Maplewood History: The Amazing Lillian Weber Herold Collection – Part Two

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How about a dog picture after all that sadness. My guess is this is Theo. Sr.

Theo. Weber and family moved to Maplewood from Kirkwood about 1903.  My first post contains the images and documents that pertain to the Kirkwood years.  This second post has mostly images from their years in Maplewood.  If you haven’t seen my first post on this fantastic collection you should do that now.  Part One.

One of the last images in my first post is one of Lillian Weber made in the “Summer of 1902.”  On the back she has written, “20 years old, Kirkwood – Mo, Main St.”  The image of their home and business in Maplewood, that set me off on this adventure, has “Built 1903” written on the face of it.

Let’s start with that image again.

On the back of this image, Lillian has written, “Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Herold, and Brother Harry Weber, Father Theo. Weber, (neighbor child).  This makes me think she may have gotten married about this time, 1902-3.
This is an image of the Weber’s youngest child, Antoinette. The back has a date in 1899. This is puzzling because she was born in 1892. The person in the image definitely looks older than 7.
The back side of the previous image. (TBSOTPI)  Interesting that at some point they dropped the “Von” from their name.  Perhaps because of WWI?
The youngest Weber child, Margaret Antoinette in an image that was made on May 28, 1905.
Unfortunately Antoinette would have a tragic early end to her life as the back side of the previous image shows.
George Alfred “Al” Weber 1886-1966 I don’t know what “Club house” could mean but 7485 was the address of their building in Maplewood. I don’t think this is their building under construction? I wonder what baseball team the E.P.C. stands for?
Another look at George Alfred Weber. This time he is at home in Maplewood. How do we know?  Next image.
It even has the date. October 15, 1905.
Theodore Jr. was the oldest of the Weber boys. This is another tintype made on November 12, 1905.
Four undated images of Antoinette.
And the back sides of the same.
Also undated but the backside is interesting for the information it contains.
The back side has the instructions for the hand coloring.  It certainly seems like it is worth an extra dollar to me.
Here’s a couple more. I’m not certain that the one on the right is Antoinette as it is not labeled.
The rear of the same.
Here’s that postcard if you want to try and read it. Something got stolen from her but I’m not sure what.

On the back, “Miss M. Weber.” This is an interesting photo to me. Unfortunately none of the Photoshopic tricks in my repertoire could do anything about the shine across her face.

Sad end to a fine young woman.
How about a dog picture after all that sadness. My guess is this is Theo. Sr.

 

That is 21 images and I still have quite a few more to post.  Even though I promised another blockbuster image this time, it will just have to wait until next post, The Amazing Lillian Weber Herold Collection – Part Three.

Again much thanks to the descendants of Lillian Weber Herold for sharing this great material with us.

If the sun should decide to stay out for a few days, I’ll see you at the pool.

Doug Houser       May 30, 2021

12 COMMENTS

    • I can’t say, Todd, but if I was given the chance I’d have to recommend to them the jalapeno cheeseburgers.

  1. Wow, wondered what happened with the car. You wouldn’t think cars back then couldn’t go fast enough to cause serious injuries in a crash. Possibly it caught on fire and she couldn’t escape?

    • Hi Todd, Automobiles in 1912 didn’t go fast compared to the automobiles of today. But crash they did and many folks were killed or injured. Keep in mind the roads weren’t paved, no one wore seat belts, traffic laws were either missing or ignored, and driver training and testing was probably mostly nonexistent. On top of all of that the machines themselves were very unsafe. Though I never have, I’d bet that if you search for images online of old car crashes, you will probably find plenty. Thanks for your comment.

  2. I was wondering about the initials on the ball uniform also. If you knew the year it was taken some looking at phone book or businesses listings in the area might give you a clue. I don’t know if it was a regional thing and it was certainly a much later time but I know that there used to be several church baseball leagues. Maplewood Baptist might have had a team to compete with other Baptist churches in the area type of thing. Presbeteryan church or some business like a Painting company. The clubhouse could refer to the one story since it kind of looks like a line pointing to the upper floor. Several times I have heard about the upper floor of a building being a dance hall or meeting hall for some club or group.

    • Hey Mark, Old phone books…now there’s an idea. They must be archived somewhere not too far away.

      • The St. Louis County Library on Lindbergh has old phone books, yellow pages, city and county directories.

  3. Hey Doug. Based on the dormers I thing the building under construction is the home in the background of the last photo in the first post in this series. The lettering on the roof is probably the EPC that is on the uniform. Just a thought.

    • Darn good catch, Luke! I think you are right. Now we just have to figure out what the EPC stood for and why it would appear on a baseball uniform and a porch roof?

      • Considering the back building being the same (it’s under construction in the 1904 picture, completed in the 1908 picture), the title ‘club house’, and the address being listed as 7485, would it be reasonable to assume that the property hadn’t been divided yet and that back building with the letters on the roof was just part of the Theo Weber property?

      • Considering the ‘club house’ is under construction in the 1904 picture and completed with letters on roof in 1908 picture, and also the address on the EPC picture is 7485, wouldn’t it be likely that the Weber property was pretty large at that time, and the building in question was owned by the Webers? And then somewhere after 1908 it was sold and divided up and became those houses built on Lyle in 1916?

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