Who is this having a little Relaxation with the Meyer family?

I guess if someone was going to take the picure, It must have been a Questionable visitor from the friendly neighborhood or from Iowa? Nebraska? Maybe the mans wife is taking the picture. Cause I think the woman in the photo is Annie. Unless Annies is the photographer taking the picture.





Any one in the family have any Idea who this is? I have always liked that picture, cause I have thought the oldest boy looks a lot like Steven Meyer.

I wonder if the Meyer ever had a hammock? Perhaps it is someone elses house. I always thought he was dwight, but if the young one is Dwight it could not be. Maybe the young one is not Dwight.

I just don't know and need help. Comment please.

The Schlaphof Men Resemblence

In light of a previous posting about the mystery gentleman, I decided to use a photo I have published previously at another page, another Blog; just to try out my new window file programs. Mostly though, I wanted you to see what I think of as a resemblance to the Mystery gentleman. However, the Schlaphofs did live in Cass county, Nebraska. But they did have many branches of the Schlaphof family in Martin county Minnesota.

You can easily find the Schlaphoff/ Schlaphof family tree at ancestry.com. One poster is Ms.Mertens. I again thank her for the use of this photo which she graciously allowed me to do before.

Herman's brother William Meyer

The picture is not so good. I hope to identify each sister. That attempt is why you find scribbles, when it is enlarged. Eventually I will replace this one with a better one. It will have to do well enough for now.

Herman is on the left as you look at the picture. And William is on the right side. And all the sisters are in the middle. They did have other brothers, who did not live very long.

Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have You Any Wool?

Here's the little 4H'er with his lamb at the Sunnyslope Farm. He may have been grooming his sheep. Or learning how to pose his animal. Or maybe Annie said she wanted a picture of him with his Lamb. I have seen through various pictures that she encouraged her boys in their activities in the 4-h club. I think too, that she must have been a good 4-H Leader. I am sure she guided her boys to do a good job in each of their interests.

The lad must be thinking his sheep will win ribbons at the fair. Dwight had quite a few ribbons in his collection box. He kept it up on the second floor of that old red barn you see behind the tyke and his sheep.

I am not sure who the lad is. It could be Lyle or Dwight. the little boy is grabbing at the sheep with his left hand, that could mean hand preferance . That might be something to point to Dwight. Dwight was left handed.

I don't know how many sheep Herman Meyer had on the Sunnyslope farm. I had gathered over the years that the raising of sheep was something special to Herman. I mean it was special to him because of his descendency from a shepherd. Johann Juergen Meyer of Neetzendorf -- [ And Radenbeck. ] Even some of the Luhmann family were shepherds.

After Dwight more or less took over the farm after Herman was retired, he kept on raising sheep. Raising sheep took less work than raising a dairy herd. But after a time he sold them all. Maybe there was a decline in the wool industry.



Over heard conversation leads me to conclude that this breed of sheep was a diferent variety than those of the normal farmer in the area. I couldn't say for sure what the breed was. I don't know either, if they ever mixed or changed variety of sheep breeds. You know how it is, unles the interest is there one just does not notice.

I had a pet sheep myself from their flock. His mamma didn't want him, so we had to feed him and raise him from a bottle. But I can't remember what kind of face he had. White or black. I will have to see if, I can find an old picture of Blackie. Tee hee. [ The name should tell me something, right?]

I was a little disappointed, when he took to butting. But well, I am sure I deserved it. Okay, I did try to ride him when I was little. I know shame on me. [About that time Steven Meyer was sitting on top of his huge cow that he had raised from a calf, so I must have thought it looked like a good idea.]come on were not the first group of children to do such a thing.

The 4- h club or his experience from raising them must have taught Dwight alot about sheep. He did a good job with helping me raise Blackie. Herman offered advice now and then.

It would have been nice if Annie had lived longer to help me too.
With her around, I bet I would have been in the 4-h club. I was never in it. Sylvia had considered it when the opportunity rose. The decision was somehow made not to have the family be active in it. There was always more important farm work to be done.

You know, I have no idea what kinds of sheep there are around the world. I should check on that someday. I guess that would be a good rainy day cruise on the internet.. I 'll have to see what I can find out about the breeds of sheep. I will let you know if anything pertains to the sheep raising at Sunny slope.

Now I see Little Women in the black and white version is on tv. I can't pass that up. I will be back later. Enjoy your evening.

Well attired successful farmers with their chicks

A properly attired man doing his job.
Cheep, cheep, cheep. Here chicky chicky!

He sure does know how to get the chicks.
I think Annie was very good at taking pictures. They learn how to take nice pictures through the 4-H club. I couldn't tell you who was the chick attractor in the picture. Dwight, Lyle Meyer or someone else. Dwight was left handed. Maybe the way this guy holds the pan is an indicator that he is left handed.

I have shown this picture to other people and they have remarked what a large chicken house that is. I have never given it much thought. It could be true, I have seen much smaller ones.

This guy is a big charmer. Not only with the chicks. Wouldn't you like to just give him a hug. Boy, the love in that picture is evident. I tried to reduce the width on this picture to get away from that light patch. But it kept reverting back. Maybe I can try again another day. It is such a keeper.

I have been wondering what that little house is off to his right. It could be his chick house or play shed for his toys.


His mother sure knew how she could raise a farmer. You gotta love her attention and love for her children. I think this is Dwight. I have not seen that many pictures of Lyle, when he was small.

The Successful Farmers of Sunnyslope

This is the year 2008, so I will call the woman of 1909 a farmer as well.

Sometime around their marriage, Herman Henry Meyer and Anna Wilhelmina Seil took a portrait at Des Moines Iowa, and then headed for Sunnyslope Farm in the plains of Minnesota somewhat south of Mankato. They did actually buy a new car. I really don't know when they bought it, or what kind it was. They did use it for many trips.

A Close up of a Victorian Home

Here is a well groomed closeup. Very victorian. Flowers and a single porch with white trimming. Where is the rocker?


I wonder, if this is the Martin home in Madelia, or if it is in Iowa. I guess, I shall have to check the census. Still, I won't be absolutely sure which Martin family it is.


Does it look crooked to you, it looks crooked to me?

As I was enlarging this picture, I noticed that plant that is in the middle in the lower edge of the picture. I wondered if it is suppose to be a flower or a weed. Then my eye traveled to her flowers and landscaping around the steps a bit away from the two on the steps. No kidding, but my thoushts were I wonder if the foremost idea was to take a picture of the plants and then as an after thought, she added in the children. Do you think? I know I have done that. Does that make me a bad mother. And sometimes you know how children are, some are such little Hams. It's impossible to take a picture with out them wandering in and hamming it up. Where ever they stand, it makes a bad picture. The back of them or whatever they are doing is out of sync with the picture, I want to take. So sometimes it is just best to have them sit and pose.

The little darling here is being really good, isn't she?.