Stories in Stone--Mollhagen Building in St. Joseph, Michigan

When I am driving through small and larger towns I am fascinated by the turn of the 20th century architecture and building facades. Many of those that have survived the test of time have the building’s name and date carved in stone at the top. Today, many of those names have been highlighted with paint to identify the first tenant. I often wonder who owned the building and what was housed inside. This series of blogs will grow as I continue to photograph and research those that I see on my travels.

In August 2009, I was fortunate to spend a glorious week in St. Joseph, Michigan. While wandering around the town area I found several building that qualify for my Stories in Stone series. The Mollhagen Building, built in 1924 is located today at 307 and 309 Main Street.

The Mollhagen family was part of the St. Joseph, Michigan landscape as early as 1855 . They were from hardy German stock and made their livelihood as fishermen. When researching this surname I had to work backwards from the 1930 Michigan census to determine which Mollhagen built the building and what was housed inside. My surprise was that it was NOT a store that sold fish.

Charles Mollhagen, a fisherman, born in Germany and married to Christine, lived in St. Joseph, Michigan from about 1855. One of their children was Louis W. Mollhagen.

In 1888 Louis W. Mollhagen, along with a friend, William Freitag, purchased a grocery store located on Main Street from Charles Miller. Louis married Henrietta Bardenbort (Hattie) and the two began to raise their family in St. Joseph, Michigan. The 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 Michigan census reports list Louis as the owner of a grocery store. Louis' son, Lester, when he was of age, asssisted his father in the store.

The Mollhagen building standing today at 307/309 Main Street was built by Louis. By 1924 the store was called Mollhagen & Son and the store was run by Louis and his son, Lester Louis Mollhagen. Lester married Carrie Olive Brown and his family lived at 309 Main.

Lester Louis Mollhagen was born March 4, 1892 in St. Joseph and died on February 5, 1965 in Michigan. Lester and his wife, Carrie Olive Brown, his father and mother are all buried at the Lakeview/City Cemetery, St. Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan.

Lester Louis Mollhagen
March 4, 1892-February 5, 1965

Carrie Olive Brown Mollhagen
1894-1990

Louis W. Mollhagen (father of Lester Louis)
1859-1937

Henrietta Bardenbort Mollhagen (mother of Lester Louis)
1866-1945

Charles F. Mollhagen (father of Louis W.)
1828-1916

Christina Mollhagen (first wife to Charles F. and mother of Louis W.)
1824-1878

Euphrosina Henrietta Mollhagen (mother of Charles F.)1794-1881

Sources:

-1860 Michigan Census, St Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll M653_537; Page: 196.

-1870 Michigan Census, Saint Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll M593_664; Page: 400B.

-1880 Michigan Census, Saint Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll T9_573.

-1900 Michigan Census, Saint Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll T623_703; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 77.

-1910 Michigan Census, St Joseph Ward 4, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll T624_638; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 91.

-1920 Michigan Census, St Joseph Ward 4, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll T625_757; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 108.

-1930 Michigan Census, St Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; Roll 977; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 50.

-Information on Louis W. and Henrietta Bardenbort Mollhagen from a Family Tree on Ancestry.

-Lakeview/City Cemetery and Mausoleum, From Sexton Records, St. Joseph, Berrien County Michigan.

-Polk St. Joseph City Directory for 1936.

-Polk St. Joseph City Directory for 1939.

-Social Security Death Index for Lester L. Mollhagen, Number: 386-34-5411;Issue State: Michigan;Issue Date: 1952-1953.

-World War I Draft Registration for Lester Louis Mollhagen, Registration Location: Berrien County, Michigan; Roll 1675068; Draft Board: 1.

© 2010, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Wordless Wednesday--Silver Beach

St. Joseph Vacation--Tuesday

Actually we didn't spend much time in St. Joseph today. The remainder of the week WILL be spent here and on the beach....really!

We headed north to Grand Rapids, Michigan with a few designated stops. First, the Meyer May house on Madison Street. This Frank Lloyd Wright house has been TOTALLY renovated--even down to the FLW furniture. Those of you who read Flipside know my penchant for Frank and his designs, so you know that I am going to save the information and photos for a separate blog. A Flipside thank you to my college roommate for giving us the tip that there was a FLW house nearby. Photo tease below.

What do they say about genealogists.....genealogists never die, they just lose their census! Fortunately, I have a brother and driver of the car, with a Garmin and I-phone who indulges these cemetery whims of mine. After a delightful lunch at a rather trendy little restaurant called The Green Well, we headed off to find the last home of Rev and Mrs. Solomon Shaw and their final resting place at Oakhill Cemetery....all in Grand Rapids. These folks belong to my son's fiancee and, I believe, are her maternal great great grandparents.

Oakhill Cemetery is now two combined older cemeteries and can you say HUGE! I took one look and gulped. Fortunately, there was an office, but after ringing the bell and getting no answer, I was feeling pretty low. Then an old pick-up truck rounded the corner and out jumped a woman who ushered me inside and began to look through old cemetery books for the Shaw's. Long story short....she found them....a whole bunch of them. Then she proceeded to lead us over to the cemetery lot. Way beyond the call of duty and deserving a big hug from me.

When I returned to the car, Ken had a plan. While I was outside photographing, he was busy on his various "boy toys" and had found a few places he wanted to visit in of all places, Grandville, Michigan....the very city where the next cemetery was located. I'm no fool.....he did deserve a pay back for his tolerance.

Off we went to Grandville and the Grandville Cemetery. Here the office was closed, however there was a maintance man and he showed me the cemetery map. I had a copy of the lot number, so it was child's play to locate and drive to it. Here rests J-9's, maternal great grandparents and grandparents--more Shaws and Arbuckles.



Now it was my turn to be "the good soldier" as we drove around Grandville to satisfy my brother and pay him back for chauffeuring me around the greater Grand Rapids area. It's this give and take while traveling that makes my brother such a wonderful travel companion and in the end we both are winners as we learn from each other.

St. Joseph vacation--Monday

Ken and I decided to head intown for dinner. Walk with me down State Street into the quaint little town of St. Joseph, Michigan. Perhaps because it is Monday evening and not the weekend, there are not many folks about.

St. Joseph, Michigan

After a night of no sleep--ANTICIPATION....a day of "on the road"...not a day's drive away, but we did have to stop for some cemetery photos (don't ya know!).....we ARRIVED!


This is kinda fun because we haven't officially even begun the beach vacation....we decided it doesn't begin until we actually get into the cottage ;-) and already we have so many memorable experiences. The best one was last night....an evening outside....the pristine silver beaches of Lake Michigan to our right, family to our left and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra in front of us.


I was free to wander nearby on the beach snapping the descent of the sun while listening to the melody of Peer Gynt Suite #1 or Night on Bald Mountain--watching huge mylar balloons drifting on the air currents, gulls circling the outdoor amphitheater almost in time with the music and the small crashing waves hitting the beach.


It just doesn't get any better than this......and the vacation hasn't even started yet!