Eva Wilhelmina Strandt

 After last week's blog about William F. Strandt, I received a request wanting to know more about William's oldest daughter, Eva. This week's blog is what I've been able to piece together about Eva Wilhelmina Strandt. She also sorta fits the prompt for this week which is "War and Peace." 

Eva Wilhelmina Strandt was born April 20, 1899 in Allegan, Michigan to Mary and William Strandt. She lived with her parents on a farm belonging to her grandparents, Carl FT and Wilhelmina "Amena" Strandt in Allegan. Eva was soon joined by siblings Carl, Ruth and Howard. The family also moved from Michigan to Illinois and back to Michigan again. At the age of 18 Eva followed in her mother's footsteps and became a teacher in a rural school. She lived at home and taught school for many years. 

On January 11, 1923 she married Reed Hayes, an auto mechanic. They lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1929, or earlier, a daughter was born to them, Ruth Marilyn Hayes. Ruth was born after the death of Eva's sister, Ruth. My guess is that she named her daughter after her beloved sister. Ruth's early death seemed to bring great sadness to the Strandt family.

On January 20, 1934 Eva was granted a divorce from Reed Hayes. In the petition Eva cites extreme and repeated cruelty, and non support for reason for divorce. Reed didn't contest it. In talking to Eva's granddaughter, she relayed a story her grandmother told her about her first husband. Eva said that he had asked her to move to Florida with him so he could find work there. Eva refused, on the grounds that she wanted to stay and help her mother stay safe. Whatever the real reason was, after the divorce Reed did move to Florida where he remarried and had another child. Eva stayed in Kalamazoo with daughter Ruth.

The 1940 Federal Census finds Eva and Ruth living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Eva supports herself and Ruth by teaching. Her income was $926, with no other source of income. 

On August 14, 1943 Eva married for a second time. She married Robert G. Kiser, who was originally from South Dakota. He worked in a local paper mill. Eva still worked as a teacher. In February 1948, daughter Ruth marries Jack Jones and moves out. A year later in 1949 her daughter Marilyn Eva is born. Eva is now a grandmother.

Eva and Robert live in Kalamazoo. Eva's daughter has moved to Orlando, Florida after the death of her husband in 1952. On one of her trips back home to visit family in December, daughter Ruth goes for a ride in a car with her cousin Charles Strandt, son of Howard. With them is Ruth's daughter Marilyn. While driving, a postal truck hits the car they are riding in. All 3 occupants are injured. Ruth dies later at the hospital, Charles survives, but with crippling injuries for life. Marilyn is severely injured but survives. Eva takes Marilyn in and helps raise her.

Marilyn remembers Eva as a kind woman. Eva never spoke to Marilyn about the conflict with her brother Carl. One day Eva drove Marilyn past the farm and told her her oldest brother Carl, his wife, and four children lived there, but no more was said about Carl. Eva also didn't mention any of the Strandt relatives in Chicago either. Eva and Howard did talk and associate, but I think there may have been a falling out with Howard after the tragic car accident. Marilyn does remember visiting William and Mary when they were older, and when they went to live in a nursing home before their deaths.

At some point after the deaths of William and Mary, Eva and Robert moved to Tampa, Florida. There they remained until their deaths. Robert passing away in 1967, and Eva passing away in 1980, at the age of 81.

Eva loved to teach and taught many children over the years. She also spent 5 years teaching children with Special Needs. She spoke both High and Low German, and drove a Model T in her younger days. Like her brother Howard, she supported the Republican party. 

Eva had a lot of trials and tribulations in her life, but she seemed to deal with everything with grace and dignity. Always trying to help others. Her granddaughter Marilyn had very fond memories of her. 

Mary, baby Eva, William Strandt.

Eva and 2 boys on horse. Perhaps Carl and Howard?

Ruth Marilyn Hayes, Eva's daughter

From the Tampa Tribune 1980

By Just 2 Votes

 This week's #52ancestors challenge was #voting. I knew that my great grandfather Carl Strand was Watson Township Supervisor. What I didn't know was the convoluted and complicated story that put him in office in the first place. 

Carl's younger brother, Howard, ran for Register of Deeds of Allegan County starting back in the late 1930's. He was elected to office in 1941 and held that post until he chose to retire in 1976. He ran as a Republican and was easily reelected every election. He was elected president of the Michigan Register of Deeds Association and his wife was involved in the ladies of the G.O.P. association in Allegan.  By this time Carl had had a falling out with his brother Howard and was no longer speaking to him. I'm not sure if there was a rivalry there or not, but at some time Carl began getting involved in county and Watson Township politics. While Howard was a Republican, Carl ran as a Democrat. 

In 1949 Jesse Stone, Rep. and Bernard Cavanaugh, Dem. ran for Watson Township supervisor. In a close election, Bernard Cavanaugh won. There was a recount, and Bernard Cavanaugh was still declared the winner.  Jesse Stone still disputed the results of the election, alleging fraud in the 9 absentee ballots counted. Bernard Cavanugh, resigned his position. He said he would rather go back to this farm than continue defending his win in the election. Carl Strand, who had won election as a member of the board of review, was then chosen by the other members to be Watson Township Supervisor. 

Fast forward now to May 1950. Carl Strand is still Watson Township supervisor, but Jesse Stone, and other defeated Republican candidates have taken their case to court. They want the 9 absentee ballots thrown out. 2 of the voters waived their right to secrecy and told how they voted. The other 7 were still in dispute. The judge decided to throw them out. That made Jesse Stone the winner. But, Bernard Cavanaugh had previously been declared the winner, resigned, and then Carl Strand had been appointed supervisor. Who was the supervisor?

Finally, after going to court, a judge declares that Jesse Stone is the winner of the Watson Township supervisor race. But now there's just one small problem. Carl Strand is refusing to give up the job. He is now going to court to keep his job. He is once again appealing a case to the Michigan Supreme Court.

I haven't found a newspaper article with that outcome but I'm assuming Carl lost. In March of 1951 there is an article mentioning how Carl Strand is running for Watson Township supervisor, against the incumbent Jesse Stone.

So, after 2 years of legal wrangling, did Carl win?

Carl won the election by just 2 votes! This time Jesse Stone accepted the results of the election and didn't contest them. As far as I know. Carl also stayed on as Watson Township supervisor for 22 years, I believe. 

I also was sent some correspondence of Carl's wife, Mildred recently. In one of the letters she mentions Carl winning the election by just 2 votes. She only gives it one sentence though, and then goes on to other topics. lol.

When I first found these articles I couldn't believe how closely they mirrored today's news. Contestants  contesting election results. Wanting absentee ballots thrown out. Courts and judges deciding winners. I guess what they say is true, history just continually repeats itself. 

I wasn't surprised to find Carl involved in another case going to the state Supreme Court. This man never gave up a fight. He was stubborn to the end about everything. 

Conflict: Strand v. Strandt

 This week's prompt was "Conflict." I can think of no bigger conflict in my family tree than the court case of Carl Strand suing his parents William and Mary Strandt over ownership of the Strandt farm. Sources for this post come from a summary of the final case before the Michigan Supreme Court, personal remembrances from family members, newspaper articles, and city directories. This is by no means a complete story of the case. Hopefully that will come later with more information.

William Strandt and Mary Pulsipher were married June 8, 1898. The 1900 census finds them living in Watson Township with William's parents, Karl and Wilhelmina Strandt. Oldest child Eva is one year old. Carl and Ruth are born in Michigan. Youngest son Howard is born in 1909 in Illinois. Soon after though the family moves back to Michigan. The 1910 census finds the family living in Trowbridge Township. William's father Karl lives with them but William is listed as the Head of household. In 1920 the family is listed as living in Watson Township again. There are no addresses listed on any of these census records so I'm not exactly sure WHEN William and Mary came into possession of their farm. I DO know that the farm was given to William and Mary by Mary's uncle Charles Brownell. Charles was involved in the lumber trade and made a lot of money. He moved to Louisiana and was QUITE successful there. He'll get his own blog post one day. Here's a picture of the farm from the early 1900's. 

Here's a picture of William and Mary standing by the well.

Fast forward to 1926. William and Mary are living in Kalamazoo, Michigan with Carl and his wife Mildred. According to the Kalamazoo City Directory, William and Mary and son Howard are living at the same address as Carl and Mildred and their three children, Howard, Viola and Marylaine. Ruth has married, but she did graduate from Kalamazoo Central High School, so I'm guessing she may have lived with Carl and Mildred too? This surprised me as I didn't know the two families had previously lived together.

William and Mary go back to the farm. The Depression hits and everyone is facing financial hardships. William falls into debt and is in danger of losing his farm to the bank for failure to pay taxes and bills. A deal is struck with Carl and Mildred. Carl and Mildred will move in and take over the farm. William and Mary will move out. If William and Mary become unable to care for themselves they can move back to the farm.  An agreement was entered into on November 3, 1933. Carl took possession of the farm on February 1, 1934. Carl secured a loan of $2000 from a bank. He spent $1800 paying off the mortgage, liens, and back taxes. He spend the other $200 to make improvements to the farm. Putting up fences, fixed the roof, bought 2 cows and a manure spreader and made the farm workable again.  All parties agreed that Carl's hard work saved the farm from going under. However, William and Mary, who had agreed to move out, didn't, and therein lies the rub. 

On October 24, 1935 Carl filed suit to have William and Mary leave the house, as they had agreed. William and Mary, and Carl, Mildred and their now 5 children were all living in one small house. Each occupying different parts of the house. William and Mary's claim was that they needed help and support and couldn't live on their own. They filed a counter suit against Carl and Mildred. Carl had agreed that if his parents needed help they could return home, but they had never left in the first place, and the house was simply too small for all of them to live there peacefully. Carl and William argued over farming techniques and property. Supposedly Mary didn't help Mildred much with the housework. 

This is taken from the testimony.

We quote from the cross-examination of Carl Strandt:

" Q. Your parents have always treated you pretty nice, haven't they?

" A. I never had much complaint up until we moved down there.

" Q. The trouble is now that two families can't get along in that house?

" A. That is the foundation of it."

The court found in favor of William and Mary in the first trial. Carl and Mildred appealed and the case went to the Michigan Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court threw the case out, saying that neither party had proved their part. Even though neither side officially won, William and Mary DID move out of the farm after this case. During the trial, Carl's brother Howard and older sister Eva apparently sided with their parents and thought Carl should just let them live at the farm. Because of this, Carl grew mad at them and decided to stop talking to them. He never spoke to either one again, and forbid other family members to speak to William and Mary. From what I've heard though, other family members, including Mildred, DID speak to William and Mary after the case. Even visiting them. they just made sure not to tell Carl. ;)

When Carl passed away, Raymond Henrickson, husband to Carl and Mildred's daughter Viola bought the Strand farm. I believe one of Ray's sons owns the farm today. So, 100+ years later, the farm is still in the same family. 

This is a complicated story to tell. Every time I research the Strandts or find new family members I seem to get a few more pieces added to the puzzle. If you have anything to add, stories, comments, corrections, please comment below.

Thanks for reading!

PS. This is from the Strand family Bible. It contains hand written history of the Strand family, coming to America, and of the court case. It's very cool because this is first person testimony. I've tried to make the picture as big as I can so it can be read. The part about the court case is near the bottom.