I've written previously about the shoemaking of my Dutch immigrant great-great grandfather, and of Peter Winkel's involvement in the Farmer's Co-Op and Stock and Lumber Yards. Also, about my grandmother working at Dayton's Minneapolis. There was a great deal more work or business going on in north western Iowa in the early years of the previous century, particularly sewing and mending in a time when you certainly couldn’t run to the mall for a new blouse.
1899 & 1900s
Miss Allie TenKley hereby announces to the public that she is ready to do any (sewing) work - Wednesday August 2, 1899
Miss Bertha and Alice TenKley are sewing at their house and at others. - Nieuwsblad, Sioux Center, Iowa - Sept 14, 1904
I’ve known most of my life that my great grandmother was quite a talented seamstress. I have a few photos of the entire family that include outfits, I’m told, where it’s likely that she made every stitch of clothing herself. I hadn’t realized that she and her sister both offered their skills for hire. I also learned from official records that both were attending the public schools at this same time.
Dick Winkel has given up his job at the Wassenaar’s lumberyard and intends to go to Canada. His brother Pete will take his place in the yard. - Nieuwsblad March 15, 1945 (36 yrs ago - 1909)
Dick Winkel and W. Brandts returned disappointed from Canada. No work claims to be gotten too far from the railroad so when they had spent the money they took along from Sioux County they made up their mind to return to the motherland, for they thought they had as much chance in Sioux Center as in foreign lands. - Nieuwsblad May 3, 1945 (36 yrs ago - 1909)
Not needlework at all, but this Canadian trip of Dick Winkel (Peter’s brother, not his dad or his son) has to have been a very big deal. Considering the dates of the newspaper article, they seem to have been gone for at least 6 weeks. I imagine they journeyed by train, and I know considering my own hometown, it is NOT warm in Canada in March. I wonder if this would have affected the trajectory of the rest of his siblings, had they been successful.
1910s
Mrs. W. A. van Steenwyk and Miss Jo Winkel were at Sioux City on business. - Hull Index May 31, 1912
Miss Johannah Winkel, one of our milliners, has returned from the Twin Cities where she purchased her fall line of goods. - Alton Democrat Aug 24, 1912
Mrs. W. A. van Steenwyk and Miss Jo Winkel went to Minneapolis on Monday evening to do their shopping for the fall. - Nieuwsblad August 1912
The millinery firm of Van Steenwyk is dissolved. Miss Johanna Winkel will alone have charge of it in the future. - Alton Democrat June 7, 1913
Millenery Opening
Friday & Saturday
19 & 20 Sept.
I'll have my millenery opening
All Ladies Are Becoming Friendly
Invited to come in.
Never before
Has there been such a beautiful assortment (of)
Hats at SIOUX CENTER
Been on display.
For ladies of all ages.
I have one of the finest trimmers,
Who is available.
Good and neat work guaranteed.
At the lowest prices.
Mrs. J. Brandts
Better known as: Jo Winkel
Nieuwsblad Sept 17, 1913
Mrs. J. Brandts will ... going to Minneapolis to do her shopping.- Nieuwsblad Feb 18, 1914
Mrs. P. Winkel and her sister-in-law Mary (Jo?) went to Sioux City a day last week on business. - Alton Democrat Jan 11, 1919
Jo, Mary and their mother, circa 1910-15
I had to do some digging, to find out anything at all about my Great-Great Aunts Johanna and Mary Winkel. One lived with her children in Sioux Falls, the other in California. I have no idea why there was almost no information about them within the family, perhaps I didn’t ask any of the right questions years ago.
At any rate, it was fascinating to learn this year that Jo was the co-owner of a business, one that she kept at, if briefly, after she married. It certainly wasn’t unheard of for a woman to have a shop, and she may have spent a fair amount of time at her father’s knee as he plied his cobbler’s trade in the shops of other men.
Clearly from her ad, Jo and her partner dealt in fashionable hats, but lace and linen caps were still being worn by many of the Dutch women of this largely Dutch community. Perhaps those caps were relegated to seamstresses like her sister-in-law.
1920s
FOR SALE - Gerrit ten Kley, Chevrolet 490 touring, Jelle … Chevrolet sedan. - Sept 1, 1920
I’ve included this last clipping as a nod to the ability to go increasing distances, which allowed both the mobility to source more goods, but also to travel to the increasingly popular department stores spreading across the nation. The town seamstresses and the local hat shop were superseded long ago.
Even my Grandma preferred “store-bought” after growing up with homemade (though well done) garments. Clearly she had a huge amount of company, and I was a fortunate recipient of some darling little dresses from Dayton’s. Oh, how I loved going to The Mall with her, too!
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