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Johann Peter Pohl, Cemetery Walk 2019

10/28/2020

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By now you know that we were unable to hold a 2020 Cemetery Walk due to Covid-19, but perhaps that makes it a perfect time to share our old stories. We have a few from our 2018 and 2019 walks that we haven't shared here yet, so we'll cover them over the next few months. We'll get started with "John Peter Pohl." 

Johann (John) Peter Pohl was featured in 2019 and was portrayed by Luke Pohl, great-great grandson. 

Johann and his brother, Nicholas both came to Westphalia from Antweiler, Germany and they can credit Johann Fuchs, the 'Father of Immigration' to their arrival here.

Click the button below to find out more about John, his family and life in Westphalia, Michigan.
Johann Pohl's Story
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Light parade 2019

12/28/2019

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Click on the pictures to enlarge.
A living nativity
PFCU
Knights of Columbus
Pung Foundation
AHC
Pohl Oil
St. Nikolaus
PW Band
Our Tree
Rick Harr book signing, "Red the Cow"
Festival of Trees at the Little Flower Market
PFCU decorations
WTFD
2019 State Championship PW Football team
Mother Pauline smiled down on us with perfect weather. St. Nick made his annual appearance. It was a good night!
​
A big THANK YOU to those who participated in the parade and another big THANK YOU to the raffle donors: Fabiano’s, Ox’s, Charlie’s, Pohl Oil, Simon’s Flower Shoppe, Little Flower Market, Glenn Fink, Schafer’s Bar and to Diana’s for her donation from the hot chocolate sales. We would also like to thank Steve Miller and Alex Hanses for setting up and decorating the tree, Debbie Weber for lighting the tree, Leon Theis for the announcer’s platform, Mitch and Taylor Feldpausch for the sound system and Bill Hengesbach for the fine job announcing the parade entries and raffle winners.

​All and all we hope those who attended the parade and tree lighting enjoyed themselves and might think about putting an entry into the parade next year. Your interest keeps the parade and the evening events going in the future!
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Our beautiful night. A shot from after the crowd dispersed.
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WWII Veteran & Postmaster

10/10/2019

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Bob told us he only had 10 minutes to share his life's story, and wow, did he pick some good stories to share!

Bob was the first son of Herman and Caroline (Platte) Trierweiler; he was born in 1923. He graduated from Westphalia High School in 1941 and then went to work at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI. And then the war started...

Bob served in the European War Zone with the 3816 Quartermaster Gasoline Supply Company. You'll have to read his story below to find out more about his time at war. 

So, look back at our 2018 Cemetery Walk with Bob's talk. He went from Ford Motor Company to WWII to Postmaster of Westphalia. 

Read his story by clicking the button below. 
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This picture is from page 310 of the "Brown Book." Bob is in the upper left corner, his daughter Cindy is seated in chairs second from the right, and his brother Don is in the upper right corner. 
Below, Bob's son Dan portrays his father.
​A mock section of the old post office mailboxes is to his right. 
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Bob's Story
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From Wisconsin to Michigan: Leo Bauer's Story

8/5/2019

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Leo Bauer, portrayed by Trey Bauer (son of Chris and Stan Bauer).
Leo Bauer, portrayed by Trey Bauer (son of Chris and Stan Bauer).

​Leo Aldalbert Bauer. Born and raised in German community in Wisconsin, but prompted to Michigan to help with his brother, Alfred's, creamery business. 

By 1914, with business waning, Alfred and Leo began Bauer Brothers, Contractors and Builders of Circular Cement Silos. This is probably how you know (or have heard of) Leo Bauer. 

The first silo built by the Bauer brothers was for Ferdinand Martin on Hanses Road in 1914 and the last was built for Leon Spitzley in 1975.

Read his FULL story by clicking the button below. 
Leo's Story
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Our Cemetery Walk Recap Begins...Now

7/15/2019

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(jump directly to the transcript)

Do you know what it means when someone calls Lena? No, they're not looking for someone. As Elizabeth (Miller) Hengesbach put it in her story, "Every time someone plays their cards alone and makes it, they get Lena." 

Elizabeth told us many stories about her card playing group, TOB; we think that most everyone wanted to join that group after hearing her stories! She doesn't stop there, of course. She has great stories about her life, her family, baking and much more.
                                                                   Click the button below to read the transcript.

From the Cemetery Walk 2018 brochure: Elizabeth was born April 11, 1901 on Price Road, 3/4 mile east of Westphalia. Her parents were John Miller and Mary Weiland. She had two brothers: Ted and Isidor (Pro), and a sister, Julina who died when she was a year old. She married Julius Hengebach in 1924. Their children are Ruth, Sister of Christian Charity, Louis Jr. (married Evelyn Platte), Robert (married Harriet Thelen) and Ted (married Rose Marie Seitz). 

Her granddaughter, Heidi (Hengesbach) Killion, presented her story. 

OUR 2019 WALK DETAILS

September 22, at 2 PM

Louis Bertram: owner of an early drug store in Westphalia

Leo Gross: founder of Gross Machine Shop

Johann Pohl: first person buried in the 4th (and current) cemetery in 1872

Izzy Schmitt: long time St. Mary Parish maintenance person

​Carolyn Wirth: volunteer extraordinaire
Elizabeth's Story
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Update on our exhibit

2/27/2019

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​PHOTOS

We are looking for more wedding pictures from the 1800s up to and INCLUDING 1970 (Yes, we added 20 years). We will have another scanning workshop Saturday, March 9th from 10 AM - noon at the WHS building. Remember that you will take your picture home after we scan it and we will keep a copy. We also ask that if it's in a frame that you remove it from the frame if possible. On the other hand, if you have a large wedding picture in a beautiful frame, we could display it as is. 

DRESSES

We are still looking for wedding dresses from the 1800s to 1970.

If you have a wedding dress you would be willing to lend to display, please call Margie Wirth at 587-6984 or (989) 640-4437. We would love a paragraph or a page with the name of the bride and groom, their parents, the children that resulted from this union, the date they were married and what church they were married in. You can also include an interesting story of the wedding couple or something unique that happened on their wedding day.

**If you are lending an item, you will have to fill out a short form.

Questions? Or interested in lending a wedding dress or wedding attire?
CALL: 989.640.4437 or 587.6984

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Westphalia Weddings exhibit

1/17/2019

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We are excited about this new exhibit. It's an idea that we've tossed around the last few years and it's finally coming this spring! We look forward to displaying wedding attire and "wedding goods" from 1950 back to the beginning of Westphalia. 

We've all enjoyed the Christian Mother & Women's Guild wedding displays in St. Mary's Parish Hall and who doesn't enjoy looking at their mom and dad or grandparent's wedding pictures? As times change, styles change, economic opportunity changes and much more. 

How can you get involved? To start...we need stuff...just to borrow...and we have rules :)
  • wedding dresses
  • men's wedding suites
  • bride/groom/bridesmaid/groomsman accessories, shoes, jewelry, purses, etc.
  • wedding cake toppers
  • pictures (we hope to hang around 400)

Interested in lending a wedding photo?
  • Photo scan clinics in our building (that way you can keep your original)
  • If you have pictures in beautiful antique frames and you do not wish to take them out of the frame, that is fine.
  • If you wish to take them out we ask that YOU TAKE THEM OUT.
  • If you have them in cardboard frames, you may wish to take them out before you get there to be scanned.
WE HAVE another time set up to bring in pictures to have them scanned - February 9, from 9-11 in our building. 

Interested in lending a wedding dress or wedding attire?
CALL: 989.640.4437 or 587.6984


**In all instances (photos, wedding "goods", attire, etc.)
  • If you are lending an item, we will have you fill out a short form, so as to keep track of your treasures.
  • Type or write a description: name the wedding couple, the date they married. You might also want to include their parents, the children that resulted from that union. You may also add a story about this couple's day or preparation. 

Questions? Please contact the phone number above. 
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    • About Us
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    • Pictures
  • Westphalia History
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