Richard Edward Jaeger

  General Notes:

Educated at German Lutheran School, Thomas Street Marinette (1-3 grades). Menekaune School (4-6). Father killed, end of formal education. Night School, Ishpeming, MI (Business School). Worked for Milwaukee - St Paul Trial Road. Partnership with Chris and Fred in Aerial Cutlery, Duluth, Minn. Traveled as railroad man as far as Butte, Mont. Moved to Marinette when Aerial was moved. Sold cutlery and later general wholesale merchandise, specializing in barber supplies. Sold Aerial stock to Fred in 1938. Built Frozen Food Locker, Wisconsin Street Marinette. Sold this and retired in 1963. Residence 1017 Pierce Avenue Marinette major portion of later life - 1919 til death ^{[Betty Jaeger Gilbertson]}


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At 15 he worked as a cook's assistant in a lumber camp. Richard was 16 when he was shoveling coal as a fireman on the RR out of Chicago. Then at 17 three brothers (Chris - Fred - Rick) started the Jaeger Brothers Mfg Co. (made pocket knives and bayonets during WWII) which became the Aerial. There was a great deal of squabbling among the three and Richard was called to task by his mother to 'keep the peace.'

After the Aerial cut back on mfg. it got involved with Beauty & Barber Supplies, Rick retired and started the Frozen Food Locker. ^{[Ruth Jaeger Melegari]}


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Educated at German Lutheran School, grade 1­3, Thomas Street, Marinette, Wis; Menekaune School, grade 4­6. When father killed it ended formal schooling however he later attended night school in Ispheming Michigan Business School; Worked for Milwaukee­ St. Paul Railroad. Traveled with railroad as far as Butte, Mont. Partners with Chris and Fred in Aerial Cutlery, Duluth, Minn. Moved to Marinette when Aerial was moved. Sold cutlery and later general wholesale merchandise specializing in barber supplies. Sold Aerial stock to Fred in 1938. Built frozen Food Locker, Wisconsin Street, Marinette. Sold this and retired in 1963. Residence 1017 Pierce Avenue, 1919 until death. ^{[Ruth Jaeger Melegari]}
 
 
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Uncle Rick lived above a treasure trove. The basement was filled to the brim with 'stuff'. From an old, fifty-foot rail for a train to stacks of boxes where you could hide and imagine. Little cubbyholes filled with cases of shampoo or hair products from the Aerial; a cellar filled with home canned fruit and vegetables; and huge crocks. Aunt Margaret and Uncle Rick made sauerkraut and we would shred cabbage with wooden cabbage slicers and put the shredded cabbage in the crocks while Aunt Marg salted and we tamped it down. After several weeks we would get to taste home made kraut.

After I was a teenager and learned to hunt a little we often invited Uncle Rick to come over to our house for a dinner of squirrel. He loved it but he never failed to find the pellet that I missed when I cleaned them.

When we got a television I was about fifteen and Uncle Rick would come over to our house (they lived across the street) and we would watch Perry Mason. My love of mysteries came from those days. ^{[W. John Schuck]}


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Rick Jaeger loved animals as well as kiddoes. We always had dogs, mostly Airedales ( Rex and Pal seemed to always be their names. ) More than that he brought home anything and everything. Once we had white rats-Twinkletoes was the Female, (she must have had a Mate) because we had many many offspring. Dad had the most beautiful cages made for them. I think there were three, and they had movable trays, so that we could clean the cages without letting them out.

We often took Twinkletoes out of her cage and play with her in our living room. One time we didn't watch her carefully and as she was sniffing by the cold fireplace, got under the grate, and fell down the ash pit hole. That was onetime we cleaned the ashes out of the pit without being told to do so. But it was too late to save Twinkletoes, she smothered before we could rescue her. It must have been after that [we] lost interest and someone left the cages open and the remaining rats got out. We never did see any signs of white rats in the house, nor did we see any wild white rats in the neighborhood.

Another time Dad had called from Uncle John's (Combined Locks) to say he was bringing home 2 kids. This was not unusual; Scherer Kiddoes often came to visit. Mom changed our sleeping arrangements around to accommodate the children and we kiddoes went to bed as usual. Dad arrived later that night. In the morning we were awakened to the bleating of two Goats. He also had a sense of humor.

Another memory I have of Dad was concerning his business route south as far as Appleton. Dad put a large number of punch boards in taverns. These displayed mostly hunting and fishing equipment. Some of these display boards became fly spected. As they got this way, he would remove the worst looking ones, leaving some on the back bars. The boards that were taken down were brought back to the Aerial Cutlery Co. to be refurbished and re­supplied with the knives etc. to. be used at another location. My job was to clean up the leftover merchandise and Dad added new to make a fresh display board. Items had to be tied to the beaverboard backing with elastic cord.. It took an ice pick type of punch to make a hole to thread the cord through and it had to be tied on the backside. This made for a very long, boring week-end chore. Being the eldest child, it fell to me to fix these boards and also, to go with Dad to check out these punchboard locations. I always imagined that my Mother's thought was that I could be instrumental in getting Dad to make the calls brief, and get back home early. She was not able to go with him.... so she sent me. Well, at these stops, Dad would buy everyone in the tavern at that time a round of drinks and would send a bottle grape pop out to the car to me. Needless to say, I had many bottles of pop (but no food) on a trip. I usually got car sick so I was always privileged to ride in the front seat (on all car trips) because that seemed to be better for car sickness than the back seat. Well the combination of Grape pop and car sickness was sure to have me returning home feeling VERY sick. ^{[Ruth Jaeger Melegari] 8 9 10 11 12}

  Noted events in his life were:

• Education: the German Lutheran School and Menekaune School, 1896-1901, Menekaune, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹³
Educated at German Lutheran School, Thomas Street Marinette (1-3 grades). Menekaune School (4-6). Father killed, end of formal education.

• Education: WMCA Business College: Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA.

• Patriarchal Blessing: Richard Jaeger's Traditional German Blessing, 1900-1969, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁴  
Richard Jaeger's Blessing

Speise, Vater, deine Kinder,
Tröste die betrübten Sünder,
Sprich den Segen zu den Gaben,
Die wir jetzt nun vor uns haben,
Daß sie uns zu diesem Leben
Stärke, Kraft und Nahrung geben,
Bis wir endlich mit den Frommen
Zu der Himmelsmahlzeit kommen.

Feed Thy children, God most holy,
Comfort sinners poor and lowly.
O Thou Bread of Life from heaven,
Bless the food Thou here hast given.
As these gifts the body nourish
May our souls in graces flourish.
Till with saints in heav'nly splendor
At Thy feast due thanks we render.

^{This is the German prayer we spoke about. My Dad used it only on special occasions and holidays or family gatherings. It probably was used more on the Jaeger side of events since Mother's side of the family were Catholic, but it does hold memories for both Dan and I.}

• Occupation: cook's assistant in a lumber camp. Richard was 16 when he was shoveling coal as a fireman on the RR out of Chicago, 1906, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁵ At 15 he worked as a cook's assistant in a lumber camp. Richard was 16 when he was shoveling coal as a fireman on the RR out of Chicago.

• Occupation: salesman and was one of three brothers who owned the Arial Cutlery, 1910-1938, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁶

• Occupation: owner/operator of a frozen food locker, 1938-1963, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁵  
Sold Aerial stock to Fred in 1938. Built frozen Food Locker, Wisconsin Street, Marinette. Sold this and retired in 1963.

• Social Security Number: 392-03-1490, Bef 1951, , , Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁷

• Obituary: Marinette Eagle-Star, 28 Dec 1969, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁸  
RICHARD JAEGER TAKEN BY DEATH

Richard E. Jaeger, 78, of 1017 Pierce Ave., died at 5:35 p.m. Saturday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Louis Melegari of Pine Beach.

Mr. Jaeger was associated with Aerial Cutlery and later operated a frozen load locker on Wisconsin St., until his retirement in 1963.

He was born in Marinette on March 6, 1891, and had resided here all his life.

On April 8, 1917, be married the former Margaret Scherer in Marinette; She died in 1963.

Mr. Jaeger was a charter member of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church and a member of the Marinette Masonic Lodge.

Besides Mrs. Melegari; he is survived by three other daughters, Mrs. Lionel Bushey of Green Bay, Mrs. Clarence Mogensen of Marinette and Mrs. Edward Daley of Long Beach, Calf.; two sons, Richard John of Dover, Del., and Daniel K. of San Diego, Calif.; a brother, Fred of Marinette; three sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Grill of Marinette. Mrs. Lee Olsen of Howard City, Mich., and Mrs. Meta Kamin of Minneapolis, Minn.; 19 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Friends may call at the Thieilen funeral home from 4 to 9 tonight and until time of services on Tuesday.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home The Rev Paul E. Holmstrom will officiate and burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery.

The Marinette Masonic Lodge will conduct services at the funeral home at 7:15 tonight.

A memorial fund has been established.

• Cemetery: Forest Home Cemetery and Mausoleum [Section Z, Block 1, Lot 3, #7], 30 Dec 1969, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ⁴
RICHARD E. JAEGER
HUSBAND OF
MARGARET RUTH
1891 - 1969

• Publication: Knife World: Aerial Cutlery - A History (Pg 1), Dec 1989, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. ¹⁹  
AERIAL CUTLERY - A HISTORY

Shortly after the turn of the century, an industrious salesman named Fred Jaeger began a career that would grow into a very successful family business ­­ one that continues to this day, A "drummers" compact sample case and an almost magical sales talk marked the inception of Aerial Cutlery Manufacturing Company. That company was to become a major factor in the production of knives for the next four decades and its knives are today considered among the better collectibles.

While working as a paper mill employee, Jaeger began selling cutlery products to fellow employees. His sales success motivated him to quit his job and take to the road with his cutlery satchel containing knives, razors, scissors, and barber supplies. His "territory" was wherever he recognized sales potentials and his travels took him into the back­country mines, mills, and lumber camps. His background as a "mill hand" offered Jaeger something in common with plant guards and managers so that he was often able to get onto a plant's grounds while other salesmen would be left outside the gates. His reputation as an honest and reliable supplier grew as did his fame for good salesmanship.

Jaeger used his ingenuity and hard work so successfully, in fact, that the cutlery manufacturer in Morris, Illinois was unable to fill the demand created by his sales efforts. In order to be able to supply the increased demand, the Morris plant was purchased by another enterprising individual- J. D. Phillips.

Super salesman, ''Fritz'' Jaeger's business continued to grow. It grew so much that, in 1910, Fred Jaeger was joined by his brothers, Chris and Richard, and by Thomas Madden in forming a company to buy out Phillips. The purchased company was re-organized in Duluth, Minnesota and was given the new name ­ Aerial Cutlery Manufacturing Company.

Perhaps the name was unusual but it had a great deal of significance for the new owners. The Aerial Bridge, located in Duluth, was the first suspension bridge of its kind in the United States. In addition to sharing its name with the new company, the bridge became the company trademark because it was a symbol of stamina, hard work, sacrifice, and determination against all odds.

The name ''Aerial'' would remain even though, in 1912, it was shortened to Aerial Cutlery Company. The name change was current with a major move of the company's manufacturing facilities to Marinette, Wisconsin. According to Jaeger family accounts, the factory was moved "lock, stock, and barrel". Equipment and tools, whether large or small, was, loaded on a train load of flat cars for the journey from Duluth to Marinette. Seventy yeas later, in 1982, some of that original factory equipment was still in use at Olsen Knife Company.

In addition to the name Aerial being consistent through the years, another name has been consistently associated with the company's management and leadership. That name is Fred Jaeger. It was Fred ''Fritz'' Jaeger Sr. whose sales success provided the impetus for starting the company in 1909. Fred Jaeger Jr. assumed command of the company in 1966. He has since been joined by two other ''Fritz'' Jaegers - III and IV. But, let's go back to knives and to the approximate 40 year era during which Aerial was once of the major factor in the U. S. knife industry.

During the early part of this century one of the popular types of pocket knives were those that featured pictures within transparent handles. Most collectors have seen these knives and several collections are based upon these unusual pieces. Picture knives or transparent handled knives were made by several companies including Canton Cutlery Co., Morris Cutlery Co., Novelty Cutlery Co., Lackawanna Cutlery, Golden Rule, and Aerial Cutlery Co. Of these companies, Aerial was undoubtedly the most prominent and certainly the one with the longest history.

As evidenced by some of the photographs included here, picture knives by Aerial covered an extensive range of subjects. And, they came in practically all sizes and patterns from small pen knives to folding hunters and on to sheath knives. Among the more popular picture knives were those with natural
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• Publication: Knife World: Aerial Cutlery - A History (Pg 4), Dec 1989, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. ¹⁹  
Continued from page 1
and wild life scenes and, of course, the ''naughty lady'' patterns. But the unique designs go on and on--from farm livestock to Cars, trains, and ships; from cartoon characters such as ''Maggie and Jiggs'' to Presidents of our country; from commercial advertising logos to fraternal order emblems; and, if you want you could have knives made with a picture of your choosing. One Aerial catalog quotes a charge of ten cents for the use of a personal photograph on a knife handle. How's that for a ''customized'' knife?

One should not, however develop the opinion that knives made by Aerial were cheap advertising knives. The company had reputation for quality and a commitment to live up to that reputation. They had an excellent guarantee to back their product line and a written guarantee accompanied each knife sold. Whether the knife was for hard use or for a souvenir, it was made from quality materials and to rigid specifications ­ it took well over 200 different operations to make most of their knives. Of special interest is the handle materials. The company claimed that their knife handles were practically indestructible especially when compared to other commonly used materials such as ivory, stag horn, or wood.

In addition to picture knives, Aerial made quite a few other patterns ­­ some using other brand names of their own such as ''Jaeger Bros.'' Or ''A. C. Mfg. Co.''; others were made for mail order firms such as Sears­Roebuck, Belknap Hdwe., and Butler Brothers. In addition, Aerial's sales were large enough so they would contract with other manufacturers to have knives made with the Aerial stamping.

One of Aerial's major undertakings was the manufacture of the military trench knife and M-1 bayonets during World War II. Company histories indicate that a plant superintendent, Fred Faubel Sr. designed the trench knife and presented it to ordinance personnel in Chicago where it was adopted (with a slight change to the handle guard) as a standard pattern. Many thousands of these military knives were made by Aerial for the Armed Forces during the war. For its outstanding contribution the company was awarded the Army­Navy E Award.

The last Aerial cutlery catalog that I am aware dates to the later half of the 1940's. Unfortunately I have only photocopies of a portion of the catalog but I find no listing of picture handled knives. It appears that the extensive line of knives had been reduced to
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• Publication: Knife World: Aerial Cutlery - A History (Pg 5), Dec 1989, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. ¹⁹  
Continued from page 4
a few pocketknife patterns with Pyralin and to leather washer handled fixed blade knives. Noteworthy among the non­folders were four military types, ''Commando'' or bayonet knives; no doubt a carryover from the company's wartime production activities. Just as the war had changed much of our way of life, it had changed major industries; and, it had changed Aerial. Before the war, most of the company's knife sales had been in their picture knife line. The war effort had diverted their machinery and talents to military type knives. Also of major significance was the fact that the materials which the company had used in producing their primary knife line were no longer available or feasible to use.

Since the 1920's, Aerial had been actively involved in barber supplies and, in the 1930's added beauty supplies to its line; not an unusual complement to the cutlery business in those days. In 1965, Fred Jaeger decided to direct his company's business exclusively to that industry where they were already leaders. Under the guidance of a Fred Jaeger and operating under the founder's ideals of quality and service, that leadership continues today.

There are conflicting dates for Aerial's ceasing cutlery production. In his book, Pocketknives ­­ Markings of Manufactures and Dealers, John Goins dates the company's tang
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• Publication: Knife World: Aerial Cutlery - A History (Pg 6), Dec 1989, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. ¹⁹  
Continued from page 5
stampings until 1944. He states, however, that the company's knives ''were still in production as late as 1944''. The catalog mentioned above is not dated but there is good justification for the assumption that it was current during the last half of the 1940's. From one statement within the catalog ­­ ''Our knives have enjoyed a reputation for excellent quality and workmanship since the beginning of their manufacture over thirty years ago,'' we know that the catalog would date no earlier than 1940. Another statement ­­ ''During the recent World War…'' tells us that the catalog dates to after 1945. One article, author and publication unknown, credits Aerial with the manufacture of knives for 50 years; thus until the late 1950's. Bernard Levine, in Knife World's July 1979 Whut­Izzit column states that the company ceased regular cutlery production in the early 1950's. Based upon the above reference as well as other information made available to me by collectors Jack McAllister and Bob Cargill, I have concluded that the early 1950's is correct.

Regardless of which date is correct for the company's termination of cutlery manufacturing, collectors can be assured that Aerial knives have something to offer. Their quality is very good, they are quite unique, and their prices aren't ''out of sight'' ­ all the makings for an interesting collection.
Continued on page 7

• Publication: Knife World: Aerial Cutlery - A History (Pg 7), Dec 1989, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. ¹⁹  
Continued from page 6
Knives from an Aerial Manufacturing Catalog

• Publication: The Eagle-Herald, 12 Nov 2006, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ²⁰
Blaze destroys landmark

MARINETTE -- The former Aerial Co. building at 116 E. Hosmer St. is a total loss, following a late-night fire on Saturday.

The Marinette Fire Department received the call at 10:53 p.m.

According to the department's report, "Upon arrival we found flames breaking through the front entry way and shortly after that, the fire broke through the second story roof."

All off-duty personnel were called to the scene. The Menominee Fire Department responded under the terms of the Automatic Aid agreement, which became effective earlier this year.

An engine and crew from the town of Peshtigo also responded to the call.

According to the MFD report, ladder trucks from both Marinette and Menominee were set up to fight the flames.

Wisconsin Public Service was contacted to turn off electrical and gas to the brick building. The Marinette Water Utility was notified because of the large volume of water used to fight the blaze.

Emergency medical crews and personnel from the American Red Cross stood by during the fire. Crews worked through the night to battle the blaze, returning to their firehouses at 5:42 a.m.

Once the fire was under control, an excavator from MJB Industries pulled down the outer shell of the building. The structure and its contents were a total loss.

The building, former corporate home to Aerial Co., which is now located on the south side of Marinette near Pine Tree Mall and the Marinette Industrial Park, was occupied by Fabricators Plus. It is located near several homes and other businesses, none of which were damaged in the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

During the blaze, two Marinette firefighters and town of Peshtigo firefighters responded to a fire in a pile of tires at 303 Dousman St., about seven blocks from the Aerial Building fire. That fire is also under investigation.

• Publication: The Eagle Herald, 21 Nov 2006, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ²¹
Arson bureau joins in fire investigation

MARINETTE -- Investigators from the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Justice Arson Bureau are in Marinette this week assisting the Marinette Police Department with its investigation into the cause of the fire that destroyed the former Aerial building, 116 E. Hosmer St.

Police Chief Jeffrey Skorik said the presence of the arson bureau does not mean the cause of the fire has been determined to be arson. "The reason that we've asked for their assistance is in hopes of determining the cause and origin of the fire," Skorik said.

The two-story structure that was at least 100 years old was destroyed by a late night fire Nov. 11.

At the time, the first floor of the building was occupied by Fabricators Plus.

During the blaze, a second fire was discovered in some discarded tires on the former Charon Building Supply property on Dousman Street, a few blocks away. Fabricators Plus was in the process of moving into a building on that site.

Skorik said investigators from the arson bureau are also examining that fire scene to attempt to determine the cause.

• Letter: to Fritz H. Jaeger Jr concerning the fire at the old Aerial building, 19 Nov 2006, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ²²
I remember helping to put a new hot tar and gravel roof on the building. I stoked the fire on the tar heater.Tar came in a tin barrel which was cut with an axe into small pieces which were put in the pot and melted. Hot tar was put in 5 gal. buckets and hoisted to the roof by rope and pulley on an "A" frame on the roof.

In 1936 4 Link Belt stokers were installed. 2 for the boilers at the factory [Your dad already had an Iron Fireman installed at your house] 1 at Uncle Chris', house and an extended feedscrew worm unit at our house. This was the cause of an awful lot of problems for years. My father bought shear pins by the 100's. I was really good at replacing shear pins. He always believed it was the extra length of the feed screw that was the cause as there never was anything at the "special opening" where a cause should be found. When the stoker was removed to put in a gas fired boiler in the late 60's the special wrench to free a jam of the feed screw inadvertently left in the feed tube, when assembled, was removed. It had been grooved almost in two by the turning of the screw over the years and frequently would bind and shear a pin. Mystery solved!!

During the installation at the Aerial boiler room, I crawled through the flue opening and cemented a 12" metal smoke stack thimble from the inside of the chimney as I was the one small enough to crawl out after the installation. It was scary looking up from the inside. It was like being at the bottom of a well.

I can remember my father when last to leave the Aerial after locking the door at night would go back two or more times to recheck the door to make sure it was locked and secure after starting his truck to go home.

There are a lot of memories of that building. I guess cremation was a good way for it to go!!!

Richard married Margaret Ruth Scherer, daughter of John Scherer and Ruth Alta Space, on 08 Apr 1917 in Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. (Margaret Ruth Scherer was born on 23 Dec 1892 in Nahma, Delta, Michigan, USA,^{4 23} died on 12 Oct 1963 in Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA ^{4 24} and was buried on 14 Oct 1963 in Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA ²⁵.) The cause of her death was bronchiectasis ­ far advanced, chronic miocarditis with myocardial degeneration.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage, 08 Apr 1917, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ²⁶

  Marriage Notes:

 
We had a Slab Wood burning steam furnace in our house on Pierce Av. in the early 1920's. The fire pit in this furnace was very long and very narrow. At times the ceramic fingers of the grate would break off. They were not hard to replace, except that Dad couldn't fit into this long, narrow pit opening. So, of course the chore fell to me as the "oldest" again. The furnace was cold and fairly well cleared of ashes. I’d have to crawl in this dark pit; with Dad's repeated assurances that he'd be right there in case of trouble (like getting stuck inside). My concern this time was I had just read the Fairy Tale, Hanzel and Gretel, and I could just see the Wicked Witch and the fiery oven. Needless to say, crawling into this pit scared the day-lights out of me.

This furnace was later converted to coal. First Anthracite and even later to small chunks of coal and a hopper to be filled morning and night. Once, a full tube of Summer Sausage disappeared; which was later found buried in the coal pile by one of our dogs. Later our chores were eased by adding a Bin-to-stoker Screw that automatically fed the Stoker. Now my chore became to regularly breaking up the clinkers that formed in the bed of the furnace and hauling these out so the fire would have fresh coal to burn.

All this, and yet the gentle side of Rick. We always had more than just our family around the table at mealtime and these seemed to be permanent other family members. Dad really shared what he had, great or small, depending on the financing of the Family fortunes at any given time. He gathered Kiddoes like the Pied Piper of old, sang silly songs to them, told the others and ourselves his lumber camp stories, his railroad stories, and other tales of how he carried Grandma's Books home for her from grade school. He also would give all the smaller kiddoes a ride on his crossed legs.

Then the Aerial got into the Barber Supply business. Dad saw so much barbering that he could do it in his sleep. He decided that could cut hair and proceeded to experiment on me. He cut and trimmed, and cut and trimmed until I thought I had been scalped. Mom bought the widest ribbon she could find and I wore ribbons around my head until my hair grew out again. He (Dad) never cut my hair again.

As Rick did a lot of bartering during the Depression, some of the Spoils were very interesting. Once he came home with a "Green" Canadian Mackinaw. At the time, the only one it would fit was Ruth. She wore it when it was too large for her, when it fit her, and again when it was too small for her. It just wouldn't wear out. Today I cherish Canadian clothing for it’s quality but not if it is a green color To top it off I married a Canadian and furnished our house many Canadian mementos.

Rick also brought home a bolt of brick red velvet material. I had a brick red velvet dress (with a ecru crocheted collar) a brick red velvet coat, a brick red skirt, and a brick red jumper. I suppose Martha and Esther remember those too, because we had to use up that material. Other fun weekly trophies were: a car loaded with cabbage for sauerkraut (this became an annual event), an animal or two managed to be brought home, a recipe For Zweibach Torte and a wooden ice cream maker that we kiddoes took turns sitting on while someone else did the grinding. I think that was to add weight, otherwise it walked across the floor.

Another side of Rick was his temper. No-one was spared that at one time or another. His mother told him to always be the "Peacemaker" between Fred and Chris. So, what he couldn't say at the Aerial he brought home. Also , since he was gone all week (on the road) mother did as she thought best in family situations, but was often different from what Rick would have done. Then his temper would flare up. We got scolded for things we did as well as many things we didn't do. The razor strap was always handy during these sessions.

Under the main stairwell to the second floor of the house on Pierce Avenue was a clothes closet. At least that was what it was designed for. But we had it as a phone booth also and a crying closet. Of course all the temper tantrums which called for time out in the crying closet came to a quick halt when the phone rang. That was a must.

Buck­Ste­Hoo was an old log farm house just outside of the village of McAllister (about 35 mi. north on the Menominee River). The Jaegers had purchased this place for a hunting camp. Dad would not shoot a deer but he always [went] along to camp as the Chief maintenance man as well as the camp cook. He loved to cook and bragged about learning to cook when he worked as assistant to the regular cook in a lumbering camp at the ripe old age of 15. At 16, he was shoveling coal on the old steam trains on the old Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. He worked out of Chicago and went to Bemidji and also Albert Lea in Minnesota. Then he would make the return trip and repeat the process. He loved to brag how many cars, full of merchandise, that they could pull with one locomotive. I seem to remember some fantastic figure 1ike 120 1oaded cars would make up a train load.

Another Depression story about when Dick was a teenager. It was difficult to get 5¢ to join other kiddoes with ice cream cones. I remember Dick saying to Dad as he headed off for the ice rink to skate, "how do you expect me and my girl to get along on 5¢?"

Christmas Day was so special. Mom always made a veal hot dish that was so very delicious (and I don’t have the recipe).

We walked to St. James (4 flocks) thru the snow for the children’s program. Because I was the oldest I knew about Santa Claus before the others and so was privileged to help assemble things under the tree.

I remember we got a children’s card table and chairs that I felt "big" about because I saw it first. But there were other not so good ones during the "Great Depression." Mom was a knitter and she really knitted up a storm that year so that there was a new sweater ­ mittens ­ and scarf for each of the 6 of us. Except my sweater was the last one she worked on and she told me "because I would understand," but she couldn’t finish it and wrapped it one sleeve short. About that time I was into The Ugly Duckling. Anyway, I think that was one of the building blocks of my own poor self esteem.

One of the better memories were of fun in the snow in our snow suits made from "paper mill felt." Dress coats for the three older girls were navy blue double breasted chinchilla coats purchased from Lauermans. At our house store bought was special because Mom always made everything. Always our dresses were the same pattern. Martha’s was green, Esther’s was blue, Ruth’s was red. ^{[Ruth Jaeger Melegari] 27}