The Germann Girls

When John Stenger's daughter, Anna Elizabeth married Henry Germann, they had 14 children. 8 of them were girls whom we have affectionately dubbed the Germann Girls.

Evelyn Leahy Hankel sent us this picture of her mother, Evelyn Genevieve Germann, back in Naperville in 1915 awaiting her wedding date on June 28th, 1916.

According to the family tradition, each Germann Girl was to spend one year living in Naperville prior to their wedding date.

According to Evelyn, this party was held in the Germann dining room of the Stenger Farmhouse of her mother's grandfather, John Stenger, whom they had all lived with there until his death in 1911.

The dining room was decorated by Evelyn's sisters who are standing in the back. From the left, they are, Minnie Germann, Magdalene Germann, and Marie Germann (author of the family's history, After 100 Years) The rest of the women are school friends of Evelyn's mother from St. Peter and Paul School. Evelyn's mother is in the center of the photo, and to her left is her dear friend Anna Knoch and to her right is another of her sisters, Pauline Germann.

Many thanks to Evelyn, who sent us this photo.