Here’s a look at the village my Laemmlen ancestors came from.  Leonhard Heinrich Laemmlen, my 2nd great-grandfather was born here in 1836.  He was a master tinner.  On 27 January 1862 he married Maria Magdalene Justine Schelle from Biberach in Biberach.  Four years later, he died at age 31 in Grossgartach.  His wife and their 3 children, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm, Marie Katharine Louise and Herman Albert remained in Grossgartach, where our relatives live to this day.Brackenheim in 1640

Brackenheim in 1820

Brackenheim today.

My Great-Grandpa Emanuel was born on this day in Broten, Amneharad, Skaraborgs, Sweden to Carl Gustav (Larsson) Lundquist and Karin “Carolina” Ersson.

It was in 1857 when he moved to Amneharad that Carl married Karin. We know no more until we read the biography of Emanuel Richard Lundquist where he reports the birth of the children. Emanuel says that it was in 1880 that the family first heard of the Gospel by Olaf Olafson, a farmer living some 12 miles south of them. He would stop by and discuss Mormonism and Utah. Carl’s wife Karin seemed to be the only one in the family who was interested. About a year after the death of Carl, Emanuel reports, Karin sold the farm and with 4,000 Krawns from the sale, left for Utah with her children. According to a copy of the Skarsburg Co.1881 emigration (Family History Library Microfilm #083159) the family consisted of “Karin Ersdotter, Axel Lundquist, Emanual Lundquist, Carl Emil Lundquist, Erick Benjamin Lundquist, Hilma Augusta Lundquist, Hulda Maria Lundquist and Viktor Lundquist.” This means all eight surviving children accompanied their mother to the States. Most of the family went to Logan, Utah, but apparently Victor, Aaron and Alex went to the East. Emanuel’s autobiography indicates that they joined the family in Logan about a month later.

The Lundquist Name Carl Gustav Larsson (father of Emanuel Richard Lundquist) and his brother Johnannes Larsson took upon themselves the surname of Lundqvist perhaps because the biggest estate in the parish of Lerback where they lived is called Lund. The children never lived at Lund. At first they were called by the surname of Larsson Lundqvist, later only Lundqvist. Carl, Johannes and their sister Anna Lisa Larsson were orphaned at an early age. Their father Lars Johan Olsson was drowned in Lake Hjalmaren in 1834. Carl Gustav was only 10 months old, his brother, about 3 and his sister about 4. Their mother died in 1835.

I Remember My Father
(The following was written by Elsie Lundquist McNabb Saye in August 1998, telling some of her remembrances of her father, Emanuel Richard Lundquist.)

At this writing I am almost 94, and as I look back I can say the guidance and foundation in the Church my parents gave me, and especially my father who was widowed and left with seven children (Lucille having died as a child) from ages three to eighteen when he was in his 40s. My father was sincere and faithful in his love and devotion to the gospel, and he instilled the same in us children as we grew up. He and mother provided a good foundation which was a vital bulwark and strength to me throughout my life as I went through the trials of life.

He was a man of many gifts. He built our two-story home on 579 Fifth Ave., with a grocery store on the right side. We had a ward within walking distance, and were faithful in attending. We learned to work and help, and my father kept an account book of our tithing with the money we earned. We had family prayer morning and night, each taking a turn. I remember seeing him give the Sacrament prayer with his right hand uplifted and saying it in his slightly broken Swedish accent. He had us each one baptized at age eight, and usually soon after we were given our patriarchal blessing. He was the scribe for mine. We were taught to fast for at least one meal on Fast Sunday. Sacrament meeting was at 2 o’clock, and we fasted until we got back from that. We had a housekeeper at first, and then Ada Rosa Flory came as a housekeeper, and he found in her a good, faithful Latter-day Saint, whom he married. They had four children who have all been good brothers and sisters to me.

Roy from Father’s first marriage and Reid from his second marriage each filled foreign missions (Roy to Germany and Reid to Finland.)

Father died when he was 57 of a heart attack.He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

This is my little brother, Eric, who was born on this day in 1962.Here we are, the 3 Laemmlen kids.Eric started being a farmer at a very young age.  He is still the farmer in the family, taking over where my Dad left off.  He produces some pretty fine fruit.  Here he is now with his 4 kids and my Dad, the Master Farmer:Happy Birthday, Eric!
http://www.mvfruit.com/growers/eric-laemmlen/

  
Photos:  1914, 1937

This is John’s grandmother, Charlotte Meisel.  She was born in Zwickau, Germany on this day in 1890.  She joined the LDS Church in Plauen (baptized by Adam A. Keller 25 July 1908) and came to America through Ellis Island on July 17, 1909 at age 19.

Ellis Island Passenger Record:
Charlotte Meisel
Plauen, Germany
DOA: July 17, 1909
Age, 19, Single
Ship: Amerika
Port of Departure: Cuxhaven
Manifest Line Number: 0012

On 28 May 1913 she married Phillip Raleigh Conley in Salt Lake City.  They had 2 daughters, Ruby b. 1914 and Catherine “Peggy” b. 1920.  They later divorced and Phillip married Charlotte’s younger sister, Ida in 1925.

Here is a bit about Charlotte as reported in the Life Sketch at her daughter Peggy’s funeral:

Catherine Elizabeth Conley was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 12, 1920 to Charlotte Meisel and Philip Conley.  Her mother Charlotte and the entire Meisel family had immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1909 after joining the LDS church. At an early age, Charlotte decided that Catherine looked more like a “Peggy” and the new name stuck.  It probably made sense given her older sister’s more playful name “Ruby.”

Without a father in the home, the burden and blessing of raising Peggy rested with Charlotte and Ruby. There is no doubt that the hardship of a sacrificing mother supporting a family during the depression played a large part in shaping mom’s gentle but resolute personality.  Although they lived modestly, Charlotte gave the girls all the love any child could want and imparted much of her German heritage to Ruby and Peggy by making pfefferneuse and streussel treats on special holidays and taking trips up the canyons to walk in the woods or sit by the creek.

Charlotte and her two daughters moved to Los Angeles in the Fall of 1927, living with relatives or renting homes until Charlotte’s salary as a seamstress enabled them to buy their first home in the Wilshire area in 1935.

Charlotte and Katherine Meisel in 1916.

Charlotte below, holding Peggy’s oldest daughter, Christine in 1941:

Charlotte died at age 60 of breast cancer on 1 February 1951 in North Hollywood, LA.  She is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale.  Pictured below:  John and his sister, Barbara with our 3 children at Forrest Lawn in 1996.