AARON STRAHL

      Aaron Strahl was a staunch Baptist if not a bit fanatic, something we preferred not to deal with when he came to visit.  Not sure why, maybe to avoid a harsh lecture on our sinful behavior or not to disappoint him in that his son, Everette, and his family had strayed.

       Often he would stay a couple of weeks, so that meant that we all had to curtail some of our usual activities.  Let me explain ... the Baptist believed that movies, dancing, and smoking were all sinful.  I am sure there are other things as well, but these three were the ones that impacted my parents, Fern and me.   Needless to say when my father wanted a cigarette, he managed to have one when out of sight of his father.   Fern, mother, and I refrained from going to movies, but I am not sure how we managed the school mixers (dances) if there were any during his visit.

      While his brother and sisters became firmly enmeshed in the church, my father detached himself completely.  Mother, Fern, and I would attend services at the Wesley Methodist Church on Barlow Street, and dad would hook up his boat and head for the Mississippi River for a day of fishing.   I never discussed religion with him, so I have no idea what his religious convictions were.  We all accepted the fact that dad wanted nothing to do with church and based on what we knew, understood completely.

    Aaron, the sixth generation Strahl, was born July 4, 1876, the third son of Perley and Katherine's seven children.  He married Bessie Mae Pugh January 1, 1899, at Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin.  They had eight children of whom, my father, Everette Ray, is the oldest and obviously their first born.

     In the days when motor vehicles were still a luxury, Aaron was an early mail carrier, delivering the mail by horse and buggy.  He spent his life farming and moving from farm to farm.  (Not known whether he owned or rented)  He finally settled on a farm in northern Illinois, Sycamore to be exact, and then retired to Paw Paw, Ill..   Bessie died July 1951, so I am assuming that his retirement came after her death.  (A note of interest: it was said the Bessie died of complications of diabetes, most likely caused from poor eating habits and her stubbornness, the management of diabetes  may not have been common knowledge back then.  Not sure whether it was type 1 or 2, or whether she was on insulin or not.  My cousin is diabetic, I have type 2 managed by sensible eating, and my son, Grant, has type 1.  Thanks, grandma Bessie!)  


     I have fond memories of my grandfather.  He was a kindly and appeared to be an even tempered man.  I remember that when I was little and visiting his farm, I went "fissing for fissies" in his water tank.  
He may have had gold fish in the tank to control the algae ... but this is just a guess.   I have his recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies.  He did know his way around the kitchen.

Shown here with Bessie and Aaron are their three daughters, (top left) Hazel, (bottom left) Amy and next to her on the right, Helen.  Aaron and Bessie had five sons,  Everette, Russell, Emil, Harold, and Carroll.  No date on the picture, but they could have been in their fifties ... guessing.  


     Aaron lived with his daughter, Hazel, son, Carroll, and brother and sister, Wilbur and Ella, in North Clayton before making his final abode with son Russell.  During those years, he expressed his deep religious convictions through poetry.  His book, Pray Do Not Weep For Me, was published by Comet Press, New York.  Aaron passed away March 1967 and is buried in Lakewood Memorial Cemetery, Elgin, Illinois.  (Note: I have a copy of his book)

                                          AARON'S  BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

                                 2 cups brown sugar 

                                 1 cup butter or margarine

                                 3 eggs, well beaten  

                                 5 cups flour

                                 1/2 tsp. salt 

                                 1 tsp soda ... heaped a very little

                                 1 tsp. vanilla                              

                                1/4 cup milk

       Cream butter and slowly add the brown sugar.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla.  Sift flour with salt and soda.  Stir into creamed mixture.  Drop by spoon on greased pan and bake in a moderate oven, 350-375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until lightly brown.   (Note:  raisins and nuts can be added, and I left out the milk and used only 4 cups of flour.  I made a notation that these were very good!)