Kohlman, Gus

The Gus Kohlman House
Located on Lichter Road, Town of Somers, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
South Side of Road, West of 30th, Still Standing Today
(Photo Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

Gus Kohlman
(Photo Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

1920 US Federal Census
Name: Gustav Kohlman
Age: 53
Birth Year: About 1867
Birthplace:  Sweden
Home in 1920: Somers, Kenosha County
Street:  Lichter Road
House Number: Farm
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1888
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Wilhelmia Kohlman (also known as Minnie), also age 53
Father's Birthplace:  Sweden
Mother's Birthplace: Sweden
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Farmer
Naturalization Status: Yes


1910 US Federal Census
Gustav and Minnie Kohlman lived in Kenosha Ward 4.  They lived as a "lodger" with Emma Dahl.
Family Members:
Gustav Kohlman, age 43
Minnie Kohlman, age 43
Richard Kohlman, age 21
Ester Kohlman, age 17
Alice Kohlman, age 16


More Information About Ester (also spelled Esther) Kohlman
1912 Kenosha City Directory.
Ester lived at 712 Pearl and her occupation was listed as teacher


Esther Kohlman Teacher Contracts

September 3, 1910
School District #8 - Bullamore Forks Graded School, Town of Somers, Wisconsin

Esther Kohlman teacher contract dated September 3, 1910
School District #8, Bullamore Forks Graded School, Town of Somers, Wisconsin
(Image Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

September 9, 1912
School District #2 - Hillcrest Graded School, Town of Somers, Wisconsin

Esther Kohlman teacher contract dated September 9, 1912
School District #2, Hillcrest Graded School, Town of Somers, Wisconsin
*Note:"and it is further understood and agreed that the board will see that fire is built Sunday afternoon".
(Image Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

Dorcas Society

The Dorcas Society
Estimate date of photo 1921
Photo Taken: Kohlman home Kenosha County, Wisconsin
Check-mark above ladies head in back row is Esther Kohlman (Mrs. Knute) Stangberg.
Name on back of photo says "Stangberg"
(Photo Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

The Dorcas Society is a local group of people, usually based in a church, with a mission of providing clothing to the poor.  Dorcas societies are named after Dorcas (also called Tabitha), a person described in the Acts of the Apostles (Chapter 9, v. 36).
One Dorcas Society was founded in Douglas, Isle of Man in December, 1834, as part of the community's thanksgiving for being spared from an outbreak of cholera.  Other Dorcas societies were established by missionaries in the Americas in the early 1800's.  Dorcas societies were at their height in the 1800's.
(Source:  Wikipedia.com)

More About Dorcas Society
"I am writing to you about the photo of the Dorcas Society, posted on May 28, 2015.  The Dorcas Ladies Aid society was an auxiliary of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kenosha.  It began in 1895, just three years after the congregation was organized.  There were monthly meetings, and the ladies also served at church suppers and festivals to raise money to help defray church expenses."
(Provided by David Kullman, November 2016)

Now, about the photo itself.  Nancy and I agree that the person indicated by the check mark is not Esther Kohlman Strangberg, but it is our grandmother, Sofie Kullman.  (Note the differences in spelling.  There was a third brother, Albert Kollman.)   Esther Strangberg is seated second from the left, holding her son, Charles Strangberg, on her lap.  Charles was born in 1918, so the 1921 date on the photo seems correct."

Pleasure Club

The Pleasure Club
Estimate Date of Photo: 1919
(Courtesy of Joe Fonk)

"The Pleasant Prairie Pleasure Club is an organization planned to keep the children in the neighborhood rather than they should leave home to see business opportunities and enjoyment elsewhere.  The Club has dances and other entertainment for the young people."
(Source: City and County of Kenosha History, page 185, Frank Lyman, 1916, published Chicago)*

*Joe Fonk had this photo in his collection but could not identify anyone in the photo.  He is a descendant of Gustav and Wilhelmina "Minnie" Kohlman who immigrated from Sweden in 1888 and lived on Lichter Road, Town of Somers, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. (Source: 1920 US Census) We have no knowledge there was a Pleasure Club in Somers; however, we know one existed in Pleasant Prairie.