The Pofahl Legacy: Seven Decades of Love and Perseverance in Minnesota
- Tanya Jensen
- Feb 5
- 6 min read
A faded photograph from 1900 captures a moment in time - a young woman with an intense gaze and high-collared dark dress, her expression both determined and gentle. This is my 2x great-grandmother, Anna Helen Beseke, and thanks to the skilled photo restoration work of my daughter Onyka at Beyond Generations Genealogy, her image has been brought back to vivid life, allowing us to see her much as her future husband Herman Pofahl would have seen her over 120 years ago. This young woman would help shape a family legacy that flourished in the Minnesota heartland, where she and her husband Herman would raise five children and build a life spanning nearly seven decades together.
Early Beginnings in Pomerania
Herman Anton Carl Pofahl was born on January 17, 1877, in Roggow, a village in the Prussian province of Pomerania (Pommern in German). The village is known today as Rogowo, Poland.
Young Herman spent his earliest years in what was likely Meesow (recorded as "Meise" in family letters), one of the villages near Roggow. Though he left his homeland at just four years old, these first years left a lasting mark on his memory. As his son Vernon later recalled in a letter to Herman's great-granddaughter Heidi, "He could still remember the house and yard where he played. That image stayed with him. He always wanted to see it again, but he never did."
The landscape of Herman's birthplace would change dramatically over the course of his lifetime. What he knew as Prussian Pomerania in his childhood years would eventually become part of Poland after World War II ended. This meant the home of his early memories wasn't just separated from his new life in Minnesota by time, but by the complete transformation of the region itself.
The Journey to America
When Herman was just five years old, he made the long journey to America in 1882 with his parents, Herman L. Pofahl and Henrietta Otilde Bartelt. While the rough Atlantic crossing left many passengers seasick, little Herman kept his spirits up, staying "bright and lively" the whole way across.
Growing Up in Minnesota
The Pofahls made their home in Faribault, Minnesota, where Herman went to a one-room schoolhouse run by the stern Mrs. Kirsch. His school experience was typical of the late 1800s - boys on one side of the room, girls on the other, and a whip ready to keep everyone in line. Like any young boy, Herman had his share of close calls growing up. He nearly drowned in the Cannon River back in the early 1890s, and once had a scary moment when the chicken house roof caved in while he was taking care of the family's pigeons.
Anna's Early Years
Anna Helen Beseke was born on March 5, 1881, to Samuel Beseke (1860-1925) and Augusta Hein (1861-1930). While her exact birthplace remains uncertain between Minnesota and Wisconsin, by 1885, four-year-old Anna was living with her family in Waterville, Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
Anna grew up during the Progressive Era, when America was changing in ways that would have seemed unbelievable to earlier generations. As a young girl in rural Minnesota, she watched her world transform bit by bit. The 1890s and early 1900s brought electricity, telephones, and the first cars to towns like Waterville. For a child growing up in the late 1800s, these new inventions must have seemed like something out of a fairy tale - though it would take many years before most country families could actually have them in their homes.
A Marriage and New Beginning
On October 15, 1901, twenty-year-old Anna married Herman Anton Carl Pofahl in Waseca, Minnesota. This union marked the beginning of a remarkable partnership that would span nearly 67 years.
Family Life and Challenges
The couple had seven children between 1902 and 1914:
George William (1902-1956)
Grace Henrietta (1903-1904)
Herman (1904-1904)
Earl Edwin Sr. (1905-1984)
Irene Anna (1906-2002)
Vernon Rudolph (1911-2001)
Helen Evalyn "Evie" (1914-1992)
The family faced early tragedy with the loss of two young children in 1904: Grace Henrietta succumbed to pneumonia at six months old, and baby Herman lived for only one day. Even through such devastating losses, Anna and Herman found the strength to carry on, raising their other five children through the hard times that followed.
Work and Adaptation
Herman's working life demonstrated remarkable adaptability. He held various positions throughout his career:
Engineer at Polar Star Electric Co. (1899)
Woodworker at Novelty Ratten & Toy Co. (1903)
Laborer in Faribault (1929-1939)
Assembler at Nutting Truck & Caster (1948)
Perhaps most remarkably, Herman continued working until his retirement in 1965 at the age of 88, showing an extraordinary work ethic that spanned nearly seven decades.
Historical Context
The Pofahls lived through some of the biggest moments in American history. They lived through:
The Progressive Era
World War I
The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic
The Roaring Twenties
The Great Depression
World War II
The dawn of the Space Age
By 1930, the family had established themselves at 1134 Lincoln Avenue in Faribault, where they would remain for many years. Having this stable home would have been especially important as their children grew up during the tough years of the Great Depression.
The Next Generation
George William (1902-1956)
George William, the eldest child, worked as a farmer in Rice County, Minnesota. He married twice - first to Ada Stordahl in 1927, who passed away in 1930, and then to Renata Luella Bauer in 1936. His second marriage took place at the picturesque Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. George had four children with Renata: Alta Marie, Ardis Carol, George Arthur, and Annette Lois.
Grace Henrietta (1903-1904) and Herman (1904)
In 1904, the family endured two heartbreaking losses. Their little girl Grace Henrietta was just six months old when she died of pneumonia in March. Then in June, they lost their baby boy Herman, who lived for only a day - based on Grace’s date of birth and Herman’s date of birth, I believe Herman was likely premature. Both children were laid to rest in Maple Lawn Cemetery.
Earl Edwin Sr. (1905-1984)
Like his father, Earl turned his hand to different kinds of work over the years. He started as an operator at Shaft Pierce Shoe Co in 1926, later working as a driver for H E Voegel in 1939, and finally settling into a long career as a salesman for Voegel Creamery from 1945 to 1970. He married Mary Alice Jeno in 1926, and together they had six children: Doris Ann, Earl Francis, Vivian Marie, Patricia Mary, Joan Marilyn, and Robert.
Irene Anna (1906-2002)
Of all the Pofahl children, Irene had the longest life, living to 95. She married Wayne Oliver Saarela in 1924, and they had three children together - Wayne Jr., Joan Olive, and Judith Ellen. After she lost Wayne, she found love again and married Martin Allen Anderson. She spent her final years in Hastings, over in Dakota County, Minnesota.
Vernon Rudolph (1911-2001)
Vernon married Olga Caroline Houglum in 1932 and together they raised four children: Elaine Violet, Vera Jean, Darrel Vernon, and Glen Loren. He preserved many family stories through his letters, including valuable memories of his father's early life in Germany. Vernon spent his later years in Medford, Minnesota.
Helen Evalyn "Evie" (1914-1992)
Evie, my great grandmother and the baby of the family, grew up right as the world was changing fast. She was just eight or ten when her family got their first car - quite a big deal back then. She graduated from Medford High School in 1932 and married Myron W. Wunderlich in 1933. Together they ran several businesses in Kenyon, including a grocery and furniture store. Evie was known for her remarkable elephant collection, which grew to over 5,000 pieces and is now displayed in a museum. She and Myron had two children: Myron Jr. and Marlene. Evie passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on December 21, 1992 at the age of 78.
Legacy
Anna passed away on January 20, 1968, at age 86, and Herman followed on November 1, 1969, at age 92. Both were laid to rest in Maple Lawn Cemetery in Faribault. Their legacy lives on through their descendants, including their longest-lived child, Irene Anna, who passed away in 2002 at the age of 95.
Preserving Your Family's Legacy
Every family has a story waiting to be discovered and preserved. At Beyond Generations Genealogy we help families uncover their histories through professional genealogy research, create beautiful family history books, and restore precious photographs like Anna's portrait. Our expert photo restoration services can bring your ancestors' images back to life, allowing you to see your family's past with remarkable clarity. Contact us to begin preserving your family's legacy for future generations.
Sources:
Letter from Vernon Pofahl to Heidi (Wunderlich) Eggert
Death certificates from various Minnesota county courthouses
Marriage records from Minnesota County Marriages, 1860-1949
Memorial Card for Helen "Evalyn" Wunderlich (1992)
Minnesota State Census: 1885, 1895, 1905
U.S. Federal Census: 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Article from The Kenyon Leader (November 26, 1970)
Portrait of Anna Helen Beseke, c.1900, restored by Onyka at Beyond Generations Genealogy
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