Grandma's Album

~Contributed by grandson & family researcher, Dean Karsten Henry -- Mr. Henry has generously shared in his own words, describing the fotos he submitted.

"Here are copies of old photos that were among my grandmother's papers that might be of interest to visitors to your website. Here is a bit of family history to establish the connection to Sioux County."

"My grandmother's name was Marie Katherine Karstens. She was born in 1893, probably in Garfield Township, Lyon county,Iowa, but she always said she was from Hull. Her father was Johann Christian Karstens ("Chris" in Hull newspaper articles), 1858-1934, who, according to census records, had a farm in Lyon county but from about 1910 on lived in Hull. Her mother's name was Anna Sprick, 1863-1944. My grandmother's parents were married at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hull in 1892 and they are both buried in St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery. Chris Karstens had two brothers who also lived in the Hull area, Hinrich Jacob, 1852-1938, and August Wilhelm, 1855-1890. Hinrich Jacob left many descendants but, as far as I know, August Wilhelm had no children. My grandmother also had a brother, Albert Hermann, who lived most of his life in Iowa."

"The picture of the young woman sitting is probably my Grandmother, Marie Katherine Karstens, about 16 years old. The photo was taken in New Jersey. According to census records, she was living in 1910 in Hoboken, New Jersey, at her uncle's home. His name was Henry Wilhelm Sprick. My grandmother lived in New Jersey for the rest of her life."

"This is a picture of my Grandmother and Grandfather, John Francis Henry & Marie Katherine Karstens. The photograph was taken in 1914 in Brooklyn, N.Y., perhaps shortly after they were married."

"The picture of the woman standing in a white dress with ducks in front of her is probably Anna Karsten's, my Grandmother's Mother. The back of the picture says, Picture of Ma and her ducks. My guess is that it was taken between 1910-1920."

"The picture of the large group of women was probably taken in Hull. Back of picture says, "#3 illegible, Winter #4, M. Braun #2, Metta Dreny?, #1 is Mamma. The woman sitting in the chair in the first row on the right side of the foto is Anna Karstens, so she is #1 referred to, but there is no indication who the other numbers refer to. My guess is that the picture was taken around 1930."

"The picture of people seated at two picnic tables may have been taken in Hull, when my father visited Hull when he was about 15, which would be about 1934. My father, John Albert Henry, and his sister, Eleanor, are the first two people seated on the right side of the left hand bench. The small woman with her back to camera at the head of the left hand table could be Anna Karstens. The picture is a bit fuzzy, but perhaps some of the other people can be identified."

More photos in Grandma's album:

"In the picture of the three females, the girl on the lower left resembles my Grandmother, Marie Katherine Karstens. I cannot identify the other two young ladies."

"The farmhouse could be the family home at Hull, Iowa."

"The couple on the railroad bridge are unidentified, likely are friends or relatives of the family at Hull."