Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner, known as Sally, grew up in Marathon County, Wisconsin. As an adult she spent a short time working in Washington D.C. before returning to Wausau to marry and raise a family. This series of posts takes us page by page through the photo album of her teen years and young adulthood. She was an active and vibrant gal. These photos show her doing things she could no long do when her mobility became limited in the following decades.

She collected photographs. Lots and lots of photographs. She took most of them and posed in many. This series gives us a glimpse of Sally’s young life, through her own pictures.

Glimpses of Our Trip to Laona, 1920

The fourth page of Sally’s photograph album was a collection of photos from her trip to Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin. She took the trip in 1920 with her Aunt Laura and Uncle Ed Aschbrenner.

Reflections in Stange Park

The first photo stop on the trip was Stange Park in Merrill, Lincoln County, Wisconsin. Sally is pictured on a bridge over the Prairie River. Stange Park still exists. It is currently an 11.6 acre park near the center of Merrill.

Pictured: Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner.

Location: Stange Park, Merrill, Lincoln, Wisconsin.

Date: 1920.

On The Rocks – Laona

The next photo is from their destination – Laona, Wisconsin. Notice all the lumber floating in the river. This girl was an unidentified travel companion.

A wild guess was that this might be Marion Ann Quade. She was the oldest daughter of Robert Quade. Robert was a 1st cousin to Sally’s dad and also to her uncle Ed who was part of this trip to Laona. Marion and Sally were 2nd cousins.

We know from newspaper articles that Robert Quade “of Laona” made trips to visit friends and relatives back in Marathon County.[1] So, it might make sense that Marathon County relatives might reciprocate and make a trip to see his family.

Luckily, through the power of the internet, Quade family members have confirmed that this is indeed Marion. She was wearing the same outfit in one of their family photos!

Pictured: Marion Ann Quade.

Location: Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin.

Date: 1920.

Squinting

This picture was on the next page of the photo album, but appears to be a final photo from the Trip to Laona.

Since it has been confirmed that the girl in the previous photo is Marion Ann Quade, then the woman in the foreground is Marion’s mother, Cloa Celine Cournoyer Quade.

The woman in the back is Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner, who we know for certain was part of this trip.

Pictured: Cloa Celine Cournoyer Quade and Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner.

Location: On trip to Laona, Wisconsin.

Date: 1920.

Imitation fishing – Mud Lake

In this photo, Sally pretends to fish from Mud Lake.

Pictured: Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner.

Location: Mud Lake.

Date: 1920.

Tall Timber

Sally gave this photo a clever title. She could be talking about the trees or she could be talking about Uncle Ed.

Pictured: Edward Albert Reinhart Aschbrenner.

Location: Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin (or nearby).

Date: 1920.

Just posing

Marion Ann Quade and Aunt Laura pose on a dam.

Pictured: Marion Ann Quade and Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner.

Location: Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin (or nearby).

Date: 1920.

So far away from home – without a bell on

Aunt Laura and Sally pose by a road marker for Highway 14. In 1926, the road was renamed U.S. Highway 8. The car they traveled in is in the background.

Pictured: Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner and Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner.

Location: Laona County, Forest, Wisconsin (or nearby).

Date: 1920.

Fishing in Lama millyard

Aunt Laura and Uncle Ed were captured while they fished. Note again, how many logs were floating in the water. It might have been easier to catch wood than to catch fish?

Pictured: Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner and Edward Albert Reinhart Aschbrenner.

Location: Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin (or nearby).

Date: 1920.

Gee! It tastes good when you’re hungry

Sally and Aunt Laura enjoy their picnic.

Pictured: Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner and Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner.

Location: Laona, Forest County, Wisconsin (or nearby).

Date: 1920.

Many thanks to Uncle Chuck Krueger for gifting Sally’s photo albums to me. I suppose I’m the only one who is obsessed enough with family history to spend hours and hours doing something with them. Of course, I thought I should find a way to share.

I didn’t join the Krueger family soon enough to meet Sally. She died 15 May 1983, just two weeks after I started dating her grandson (now my husband). I’m sad that I missed getting to know her. I’m glad that she left a legacy of photos that help me see a side of her that maybe even her own family didn’t get to see.

Many of the faces and places in the photographs are not labeled. If you can help identify someone or someplace, correct any mistake I may have made, or otherwise add to the story, please contact me, for example by submitting a comment. Thanks.

Who is Who?

Fred and Alice Aschbrenner family

Sally Aschbrenner, the subject of this series of posts, was the daughter of Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber and Frederick A. Helmut Aschbrenner. She had one brother named Freddy.

Three-generation pedigree chart

Aunt Laura

Laura Fehlhaber Aschbrenner was one of Sally’s maternal aunts. She was married to Sally’s uncle Ed.

Edward Aschbrenner

Uncle Ed was one of Sally’s paternal uncles. He was married to Sally’s aunt Laura.

Marion Ann Quade

Marion Ann Quade was a second cousin to Sally. Marion married Leonard Leo Krueger, so like Sally, became a Krueger once she married. Marion’s marriage was not long-lasting though. She eventually left Wisconsin and settled in Washington State.

Selected Sources:

[1] “Hamburg,” Wausau Daily Herald (Wausau, Wisconsin), 25 Nov 1921, page 4 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/272476262/ : accessed 23 May 2020). Robert and son Robert “of Laona” visited with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Aschbrenner. Frank was another brother to Sally’s dad, in other words, another of Sally’s Aschbrenner uncles.

The Aschbrenner Family