Powleske Family Gathers After 52 Years

BRIGHT, CLAUSING, PALMER, POWLESKE, RACE, TRUSLER, WESTON

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 6/25/2018 at 07:41:18

Family Gathers After 52 Years
By Herb Owens
Mingo, IA – Five brothers and a sister, from homes spread far apart across the nation, got together for the first time in 52 years in a week-end reunion on the Edward Powleske farm just northwest of here.
Two other brothers and a sister couldn’t come – but there were 40 or more in-laws, nieces, nephews and grandchildren to help celebrate the event.
It was just 52 years ago that Ed Powleske, an orphan of 7, arrived here with an addressed tag on his lapel. He’d been ‘shipped’ alone from Nebraska, having been adopted by a Mingo family.
That was part of the scattering of the Powleske family of nine sons and two daughters from the farm near Ashton, Neb.
Twins
Back for the reunion were Jack Palmer, automobile tool and die man from Detroit and his twin brother, Charles Palmer, bus operator from Richmond, Cal. The Palmers, who changed their name from Powleske years ago, hadn’t seen each other for 27 years.
Tony Powleske came from his farm at North Loup, Neb., and Lloyd Powleske drove down from his farm near Farrar. Mrs. Gray Race, a sister, came from Belding, Mich.
Unable to make arrangements for the trip were brothers Frank, a farmer, and George, a trucker, of Nebraska and a sister, Mrs. Bernice Bright of Los Angeles.
Lots of Talk
You may be sure there was plenty of talk at the reunion. Your reporter didn’t arrive until “the morning after” a blue Monday, to find the remaining guests tired out and hoarse – but happy.
Mrs. V. D. Clausing, Ed’s daughter from Seattle, Wash., with her youngsters, Pat and Mike, was there, as was tall Charles Powleske, a son who will return soon to studies at St. John’s college in Annapolis, Md.
Success
Strangely enough, the reunion feast was NOT fried chickens; it was a plentiful baked ham dinner prepared by Mrs. S. W. Weston, sister of Mrs. Ed Powleske, assisted by women guests.
The Powleske clan found that Ed, the “shipped orphan", had become very successful as an Iowa farmer.
You see, when Ed married Pearl Trusler of Ira, his adopted parents gave him an 80-acre farm as a wedding present. Through the years, Ed added 160 acres of good farm land to the place. Success sticks out all over it.
Now there’s a fine white modern home on the farm, well-furnished and equipped.
After the reunion here, some of the west coast guests motored east, for visits at the homes of the Michigan brother and sister. Before returning home, they’ll stop for a longer visit with Ed.
[Two photos accompanied the article. Photo 1 caption: Ed. J. Powleske, Mingo; Mrs. Mollie Race, Belding, Mich.; Lloyd Powleske, Farrar. Photo 2 caption: Tony Powleske, North Loup, Neb., Charles Palmer, Richmond, Cal., and Jack Palmer, Detroit, Mich.]
Source: a Des Moines (IA) newspaper; date unknown but he was born in 1890 so he came about 1897 and 52 years later would have been 1949).