Saint Clair County MI Archives News.....An Example Of Thrift 1915
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Denise (Dee) A. Talaski-Kern dee33kern15@advnet.net September 26, 2008, 10:41 pm

Grand Trunk Newsletter 1915
  Last month Mr. E.L. Wilson, our Assistant Treasurer, contributed an 
interesting article on Thrift.  We want to tell you now of a fine sample of 
the thrift practised by some of our organization.

                           (Photo of Home)

  Above is a picture taken specially for Shop Talk, of the newly built home of 
one of our Wood Shop employes, Anton Kern, at 18 Taylor Street, with Anton and 
his family on the porch.  A nice looking home, itsn't it?
  Eight years ago Anton with his wife and two boys landed in Port Huron direct 
from Germany with a total capital of $11.00.  He put $3,200.00 in cash into 
the house shown above, after paying $400.00 for the lot.  This does not 
include his own labor or the labor of Mrs. Kern.  And this labor was 
considerable.  Our readers will be interested in knowing that Mrs. K. put up 
and moulded in a concrete molding machine, bought for the prupose, every one 
of the 30,000 cement blocks that went into the house.  She did not do it 
either at the expense of her regular household duties nor at any cost in good 
looks.  Mrs. Kern is a fine specimen of healthy womanhood and laughs as she 
works.  Many women, yes, and we know some men, would consider putting up 
30,000 cement blocks a fair season's work.  Not so Mrs. K. She found time to 
spare and so the family, to keep her happy, rented an acre lot across the 
street where garden truck of many varieties are grown.  Growing this garden is 
Mrs. Kern's favorite diversion.  In addition the family has a good sized 
poultry yard containing chicken, geese, ducks and turkey.  Anton says they 
have chicken every Sunday.
  While Anton is boss- at least he says so - Mrs. Kern is secretary of the 
treasury, so to speak, and the family revenue of husband and sons is turned 
over to her.
  The house, as the cost would indicate is very substantially and well built.  
A cellar extends under the whole structure. The cellar has eighteen-inch 
walls, the house proper twelve-inch walls.
  A couple of months ago, when this home was completed a house-warming was 
held and from accounts received of the entertainment furnished it was quite 
evident that all of the family cash or resources had not gone into the house.
  It is a pleasure to us to publish this. We are proud of the thrift shown by 
this family.  It is of such stuff that prosperous communities are built.
                                                                       M.J.E.

Additional Comments:
As of Sept 2008, the home still stands.  The Anton Kern family no longer ownes 
the home, but it is owned by a distant relative by the last name of Platzer.  
Note: The family home was sold in the spring of 1979 by Rose Warner Mautner-
Kern, the widow of Edward F. Kern (son) of Anton & Cecelia Sommer-Kern.
  This article was submitted by Charles R. & Denise (Dee) A. Talaski-Kern Sr. 
of Port Huron Twp., son of Edward & Rose Kern, and grandson of Anton & Cecelia 
Kern. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/stclair/newspapers/anexampl17nnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 3.5 Kb