Will Gens was hardworking very good, very honest man "the nicest man, a wonderful man" his nephew Clarence Haenel told me decades later. Will would work on the farm all day then work on the raliroad at night since he was trying to earn money for his family.
He was the 5th of 8 children of Crist and Augusta Gens, His parents came from Meckelnburgh Germany.
Will was a grape farmer and had lost his right forearm in a corn threshing accident. I think of what a horror that must have been, such an injury with no telephone to call for help, out in the field with no one close by , how his family rushed to help. He must have needed surgery and they were so poor. How brave he was, how brave they all were.
An 1892 census suggests that the Gens family were living with Emma Schramm still single age 16, her grandfather Andreas Steffan age 62, Crist Gens 55, Augusta age 50, William age 22 working as a laborer , Henry age 27 with his wife Katherine Steffan Gens age 31, Charles age 26 working as a tanner . This survey doesn't list dwellings but they are all listed together. Catherine Steffan was Emma's aunt, and had married a Gens, which is how Emma and Will must have met.
He survived and married Emma Schrumm or Schramm who was born in Germany. The paper described him at his wedding as "Will Gens the one-armed merchant."
It is quite evident from the Fredonia Censor newspaper's gossipy Laona Letter that he and Emma were loved n the community. The family always struggled financially, as did the whole area. He worked as a tax collector for the town of Pomfret for many years. Will worked a second job at the railroad but was fired when he fell asleep. I think he and many of the family had sleep apnea but did not know it.
He and Emma had 4 children, Clarence, Elsie, Ester and Mildred. The family suffered a terrible blow when Elsie died at age 22.
Will died 10 years after Elsie, and they are buried side-by side. There is a large Arbore Vitae (Tree of Life) bush between their markers. I think Emma planted it there. Now she is with them also.
On July 7th 1932 his son Clarence brought his wife and 2 little girls up to visit. The little girls were supposed to be spending a month with their grandparents But on July 11th, Will had a stroke while feeding the chickens. Little Dorrie was with him.
Will died while feeding his chickens. His very young 4 year old grand daughter Dorrie was with him but did not understand what happened. Will was laid out in his farmhouse, surrounded with flowers. His funeral was at Blood and Larson Funeral home and a female minister, Rev. Esther Bronson of the Evangelical Church, officiated.
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I was incredibly lucky to be able to talk to his nephew, Clarence Haenel, who knew and remembered him. "He was the nicest man, a wonderful man."
I love you, great grandfather.
- M. Eileen McNamara MD his great -granddaughter.
Be sure to click through all the pictures.
..
He was the 5th of 8 children of Crist and Augusta Gens, His parents came from Meckelnburgh Germany.
Will was a grape farmer and had lost his right forearm in a corn threshing accident. I think of what a horror that must have been, such an injury with no telephone to call for help, out in the field with no one close by , how his family rushed to help. He must have needed surgery and they were so poor. How brave he was, how brave they all were.
An 1892 census suggests that the Gens family were living with Emma Schramm still single age 16, her grandfather Andreas Steffan age 62, Crist Gens 55, Augusta age 50, William age 22 working as a laborer , Henry age 27 with his wife Katherine Steffan Gens age 31, Charles age 26 working as a tanner . This survey doesn't list dwellings but they are all listed together. Catherine Steffan was Emma's aunt, and had married a Gens, which is how Emma and Will must have met.
He survived and married Emma Schrumm or Schramm who was born in Germany. The paper described him at his wedding as "Will Gens the one-armed merchant."
It is quite evident from the Fredonia Censor newspaper's gossipy Laona Letter that he and Emma were loved n the community. The family always struggled financially, as did the whole area. He worked as a tax collector for the town of Pomfret for many years. Will worked a second job at the railroad but was fired when he fell asleep. I think he and many of the family had sleep apnea but did not know it.
He and Emma had 4 children, Clarence, Elsie, Ester and Mildred. The family suffered a terrible blow when Elsie died at age 22.
Will died 10 years after Elsie, and they are buried side-by side. There is a large Arbore Vitae (Tree of Life) bush between their markers. I think Emma planted it there. Now she is with them also.
On July 7th 1932 his son Clarence brought his wife and 2 little girls up to visit. The little girls were supposed to be spending a month with their grandparents But on July 11th, Will had a stroke while feeding the chickens. Little Dorrie was with him.
Will died while feeding his chickens. His very young 4 year old grand daughter Dorrie was with him but did not understand what happened. Will was laid out in his farmhouse, surrounded with flowers. His funeral was at Blood and Larson Funeral home and a female minister, Rev. Esther Bronson of the Evangelical Church, officiated.
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I was incredibly lucky to be able to talk to his nephew, Clarence Haenel, who knew and remembered him. "He was the nicest man, a wonderful man."
I love you, great grandfather.
- M. Eileen McNamara MD his great -granddaughter.
Be sure to click through all the pictures.
..
Will Gens was hardworking very good, very honest man "the nicest man, a wonderful man" his nephew Clarence Haenel told me decades later. Will would work on the farm all day then work on the raliroad at night since he was trying to earn money for his family.
He was the 5th of 8 children of Crist and Augusta Gens, His parents came from Meckelnburgh Germany.
Will was a grape farmer and had lost his right forearm in a corn threshing accident. I think of what a horror that must have been, such an injury with no telephone to call for help, out in the field with no one close by , how his family rushed to help. He must have needed surgery and they were so poor. How brave he was, how brave they all were.
An 1892 census suggests that the Gens family were living with Emma Schramm still single age 16, her grandfather Andreas Steffan age 62, Crist Gens 55, Augusta age 50, William age 22 working as a laborer , Henry age 27 with his wife Katherine Steffan Gens age 31, Charles age 26 working as a tanner . This survey doesn't list dwellings but they are all listed together. Catherine Steffan was Emma's aunt, and had married a Gens, which is how Emma and Will must have met.
He survived and married Emma Schrumm or Schramm who was born in Germany. The paper described him at his wedding as "Will Gens the one-armed merchant."
It is quite evident from the Fredonia Censor newspaper's gossipy Laona Letter that he and Emma were loved n the community. The family always struggled financially, as did the whole area. He worked as a tax collector for the town of Pomfret for many years. Will worked a second job at the railroad but was fired when he fell asleep. I think he and many of the family had sleep apnea but did not know it.
He and Emma had 4 children, Clarence, Elsie, Ester and Mildred. The family suffered a terrible blow when Elsie died at age 22.
Will died 10 years after Elsie, and they are buried side-by side. There is a large Arbore Vitae (Tree of Life) bush between their markers. I think Emma planted it there. Now she is with them also.
On July 7th 1932 his son Clarence brought his wife and 2 little girls up to visit. The little girls were supposed to be spending a month with their grandparents But on July 11th, Will had a stroke while feeding the chickens. Little Dorrie was with him.
Will died while feeding his chickens. His very young 4 year old grand daughter Dorrie was with him but did not understand what happened. Will was laid out in his farmhouse, surrounded with flowers. His funeral was at Blood and Larson Funeral home and a female minister, Rev. Esther Bronson of the Evangelical Church, officiated.
------
I was incredibly lucky to be able to talk to his nephew, Clarence Haenel, who knew and remembered him. "He was the nicest man, a wonderful man."
I love you, great grandfather.
- M. Eileen McNamara MD his great -granddaughter.
Be sure to click through all the pictures.
..
He was the 5th of 8 children of Crist and Augusta Gens, His parents came from Meckelnburgh Germany.
Will was a grape farmer and had lost his right forearm in a corn threshing accident. I think of what a horror that must have been, such an injury with no telephone to call for help, out in the field with no one close by , how his family rushed to help. He must have needed surgery and they were so poor. How brave he was, how brave they all were.
An 1892 census suggests that the Gens family were living with Emma Schramm still single age 16, her grandfather Andreas Steffan age 62, Crist Gens 55, Augusta age 50, William age 22 working as a laborer , Henry age 27 with his wife Katherine Steffan Gens age 31, Charles age 26 working as a tanner . This survey doesn't list dwellings but they are all listed together. Catherine Steffan was Emma's aunt, and had married a Gens, which is how Emma and Will must have met.
He survived and married Emma Schrumm or Schramm who was born in Germany. The paper described him at his wedding as "Will Gens the one-armed merchant."
It is quite evident from the Fredonia Censor newspaper's gossipy Laona Letter that he and Emma were loved n the community. The family always struggled financially, as did the whole area. He worked as a tax collector for the town of Pomfret for many years. Will worked a second job at the railroad but was fired when he fell asleep. I think he and many of the family had sleep apnea but did not know it.
He and Emma had 4 children, Clarence, Elsie, Ester and Mildred. The family suffered a terrible blow when Elsie died at age 22.
Will died 10 years after Elsie, and they are buried side-by side. There is a large Arbore Vitae (Tree of Life) bush between their markers. I think Emma planted it there. Now she is with them also.
On July 7th 1932 his son Clarence brought his wife and 2 little girls up to visit. The little girls were supposed to be spending a month with their grandparents But on July 11th, Will had a stroke while feeding the chickens. Little Dorrie was with him.
Will died while feeding his chickens. His very young 4 year old grand daughter Dorrie was with him but did not understand what happened. Will was laid out in his farmhouse, surrounded with flowers. His funeral was at Blood and Larson Funeral home and a female minister, Rev. Esther Bronson of the Evangelical Church, officiated.
------
I was incredibly lucky to be able to talk to his nephew, Clarence Haenel, who knew and remembered him. "He was the nicest man, a wonderful man."
I love you, great grandfather.
- M. Eileen McNamara MD his great -granddaughter.
Be sure to click through all the pictures.
..
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