Johann and Brigitta Glassnapp's Farm in Centre Township

TOP:  The original Glassnapp home in Centre Township, Outagamie Co., Wisconsin was a small log cabin situated on 2 1/2 acres of land. This is probably not a picture of that first cabin because the photo was dated August 12, 1923 and the original cabin was supposedly torn down by that time. However, there were two prints of this cabin in the Glassnapp family photos, so it is being included here to remind us of what their first little home probably looked like.

CENTER:  This was the second Glassnapp farm home.  It was situated on 160 acres of land  across the road from the original 2 1/2 acres with the log cabin. 

BOTTOM:  This is a picture of the Glassnapp farm showing the barn and other appurtenances on their property, including the "out-house".

Harvest Time

The Threshing Crew

Threshing season took a cooperative effort with all farmers working together to get the job done.  All the neighboring farmers pitched in and finished one field, then they moved on to another farm until the grain was safely stored in all their barns. The Glassnapp boys were young in this picture.   A neighbor, Henry Roehler, is standing on the thresher at the left, then George, Albert and Edward Glassnapp are the next three standing on top of the thresher.  The huge machine was a monstrosity and so was the steam tractor.  A wagon and team stands to the left of the picture with water barrels, no doubt for the steam tractor as well as for drinking.  That boiler must have taken a lot of water to keep it running.  Look at the size of those wheels! It must have weighed a ton and then some.  This was probably not the Glassnapp's barn, at least it doesn’t look like the same barn as shown in the picture of their farm.

Working on the Glassnapp farm

TOP:  The threshing crew at harvest time on the old Glassnapp farm.  The neighbors all got together and helped with the threshing. George Glassnapp is standing at the center with the pitchfork.  His brother, Edward, is the young man next to him on the left and another brother, Albert, stands next to him to the right.

CENTER:  Sawing lumber on the farm.  Note the lack of safety devices.  Left to right, the identified Glassnapp boys are: Albert Glassnapp, an unidentified man, another unidentified man, Edward, George and John.  The two unidentified men might be Henry and Herman Glassnapp.  There were six brothers in the family, with Herman and Henry being the two oldest.  These two men are also in the top picture, extreme left and extreme right of those standing on the thresher.   Whether the two oldest boys might have returned to the farm to help with the threshing and other needed jobs isn't known, but they were probably married by the time this picture was taken.  Rover, their farm dog, is lying under the belt.

BOTTOM:  Sawing logs for firewood on the Glassnapp farm.  They used the same saw as in the center picture, but in the fair weather months, it was mounted on a wagon and during the winter, it was mounted on a sleigh.  Cutting firewood and splitting logs kept them plenty busy during the winter moths when they couldn't farm.

Work Animals Did Their Part Too!

In the early years, the Glassnapp’s didn’t own a tractor.  Their team was both a necessary and appreciated part of their farm operations.  I cant remember their horses’ names for sure, but I think they were Molly and Dan.  After the team grew too old to work, most farmers sold their animals to the glue factory because they didn’t want to spend the money to feed them when they were no longer productive.  Grandma Brigitta didn’t do that.  She felt they had earned their retirement after all those years of service and so she “put them out to pasture” and let them enjoy their “golden years”.  She bought a new team but kept her old “friends” until they died of old age.  She had a very tender spot in her heart for her animals, even her farm dogs.

TOP:  They used the team to pull the heavy log splitter out to the pile of cut logs.  It was mounted on the sled because of the snow on the ground.  Their farm dog, Rex, is the collie-shepherd who helped with the horses.  George is driving the team.

CENTER:  The boys carry the heavy log sections to the splitter.  It was back-breaking work, as you can see from the size of the logs.

BOTTOM:  After two big piles of logs are split, the team still waits patiently.  An ax and grinding wheel for sharpening it is on the left, so some of the splitting had to be done by hand.  One of the brothers sits on the stack of split wood.  George is still driving the team.  The Glassnapp farm can be seen in the background.