Thursday, December 11, 2014

"Shorty" and His Bass

Albert Haubrich - Kenosha, WI - circa 1910

I was only three and a half years old when my Grampa Haubrich died, and have only a couple faint memories of him. And I don't remember his voice at all. Most of  what I know about him is from pictures, like this one. I thought he was tall (remember I was three), but it wasn't that long ago that I learned that he was known as "Shorty." One day cousin Betty Jean (Haubrich) Bruno called him Uncle Shorty, and I learned something new.
 
Among his many talents and the interesting facts about  my Grampa was that he was a good musician, as were many in the Haubrich clan. His brothers Frank and Paul were well known in Kenosha circles for their musical talents. (Again, that is another story in itself backed up by a number of pretty cool pictures!) The apple didn't fall far from the tree either as son Marvin (My Uncle Marv) played bass in dance bands around Kenosha and also played other instruments. Mom complained (not so kiddingly) that since she was the youngest (and probably an accident), she never got music lessons. That must have rubbed off on her children. Except for David's interesting year with a trombone at Friedens school in Kenosha, and Mary Beth plunking on the piano for a while at 1904 Elim (remember, Mary and David, we had a piano once, but then it was gone!), the music gene must have skipped our branch of the tree. Take "note" as well (groan!)  that I have no musical ability what's-so-ever.
 
"Pa" Haubrich (as everyone called him) was an interesting guy. I could show you dozens of pictures of him and share more  than a few stories that the pictures tell. But this is one of my "faves!" Besides the man and his bass, notice other stuff in the picture. That's their wedding picture on the left wall. There are three other pictures on the table but I cannot make them out and don't recognize them. The table and the lamp are pretty interesting too. I wish this were in color Any guess on the colors of the wallpaper and the carpet?!
 
When I get to heaven, "Pa" is one guy I will have to spend some time with. I have a lot of questions, and I bet he has a few good tales to tell. And, Mmmm! I wonder what happened to that bass?


4 comments:

  1. That's what I was going to ask! What happened to that bass?

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  2. How old is he in this picture? And who else is in the wedding picture on the wall? I've seen that picture.

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  3. Pa Haubrich was born in 1883 and they were married in 1905. So I am estimating that this was about that time or not long thereafter, which would put him in his mid to late 20's.

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  4. In the picture on G/G left would have been Pa's little brother Adolph (Betty Jean's father) and his future wife, Ma Haubrich's sister and Betty Jean's mother, Bertha Kroll. The other couple would have been Pa's friend, Fred Wegner and his future wife, Pa's sister "Tillie" Haubrich.

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