Amelia Geisert (August's Wife)

There were no portraits of Grandma Geisert, only a few snapshots and this one seemed the best. I mentioned earlier that she was born in Read’s Landing, Minnesota, a community that no longer exists, I guess. At least I couldn’t find it in any atlas. I’m guessing it was a small Mississippi River town near the Twin Cities because Grandpa Geisert was from the Eau Claire area and that wouldn’t be too far away. Grandma is flanked by her two brothers, Charlie on the left, and either George or William on the right. A notation on the back of the picture says; look at the grin on Uncle Charley. Oh, he is a devil. We have a circus.

Grandma was born in 1859 and died in 1945. After her youngest son, Leslie, died in 1931. she retired to her bedroom and seldom left It. I can remember my dad carrying her downstairs on occasion, maybe for Christmas. but other than that I always remember her in her bedroom, usually in bed, but sometimes In a chair. Since both Uncle Otto and Aunt Hazel worked, they hired a housekeeper to take care of her. I know that one housekeeper was paid a dollar a day. In the summer months when Aunt Hazel stayed home, (she taught In Ashland) my brothers and I had to take turns sitting with Grandma when Aunt Hazel had to leave. It wasn’t something I looked forward to. We couldn’t have friends over, and Aunt Hazel would insist that we sit upstairs and talk with Grandma. She was somewhat defensive about her German heritage and couldn’t understand what the Nazis were all about. I guess I remember this because I laughed when she referred to the Nazis as Nassies.