Found Photos: The Garis and Leifheit Family of Iowa and Minnesota
I came across a collection of photos that had been abandoned and ended up in a flea market. A few of them were labeled, and there was some indication that the family might have been from Iowa. Several of the photos turned out to be of Garis and Leifheit family members, connected by marriage. Images and details below.
This is Amos Garis. He was born in 1872 in Indiana, the son of Peter Garis. In 1899, he married Emma Maria Elizabeth Leifheit, daughter of William and Maria Leifheit. The couple were married in State Center, Iowa, where Emma's family lived. Amos worked as a carpenter in State Center until sometime between 1910 and 1920, when he moved his family to Minnesota. Amos and Emma had four children: Theora Garis (b. 1901), Kenneth Garis (b. 1904), Carrie Garis (b. 1907), and Earl Garis (b. 1910). Amos died in Madelia, Minnesota in 1957. Emma died there in 1954.
At left is William Wilson Garis (b. 1900), son of Walter Anson Garis and Mary Wilson. Walter was Amos Garis' brother. Young William Garis is seen here with his cousin, Theora Garis, at right. Theora (b. 1901), daughter of Amos and Emma Garis, was an infant in this photo, which was likely taken in the year of her birth, according to the writing on the back of the photo. Walter and Mary had two other children, Leonard Garis and Lois Garis. They lived in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada.
It never fails. You get your toddler all dressed up for photos and they just aren't having it. This classic shot of a child who really doesn't want to take a picture was in terrible shape when I first saw it, and I've tried to clean it up a bit. The back is labeled "Millie Leifheit Schaper."
Millie's full name was Amelia Katherina Johanna Leifheit, and she was Emma Leifheit's sister, the sister-in-law of Amos Garis. Born in 1875 in Iowa, she married Louis H. Schaper in December 1926, at the age of 50. They lived in Marshalltown, Iowa. It does not appear that Millie had any children.
This photo had a treasure trove of information on the back. This image is of William and Maria Leifheit, the parents of Emma and Millie Leifheit, in-laws of Amos Garis. Maria's maiden name was Bader. Maria was born March 26, 1857, according to the photo, and died in July 1928. William was born in August 1848 and died February 11, 1929. William was born in Germany and Maria was born in Illinois. In addition to Millie and Emma, they had a third daughter, Alma Leifheit, born in 1884. Alma married Rudolph Jahnz and had a son, Elmer Jahnz.
It appears that William and Maria may have been the first in their family to move from Iowa to Minnesota. They were living there by 1910, after many years in Iowa. They settled in Madelia, near their daughter, Emma, and her family.
