The 1930's brought on the Great Depression and the children of Charles and Anna Pfau began to marry and start to raise families of their own. The Charles and Anna Pfau family was now living at 1633 Humphrey Street. Their household consisted of (Charles stated that he was age 22 at the time of his marriage, Anna stated that she was 18):
Pfau, Charles L. Head
m 53 1882 Germany
Stock Checker Stationary/Company
Anna A. Wife
f 49 1895 Germany
None
William
J. Son
m 15
Michigan None
Anna L. Daughter
f 13
Michigan None
Carl A. Son
m 11
Michigan None
James L. Son
m 9
Michigan None
Elinore
R. Grand Daughter f
4
Michigan None
Charles
F. Grand Son
m 2 5/12
Michigan None
*For the children that had moved out of the household by 1930, I have included the 1930 census data under their names below.
From left to right: Elsie, Bob, Ted, and Bill
Charles Pfau, son of Karl and Grace Pfau, was born in August 1876 in Germany and died in September 1959 in Kalamazoo (his obituary). Anna Vogel, was born on 13 March 1881 in Germany, and died on 14 February 1967, in Plainwell, Michigan. They are both buried in Section S, of Riverside Cemetery, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Charles and Anna were married on 12 February 1899 in Chicago, Illinois and spent all of their lives in the Kalamazoo area. Charles worked for the Kalamazoo Stationary Company and later Sutherland Paper Company, he was a member of the Moose Lodge for 45 years. Anna's maiden name, Vogel, translated means "bird", she always wanted to go back to Germany to visit her family. Her parents were listed as Karl and Mina Vogel in her obituary. Charles and Anna raised a large family of ten children, two daughters, Gertrude Irene and Grace Mina Pfau, died as infants. Memories of Grandpa and Grandma Pfau by their grandchildren:
"Grandpa enjoyed a good cigar and had a postcard collection--(Bill and Jo Harrison still have his scrapbook with the postcards). Grandpa had gooseberry bushes and a garden in his back yard on Humphrey St., he always played the "tough guy", but everyone knew he had a big heart. He would always hide his wallet from Grandma, but she always knew where to find it. Anna would never leave a room without her purse, she was a great cook, and passed that on to her daughters. Grandpa would drink his coffee by pouring into his saucer, letting it cool and then drink it from the saucer."
The ten children of Charles L. Pfau and Anna Vogel were:
Photograph taken in 1942, back row from left
to right: Elanore and Dorothy;
front row: Chuck and Frank Pfau. Photo sent by Ruthann Douglas, granddaughter
of Frank Pfau.
1. Frank Karl Pfau 
,
was born on 26 November 1899 in Kalamazoo, Michigan and died in August
1967 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. Frank, age 30, divorced,
occupation shown as a "guard" at the "State Prison", was living as a boarder,
in the household of Rolla and Mary Munroe, in Summit Township, Jackson
City, Jackson County, Michigan, ED# 24, sheet 23A. Although Frank
stated that he was divorced in 1930, he and Dorothy were just separated,
the family was reunited and lived in Jackson, Michigan. Frank and
Dorothy were married for over 25 years, until her death in 1949, she is
buried in Marshall, Michigan (photograph).
Frank did later remarry and retired to Arizona. Frank, the oldest
son, was lovingly described by his youngest sister, Anna, as the "bad boy".
Frank and Dorothy had one son and a daughter.
Pfau boys, Back row from left to right: Frank,
Adolph, Harry, Burt (Anne's husband)
Front row: Chuck, Grandpa Pfau and Jim Pfau
Poor copy of a newspaper clipping from the Kalamazoo gazette showing five generations.
2. Harry George Pfau ,
was born on 5 September 1903 in Kalamazoo, Michigan and died on 26 February
1992 in Pinellas, Florida. Harry, age 26, occupation shown as "guard"
at the "State Prison" and his (1st) wife Beatrice E., age 22, were also
living in Jackson City, Jackson County, Michigan, ED# 35, sheet 18A, address
listed as 625 Edgewood St., with their daughter Shirley M., who was age
3 years and 11 months. Harry stated that he was age 19 at the
time of his marriage, Beatrice stated that she was 16. Harry went
on to become a Captain of the Guard at Jackson State Prison, in Jackson,
Michigan. After retirement Harry and his (2nd) wife Yvonne, lived
in Florida. Yvonne was born on 8 December 1913 and died on 21 June
1991. Yvonne's obituary, copied from the St. Petersburg Times,
dated 24 June 1991:
"PFAU, H. YVONNE, 76, of Clearwater, died Friday (June 21, 1991) at home. She came here in 1968 from her native Jackson, Mich. She was an accounts payable clerk at Consumers Power Co. Survivors include her husband, Harry; two sons, Clare R. Ziegler, Frankenmuth, Mich., and Raymond Reynolds, Eaton Rapids, Mich.; a daughter, Shirley Mae Brown, Prudenville, Mich.; a sister, Alice Cobb, San Diego; 14 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Sylvan Abbey Chapel, Clearwater."Harry's obituary copied from the Tampa Tribune dated 29 February 1992:
"HARRY G. PFAU, 88, of Clearwater died Wednesday at St. Mark's Village in Palm Harbor. A native of Kalamazoo, Mich., he moved to the area 22 years ago from Jackson, Mich. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in World War II, a captain of the Prison Guard for the state of Michigan's Department of Corrections and member of American Legion in Jackson. He is survived by his stepson, Clare R. Ziegler of Vaser, Mich.; a daughter, Shirley M. Brown of Prudenville, Mich.; a brother, James of Portland, Ore.; a sister, Anna Cheviler of Kalamazoo; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Moss-Feaster Funeral Home, Dunedin Chapel."Harry and Yvonne are both buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Palm Harbor, Florida.
3. Theodore J. Pfau, was born on 24 July 1908 in Kalamazoo, Michigan and died on 27 January 1992 in Michigan. Theodore or "Ted", age 21, occupation "trimmer" in a "stationary company", and his wife Florence, age 21, with their first son Richard, age 1 year and 6 months, were living in Oshtemo Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, ED# 45, sheet 11A. Ted and Florence both stated that they were married at age 18. Ted married the former Florence Heistand, born on 22 July 1908 in Redfield, Kansas. Ted worked for Kalamazoo Stationary for 50 years, Florence died on 20 July 1991, they are both buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Mattawan, Michigan. My very first squirrel hunt took place on Uncle Ted and Florence's farm with my Dad. I didn't get any squirrels, but it was a great day in the woods. Ted and Florence had two sons and two daughters.
4. Elsie Augusta Pfau, was born on 10 January 1910 and died on 6 June 1984 in Portage, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. In the 1930 Federal Census of Prairie Ronde Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, ED# 49, sheet 1B, enumerated on 2 April, Elsie, age 20, and her husband Clare S., age 21, occupation "farming", were living in the household of her in-laws, Owen W. and Ida (Shirley) Harrison, on his grandparents, Bazel and Martha (Stillwell) Harrison, original homestead. Elsie and Clare were married on on 30 April 1929. Clare died on 12 December 1968, they are both buried in Harrison Cemetery in Prairie Ronde Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Clare and Elsie had two sons and three daughters.
Anna (Vogel) Pfau and Elsie (Pfau) Harrison
5. Gertrude Irene Pfau, was born in 1912 and died in 1914, she is buried next to her parents in Riverside Cemetery.
6. William Joseph Pfau
,
was born on 24 June 1914 and died on 20 September 1981 in Clearwater,
Florida and is buried at Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida.
"Bill" was still living with his parents in 1930 in Kalamazoo. He
married Roberta Weaver and they had two sons. Bill worked for the
Kalamazoo Police Department for 28 years and retired in 1973.
7. Anna L. Pfau, was born in 1916 and died in 2005. Ann helped me sort through some the Pfau family data, I am very grateful for her help, she had two daughters and a son. She told me that when her younger brother Jim was born, Ann was a little jealous and when the Dr. called her down to see her new baby brother she wasn't interested, she only wanted to show off her new shoes. Ann died in 2005, her obituary from the Kalamazoo Gazette dated 25 August 2005:
CHEVALLIER, Mrs. Anna L. (Rustenholtz)
Kalamazoo, MI"Services will be held 1 o'clock from the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick St. Visitation will be 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Senior Services Volunteer Program, Temple Baptist Church Memorial Fund, or the Alzheimer's Association."
8. Karl A. Pfau, was born on 26 June 1918 and died on 11 August 1978 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Karl Pfau married Eleanor Flagg, the daughter of Otto and Ethel (Castle) Flagg, they had two sons. "Bob" was a long time employee of the Shakespeare Company in Kalamazoo. Bob's obituary copied from the Kalamazoo Gazette:
PFAU
Mr. Karl A.
821 Dayton Ave.“Passed away Friday August 11, 1978. Mr. Pfau was born June 26, 1918 in Kalamazoo the son of Charles and Anna Vogel Pfau and was a lifelong resident here. He attended Central High School and before his retirement he was employed by Shakespeare Products division for 38 years. In 1939 he was married to Eleanor Flagg who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Thomas K. and Frederick E. both of Kalamazoo; his mother-in-law Ethel Kincheloe of Medford, Ore.; 4 brothers and two sisters, Harry and William both of St. Petersburg, Fla., Ted of Mattawan, James of Portland, Ore., Mrs. Elsie Harrison of Portage, and Mrs. Ann Rustenholtz of Kalamazoo; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother Frank in 1967. Memorial services will be held on Monday at 1 p.m. Langeland Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick Rev. Kenneth McCaw of Portage United Methodist Church officiating. Internment in Riverside Cemetery. Friends may meet the family at the Chapel from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 Saturday and Sunday. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.”
9. James L. Pfau Sr.
,
was born on 17 April 1921 and died on 2 June 1999 in Portland, Multnomah
County, Oregon. "Jim" married Lyla Berquist, her parents were Arthur
and Alma Berquist who were from Minnesota, and later moved west to homestead
in South Dakota, where Lyla was born in 1920. Jim served in the Army
during WW II in North Africa, Northern Italy, and Germany. After
marrying in 1945, Jim and Lyla moved to Oregon. Jim worked as a Supervisor
for Fibreboard Corporation, they were married almost 54 years before Jim’s
death in 1999. Jim and Lyla had a son and two daughters. His
obituary copied from The Portland Oregonian dated 7 June 1999:
"A private memorial service will be held for James L. Pfau Sr., who died June 2, 1999, at age 78.
Mr. Pfau was born April 17, 1921, in Kalamazoo, Mich. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star. He had lived in Portland since 1948. He worked for Fiberboard Products Co. for 26 years until retiring as a supervisor in the late 1970s. He married Lyla Berquist in 1945.
Survivors include his wife; daughters, Lynda Wickman of Portland and Peggy Morris of Gresham; son, James Jr. of Salem; sister, Anna Chevalier [sic, Chevallier] of Kalamazoo; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Interment will be in Rose City Cemetery. Arrangements are by Rose City Cemetery & Funeral Home."
10. Grace Mina Pfau, was born in 1923 and died in 1925, she is buried next to her parents in Riverside Cemetery.
Charles and Anna (Vogel) Pfau with children and grandchildren. Charlie and Anna (Vogel) Pfau celebrated their 60th Diamond Wedding Anniversary in 1959.
This web page is authored by Scott Duncan. All information listed without a reference should be verified. Any additions, questions, or comments should be sent to:
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