52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 44 "Voting"

GREAT-GRANDPA(s) WERE ELECTED OFFICIALS

This week's topic for the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" challenge is "Voting".  In reviewing the materials I have on my ancestors I realized that two of my great-grandfathers were elected officials and I decided to write about them.

My paternal grandmother's father was George William Wellhausen.  He was born December 28, 1869 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan and passed away on April 8, 1938 in Utica, Macomb County, Michigan.  While I missed knowing him by a little over 10 years I learned a lot about him from my grandmother.  

During his lifetime George Wellhausen was a farmer and later the owner of a General Store.  He was also very civic minded and he was elected Clerk of Utica, Michigan for which he served the term of 1917-1918.  In 1920 he ran for Mayor of Utica, Michigan and served the term of 1920-1921.

I was able to verify my grandmother's information by studying the history of Utica, Michigan but other than his elected offices and years of service nothing else was written about my great-grandfather.  

In any case, I find it very admirable that he was willing and able to perform these duties and that he did so with honor.

Here are my great-grandparents, George and Amelia (Schluessler) Wellhausen, with their young grandson, Lynwood Wellhausen, in 1935:

Another great-grandfather on my paternal side was also an elected official.  My paternal grandfather's father was Rudolph Myer Schulte.  He was born October 24, 1869 in Beckum, Westfalen, Preußen, Germany and he passed away on April 1, 1940 in Detroit.  I did not know him either as he passed away a little over 8 years before I was born.  However, my grandfather, my father and my uncle regaled me with stories of Rudolph and I learned what an outstanding person he was.

Rudolph came to America at the age of 3 years with his parents and they settled in Detroit.  He served in the US Navy during the Spanish American War and was a Detroit fireman before and after the war.  In later years he was an insurance salesman.

However, between his time as a fireman and his career as an insurance salesman he served as a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff and I have his badge along with many of his Spanish American War medals.  Here is Rudolph's badge as a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff:

Here is a photo of my great-grandfather, Rudolph Schulte, along with my above mentioned great-grandmother, Amelia Schluessler Wellhausen, with their shared granddaughter, Marilyn Schulte, in 1928:

I find it interesting that both of the grandfathers of my own father were elected officials but my father never mentioned any of that to me nor did my uncle.  Perhaps they were unaware of the civic minded nature of their grandfathers but I was pleased that my grandmother did share the information with me.  This just adds another layer to the character of both these great-grandfathers of mine.

Copyright 2021, Cheryl J. Schulte