It's all in the perspective

Over the past four years, Larry and I have discussed Nabers quite a bit, in particular my grandmother's mother, Elizabeth.
  (Grandma's father, Gerhard Naber, married his second Elizabeth in 1871.  They had 5 more kids together: Elizabeth, John, Catherine, Margaret, and Gerhard.  My grandmother was Margaret).  
  We've wondered why Elizabeth and her grown kids left Petersburg, Iowa and moved to Buckman, Minnesota, of all places.  Ok, daughter Catherine was living in Pierz with her husband and kids.  Did they move to be near her?
  In my mind, it was a mother who moved to another state and whose unmarried kids came along.  But 'society' saw it differently, evidently.  Here's a blurb from the Buckman News of March 4th, 1910:

John Naber, his two sisters and mother, who are now the proprietors of the A.L. Kiernan farm arrived here from Iowa on Saturday with their stock and household goods, and will make their future home here.

Wow.  Ok, we know Elizabeth's husband Gerhard died in 1891, so she'd been a widow for almost 20 years by 1910.  John was 37, his sisters were 38 and 28, but his mom was only 64 when they arrived in Minnesota...hardly over the hill.
  But wait--John's brother Gerhard wasn't listed with the family there.  No wonder--he'd married Julia Grittner in 1909.  Her family was from Buckman, so the Nabers had earlier associations with Morrison County...it's a still unfolding story!
(Thanks to Horst's book (see the sidebar) for including this blurb).

Russian Squirrels

For your edification regarding wildlife and your pondering on how-the-hell-they-knew-that, here's a blurb from a 1908 Minneapolis newspaper:

One Hundred thirty-five years ago, yesterday

 From the Minneapolis Tribune, September 17, 1876.  Amazing that we weren't aware that CB Buckman had an amputation  or wore a wooden leg.  Wow.  For context, this incident happened 10 years before the devastating tornado that swept thru Sauk Rapids, Rice, Buckman and Pierz in 1886.  Buckman wasn't a town then, either, not until 1903, and the Janson families wouldn't arrive for another seven years.                                         


CRUEL ACCIDENT
________________
 A Well Known Minnesota Farmer Mangled by a Threshing Machine--His Condition Critical.
_______________
Pioneer Press and Tribune
St Cloud, Sept. 14--Yesterday morning, about 9 o'clock, an accident happened at Rich Prairie, in Morrison county, by which Mr. C.B.Buckman, one of the best known and highly respected citizens of northern Minnesota may loose his life.  Mr Buckman was engaged at work around a threshing machine at his place, Rich Prairie, and had occasion to go upon the machine while in motion.  While passing over the cylinder his left foot was caught in the remorseless teeth, and literally torn to fragments.  A messenger was immediately sent to Little Falls, distant eighteen  miles, who there telegraphed to Dr. McDonald, at St Cloud.  The doctor made all haste, but during the long interval between the accident and the arrival of the doctor, Mr Buckman suffered terribly and bled profusely.  Dr McDonald amputated the mangled member a short distance below the knee, and reports that when he left him, his patient was comparatively comfortable, although in a critical condition.  
Mr Buckman is well known not only in northern Minnesota, but in St Paul and Minneapolis as well.

More about the school problem...

This was an article in the Minneapolis Morning Tribune in December 1913.  It documents a ruling by the state  high school board re: "graded schools in St Joseph, Melrose and Richmond in Stearns county, and in Pierz, in Morrison county".  I'd editorialize a bit, but I have to go to work....☺

Religious Teaching Barred from Schools
____________
State High School Board Refuses Aid to those Giving Sectarian Instructions.
______________
No Member of a Religious Order to be Permitted to Teach.
__________
Action Follows Investigation into Merger of Public and Parochial Schools.
________________
Religious instructions in any public school during the usual session hours, or the hours immediately before or after, instruction from "any book of a sectarian character" during such time, the presence in a school building of any emblem having a purely religious significance and the wearing of the garb of any particular religious organization--all are forbidden by a recent resolution of the state high school board which was made public yesterday.
The board's action results from an investigation made a year ago by its inspectors of high and graded schools respecting the employment of teachers in any high school or graded school where such employment is restricted to a particular order or sect.
George B. Aiton, high school inspector, reported that no state high school was conducted in such a way as to be open to charges of being a parochial school. S. A. Challman, then inspector of graded schools, reported on the conduct of the graded schools in St Joseph, Melrose, and Richmond in Stearns county, and in Pierz, in Morrison county.
Order Recieves Salaries.
Mr. Challman reported that "in each of these schools teachers are employed who are members of the Benedictine order; that some part of the school day has been devoted to religious instruction, given either by the teachers or by some other persons not connected with the public schools; that in each of the schools there were kept religious emblems and symbols; that the teachers did not recieve individual salaries but at the end of the month a check or warrant was issued for the full amount of their contract services and made payable to the Sister Superior."
The board thereupon asked the attorney general for an opinion as to whether schools of the character names were entitled legally to recieve the state aid accorded high and graded schools.  The attorney general replied that the law, judicial decisions and his own opinion, together with the facts ascertained regarding the schools mentioned, raised serious doubts as to the authority of the high school board to continue granting state aid to these or similar schools.
In the minds of the members of the high school board, the final determination of the merits of these and like cases should be left to the state supreme court, so the regulations adopted by the board to govern in the situation were made effective only beginning August 1, 1914.  It is stated at the office of C. G. Schultz, state superintendant of education, that state aid for the schools named in Mr. Challman's report has not been withheld for 1912-1913 and will not be for the current year ending July 31, 1914.
New Rules for Schools.
The regulations adopted, applying to all schools under the supervision of the high school board for the earniing of state aid, are as follows:
1.  The school board must have exclusive control over buildings used permanently for public school.
2.  In buildings used during emergencies the school board must have exclusive control over rooms used for schools purposes during hours of school.
3.  The use of any school room for religious instruction during the usual hours a public school is in session or the hours immediately preceeding or following, either by public school teachers or by any other person, is prohibited.
4.  No public school teacher, while employed as such, shall give instructions from any book of a sectarian character, or in any subject not ordinarily embraced in a public school curriculum, during the usual school hours of any day when the public school is in session or during the hours immediately preceeding or following the same.
5.  The public school, its pupils, teachers, property or organization shall not be used in the interests of any church or religious order.
6.  No emblem, symbol or device which has a purely religious significance shall be permitted in any building used as a public school.
No Sister May Teach.
7.  The employment of persons who have taken some ecclesiastical vow or obligation which prevents them from personally recieving and using funds paid for their services as teachers, and causes them in fact to turn over such funds to some church or ecclesiastical superior is deemed to be a conversion of public funds in violation of the constitutional prohibition as expressed in section 16, article 1 of the constitution of Minnesota, and is prohibited.
8.  No teacher shall be permitted to be attired in the uniform or garb of any particular organization or order during the time such person is engaged in the work of teacher in the public schools of the state.
The state high school board consists of R.E.Denfeld, superintendant of schools, Duluth, president; C.G.Schultz, secretary; George E Vincent, president of the university; Eli Torrance, president of the norman school board, and George F. Howard, university school of agriculture.
Public and Parochial Schools Merged.
It is understood that the school situations in the towns that have occasioned the action of the board have arisen through the attempted solutions of the parochial-public school problem by the merging of the two kinds of school where they formerly existed separately, the teachers in the parochial school being continued in some or all of the departments of the merges institutions, but without an abandoning of their distinctive garb or religious instruction.

Naber bits and pieces

Sometimes you just need to wonder about stuff--like, how come the Nabers are such a cipher in our family lore?  I think mom knew who was who and how they connected, but we didn't think to ask, I suppose.  And then, mom's grandma  pretended that she couldn't understand English, so perhaps she flew under the local radar back then.  Maybe they were just quiet people?  Or, more likely, when Gerhard's second wife* left Iowa, she and her kids were lost to the relatives there.  Settling in Buckman c. 1900 must have been tough, since there were no relatives to rely on for social intros.  Daughter Catherine was the only Minnesota connection, but she lived with her family north of  Pierz, at least 15 miles from the Naber farm.
Anyway, it only re-occurred to me tonight that single persons mean 'no offspring', so their genealogy stops dead when they do (sorry ☺).  Of the kids that moved to Buckman with Elizabeth (Richels) Naber*, two, Elizabeth and John, died with no issue.  Catherine & Wm. Bahns had kids, and Gerhard & Julia (Grittner) did, too.  Margaret married Anton Janson and luckily became my grandma, but Elizabeth and John and their half sister (a nun) are only grave markers and obits now.  By the time we came along, only grandma's brother Gerhard was still living.  He lived in Crow Wing county until 1962.  Wonder why we never connected.  Or did we--and I just don't remember?

Elizabeth Naber 1873-1910

Miss Nabor of Buckman Dead

After Several Years of Suffering with Chronic Bright's Disease–Buried in Buckman Monday

Miss Elizabeth Nabor, of Buckman, died Friday morning at four o'clock, of Brights' disease, at the age of 38 years. She had been ailing for several years, but was able to be about and attend to household duties until Monday last week, when her condition became more serious. 

The alarming symptoms increased until Friday morning, when, well prepared with the last sacraments, she passed away.

Miss Nabor was born in Petersburg, Iowa, January sixteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three. She leaves a mother, two brothers, John and Gerhard, two sisters Katherine and Margareth, two step-brothers, Herman and Henry, and two step-sisters Mary now Mrs. John Schlichte, 

and Sister Raphael O.S.F.

The funeral services were held in the St. Michael's church in Buckman and she was laid to rest in St. Michael's cemetery.

Pierz Journal, April 20, 1911

We have John's grave marker at St Michael's in Buckman, but no obit or even a funeral card.  He was born in 1874 and died in 1922, at 48.  What kind of life did he or his sister have?  Who were they?  

I'd like to know someday.

So, here's an article about a wedding from the 30 April 1899 issue of the Dubuque Herald.  The bride's family was probably related, and most likely Elizabeth and her children attended:

Dubuque County News.

____________

Notable wedding at New Vienna Tuesday morning.

____________

Cascade ___ Ballists have organized for the season--Improvements being made by the Great Western at Dyersville--Other news of interest to Dubuque County residents.

____________

____________

A notable morning wedding took place in St Boniface Church, New Vienna, Tuesday morning April 25 at 9 o'clock.  It was that of Barney Vaske and Miss Mary Naber, both prominent young people of that place.  The ceremony was performed by Rev Father Pape (?) in the presence of a large assemblage of relatives and friends.  After the ceremony the newly married pair, in company with the invited guests, repaired to the home of the groom's mother, one and one-half miles west of New Vienna, where a grand reception was held.  The day was pleasantly spent and much amusement was furnished those present.  The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Naber, prominent people of New Vienna, and is a young lady who possesses many noble traits of character.  She has been a dressmaker in her home town for many years and her friends are many.  The groom is a prosperous young farmer who has made his home with his mother for many years.

And just so these pieces are together, here's grandma's sister's obit:

Services Wednesday For Mrs. Bahns

(January, 1954)

Funeral services were held at St. Joseph's church, Pierz, at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning for Mrs. Katherine Bahns, who passed away at St. Gabriel's hosptial at 12:20 a.m., Monday, January 18th. She had been ill for one year and after a stroke, was admitted to the hospital where she died several hours later. 

Pallbearers at the rites were Ben Nagel, Alfred Gohl, Joe Gohl, Werner Schamal, Carl Virnig, and Ed Schwinghammer. Interment was made in the Pierz cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers were Mrs. Joe Gohl, Mrs. Ben Nagel, Mrs. Henry Kobilka, Mrs. Werner Schamal, Mrs. Gordon Anderson, and Mrs. Ed Schwinghammer.

Katherine Naber was born at Petersburg, Iowa February 8, 1881 and married William Bahns 51 years ago. They resided on the present Bahns farm northwest of Pierz about 40 years, which is now being operated by her sons, John Bahns. Mr. Bahns passed away in 1932.

Surviving are six children, Mrs. Sigmund Syzyeblewski (Rose), Toledo, Ohio; Mrs. Leonard Hoheisel (Regina) and John, Pierz; Mrs. Stanley Sarp (Alvina) and Mrs. Lawrence Cable (Helen), Minneapolis; and Mrs. Bernard Carlson (Angeline), Little Falls.

There are nineteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. One brother, Gerhard Naber, also survives.

Ok, these are puzzle pieces that'll fall together someday.  We're just laying them on the table with the colored side up.  ☺

"Buckman, its Pioneer History, its Cultural Legacy"

Remember all the references to "Anon" here on Janson and over on Hesch History?  Well, he's about to become a published author, so that'll be the end of his online anonymity.  Horst Hanneken's been working on a book about Buckman for the last 18 months or so (based on a lifetime there). The book contains 75-100 old photos, some in color.  It documents the homes and businesses in town since the very beginning...who built them, who bought them later, and what became of them.  He's hoping the book will be ready by September 18th (St Michael's Church Bazaar this year). 

His parents, Anna and Gus Hanneken, lived in the third house west of the Hall after they emigrated from Germany with their first child, Horst, in 1950.  That kid grew up to teach German in Pierz and to write "Buckman, its Pioneer History, its Cultural Legacy" for us to discover.  I can hardly wait! 

 When Horst figures out how he wants to merchandise it, I'll add that here, but in the meantime, if you want a copy, email me and I'll forward it to him, ok?  He figures it'll be about $40.00, plus postage.  (marlysky at gmail dot com)  BTW, Horst is way more concerned with documented facts than Larry and I are.  I'm pretty sure he doesn't guess hardly at all in the book ☺

YAY, Horst!!

Probably why Daniel couldn't leave Horrenberg....

Aw'right!--we Buckmanish descendants come thru for each other again!  This time, I sent copies of Daniel's file (denying his family permission to emigrate to America in 1853) to Michael Hortsch, who lives and teaches in Michigan....actually, not too far from Jackson ☺. The Hortschs are related more thru the Hesch/Otremba side of the family, but I doubt his graciousness comes from them.  Michael was educated in Germany and speaks fluent German.  No doubt his attempts at reading Suetterlin from 158 years ago would be rough, but WAY better than Larrys or mine.
Of all times to ask a college prof/scientist for a favor, early September is probably one of the least-well-thought-out.  But being all excited about discovering Daniel's story from Stephen and Carrie, I assume it'll be just as interesting to everybody else.  Honest.  And Michael didn't  run away screaming, so....
Here's what he thought:

From what I understand from the pages I looked at, the major concern that local administration is expressing is the financial support the Janson family is lacking for their travels to America.  One document is a statement of a Peter Körner, who came visiting from America and he promises to pay for the food the family would need while traveling.  However, the local council doubts even that his support is sufficient as they state that they don't know whether Peter Körner has the money to keep his promise.  On some other pages are excerpts from the local church books about the Janson family. I am not sure how helpful my transcripts are as I was unable to decipher everything and I am unable to read many words.  I did not look at all the material and did not see a final verdict or justification of the denial to emigrate.

 I suspect Daniel owed money in town as well, since he'd just lost his fight with the municipality of Horrenberg over where to build the city hall.  It must have been galling to stay there, too.  
ADDED LATER:
Stephen wrote (March 2012) with questions--


The last Janson to own the Wilden Mann was Joseph (who was 16 years older than Daniel), and who owned it up to 1847.  Joseph was able to emigrate to the USA in 1853.  If he owned the inn and was able to emigrate, how does this supposedly hold back Daniel and his family?  Daniel never owned the inn, he may have worked there as a result of his brother owning the inn, but it lists his occupation in the family book as a Waldhuter, which suggests that he was a maker of hats...  
Hmm...a waldhuter was something to do with the forest (wald) but google thinks "huter" means "Moravian".  To be continued, probably! ☺

Anyway, here's what Michael found, in German, followed by the Google translation of it.

  We are SO indebted to Michael!

Page 7
(This page is an excerpt of the catholic church book)
Auszug
aus dem k?derbuch der Gebornenen und Getauften
der katholischen Pfarrgemeinde besteingen
Page 8
Auszüge
Aus den Pfarrbüchern der Pfarrei
Balzfeld
Daniel Janson Bürger und ?? zu Horrenberg ist
am 28ten Januar 1816 geboren und hat sich mit erster Ehe-
frau Regina Schweigert (gest. 2 Dez 1846) gezeugt:
a  Magdalena, geboren den 11 März 1844
b  Johannes, geboren den 19 Sept. 1845
mit zweiter Ehefrau Maria Anna Helfniger von
Oestringen (Östringen) gezeugt:
c  Josef, geboren den 26 Juli 1849
d Daniel, geboren den März 1850
e  Valentin, geboren den 7 August 1851
f  Christina, geboren den 11 Oktober 1852
Balzfeld, den 9 Februar 1853
Gr. Kath Pfarramt
Page 9
Grossherzogliches Bezirks Amt
Herrenberg am 18ten Februar 1853
Page 10
Grossherzogliches Bezirks Amt
Herrenberg den 28ten Februar 1853
Page 17
Geschehen ?? dem 24 ?? 1853
Verehrlicher Oberamtliche Verfügung vom 16? 
d.. M. Nr. 5443 zufolge, hat der Gemeinderath den
Peter Kürner welcher vor einigen Wochen aus
Amerika hierher gekommen ist auf das Rathhaus
Eingeladen, derselbe ist heute erschienen,… man
Hat ?? demselben das ?? gekommen…
Schreiben des Grossherzöglichen Bezirksamt Wies=
loch demselbigen vergelassen, und dessen Erklass?-
ung hierauf undergeschrieben, und ?? von
demselbigen unterzeichnen lassen wie folgt..
“derselbige erklärt sich, dass er für die ??
Jansen Eheleute samt 6 Kindern, nur die Leb=
ensmittel bei der Überfahrt ?? nach Am=
merika bestreiten wolle, allse übrigen
Kosten für die Überfahrt muß Daniel Jan=
Page 18
sen selbst für sich und seine Familie be=
streiten für ???
habe er keine Mittel und habe es ?? seinem
??? nicht ?? ?? alle zu
zahlen. ??? und als ?? angegebenen
??? unterzeichnet
Peter Körner
Der ??? Gemeinderath hat hiermit
Zu bemerrken, dass nicht einmal er ??
?? nur Peter Kürner so viel Mittel besitze
um die hier versprochenen Lebensmittel für
fragliche Familie bestreiten zu können, hier
besitzt er keine Mittel, und ob er zu ??
?? so viel BaarGeld mitgebracht 
und ?? besitzt ist ihnen nicht
bekannt, ??? hat derselbe keins
?? und ?? wurden zur ge=
fällig ?? Verfügung ??
Oestringen den 24 Febr 1853
Gemeinderath
(5 signatures, probably the members of the Gemeinderat)

Page 8

Excerpts

From the parish books of the parish

Balzfeld

Daniel Janson and citizens? is Horrenberg

Born on 28th January 1816 and has been with first-marriage

Schweigert wife Regina (d. December 2, 1846) begat:

a Magdalena, born the March 11, 1844

b born John, 19 Sept. 1845

with second wife Maria Anna of Helfniger

Oestringen (Östringen) begat:

c Joseph, born in the July 26, 1849

d Daniel, born on March 1850

e Valentin, born on 7 August 1851

f Christina, born in the October 11, 1852

Balzfeld, the February 9, 1853

Gr. Catholic rectory

Page 9

Great Duke's district office

Mr. Berg on the 18th February 1853

Page 10

Great Duke's district office

Herrenberg the 28th February 1853

Page 17

Happen? the 24? 1853

Official Upper honorable order of 16?

d.. M. No. 5443 According to the municipal council has the

Peter Kürner from which a few weeks ago

America has come here at the Council House

Invited, the same is released today, one ...

Has? the same? come ...

Letter from the district office Grossherzöglichen meadow =

vergelassen same hole, and its top notch? -

UNG under written thereon, and? of

have the same sign as follows ..

"SAME explained that he for?

Jansen married people, including six children, only the Leb =

ensmittel at the crossing? by Am =

would deny Merika, alls other

Cost for the trip must Daniel Jan =

Page 18

sen for himself and his family be =

arguing for?

He did not have any means and it? his

? not? ? to all

. pay ? and when? given

? signed

Peter Körner

The? Common Council has hereby

To bemerrken that not even he?

? Peter Kürner only possess so many means

here the promised food for

Family dispute in question can be here

he has no funds, and that he?

? baar brought so much money

and? owns them is not

known? none has the same

? and? were to ge =

due? Available?

Oestringen the 24 Feb 1853

Common Council

(5 signatures, probably the members of the council)

Thank you, Michael, for all your help ☺

Fabric words

We definitely had play clothes
  that mom made of seersucker
(but naw, nothing as 
cute/fussy as this).

The other day, a client mentioned a favorite summer dress she used to have.  It was made of seersucker trimmed in rickrack, words I hadn't thought of in years.   Pretty soon, she and I were remembering all the fabrics we could think of: pongee, muslin, percale, poplin, buckram, taffeta, dotted swiss, tricot...all words sweetly associated in my head with mom.
  
We talked about the "endless hours" we spent buying fabric at Petters (which she did, too, with her kids along).  We laughed about the stockpiling story (a clerk asked mom if she was just stockpiling, or did she need thread to match?)  and she talked about making children's clothes out of adult skirts or coats. 

So, when I finally got back online this week, I had to google "kinds of fabrics", and found this excellent descriptive list. It's eye-opening to peruse it and realize how many of the fabrics you can actually visualize.  Here's a good part of my list:


moire    percale    sateen    brocade    crepe    plaid    broadcloth    chenille     chintz  gaberdine   flannel   herringbone   muslin   georgette   chiffon ...and organza for first communion dresses.

Could this be William Bahns?

Wow!  While I've had computer problems for the last nine days, Larry kept busy finding more cool photos and info, like this pic of the "Little German Band" (that's what it says on the bass drum).  

Added later: We think the band leader here was probably Frank Boehm:

(1851-1927)Frank Boehm is Summoned Beyond Died Sometime Saturday Night While Asleep and Found Dead Sunday Morning Death has taken from our midst one of the most widely known men in this section when it claimed the life of Frank Boehm, for many years a resident of this village and vicinity. Heart failure was the cause of his passing away of which disease he was suffering the past twelve months. Although failing in health he did not complain of any serious attacks at any time previously to his death. On Saturday evening he attended the Saturday church services and thereafter went to attend the band concert, later retiring as usual. Death occurred during the night without anyone being aware of his departure from life. Sunday morning upon calling Mr. Boehm it was then that Mrs. Boehm found what had occurred. Frank Boehm was born in Youleng, Lower Austria, on October 8, 1851, having been 75 years and ten months of age. He attended schools in the old country taking up music at the same time. At the age of 16 years he came to America with his parents who settled near Durand, Wis. Immediately following the Civil war Mr. Boehm came to Pierz, then known as Rich Prairie, and took up a farm at what is now known as Agram township. In 1880 he was married to Maria Leeb in Pierz. The Boehm family resided on the farm until 1914, when the farm was sold and the family moved to this village. Their union was blessed with six children, one of whom died many years ago. On November 16, 1916 the death of Mrs. Boehm occurred. The surviving children are Mrs. Adam Billig of St. Cloud, Frank Boehm of Opheim, Mont., Mrs. Theresia Newman of Minneapolis, John of Denver, Colo., and Richard of McGregor, N.D. A brother and two sisters also survive, they are Dr. John C. Boehm of St. Cloud, Mrs. John Leidenfrost of Pierz and Mrs. John Erbe of Bowdle, S.D. Mr. Boehm was married the second time to Mrs. Anna Preiner which marriage occurred in this village on January 15, 1918. Since 1918 Mr. and Mrs. Boehm have lived in the Boehm residence in the south end of this village. Mrs. Boehm is also surviving the death of Mr. Boehm. During all his years of life Mr. Boehm was greatly interested in music at which he spent many years in the teaching of others. He has played various instruments at numerous social gatherings, dances, weddings and public entertainments, in schools and halls in Little Falls as well as all other towns in the county. As a band man he has held the position of director for several years following the organization of the Rich Prairie band by John Faust, now deceased. Later this band became the Little German band. A few years later another organization was formed which received the name of Pierz Union band, all of which Mr. Boehm was, above all, instrumental in originating. One of the marvels to his associates in late years was Mr. Boehm's vigor, enthusiasm and acumen in the continued practice of his musical profession, despite his advancing years. At any occasion, when asked to furnish music, Mr. Boehm was ready to lend his assistance, by which he has gained numerous friends who regret his passing away. Burial service was held in St. Joseph's church Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. Interment followed in the Pierz cemetery. Mr. Boehm was a member of the St. Joseph's Society of Pierz, the members of which attended the funeral. Among those present at the burial were Mrs. Adam Billig and Dr. J.C. Boehm of St. Cloud, Mrs. Theresia Newman and Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Erickson of Minneapolis, Richard Boehm and family of McGregor, N.D., Mrs. S.J. Gregory and family of Rice and Mrs. C. Forestwick of Crosby. Pierz Journal, August 11, 1927 (Copied from his page on Find a Grave, emphasis added by me.)

I got sorta giddy, thinking the leader there might be William Bahns, grandma Margaret's brother-in-law (husband of Catherine Naber Bahns), but no.  William was born in 1869, and their first two kids were born in Iowa in 1904 and 1905.  Besides, Wm was 21 in 1890, and not even married to Catherine yet, but damn, speculating's fun. 

Larry and I figured that this second pic of the Pierz Band was later, most likely 1898-1900.  By then, they might have been getting a stipend for representing Pierz, so "Pierz" was on the drum.  And, this might have been after a practice (no uniforms).  They're posed in front of the Pierz city hall here.

  The top, fancier photo, was probably taken before a parade in another town.  Think some of the members are the same? And, anyone recognize the steps and door in that photo?

 Just for fun--these people would be our parents' age.  

Recognize anyone?

THANKS, Larry!