Elden Victor Larson always had a twinkle in his eyes.
He was born June 11, 1912 in Readstown, Vernon Co., Wisconsin to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He was the 6th of their 7 children.
At the time of the 1920 census (taken in January that year) the family was still living in the village of Readstown in Vernon County, Wisconsin The six children included 17 year old Bertha Marie who was developmentally disabled, 16 year old Henry F. who was called "Ray", Lawrence E. who was 14, 12 year old Elma Elnora, Gilbert B. who was 10, to Elden Victor who was 7. Six months after the census the last sibling, Melvin Jonathon would be born. They were attending school and close knit. Their father would soon take over their grandfather's tobacco farm in the Folsom area for a few years and many memories were to be made in the farm!
Stories were later passed down about smoking out behind the barn, sampling "Norwegian anti-freeze" (alcohol) , and who knows what else. The Larson boys and their sister Elma were not a shy bunch.
When the boys were all still fairly young , probably the mid or very late 1920's, they collected Indian head pennies in a metal coffee can. Someone got the brilliant idea of burying it like a treasure to keep it safe. After all, they would all know where they buried it and could eventually dig it up, right?
They all went out to ceremoniously bury the can of real treasure...a coffee can filled with Indian head pennies!!! (Think about having that now!) After some period of time went by the boys decided they wanted to dig up the can and divide up the pennies. They went out...and they dug...and dug...and dug all over the tobacco field. They never could find their lost treasure.
My father Melvin, the youngest of the boys, remembered this all very well and told me the story many years later. Before they buried the can Melvin had secretly taken one penny out of the can and saved it. He kept it safe until I was a pre-teen when he told me the story and passed "The Larson Penny" on to me. I still have it. It's probably time for me to pass it on to another descendant...but I don't know who would treasure this family lore, pass on the story and keep the penny safe for following generations.
I took the story as being the whole story until just a moment ago..I wonder if one of my uncles dug it up when nobody was looking? We'll never know.
By the time Elden was 17 (1930) the family was living in a small home on East South Street in Viroqua, a few miles north of the farm and west of Readstown. Elden, his sister Marie, and younger brother Melvin were living there with their parents. Elden was a laborer working at a lumber yard.
By 1940 Elden was sharing an apartment at 2211 West Wells street with his sister Elma, brother Gib then divorced, youngest brother Melvin, and a young woman named Irene who I believe was Elden's girl friend at the time. This is the time period of my favorite story about Elden.
Elma was most likely the first to move to Milwaukee. Vernon county where they had grown up was very rural. I don't think that was really the life she wanted. I believe Elden followed soon after for the same reason. When he got to Milwaukee he started the search for a job and eventually landed one as a bartender. The problem was that he was not a bar tender. You needed some kind of license or certification to tend bar in Milwaukee. He knew HOW to tend bar...but he didn't have the paperwork. His older brother Lawrence had worked as a bartender and did have the paperwork. Elden and Lawrence put their heads together and figured it out. ELDEN became LARRY and got the job working under his brothers certification. He then became my father's brother LARRY for all time. As a young child I grew up knowing my dear uncle was "Uncle Larry". Imagine my confusion when it dawned on me that uncle Lawrence should be my Uncle Larry... but...he wasn't. My dad told me the story when I was about 7...and with much laughter I came to love the story. It was no big deal to me. I never really referred to him as Uncle Larry anyway. To me he was always "Unkie".
Elden's first wife was named Hazel. Her nickname was "Butch". I was very little and only remember seeing her twice very briefly. She was a very pretty woman and I know my parents liked her a lot. For whatever reason, the marriage didn't last. The second time I saw her was when she came to say goodbye to my parents.
His second wife was called "Mickie". I have no record and can find none of when they were married or her legal name. She was stunningly beautiful. She had a son Pat and a daughter Terry from a previous marriage. I believe they were married in Milwaukee or at least lived there for a while. Possibly on Concordia, not too far from where we lived at 10th and Concordia. I do know they lived in or near Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1950's I can't seem to locate city directories that might help fill in the blanks. I remember Pat and Terry and was in touch with Terry once after Elden died. I didn't want to ask a bunch of questions at that time and then lost track of her.
Elden never had a biological child of his own.
Elden spent much of his life as a salesman of containers, caps, etc for medicines. In his later years he had a small property where he raised miniature horses. He sent us photos of them and it was obvious that he really enjoyed having them and his quieter life.
Elden's health had given him problems for many years. He lost a kidney in the 1950's and went on to have other issues with his stomach and ability to eat. Strangely, it sounds a lot like what I have also been through the last 15 years. At the very least, kidney issues seem to run in the Larson family.
Elden Victor Larson died April 17, 1990 in Oshkosh, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA.
He is buried at Arlington Park Cemetery
Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
Plot Block 33 Lot 4 Space 10-a
Rest in peace, dear Unkie. Always loved, always remembered.
He was born June 11, 1912 in Readstown, Vernon Co., Wisconsin to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He was the 6th of their 7 children.
At the time of the 1920 census (taken in January that year) the family was still living in the village of Readstown in Vernon County, Wisconsin The six children included 17 year old Bertha Marie who was developmentally disabled, 16 year old Henry F. who was called "Ray", Lawrence E. who was 14, 12 year old Elma Elnora, Gilbert B. who was 10, to Elden Victor who was 7. Six months after the census the last sibling, Melvin Jonathon would be born. They were attending school and close knit. Their father would soon take over their grandfather's tobacco farm in the Folsom area for a few years and many memories were to be made in the farm!
Stories were later passed down about smoking out behind the barn, sampling "Norwegian anti-freeze" (alcohol) , and who knows what else. The Larson boys and their sister Elma were not a shy bunch.
When the boys were all still fairly young , probably the mid or very late 1920's, they collected Indian head pennies in a metal coffee can. Someone got the brilliant idea of burying it like a treasure to keep it safe. After all, they would all know where they buried it and could eventually dig it up, right?
They all went out to ceremoniously bury the can of real treasure...a coffee can filled with Indian head pennies!!! (Think about having that now!) After some period of time went by the boys decided they wanted to dig up the can and divide up the pennies. They went out...and they dug...and dug...and dug all over the tobacco field. They never could find their lost treasure.
My father Melvin, the youngest of the boys, remembered this all very well and told me the story many years later. Before they buried the can Melvin had secretly taken one penny out of the can and saved it. He kept it safe until I was a pre-teen when he told me the story and passed "The Larson Penny" on to me. I still have it. It's probably time for me to pass it on to another descendant...but I don't know who would treasure this family lore, pass on the story and keep the penny safe for following generations.
I took the story as being the whole story until just a moment ago..I wonder if one of my uncles dug it up when nobody was looking? We'll never know.
By the time Elden was 17 (1930) the family was living in a small home on East South Street in Viroqua, a few miles north of the farm and west of Readstown. Elden, his sister Marie, and younger brother Melvin were living there with their parents. Elden was a laborer working at a lumber yard.
By 1940 Elden was sharing an apartment at 2211 West Wells street with his sister Elma, brother Gib then divorced, youngest brother Melvin, and a young woman named Irene who I believe was Elden's girl friend at the time. This is the time period of my favorite story about Elden.
Elma was most likely the first to move to Milwaukee. Vernon county where they had grown up was very rural. I don't think that was really the life she wanted. I believe Elden followed soon after for the same reason. When he got to Milwaukee he started the search for a job and eventually landed one as a bartender. The problem was that he was not a bar tender. You needed some kind of license or certification to tend bar in Milwaukee. He knew HOW to tend bar...but he didn't have the paperwork. His older brother Lawrence had worked as a bartender and did have the paperwork. Elden and Lawrence put their heads together and figured it out. ELDEN became LARRY and got the job working under his brothers certification. He then became my father's brother LARRY for all time. As a young child I grew up knowing my dear uncle was "Uncle Larry". Imagine my confusion when it dawned on me that uncle Lawrence should be my Uncle Larry... but...he wasn't. My dad told me the story when I was about 7...and with much laughter I came to love the story. It was no big deal to me. I never really referred to him as Uncle Larry anyway. To me he was always "Unkie".
Elden's first wife was named Hazel. Her nickname was "Butch". I was very little and only remember seeing her twice very briefly. She was a very pretty woman and I know my parents liked her a lot. For whatever reason, the marriage didn't last. The second time I saw her was when she came to say goodbye to my parents.
His second wife was called "Mickie". I have no record and can find none of when they were married or her legal name. She was stunningly beautiful. She had a son Pat and a daughter Terry from a previous marriage. I believe they were married in Milwaukee or at least lived there for a while. Possibly on Concordia, not too far from where we lived at 10th and Concordia. I do know they lived in or near Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1950's I can't seem to locate city directories that might help fill in the blanks. I remember Pat and Terry and was in touch with Terry once after Elden died. I didn't want to ask a bunch of questions at that time and then lost track of her.
Elden never had a biological child of his own.
Elden spent much of his life as a salesman of containers, caps, etc for medicines. In his later years he had a small property where he raised miniature horses. He sent us photos of them and it was obvious that he really enjoyed having them and his quieter life.
Elden's health had given him problems for many years. He lost a kidney in the 1950's and went on to have other issues with his stomach and ability to eat. Strangely, it sounds a lot like what I have also been through the last 15 years. At the very least, kidney issues seem to run in the Larson family.
Elden Victor Larson died April 17, 1990 in Oshkosh, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA.
He is buried at Arlington Park Cemetery
Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
Plot Block 33 Lot 4 Space 10-a
Rest in peace, dear Unkie. Always loved, always remembered.
Elden Victor Larson always had a twinkle in his eyes.
He was born June 11, 1912 in Readstown, Vernon Co., Wisconsin to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He was the 6th of their 7 children.
At the time of the 1920 census (taken in January that year) the family was still living in the village of Readstown in Vernon County, Wisconsin The six children included 17 year old Bertha Marie who was developmentally disabled, 16 year old Henry F. who was called "Ray", Lawrence E. who was 14, 12 year old Elma Elnora, Gilbert B. who was 10, to Elden Victor who was 7. Six months after the census the last sibling, Melvin Jonathon would be born. They were attending school and close knit. Their father would soon take over their grandfather's tobacco farm in the Folsom area for a few years and many memories were to be made in the farm!
Stories were later passed down about smoking out behind the barn, sampling "Norwegian anti-freeze" (alcohol) , and who knows what else. The Larson boys and their sister Elma were not a shy bunch.
When the boys were all still fairly young , probably the mid or very late 1920's, they collected Indian head pennies in a metal coffee can. Someone got the brilliant idea of burying it like a treasure to keep it safe. After all, they would all know where they buried it and could eventually dig it up, right?
They all went out to ceremoniously bury the can of real treasure...a coffee can filled with Indian head pennies!!! (Think about having that now!) After some period of time went by the boys decided they wanted to dig up the can and divide up the pennies. They went out...and they dug...and dug...and dug all over the tobacco field. They never could find their lost treasure.
My father Melvin, the youngest of the boys, remembered this all very well and told me the story many years later. Before they buried the can Melvin had secretly taken one penny out of the can and saved it. He kept it safe until I was a pre-teen when he told me the story and passed "The Larson Penny" on to me. I still have it. It's probably time for me to pass it on to another descendant...but I don't know who would treasure this family lore, pass on the story and keep the penny safe for following generations.
I took the story as being the whole story until just a moment ago..I wonder if one of my uncles dug it up when nobody was looking? We'll never know.
By the time Elden was 17 (1930) the family was living in a small home on East South Street in Viroqua, a few miles north of the farm and west of Readstown. Elden, his sister Marie, and younger brother Melvin were living there with their parents. Elden was a laborer working at a lumber yard.
By 1940 Elden was sharing an apartment at 2211 West Wells street with his sister Elma, brother Gib then divorced, youngest brother Melvin, and a young woman named Irene who I believe was Elden's girl friend at the time. This is the time period of my favorite story about Elden.
Elma was most likely the first to move to Milwaukee. Vernon county where they had grown up was very rural. I don't think that was really the life she wanted. I believe Elden followed soon after for the same reason. When he got to Milwaukee he started the search for a job and eventually landed one as a bartender. The problem was that he was not a bar tender. You needed some kind of license or certification to tend bar in Milwaukee. He knew HOW to tend bar...but he didn't have the paperwork. His older brother Lawrence had worked as a bartender and did have the paperwork. Elden and Lawrence put their heads together and figured it out. ELDEN became LARRY and got the job working under his brothers certification. He then became my father's brother LARRY for all time. As a young child I grew up knowing my dear uncle was "Uncle Larry". Imagine my confusion when it dawned on me that uncle Lawrence should be my Uncle Larry... but...he wasn't. My dad told me the story when I was about 7...and with much laughter I came to love the story. It was no big deal to me. I never really referred to him as Uncle Larry anyway. To me he was always "Unkie".
Elden's first wife was named Hazel. Her nickname was "Butch". I was very little and only remember seeing her twice very briefly. She was a very pretty woman and I know my parents liked her a lot. For whatever reason, the marriage didn't last. The second time I saw her was when she came to say goodbye to my parents.
His second wife was called "Mickie". I have no record and can find none of when they were married or her legal name. She was stunningly beautiful. She had a son Pat and a daughter Terry from a previous marriage. I believe they were married in Milwaukee or at least lived there for a while. Possibly on Concordia, not too far from where we lived at 10th and Concordia. I do know they lived in or near Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1950's I can't seem to locate city directories that might help fill in the blanks. I remember Pat and Terry and was in touch with Terry once after Elden died. I didn't want to ask a bunch of questions at that time and then lost track of her.
Elden never had a biological child of his own.
Elden spent much of his life as a salesman of containers, caps, etc for medicines. In his later years he had a small property where he raised miniature horses. He sent us photos of them and it was obvious that he really enjoyed having them and his quieter life.
Elden's health had given him problems for many years. He lost a kidney in the 1950's and went on to have other issues with his stomach and ability to eat. Strangely, it sounds a lot like what I have also been through the last 15 years. At the very least, kidney issues seem to run in the Larson family.
Elden Victor Larson died April 17, 1990 in Oshkosh, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA.
He is buried at Arlington Park Cemetery
Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
Plot Block 33 Lot 4 Space 10-a
Rest in peace, dear Unkie. Always loved, always remembered.
He was born June 11, 1912 in Readstown, Vernon Co., Wisconsin to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He was the 6th of their 7 children.
At the time of the 1920 census (taken in January that year) the family was still living in the village of Readstown in Vernon County, Wisconsin The six children included 17 year old Bertha Marie who was developmentally disabled, 16 year old Henry F. who was called "Ray", Lawrence E. who was 14, 12 year old Elma Elnora, Gilbert B. who was 10, to Elden Victor who was 7. Six months after the census the last sibling, Melvin Jonathon would be born. They were attending school and close knit. Their father would soon take over their grandfather's tobacco farm in the Folsom area for a few years and many memories were to be made in the farm!
Stories were later passed down about smoking out behind the barn, sampling "Norwegian anti-freeze" (alcohol) , and who knows what else. The Larson boys and their sister Elma were not a shy bunch.
When the boys were all still fairly young , probably the mid or very late 1920's, they collected Indian head pennies in a metal coffee can. Someone got the brilliant idea of burying it like a treasure to keep it safe. After all, they would all know where they buried it and could eventually dig it up, right?
They all went out to ceremoniously bury the can of real treasure...a coffee can filled with Indian head pennies!!! (Think about having that now!) After some period of time went by the boys decided they wanted to dig up the can and divide up the pennies. They went out...and they dug...and dug...and dug all over the tobacco field. They never could find their lost treasure.
My father Melvin, the youngest of the boys, remembered this all very well and told me the story many years later. Before they buried the can Melvin had secretly taken one penny out of the can and saved it. He kept it safe until I was a pre-teen when he told me the story and passed "The Larson Penny" on to me. I still have it. It's probably time for me to pass it on to another descendant...but I don't know who would treasure this family lore, pass on the story and keep the penny safe for following generations.
I took the story as being the whole story until just a moment ago..I wonder if one of my uncles dug it up when nobody was looking? We'll never know.
By the time Elden was 17 (1930) the family was living in a small home on East South Street in Viroqua, a few miles north of the farm and west of Readstown. Elden, his sister Marie, and younger brother Melvin were living there with their parents. Elden was a laborer working at a lumber yard.
By 1940 Elden was sharing an apartment at 2211 West Wells street with his sister Elma, brother Gib then divorced, youngest brother Melvin, and a young woman named Irene who I believe was Elden's girl friend at the time. This is the time period of my favorite story about Elden.
Elma was most likely the first to move to Milwaukee. Vernon county where they had grown up was very rural. I don't think that was really the life she wanted. I believe Elden followed soon after for the same reason. When he got to Milwaukee he started the search for a job and eventually landed one as a bartender. The problem was that he was not a bar tender. You needed some kind of license or certification to tend bar in Milwaukee. He knew HOW to tend bar...but he didn't have the paperwork. His older brother Lawrence had worked as a bartender and did have the paperwork. Elden and Lawrence put their heads together and figured it out. ELDEN became LARRY and got the job working under his brothers certification. He then became my father's brother LARRY for all time. As a young child I grew up knowing my dear uncle was "Uncle Larry". Imagine my confusion when it dawned on me that uncle Lawrence should be my Uncle Larry... but...he wasn't. My dad told me the story when I was about 7...and with much laughter I came to love the story. It was no big deal to me. I never really referred to him as Uncle Larry anyway. To me he was always "Unkie".
Elden's first wife was named Hazel. Her nickname was "Butch". I was very little and only remember seeing her twice very briefly. She was a very pretty woman and I know my parents liked her a lot. For whatever reason, the marriage didn't last. The second time I saw her was when she came to say goodbye to my parents.
His second wife was called "Mickie". I have no record and can find none of when they were married or her legal name. She was stunningly beautiful. She had a son Pat and a daughter Terry from a previous marriage. I believe they were married in Milwaukee or at least lived there for a while. Possibly on Concordia, not too far from where we lived at 10th and Concordia. I do know they lived in or near Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1950's I can't seem to locate city directories that might help fill in the blanks. I remember Pat and Terry and was in touch with Terry once after Elden died. I didn't want to ask a bunch of questions at that time and then lost track of her.
Elden never had a biological child of his own.
Elden spent much of his life as a salesman of containers, caps, etc for medicines. In his later years he had a small property where he raised miniature horses. He sent us photos of them and it was obvious that he really enjoyed having them and his quieter life.
Elden's health had given him problems for many years. He lost a kidney in the 1950's and went on to have other issues with his stomach and ability to eat. Strangely, it sounds a lot like what I have also been through the last 15 years. At the very least, kidney issues seem to run in the Larson family.
Elden Victor Larson died April 17, 1990 in Oshkosh, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA.
He is buried at Arlington Park Cemetery
Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA
Plot Block 33 Lot 4 Space 10-a
Rest in peace, dear Unkie. Always loved, always remembered.
