Fred & Ella -- Businesses Part 3 (1915 - 1919)

This is my third post in a series on Fred and Ella's employment following the return from Fred's mission in Germany and Switzerland. We looked at Fred's work in real estate and land location, the leasing of commercial property, Fred's run for Power County assessor, and the beginnings of the first and second hand goods store in the end of 1914. This store was run out of the property they owned off of Railroad Avenue. I've successfully determined where this property would have been located in old American Falls (prior to the relocation of the town with the flooding of the land by the dam), which I'll cover in my next post. From 1915 to 1919 when Fred dies, the Kohlhepp's primary enterprise was in collecting from the property they owned (which included a rooming house), and the sales made from their store.

1915.

This year marked many different ads appearing, showing the ups and downs of the clothing and goods business. An ad on April 15 stated, "We have bought at bankrupt sale a stock of Clothing, Millinery and Household goods, which we can offer at from one-half to one-third regular price." What follows is a list of price ranges for goods including suits, dresses, waists, hats, mop sticks, china plates, and clothes pins. They also sold stoves and furniture. Here the business is called F. J. Kohlhepp & Co., suggesting Fred's participation in the business.

General ads for the store appear in the March 11, April 1, April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6, May 13, May 20, May 27, June 3, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29, August 5, August 12, August 19, August 26, September 2, September 9, September 16, September 23, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28, November 11, November 25, December 9, and December 16.

In June came an ad for a 4th of July promotion, where men and boys could get a new hat, suit, and shoes all for $10. They also noted prices for women's and children's shoes. Another business decision is also called out here; they have a big supply of second hand goods as they "bought out the Updike business."

The Updike business would have been a reference to C. R. Updike's second hand store, which focused on second hand furniture and ran out of a building next door to the courthouse. Ads ran earlier in the year (from April to May 1915) where Updike solicited second hand furniture. He and E. M. Wagner had come in from Pocatello to sell furniture, and apparently did not have a good go at it.

But the Kohlhepp business also struggled in American Falls. In September they posted notice of a closing out sale where "all our new goods will be sold or given away during the Fair week." Price ranges for clothes are given, including "Ladies' clothes at your own price. Never such bargains before at American Falls. Call and get a share of the spoils."

1916.

The closing out sale would make one think this was the end of the Kohlhepp business, but it persisted through the following years. A notice appeared in March 1916 that, "Mrs. F. J. Kohlhepp [Ella] announces that for the first ten days of March she will sell more second hand goods for a less amount of money than can be had anywhere in the state. If in need of anything in the second hand line, don't forget to look up the Kohlhepp second hand store." Ads for the store appear in the January 6, January 13, February 10, February 17, February 24, March 16, and March 23 issues of the AFP.

An ad noting "Bargains" appeared in June and throughout July. It listed prices for a gasoline engine, a garden cultivator, an incubator and brooder, and prices for clothes. A new service offering is stated, "furnished rooms for housekeeping and batching from $5.00 to $10 per month."

1917.

It doesn't appear that Fred and Ella wanted to stay in business with the new and second hand store. An ad appeared in August 1917's Classified Ads "FOR SALE--or trade, a good business. Inquire at F. J. Kohlhepp's New and Second-hand store, half block south of depot."

1918.

Misfortune hit the Kohlhepp's in 1918, and this time it was fire to their real estate. In April, a notice appeared that "Iowa Rooming House Burned Last night. The Iowa Rooming House, conducted by Mrs. O. C. Hall, was destroyed by fire last night with all its contents. It was a two story frame building in the center of the block south of the depot, and has been operated as a rooming house for the past ten years. During the early days of the development of American Falls it was conducted by Mrs. M. A. Alvard, and was a popular place. It has always been well conducted and enjoyed a liberal patronage. The property has changed hands several times within the past few years, and is said to be owned by F. J. Kohlhepp. The loss is complete. The amount of insurance could not be learned." If not insured, this would have been a devastating financial loss for Fred. The Iowa rooming house had parlors in which couples were married.

Fire posed another issue later that same year, when the Virginia Rooming House was also destroyed by fire. This property was owned by James Hearne instead of Fred, but the fire at this rooming house caused a challenge for Fred's property as well. A newspaper article in September stated, "The firemen were slow in arriving, due to the earliness of the hour and the fact that they had to be called from their homes by phone, and by the time of their arrival the only thing that could be done was to save adjoining property. Fortunately there was no wind at the time. This enabled the fireman to save the Kohlhepp building, which stood about two feet away from the burning structure. A few months ago the Iowa rooming house, on the other side of the Kohlhepp building, was taken by fire."

The fire of the Virginia rooming house was nerve wracking, but the Kohlhepps received help. In the paper it noted, "Mrs. Ella Kohlhepp is very appreciative of the efforts of friends who carried her stock of goods to places of safety during the fire which destroyed the Virginia rooming house early Sunday morning. This is the third time her pace has been in danger of destruction from fire, the first time when the Cottage hotel burned; the second, when the Iowa rooming house was destroyed a few months ago, and again Sunday morning. The call was very close the last time, a space of only two feet separating the buildings, and it seemed certain that both would burn. The danger was not so great when the Iowa house was destroyed, as a vacant lot intervened, but both fires were very hot while they lasted."

Following the Virginia Rooming house fire, Ella posted another sales ad, as some of their goods were damaged. "Just before the Virginia rooming house burned Mrs. Kohlhepp bought out a stock of clothing of the best material made. Owing to the fire much was slightly damaged and will be sold at 1/3 regular price. Ladies all wool coas and suits from $5.00 up. We also have a good line of Stoves, Ranges, etc in our 2nd hand department and will grealty appreciate your trade."

The Kohlhepp's were not successful in selling the business as they continued to post ads in the paper to stimulate business. One such in September was for a sale, which stated, "a big line of new goods will be on sale at Kohlhepp's New and Second Hand Store." Price ranges are given for wool coats, dresses, and shoes. The business is noted simply as "south side." This time Ella's involvement in the business is called out distinctly -- "Mrs. Ella Kohlhepp, Prop." Ella seems to have been the focus and primary person running the business, at least by this time. We know Fred suffered much in his last couple years of life, and may not have been involved for health reasons, at least not as the main business contact.

1919.

Despite setbacks from the fires, the Kohlhepp business continued. An ad for a sale in the paper on June 20 noted, "We bought Bradshaw's Summer Hats and have a few left at bargain prices, best quality. Also leadies' white waists from 50c up. Our second hand department has been lately replenished and we are prepared to buy and sell everything."

Bradshaw's was a new clothing business in American Falls, which advertised frequently large sales.

This was the last ad in the paper for the Kohlhepp's store. Fred passed away only months later. Ella got in her accident. Given Minerva Wade Hickman had passed away earlier in the year and Annalee's baby too, it was a year of loss for Ella and the Kohlhepp's.

1919 -- Fred's Death

Fred Kohlhepp died on September 14, 1919. While I have not been able to find an obituary for Fred (the American Falls Press records I have reviewed end just prior to his death), I have located his death certificate.

Of note:

(a) Occupation at this time is listed as Rancher. I find this somewhat surprising as Fred at this time was also a business operator and real estate owner, who rented out some commercial properties. I'll share more on this in a future post.

(b) He was treated by a doctor from September 13th to September 14th, and died that morning of the 14th at 4 AM. The cause of the death at this time is listed as "Tuberculosis of lung," which was the common form of tuberculosis. It was commonly known as consumption, due to the weight loss it often caused. Fred's old photos show that very thing. Some have called tuberculosis as man's oldest infectious disease, and today (while treatable) it is still the #1 cause of death by an infectious disease (transmitted by bacteria). Many people today are carriers of "latent tuberculosis", not manifesting the symptoms of active tuberculosis. Some family records claim that Fred gained tuberculosis on his mission, and while that's possible, I don't know if it's probable. The bacteria do multiply at slow rate, but 12 years later seems to me like a long time to question if it was contracted on his mission. Also, Eda's earlier account claimed he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in his childhood. Fred seemed to be fighting lung problems during a good chunk of his life. On January 28, 1915, the American Falls Press contained a note on his poor health, which was likely related to the pulmonary tuberculosis that did him in, and at the time described as pneumonia:

"F. J. Kohlhepp, one of the oldest residents of American Falls, and a pioneer of southern Idaho, has been bedfast a month with a severe attack of pneumonia. He is improving at present but will be unable to be out again for several weeks."

It would be interesting to know if tuberculosis was a common cause of death in the American Falls area at this time. I'd need to do some study of the death records to determine that. For another day!

(c) Fred is noted as having been buried the very next day (September 15th) in the Falls View cemetery. This cemetery fortunately was not buried under the flooding of the American Falls reservoir, and can still be visited. Below is a picture of his grave:

While the head stone notes Ella Hickman, his wife, she is not actually buried here. Ella had remarried (George Martineau) and when died, she was buried in the Ben Lomond Cemetery in North Ogden, Utah, in a family plot her mother purchased. There's a sadness to this -- and my family lore claims George refused to let Ella be buried next to Fred. A little surprising given that she was his second wife (and he'd have 2 more). I admit there may have been a practicality in not carrying a body back up from Utah to Idaho.

Minerva and Annalee Away from Home

I have two newspaper clippings from Liahona: The Elders' Journal that mention Minerva and Annalee Kohlhepp. The first is in the 6 November 1915 issue, in the "News from the Mission" section. For Brooklyn, on pages 333-334, it notes the following:

The New York Branch is extremely fortunate in having among its membership so many of the Utah students, who willingly and cheerfully lend their time and talents to the furtherance of the cause. The different organizations have been re-organized previous to commencing the winter's work[. . .] The Sunday School officers are Bro. Melvin Peterson superintendent, Walter P. Monson Jr., and Allan R. Cutler Jr., assistants, Iris Retter secretary, Melvin Peterson chorister with Heber Hancock assistant, Venna Monson organist. Dr. R. S. Olsen and Minerva Kohlhepp teachers, and Lafayette Monson librarian.

Thus, it shows that Minerva was involved as a Sunday School teacher in the New York Branch while she was studying art in New York in 1915.



The other snippet is from the 21 December 1920 issue, also in a "News from the Missions" section. For the California Mission, on page 251, Lydia Nasner writes of the Long Beach Branch that:

La Rue Munk was transferred from Long Beach to San Pedro to labor with Annalee Kohlhepp.

We see that Annalee served a mission in Califoria soon after Fred's death, and that she labored in San Pedro, and one of her companions was La Rue Munk.