friends

There are galleries on this page for Eddie Antermeyer, Bill & Geralda Gotsch and Mae Howard, simply because there were many photos of them, some quite old. As far as I know, there was not connection beyond friendship among the families.

Click on image to enlarge. Once enlarged, to zoom, move cursor to right of image, back onto image, and click again.

Eddie Antermeyer, friend of Edward Wachdorf. By census and photo labels, he was from St. Joseph, Missouri, so how they were friends I don't know. Does anyone know if Ed Antermeyer had any children or siblings?

Geralda/Geraldine remained a friend of Grandma's (at least I think that's who the Geralda is whom she refers to in letters) and Bill Gotsch was a friend of Grandpa's. From the census, Bill's wife was Clara Wenzel, daughter of Otto and Alvina Wenzel, and they had one daughter, Alvina or Alvira, born in 1909-1910. In the 1910 census Bill and Clara and nine month old Alvina are living with Clara's parents (Bill's profession: bill clerk for gas company). Also in the household, her sister Emily Nelson (not quite legible last name), and brother William as well as Herman Poser (listed this census as nephew of Otto Wenzel, on another as cousin of Clara and on the 1900 census he is listed as "adopted" in Otto's household) and also Jacob Falber or Felber, listed as brother-in-law of Otto, which means Alvina Wenzel's maiden name was Falber or Felber. The Wenzel men worked often as machinists. By the 1930 census Clara Gotsch lists herself as widowed. Daughter "Alvira" is a bookkeeper for the phone company. They have a boarder the same age as Alvira (20), a clerk for the phone company named Norine Holt.

Bill Gotsch, from the census, was the son of Anton and Barbara Gotsch (he born in Austria, she in Germany). Anton Gotsch through all the censuses was a car cleaner for the railroad. Both Bill Gotsch and his sister were born in Michigan. In the 1900 census Bill Gotsch's birth date is given as Apr 1887 (Geralda's as May 1889). There is a draft registration for William Joseph Gotsch, born 4-29-1887 in Muskegan, Michigan, residing on Steward Ave. in Chicago, employed as an agent for Metropolitan insurance (in the 1930 census, Herman Poser, the cousin of Clara Wenzel Gotsch, living in her household, gives his occupation as cashier for insurance company). Though Clara lists herself as a widow in the 1930 census, there is a Bill Gotsch in Chicago in 1930, living at the YMCA, listed as married at 21, age 42, born in Michigan of German parents, who works as a meter reader for the gas company (in 1910 he was a bill clerk for the gas company). Hmm. Geralda/Geraldine Gotsch stays with her father, unmarried, living on Lowe Ave. In the 1930 census her occupation is bookkeeper--real estate.

There is a mention in the Southtown Economist 12-15-1925 of a bridal shower given in honor of Miss Elvira Gotsch of River Forest but I doubt she's Bill Gotsch's daughter, since she would be only 16.

Mae Howard, friend of Irene Pfleger Wachdorf (Mae was in Irene's 1913 telephone address book, still listed as Mae Howard at that point). Anyone know her married name?