our mother     (click for relationship chart)

Birthday: 29 July 1909	Birthplace: St. Louis, MO
Mother: Josephine Gruen* (-2G)	Father: Erven Eugene Thake* (-2G)
Sex/Fam. Grp.: female / Thake	Died: 13 Mar. 1981 in St. Louis Cnty.

   Her birth mother, Josephine Scharfenberger? (Gruen), died 3 Feb. 1913 in St. Louis, MO
   Father remarried to Elizabeth Grupp (-2G) on 13 Dec. 1914 in Edwardsville, IL

   Married to Emil Otto Thoma*, (-1G) 6 September 1934 in Waterloo, IL
   Son Erven Thake Thoma (-0G) born 26 June 1936 at St. Louis, MO
   another child is born
   Daughter Elizabeth Thake Thoma (-0G) born 25 February 1944 at St. Louis, MO
   Father died 9 March 1944 at St. Louis, MO
   Daughter Elizabeth (Beth) died 10 Mar. 1975 at St. Louis County, MO
   Brother Winfield Thake (-1G) died 5 October 1978
   Step-mother Elizabeth Grupp ("Nanna") (-2G) died 9 March 1979 at St. Louis, MO
   Died 13 March 1981 in St. Louis County, MO
   Buried at Valhalla Cemetery, St. Louis, MO

  The given name "Alice"
  The surname "Thake"
  Included in The Thake Family Group Chart
  Included on the Thoma Families Chart
  Listed on St. Louis page

*marks my direct-line ancestors. The (-1G), etc., after names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma.

Siblings born before include Winfield Charles Thake (-1G), b. 8 Feb. 1907 and one other sibling.

The 1908 Dir. lists him as Irwin [sic!] E., hatter, living at 3828 Kennerly Ave.

Alice's birth is listed in the Registry of Births--City of St. Louis. The family was living at 3922 Lexington Ave. Her father is listed as Erven E., born in St. Louis. Her mother is listed as Josie [nickname for Josephine], also born in St. Louis.

The 1909 Dir. lists Irwin E. Thake, hatter, living at 3922 Lexington. The 1910 St. Louis Dir. lists her father as Irwin E. Thake, hat [hatter], r3922 Lexington Ave.

She is listed in the 1910 Missouri Census - Soundex Index T200 - referencing 113 0339 0231 (enum. district 339, sheet 8, dwelling #139, line 53). Her age is not recorded in the Soundex index, but she is born in Missouri. She is listed with her father and mother and her 2 siblings. In the actual Census sheet her age is given as 8 months. Her father is 34, born in Missouri and has the occupation of hatter. His parents were born in Germany. Alice's mother, listed as "Josie", is 35, born in Missouri. Her parents were also born in Germany. They own the mortgaged house at 3922 Lexington in St. Louis. Alice's brother, Winfield C., is 3; another sibling is 2, both born in Missouri.

The house at 3922 Lexington in St. Louis. Alice's father is the one shoveling the snow. Picture was taken in January 1940 but I think the house looked this way back in 1909. Alice lived here from ca. 1909 to 1934 as a child and teen and then from ca. 1948-58 with her own family. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the picture.
Sandherr and Thake Children. Alice is the girl in the front row in the middle. Date of picture: ca 1913. Picture was taken at Thake-Sandherr house 3814 Greer in St. Louis, MO. Click thumbnail to enlarge picture.

Her birth mother, Josephine Scharfenberger* (-2G), died on 03 Feb. 1913 of TB and was buried in Valhalla Cemetery. They were living at 3922 Lexington at the time. The story is told that the body was laid out at home and the funeral procession was by horse-drawn hearse from their home to the cemetery.

The 1913 St. Louis Dir. has Irwin E. Thake, hat [hatter], living at 3922 Lexington. In this year we also find Diana [Regina] Gruen (–3G), widow of Jacob M. Gruen (-3G), living with them. Regina and Jacob were the foster parents of Alice's mother, Josephine, who died in this same year.

Alice's father married Elizabeth Hutchinson (-2G), a widow [maiden name Grupp], on 02 Nov. 1914 in Edwardsville, Madison County, IL. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. R. Robertson of the M. E. (Methodist Episcopal) Church in Edwardsville.

An early picture of the three Thake children. Winfield is the boy in the middle; his sister Alice is on our right; an unnamed sister is on our left. The adults in the picture are friends of the family. Picture was taken ca. 1914. Click the thumbnail to enlarge.

Alice and siblings were mothered mostly by Elizabeth Grupp, from the time Alice was 3 and a half years old to her marriage (Dec. 1914-Sept. 1934).

The St. Louis Directory of 1915 shows her father, Irwin [sic!] E. Thake (-2G), hatter, living at 3922 Lexington Ave

In the 1920 Fed. Census for Missouri (vol. 113, enum. district 421, sheet 17) Alice is living with her 2 siblings, father and step-mother, Elizabeth Grupp, at 3922 Lexington Ave. in St. Louis. Erven is 43, Elizabeth (his second wife) is 37, Winfield is 12, a daughter is 11 and Alice is 10. Erven's birthplace is given as Missouri and his occupation as musician. His parents' birthplaces are given as Germany. His children were all born in Missouri.

The St. Louis City Directory of 1922 lists her father, Erven E. Thake, a hatter, living at 3922 Lexington. Alice, her step-mother, and her siblings would also be living there.

Alice graduated from Farragut Elementary School on 15 Jan. 1923, but the graduation certificate was dated 15 June. Her siblings and children also graduated from there.

The 1924 St. Louis Dir. shows Ervin E. Thake, h3922 Lexington Ave. [no occupation given]. The 1925 Dir. has the same information plus his occupation, hatter.

She enrolled in the shorthand department of the Speedwa School Inc. on 04 Aug. 1925 for the shorthand course starting 08 Sept. Tuition was $90. She received achievement certificates in shorthand on 09 Apr. and 03 May 1926.

The 1926 Directory lists him (name is finally spelled correctly) as a hatter living at 3922a Lexington. The 1927 Dir. has a separate listing for Alice Thake, clerk at Reliable Life & AI Co., r3922a Lexington Ave.

In the Standard Masonic Directory of St. Louis and St. Louis County, 1929, her father, Erven Thake is listed as a member of Lodge 576 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and a member of Alhambra Grotto (MOVPER). He was living at 3922 Lexington at the time.

The 1930 Fed. Census for Missouri (roll T626_1243, enum. dist. 96-99, supv. dist. 8, sheet 19B, lines 56-60, family #476, dated 16 Apr. 1930) lists Alice, her parents and siblings living in ward 21, block 5189 of St. Louis at 3922 Lexington Ave. Her step-mother, Elizabeth [née Grupp], is 48 years old and was married at age 30 [her first marriage--to Frank Hutchinson]. She was born in Missouri as were her parents. She is not in school but reads, writes, and speaks English. Alice's father, Erven E. Thake is 54 years old, born in Missouri of parents born in Germany. He was 24 years old at his first marriage [to Josephine]. He is not in school but he reads, writes, and speaks English. His occupation is hatter at a hat shop where he is currently working. He was not a war veteran. They own the house which is valued at $6000. Alice and her siblings are there: brother Winfield, 23 years old, Alice, 20 years old and another child, 22. All three were born in Missouri and so were their parents. None were married. Winfield is a theater musician, Alice is a stenographer at an insurance company, and the other child is a stenographer at a bank.

At the right is a picture of Alice from Oct. 1930. I do no know the occasion. The location is a neighboring house on Lexington Ave. in St. Louis, perhaps the home of her aunt and uncle, Sibylla and Fred Sandherr. Click thumbnail to enlarge.

The St. Louis City Directory of 1930 lists Alice E. Thake as a clerk at Acacia Mutual Life Assn. living at 3922a Lexington Ave. The 1932 Directory shows Alice at the same job and same home.

	Her marriage (6 Sept. 1934) license has a few pieces of information: this is her first marriage, she is living in St. Louis, 25 years old, her father's name.  Her step-mother, spelled "Elizabeth Grub" (sic!), is given as her mother. Emil is 27, a carpenter living in St. Louis and it is his first marriage.
They were married in a civil ceremony at the Monroe County, IL Court House (Waterloo, IL) which is pictured below.

At the right is a picture of the Monroe County, IL Court House in Waterloo, IL, much as it looked on 6 Sept. 1934 when Emil and Alice got married there.

After Alice was married, the family lived at 4057 Humphrey in St. Louis city. But I have a note that she lived with her parents until the Spring of 1936.

Just before son Erven was born, Alice worked at an insurance company/agency (Acacia). Alice worked for Acacia Ins. from 1930 through Jan. or Feb. 1936. In letters to Acacia officials in Dec. 1935, Alice admitted she was married for some time. Her pregnancy showed by then. She was dismissed because she had gotten married (they had discriminating rules back in those days). After that she never took work outside the home--probably had enough to do with three kids and a husband!

Her first child was born 26 Jun. 1936 at 3922 Lexington Ave. but the family was living at 4057 Humphrey.

On 9 Dec. 1936, when her husband applied for a Social Security number 494-07-7451, their residence was 4057 Humphrey in St. Louis city. His maternal uncle, Theodore Winge (-2G), was his employer--Winge's business address was 4336 Holly Hills in St. Louis and the business was construction. He was 29 years old and his birth date and parents were given.

Alice with her husband and first child. Taken in the second half of 1936. Click to enlarge.
This picture shows the house on Farlin. We see Alice and their first child in both pictures. The one on the left was taken on 28 Mar. 1937 (Easter Sunday) and the one on the right (inside view) was taken on 02 January 1937.
This picture shows Alice, her brother Winfield and her son Erven at the "Sleepy Hollow" family club house in Jedburgh, MO. It was taken on 29 Aug. 1937. Click the thumbnail to enlarge.

The St. Louis Directory of 1937 lists Emil Thoma (with wife Alice), carpenter, living at 4165 Farlin Ave. In Nov. 1937 they were still living on Farlin. By 26 Jan. 1938 (according to the postmark on old mail), the family had recently moved from Farlin to Rutger. In the 1939 Directory Emil Thoma (with wife Alice), carpenter, is living at 2621 Rutger St.

At the right is a picture of the Thoma family with Emil, Alice, and Erven standing on the porch of the Cecelia Thake house in Kirkwood, MO at 325 W. Adams St. It was taken on Thanksgiving Day (28 Nov.), 1940 at which time Alice was pregnant with her second child.

When the second child was born (Mar. 1941), the family was still living on Rutger. The birth of her second child was announced in the 05 Apr. 1941 St. Louis Star Times evening paper, p. 11.

The St. Louis (city) Directory of 1941 lists Emil O. Thoma, with wife Alice, a carpenter, living at 2621 Rutger. The City Dir. for 1942 (Gould's) has Emil J. [sic!] (Alice) Thoma, carpenter, home at 2621 Rutger.

When her daughter Elizabeth was born (25 Feb. 1944), she was 33 years old, was living with her family at 4246 Dewey St. in St. Louis city. Her husband was 37 and was working as a carpenter for the St. Louis Ship Bldg. Co. in St. Louis city. At that time her son Erven was attending Scruggs elementary school.

Her father, Erven, passed away on 09 Mar. 1944 from a cancer in his stomach, I think. He was buried in the Thake lot in Valhalla Cemetery.

This family group picture was taken on the back porch steps of the house at 3922 Lexington where Alice's step-mother lived. The occasion was the christening of her daughter, Beth (Elizabeth). Alice is the woman on our left, seated on the bottom step. Beth is being held by Adeline Winge, Alice's mother-in-law. The picture was taken on 09 Apr. 1944.
Here is a picture of Bill Grupp (-2G) and his wife Lena (-2G) (holding baby Elizabeth Thoma (0G)) and Alice (mother of baby). It dates from Sept. 1944. Location is unknown but it is probably in St. Louis.
From ca. 1942 to ca. 1947 we lived at 4246 Dewey St. (corner of Bingham) in St. Louis. Emil and Alice owned this double flat, lived in the lower left (north) unit and rented out the other three. The back-yard view shows the awning on the porch of the flat where we lived.
Taken at her residence on Lexington Ave. when her 2nd child was at elementary school (1946-55). Her age in the picture was 42-51. Click to enlarge.

Then, ca. 1948-58, the family lived at 3922 Lexington Ave. in St. Louis city where her step-mother and another relative lived upstairs. Her children went to Farragut Elementary (on Spring) and Beaumont High School (on Natural Bridge). The 1956 St. Louis Dir. has Emil O. Thoma (Alice), carpenter, with a home at 3922 Lexington. The 1958 Dir. has the same information.

In or after 1958 they moved to 9563 Yuma Dr. in south St. Louis County (Zip Code 63123) and the second and third children attended Mehlville schools. Her mother-in-law, Adeline Winge, moved in to the Yuma house (in separate quarters) after June 1961.

On 24 June 1961, when her husband signed his delayed birth certificate, the family was living at 9563 Yuma.

Alice with her husband - Christmas in some year. Click to enlarge.
Christmas 1962 at the Yuma Dr. house. Alice is to the right of the mirror. Click to enlarge.

The County Dir. of 1966 has Emil O.(Alice)Thoma,carpenter, homeat9563 Yuma Dr.in Concord Village. Two of the children have separate listings at the same address. The 1969 County Dir. shows Emil O. (Alice) Thoma, carpenter, home at 9563 Yuma in Concord Village. Two of the children have separate listings at the same address. The 1970 County Dir. has the same information, inc. the separate listings.

After the death of her mother-in-law, Adeline, on 10 May 1970, Alice's sister-in-law, Alberta, moved into the same part of the Yuma house that Adeline lived in.

Her S. S. number (499-64-5687) was issued in 1971 in Missouri. At that time she was living at 9563 Yuma Dr. and was unemployed.

The 1971 County Dir. has Emil O. (Alice) Thoma, carpenter in St. Louis, home at 9563 Yuma Dr. in Concord Village. Two of the children have separate listings at the same adress. The 1972-73 County Dir. (combined issue) has the same info as the 1971 issue. The 1974 County Dir. has the same information as the 1969 issue, inc. the separate listings.

Her daughter, Beth, died 10 Mar. 1975 in St. Louis County from a brain tumor.

The 1976 County Dir. shows Emil O. & Alice Thoma, carpenter in St. Louis, home at 9563 Yuma Dr. in Concord Village. Two of the children have separate listings at the same address.

Alice's brother, Winfield, died 5 Oct. 1978. Her step-mother, Elizabeth, died 09 Mar. 1979 in St. Louis. All three were buried in Valhalla Cemetery in St. Louis County. These three deaths affected Alice a lot and so she lived only two more years.

	She was living at 9563 Yuma Dr. when she died 13 Mar. 1981 of a cancerous stomach tumor in a hospital. One of her favorites songs was "Alice Blue Gown" which was played at her funeral service at the funeral home by the organist.
The organist also played "For All the Saints" (Vaughn Williams) on request of her son, Erven. She was buried in the Thake lots (lots 154-55, section 4) in Valhalla Cemetery in St. Louis County.

Alice loved cats especially, and also dogs.  There were often as many as 3 or 4 cats at the Yuma house. There were always animals around the house, inc. canary, rabbit, turtles, frogs. As a child, Alice played the piano some and supported me taking piano lessons and practicing day after day. Aside from her early work at an insurance company before her first child was born, Alice had no outside employment. She spent her time caring for the home, children and husband. She continued to have a concern for their well-being. She is dearly missed.

--------------------

Her husband (our father) lived until 09 Mar. 1997.

	Go to the Main Ancestor Chart
Go to the Family Group Table	Go to the Thoma Family Group Chart
	Go to the Thake Family Group Chart

Created Mon. Apr. 3, 2000.  Updated 04 Apr. 2007.

spelling checked 10/23/03

links checked 10/23/03

HTML syntax checked 10/23/03