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.

Cars and Farm

The 12th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos taken in and around 1923. The page featured photos of Sally’s car and scenes from the family farm.

Picnic in a field

Members of the Aschbrenner family are shown picnicking in a field with their automobile close by. The woman is Alice Fehlhaber Aschbrenner and the man second from left is Fred Aschbrenner. The man farthest left is Frank Aschbrenner. The other man is probably Ed Aschbrenner.

There are at least a couple interesting things to notice in this picture. First, it appears that the hood is open on the car. As the people rested, did the car have to cool down? Next, was wearing a tie with bib overalls a common style? Ed is looking formal yet casual all at the same time.

Pictured: from left, Frank George Wilhelm Bernard Aschbrenner, Frederick A Helmut Aschbrenner unidentified, and Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber Aschbrenner.

Location: Unknown

Date: circa 1920-1923.

Sally’s Car

Every young professional woman needs a car. Sally got one of her own. This photo shows her Chevy.

Pictured: Chevrolet owned by Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner.

Location: Wausau, Marathon, Wisconsin.

Date: circa 1923.

Poultry

This photo captures two unidentified women with a flock of poultry. There are chickens in the back, but goslings near the women.

Pictured: Unidentified.

Location: Unidentified.

Date: circa 1923.

Girls

Sally, far right, poses with two other gals. Relatives? Friends? For now, they are unidentified.

Update: 17 Feb 2021 – Thanks to Catherine Broom for help identifying the girls standing with Sally. They are likely Esther and Marie, daughters of Emma Henning and Heinrich Aschbrenner, Sally’s Iowa relatives. Looking at a photo from page 3 that featured that family, these ladies do indeed look familiar. Esther and Marie were two of Sally’s second cousins.

Pictured: Esther Anna Aschbrenner, Marie Anna Aschbrenner and Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner (far right).

Location: Probably Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Date: circa 1923.

Grandpa

Sally’s grandpa, Fred Aschbrenner, poses holding a child who is perhaps one of his grandchildren. He had nine grandchildren born between 1920 and 1923. If this is indeed one of his grandchildren, it is probably Dorothy Frieda Aschbrenner, Alfred Walter Emil Poeske, Evelyn Ruth Aschbrenner, Glenn Frank Aschbrenner, Clarence Aschbrenner, Harold F. Radant, Wilbert W. Poeske, Norma G. Aschbrenner, or Phyllis May Aschbrenner.

• Dorothy and Norma were Henry Herman Heinrich Aschbrenner’s daughters. They were born 16 May 1920 and 13 October 1923.
• Alfred and Wilbert were sons of Hilda Amelia Henrietta Aschbrenner. They were born 16 Apr 1920 and 03 Aug 1922.
• Evelyn was the daughter of Edward Albert Reinhart Aschbrenner. She was born 24 Sep 1921.
• Glenn and Phyllis were the children of Frank George Wilhelm Bernard Aschbrenner, born 02 Oct 1921 and 04 May 1923.
• Clarence was the son of Otto Emil Valentine Aschbrenner, born 25 Mar 1922.
• Harold was the son of Laura Amalia Henrietta Aschbrenner. He was born 14 Jun 1922.

Since boy and girl babies were dressed the same, it is hard to know which baby this is.

Pictured: Frederick Wilhelm Aschbrenner and an unidentified grandchild.

Location: Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Date: circa 1923.

Boys

There is always that one boy… even in the 1920s, someone was picking their nose.

Since the previous photo was of Sally’s Aschbrenner grandfather, we can guess that this photo was taken on the same day at an Aschbrenner family gathering. That is, of course, just a guess. If that is correct, these are likely Sally’s brother and some of her male Aschbrenner cousins.

Maybe someone got confirmed? The boy in the back row on the far right has a flower in his lapel which would be customary on a confirmation day. The Wausau Daily Herald reported that Marvin Aschbrenner was among the 32 children confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church on 29 May 1921. Maybe this was his celebration, and he is the boy with the flower? Freddy got confirmed in 1922, but his class photo has him wearing a different flower, so we know this isn’t his party.

Sally’s brother Freddy was born in 1909. He is probably the boy on the far left of the back row.

Other male cousins who were alive in about 1923 include:

Name	Born	Died	Parent
Ervin Aschbrenner	1906	1974	Otto Emil Valentine
Marvin Gottlieb Henry Aschbrenner	1907	1957	Otto Emil Valentine
Raymond Herman Radant	1912	1994	Laura Amalia Henrietta
Alfred Walter Emil Poeske	1920	2013	Hilda Amanda Alvina
Glenn Frank Aschbrenner	1921	2009	Frank George Wilhelm Bernard
Clarence Aschbrenner	1922	1943	Otto Emil Valentine
Harold F. Radant	1922	1995	Laura Amalia Henrietta
Wilbert W. Poeske	1922	1933	Hilda Amanda Alvina

There could have been extended family around too or kids from the confirmand’s other side of the family. So, the nose-picker remains unidentified.

Pictured: Unidentified.

Location: Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Date: circa 1923.

Alice and the car

Sally’s mom, Alice, posed in front of Sally’s Chevy.

Pictured: Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber.

Location: Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Date: circa 1923.

The first log barn

This picture is of the first log barn on the original Aschbrenner homestead. Friedrich Samuel Aschbrenner settled in Marathon County, Wisconsin, with his family after their emigration from Posen (Germany). He passed the farm onto his son Frederick Wilhelm Aschbrenner and then Sally’s dad, Frederick A Helmut Aschbrenner, took over the farm. So, Sally grew up on the original 1857 Aschbrenner homestead.

Pictured: The first log barn on the original Aschbrenner homestead.

Location: Highway A, Town of Berlin, Marathon County, Wisconsin.

Date: ca 1923.

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

Heinrich Friedrich August Aschbrenner

Heinrich Friedrich August Aschbrenner, also known as Henry, was a first cousin to Sally’s dad.

The Aschbrenner Family