Hesse Family Photo

Last week’s blog post featured the threshing rig owned by Frank Hesse (1861-1935). When looking at my other Hesse family photos, I came upon this one:¹Hesse Family Photo. One copy owned by Howard Gentzkow (1916-2000), another copy owned by Edward G. Gentzkow (1914-1992). Karrie Blees made photographic copies in 1999 and 1986, respectively.

Hesse Family, undated

My Great Uncle Ed identified all the people in the photo. The adults in the back, left to right:

• Carrie (Hesse) Gentzkow
• Gladys Hesse
• Theodore “Ted” Hesse
• Edward F. Gentzkow
• Laura (Hesse) Emerson
• Frank Gentzkow
• Frank Emerson
• Herbert “Herb” Hesse
• Alice Gentzkow

Kids in the front:

• Marvin Gentzkow
• Marjorie Emerson
• Francis “Nick” Emerson
• Howard Gentzkow
• Edward G. Gentzkow

How are these people related?

Caroline Koepke/Krull and Franklin Hesse had 6 children that lived to maturity. For this photo, 5 of the 6 Hesse siblings gathered. From oldest to youngest:

Frank (not pictured), Carrie, Herb, Laura, Ted, Gladys

Location

The background is very flat; there are few trees or buildings. This photograph was very likely taken at the farm of Ed and Carrie Gentzkow in LaMoure County, North Dakota. Carrie is wearing an apron over her dress and her coat is not buttoned; she must have run out of the house to join the photo.

Dating the Photo

There is snow on the ground. Several people are wearing heavy coats, hats, and scarves. So, it is winter.

A quick glance at the people assembled and the obvious hint is Alice’s letter sweater. She was the daughter of Carrie Hesse Gentzkow, graduated from LaMoure High School in the spring of 1928, and was a top female athlete (track & field and basketball). Other events that help to date this photo:

• 1923 (Sept 15): Francis “Nick” Emerson was born in LaMoure County (he is the little guy in the center front)
• 1926: Frank B. Hesse had moved from ND. He was listed in the 1926 Seattle WA City Directory; Frank is not in this photograph
• 1927 (June 29): Hazel Gentzkow married Karl Roscoe; they lived in LaMoure County, but are not pictured
• 1928 (spring): Alice Gentzkow graduated from high school
• 1928 (June 2): Frank J. Gentzkow married Gert Rector in LaMoure County; Gert is not pictured
• 1929 (May 20) …

Perhaps the most important date-definition is May 20, 1929: Laura Hesse Emerson died after giving birth to daughter Gladys Lorraine. In this photo, Laura was alive. She’s bundled in a warm-looking coat with her hands tucked into her sleeves.

Could this photo have been taken sometime between November 1927 and March 1928? Perhaps Christmas 1927?

Neither Herb nor Ted were married in December 1927. Laura was alive.

Look at the grandkids’ ages (arbitrarily assuming a date of December 1927):

• Frank J. Gentzkow, 20 years old
• Alice Gentzkow, 17 years old
• Ed G. Gentzkow, 13 years old
• Howard Gentzkow, 11 years old
• Marvin Gentzkow, 8 years old
• Marjorie Emerson, 6 1/2 years old
• Francis “Nick” Emerson, 4 years old

Winter 1927-1928

Perhaps the LaMoure Chronicle would have details of a family gathering in the “Short Stops” section of the newspaper.²As of January 23, 2025, the LaMoure (ND) Chronicle is available on microfilm, but is not digitized for quick searching.

Do you have a copy of this photo, perhaps with greater detail?

What details can you add?

SOURCES

• 1
  Hesse Family Photo. One copy owned by Howard Gentzkow (1916-2000), another copy owned by Edward G. Gentzkow (1914-1992). Karrie Blees made photographic copies in 1999 and 1986, respectively.
• 2
  As of January 23, 2025, the LaMoure (ND) Chronicle is available on microfilm, but is not digitized for quick searching.