia, Kate, and Ida, my grandmother.  My first revelation was that all three wore a dark dress, just as they would have in Germany at the turn of the century.  It was all about practicality, and I'm sure those dresses served them many years.  

Of the three sisters, Kate was the first to marry Wilhelm "Dutch Bill" Tietje in 1911.  The groom had his best suit on with a large flower stem in his lapel. 

The flower is myrtle, representative of love and fidelity.  A close look at the bride's headdress shows the same flower on top and a strand hanging down on the side.

Notice the wide hem at the bottom of the sheer veil.

Ida Anna Katherine Spoering married Albert Louis Elling in 1913.  A very close inspection of her wedding headdress revealed that it was the same as in the previous photo, only a little reworked with the myrtle hanging down as before.  The wide hem at the bottom confirmed that it was the same veil.  The dress pattern is the same used by Kate, and it would be a valid guess that the dresses were handmade.

Lydia Spoering married Harry Louden in 1915, and the headdress is the same, although we can not see the whole veil.  Myrtle appeared in both the headdress and the groom's corsage.

As for the other Spoering sisters, I do not have their wedding photos to know if they also wore this item.  I only know of its use from 1911 - 1915. Mary married in 1900; Freida in 1917, Anna in 1903, and Sophia in 1904 and Amelia later. If anyone would be able to share those wedding photos, it would be very appreciated.

Once, long ago, I was told (source not remembered) that the wedding headdress had been preserved and placed into a large frame covered with glass to protect it.  I've envisioned this for many years as a family heirloom that lived on somewhere. I thought one aunt had it, but her son assured me that she did not.  

So...does anyone know if this wedding headdress was preserved and where it is?

That is the question to answer.  Any clues or knowledge would be appreciated.

Please comment!  Know that all comments are moderated and so will not appear immediately.  It takes a day or two.

Ida Anna Katherine Spoering - "Grandma Elling"

Ida Anna Katherine Spoering Elling

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Ida Anna Katharine Spoering was born on February 5, 1890 in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio, to Herman Heinrich and Katherine (Floke) Spoering.    She married Albert Louis Johann Elling at the Spoering home near Deshler on March 13, 1913.  English was her second language, and it was told by the family that she learned English by reading the Toledo Blade. She spoke Low German (Plattdeutsch), but she helped her children learn formal German so they could do well in German school.

Albert and Ida Elling on their wedding day

 By June of 1914, the first of her nine children was born - Paul Herman.  Of the nine children, two died as infants.  Arthur, who was born in October, 1916, died of pneumonia when he was eight months old.  Later, the ninth child, a daughter, would be stillborn in September, 1932. She was a housewife all her life, caring for her big family, even as they moved from place to place in Henry County.


Her love for her children was shown in a letter I have from her that was saved by my parents, Rudolph and Donna Elling, and received when they lived in Toledo, Ohio.  The letter is postmarked Napoleon, May 21, 1945, and from the content, it must have been sent right before Eleonore's high school graduation and Alfred's release from the Army following World War II.  

I have transcribed it as written -
"Dear children
It is 12 oclock Sunday night and Alma and Allyn just left.  we had a little party here tonight but they didn't come all.  we thought about it Saterday morning and so it was to late to let you know so we just let the sponsors know, but non of them came, only Loudons, Ted Lange, Alma Allyn were here.  Paul Hildagard were up to her folks  they have baptising over there.  Arthur Bolkman Baby was Baptised this afternon and Hildagard was one of the sponsors.  it was sure nice here tonight in the chool house.  I wish you could benn here.  hope that you can come wednesday night for granation.  it starts 8:15 slow time.

what was you dooing today  did you see Alfred  they went back in the Brisa(?) again at 4.10  Alfred feels pretty sure that he gets out now.  Fryday or else nex week some time.  boy are we glad and i bet you arn't you

Eldor and Maria Loudon Plassman came home today for a week or so.

well doun't work to hard and hope to see you soon.  I am tiyed and ready to go to sleep and so write when ever you can and will close now.

your dearest Mother

Come whenever you can

Eleonora sure would like to have you come for her grnation.  try your best.  good night." 

Ida died on August 31, 1951, at the age of 60 from stomach cancer. She had raised all her children to adulthood when she was called to rest.

Ida was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Napoleon. 

Grandma Elling

Albert and Ida Spoering Elling - Confirmation Certificates

It was interesting to know that my grandparents were confirmed in the same church - St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bartlow and Richfield Townships, Henry County, Ohio, just two years apart.  The name of the church was later changed - keep reading!

The elaborate, colorful certificate marked the confirmation of Albert Elling.  Surprisingly, this paper noted his birthday as 1887, while his baptismal certificate said 1888, which would be correct.  Albert was 14 years old when this
remembrance of his confirmation was presented to him.

The red printing could not be read, but the handwriting said this:

Albert Elling born on the 28th January 1887, 

confirmed on 23rd March 1902,

in the evangelical Lutheran St. John's church of

Bartlow and Richfield Township, Henry County, Ohio

John Boomgarder, Pastor  

The same certificate style was used a few years later for Ida Spoering's confirmation.

 

 Ida Sporing (Spoering) born 5th February 1890, 

confirmed on the 27th day of March

in the evangelical Lutheran St. John's church 

of Bartlow and Richfield townships, Henry County, Ohio

Boomgarder, Pastor

Again, a look at the symbolism on the certificate is worthwhile.  In the top right is the communion cup, carried by the angels to the feast.  A large sidebar on the left shows a pastor confirming three children who kneel at the altar.  A vine travels up the side of the page and leads us to the Lord's Supper at the bottom.  Poppies for remembrance, perhaps, and in the right hand corner I see a chalice with the risen Lord above it.  Maybe you see something different?  Please add in the comments.

**This church is now known as Peace Lutheran Church near Deshler.  In the graveyard near this church, the last child, an infant daughter, of Albert and Ida was buried.  She was stillborn, it was said, and she was unnamed.  Ida was 42 at this child's birth.

Grandma Elling's Autograph Book

This autograph book that belonged to the young girl, Ida Spoering, was such fun to browse. Ida was born on 5 February 1890, as noted on the inside cover. Thehe earliest date found on the pages of this book is 1902, I believe, making her about 12 when she began to collect her autographs from family and friends.

Her pastor, Rev. Boomgarden, signed and later in her life, he solemnized her wedding with Albert Elling.

 The last photo shows the signature of Emma Elling, Albert's sister, so obviously the Spoering and Elling families knew each other and socialized. 

Now, if anyone can translate the German...

Grandma Ida Spoering Elling

Ida Anna Katharine Spoering was born on February 5, 1890 in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio, to Herman Heinrich and Katherine (Floke) Spoering.    She married Albert Louis Johann Elling at the Spoering home near Deshler on March 13, 1913.  English was her second language, and it was told by the family that she learned English by reading the Toledo Blade. She spoke Low German (Plattdeutsch), but she helped her children learn formal German so they could do well in German school.

By June of 1914, the first of her nine children was born - Paul Herman.  Of the nine children, two died as infants.  Arthur, who was born in October, 1916, died of pneumonia when he was eight months old.  Later, the ninth child, a daughter, would be stillborn in September, 1932. She was a housewife all her life, caring for her big family, even as they moved from place to place in Henry County.

Her love for her children was shown in a letter I have from her that was saved by my parents, Rudolph and Donna Elling, and received when they lived in Toledo, Ohio.  The letter is postmarked Napoleon, May 21, 1945, and from the content, it must have been sent right before Eleonore's high school graduation and Alfred's release from the Army following World War II.  

I have transcribed it as written -
"Dear children
It is 12 oclock Sunday night and Alma and Allyn just left.  we had a little party here tonight but they didn't come all.  we thought about it Saterday morning and so it was to late to let you know so we just let the sponsors know, but non of them came, only Loudons, Ted Lange, Alma Allyn were here.  Paul Hildagard were up to her folks  they have baptising over there.  Arthur Bolkman Baby was Baptised this afternon and Hildagard was one of the sponsors.  it was sure nice here tonight in the chool house.  I wish you could benn here.  hope that you can come wednesday night for granation.  it starts 8:15 slow time.

what was you dooing today  did you see Alfred  they went back in the Brisa(?) again at 4.10  Alfred feels pretty sure that he gets out now.  Fryday or else nex week some time.  boy are we glad and i bet you arn't you

Eldor and Maria Loudon Plassman came home today for a week or so.

well doun't work to hard and hope to see you soon.  I am tiyed and ready to go to sleep and so write when ever you can and will close now.

your dearest Mother

Come whenever you can

Eleonora sure would like to have you come for her grnation.  try your best.  good night." 

Ida died on August 31, 1951, at the age of 60 from stomach cancer. She had raised all her children to adulthood when she was called to rest.

 
 Ida was buried in Forest Hill 
Cemetery, Napoleon. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding photo - Albert and Ida (Spoering) Elling

*This post originally appeared on Elling Family News on December 9, 2009.  It was 
revised on March 17, 2020. 

Because I'm a Bookworm...

Some of you may remember the time when Grandpa Elling would stay with some of his children and families for a month or so and then move on to the next. It was after Aunt Kate had died and his house was sold. One summer he stayed with our family for awhile when I was home from college and working a second shift job at a factory in Napoleon. I would get up late and eat lunch with him almost daily.

One morning I came into the living room after getting up and he said to me something like, "Since you're the bookworm, I've got something for you." Beside his chair was a small box of books. Inside was a book on World War I that I still have and a couple of McGuffey's school books. Both school books had belonged to Grandma Elling and had her signature inside.

In the photo above, one can see that she practiced writing her name over and over in the spelling book. The second book was McGuffey's Second Reader and this flyleaf also sports the names of Paul Elling, Malinta, Ohio and Louise Elling, Napoleon, Ohio. Ida Anna Katharine Spoering Elling was born on 5 February 1890, so these books were probably used before 1900. I wonder if a little girl who probably spoke German exclusively at home found these books challenging.

As a very young adult, I probably didn't appreciate these books as much as I should have, but now I surely do.

 

*This is a reposting from my previous Elling Family News blog on November 20, 2008.

Confirmation of George Friedrich Spoering

This lovely, old Confirmation certificate was given to me for safekeeping, and I treasure it, not only for its family history connection, but also for its beauty.  George Friedrich Spoering was the youngest brother of my grandmother, Ida.  Born in 1899, he was confirmed in St. John Lutheran Church by Rev. Boomgarden in 1913.  
In the photo of the Spoering family below,he is the young boy in the front row, standing with his arm on his mother's shoulder.

In those days, large, colorful certificates were presented for baptisms, confirmations and weddings held in the church.  This particular certificate says that it was made in Germany and since German services were always held in the Lutheran churches in Henry County back then, the entire certificate is in German.

"In Memory of the Day of Confirmation"
Now Denkspruch...the best translation I could find was maxim or saying or perhaps, verse.
*UPDATE: Thanks to my friend, Kerstin (our Tietje researcher) for her help in the translations on the certificate:
denken = to think
denk = I would say, that is the form of imperativ singular: Think about!(denk, denke, also bedenke)
Spruch = proverb/ saying

A "Denkspruch" is a short sentence, which wants to express/ verbalize a true rule or experience of life.
It wants to make the reader think about or think over something.
 I did not investigate the verses given...maybe some kind German speaker will help on that. 
**UPDATE:
Verse 1:The prophet Jesaja  predicted the crucifixion of Jesus about 700 years before it really happened by the words:
“Christus is wounded because of our misdeeds and he is broken up because of our sins. He bears the punishment, (or: The punishment lies on his shoulder), so that we have peace and we are healed because of his wounds.”

Verse 2: (Song, Author: Benjamin Schmolck (1672 - 1737))
This is the first verse of an old churchsong from Benjamin Schmolck (1672-1737. He was a German theologian; hymn writer and author of devotional literature.
Soul, go to Golgatha,
sit down under Jesus’ cross
and think over, what impulse bids you there, to do penance.
Do you want to be insensible?
Oh, so you are more than stone.

Verse 3, bottom left: „Be faithful up to death, so I will give you the crown of life.”
In former times, this was a very popular Confirmation verse. It is written in the last book of the Bible in a letter from Johannes to his own parish, who suffered because of acute persecution. The existence of the parish was threatened and the members were afraid about their own life. So Johannes said the words, to encourage his people to be faithful up to death, to keep up in believing in God,even if they will lose their life. Then they will get the „crown“, actual you find instead of „crown“ the word „Kranz = wreath“. Maybe you can compare it with a winner, who gets a Victor’s crown. And the price is eternal life. 

George was born on the 14th of August 1899 and was confirmed on the 16th of March 1913 in the Evangelical Lutheran, St. John's Lutheran Church in Deshler, Ohio, by Rev. Boomgarden, Pastor.

The bottom of the certificate holds the impressed seal of the church, St. Johannes.
 Notice the rich coloring of the paper and the images presented, all having symbolism, I'm sure.  At the top are the angelic children around the communion cup, and at the altar is the pastor with the confirmands kneeling and receiving their blessing with adult witnesses of the church watching.  The Last Supper is portrayed at the bottom and in the right, bottom corner is the Dove ascending from the baptismal font.  Even the flowers likely carry symbolism - the grapevine ("I am the vine..."), the wheat (bread of life, separate wheat from chaff...), the poppies (death) and are those forget-me-nots? 

Tell me what else you see in these photos.