Sunday, March 7, 2010

Photo Number 126

This is Elva.  She is in front of The Kurz Bros Meats and Groceries and there is a Millinery Shop in the background.  I thought this was a perfect photo to show right after all those hats that we enjoyed this past week.  I was never in a Millinery Shop..but I do remember hat sections in some of the womens better ( fancy) stores with all the hats on their little display hooks.. and large mirrors..so you could see yourself from many angles.

I did a search for Kurz Brothers..I found them in Omaha Nebraska..if this is their store..Omaha had dirt streets..hard for me to imagine.  Our daughter lived in a suburb of Omaha for a number of years, so we visited   there often.

Thanks for stopping by, do come again:)
***Update from Abra*** Some speculation that might make some sense!! 
The 1900 census has a George Kurz, occupation butcher, living at 1131 North 17th Street in Omaha, confirming the probability of this being Omaha. I think it was a multiple family dwelling (apartments/divided living quarters), as there are two other families listed with that address, but they are listed as separate heads of household/family numbers. George is married, and besides his wife, there are 6 living children (Augusta is stated to be mother to 8, so two died previously). There are no Elvas or anything close. There is another married couple without children, and a married couple David & Ida High, with two children, a boy Lyle and a girl named Elba(age 5). I am curious if this could be the same girl, just because the 'b' & 'v' sound was often interchanged, especially in people with thick German accents? Of course there is really no way to know, for sure. By 1910, George the butcher has had one more child, his wife has passed (or left), he is remarried for 2 years, and now lives on Lafayette Avenue. Since he is no longer a neighbor to little Elba High, I searched for her. I couldn't find an Elba or Elva High in the 1910 census, nor her parents. However, I did find a married 'Elva' Bahr (husband Frank) in 1920, with her mother, Ida High, living with her and her husband. I can't find them anywhere in 1910 or 1930, and the SS Index lists her as Elba Bahr once again.

Is it a coincidence that little Elba was a neighbor to the butcher George Kurz, and that in one census she is identified as Elva, the same as the photo was labeled of the little girl outside Kurz brothers Meats & Groceries? By the way, I could find no other Kurz 'brothers' living in Omaha at the time, though there was a widowed Kurz living on South 17th Street. Perhaps the husband of the widow had been the other Kurz brother. Who knows? 

So this could be our Elva in 1905..Elva High Bahr or Elba High Bahr?  Possibly!  Thanks Abra! :) 

7 comments:

  1. Look at that dirt road and I think wooden sidewalks! Loved this shot.

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  2. I just caught up with all the photos of ladies in hats...they are wonderful! This is a great site.

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  3. I love this pic Connie!

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  4. Judging by the clothing on the people in the background, I'd guess this is 20th century. The woman's skirt is straighter and ankle length, so maybe 1910s or 1920s? I wonder if Elva was a family member of the Kurz Brothers and that is why she is photographed in front of the store?

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  5. This looks too modern of a photo for Omaha to still have dirt streets (mainly based on the dress style of the little girl and the couple walking down the street--I see Norkio has the same thoughts). It seemed they started paving their streets in mid 1870s to very early 1890s. If this is Omaha, I wonder if they are going through a repaving project? Just speculating, of course. It could have also been an out-of-the way street that hadn't been paved, yet.

    As per usual, I wanted to dig some more. The 1900 census has a George Kurz, occupation butcher, living at 1131 North 17th Street in Omaha, confirming the probability of this being Omaha. I think it was a multiple family dwelling (apartments/divided living quarters), as there are two other families listed with that address, but they are listed as separate heads of household/family numbers. George is married, and besides his wife, there are 6 living children (Augusta is stated to be mother to 8, so two died previously). There are no Elvas or anything close. There is another married couple without children, and a married couple David & Ida High, with two children, a boy Lyle and a girl named Elba(age 5). I am curious if this could be the same girl, just because the 'b' & 'v' sound was often interchanged, especially in people with thick German accents? Of course there is really no way to know, for sure. By 1910, George the butcher has had one more child, his wife has passed (or left), he is remarried for 2 years, and now lives on Lafayette Avenue. Since he is no longer a neighbor to little Elba High, I searched for her. I couldn't find an Elba or Elva High in the 1910 census, nor her parents. However, I did find a married 'Elva' Bahr (husband Frank) in 1920, with her mother, Ida High, living with her and her husband. I can't find them anywhere in 1910 or 1930, and the SS Index lists her as Elba Bahr once again.

    Is it a coincidence that little Elba was a neighbor to the butcher George Kurz, and that in one census she is identified as Elva, the same as the photo was labeled of the little girl outside Kurz brothers Meats & Groceries? By the way, I could find no other Kurz 'brothers' living in Omaha at the time, though there was a widowed Kurz living on South 17th Street. Perhaps the husband of the widow had been the other Kurz brother. Who knows?

    Anyway, this was a fun little diversion from my planned tasks of the day. ;-) ~Abra

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  6. It is hard to imagine such a large city in it's humble beginnings. I really think the photo is so full of stories in itself. It's a gem.

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Hi, Thanks for the comments, your input on these old photos is appreciated! English only please! All comments will be moderated! Connie