The Six Fat Dutchmen

John Ellickson I once heard that He played in the polka band, "The Six Fat Dutchmen". They were very popular in there day as polka bands go. Can anybody verify this? Norma, are you out there?

Holy Illuminated Rumblin' Moses!

John Ellickson Jim is not on Facebook but I will relay this story in his stead. Grampa never swore. At least no one ever heard Him swear. Jim was with Him when Grampa got frustrated and He said, "Wholly Illuminated Rumblin" Moses".

Joan    I heard him say that too!

Fresh Trout

John Ellickson Grampa once came down with some fresh trout. It seems I was the only one there so He cleaned and filleted them and began to eat the raw fish. He gave some to me and I ate it also. If it was good enough for Him, It was good enough for me.

 

Police Chief Eli Ellickson

John Ellickson I had a neighbor here in Muckerville named Leo. He told me that he used to be Decorahs town drunk and rowdy. Grampa used to be the Chief of Police in Decorah and Leo said Eli used to stop him and take his keys and then take him home and tuck him into bed.

Joan  Dad used to tell us that story!  How cool that you actually met the man.  I remember thinking that grandpa must have been like Andy Taylor from Mayberry.

Do you remember dad telling us that when Baby Face Nelson was being chased by the FBI, that he went through northern Iowa and Grandpa was involved in part of that pursuit.  Don't know how involved, maybe just "be on the lookout". 

"Old Carp"

Susan Sundquist Grandpa Eli Had one funky toenail...he had dropped something on it when he was younger...it was so cool to look at. Grandma Bertha always called him an "old carp"! 
Joan   And when she said it, she meant it with spite!  If she swore, he'd have been an s.o.b.  

Grandpa's Rocker and Salt Water Taffy

Denise Ellickson Palumbo When we would go up on fridays after Dad got of work it would be dark usually by the time we got there and he would be sitting on the porch reading the bible in the wooden rocker waiting for us:)

Judy Ellickson i remember being amazed that he could eat a whole apple in 2 bites.

Judy Ellickson And I vaguely recall the panel truck, and the smell of it, and salt water taffy from piggly wiggly, or was it Jack n Jill? 

Denise Ellickson Palumbo Both they had both stores there:)

John Ellickson Just a short note. The Jack and Jill store was in Decorah. The Piggly Wiggly was in Independence. He used to bring down whole wheat bread from the Piggly Wiggly. Yum Yum.

Joan   I have that rocker!  A piece of the arm is broken off.  One rocker is shortened in front, being chewed off by one of brother John's dogs (at least that's what I heard).  I recovered the seat and it's still a comfy place to sit.  On the fragile side though, so it's in a bedroom.  I sit there when I need peace. 

John Ellickson Many people have responded. He was like having Santa Claus and Sergeant Schultz all rolled up into One. I'll post more soon.
Love John

 

I remember His house. When you came into the front door you would be on a screened in front porch. His Sousaphone was in a case just off to the right of the front door that lead into the house.  The back porch was like a Norwegian Disneyland. Fishing poles, canvas bags filled with black walnuts, and squirrel tails.

 

Joan   I sketched out how I remember his house.  Livingroom was always dark, curtains closed.  There was a HUGE radio with dozens of knobs.  Grandma's Singer treddle sewing machine that I wanted to touch but couldn't.  The 10 pound black phone with no dial, pick it up and a lady would answer "central - who can I get for you?"  Narrow steep stairs to the "attic" bedrooms. Large bathroom with the toilet right next to the window.  Woodburning cooking stove.  Creepy stairs to the rock wall, dirt floor basement.  Outside. . . LP tank that made great sounds when hit (so did mom telling us to stop hitting it).  Rhubarb plants in a row in back.  The extra empty lot we could run around in.  Oh darn, I have to get ready for work now.

A Week with Grandpa - 1956

Joan Mollenhauer

 

Sue and I spent a week with grandpa & grandma. Eli was driving a taxi at the time; summer of 1956 is my best guess. He was there to get us cereal for breakfast. He drove taxi in the late afternoon / evening. He had us ride with him when... he first went to work, proudly introducing us to all his fares. Suppertime was at the local burger place. We ordered hamburger, french fries, chocolate malt. About the 3rd day, he said " but there are all kinds of sandwiches, don't you want something different? " Nope. After dark, he brought us home and we went to bed. We had little interaction with grandma. It was a fun week exploring his yard, his front porch and especially the back porch/room.

 

Susan Sundquist Do you remember him getting us to try a black cow? (rootbeer float). I still can see us sittting in the back of the cab at night....so fun!

The Scar on my Right Knee - 1957

So this isn't about grandpa.  Two blocks from his house was the grade school, complete with a playground.  We were allowed to go play, without an adult.  The merry-go-round was unique.  You sat on a bench and had a bar to hold onto.  Two opposing seats had a pivot bar that you could pump with arms and legs, to make it go around.  A mechanical marvel!  It wasn't going fast enough, so I got off to push.  I pushed so well and others pumped so hard, it really took off.  I lost my footing and still holding on, was dragged about halfway around, on my right knee.  I cried, my knee looked like hamburger.  Susan (always the "oldest so you're in charge") took me back to grandpas.  Mom fixed it by pouring alcohol over it.  After the shock of the burn, it was better.  I still liked that merry-go-round! 

From Denise - Donuts and Walnuts

Denise Ellickson Palumbo

He gave all us of great memories we have a great family :) I remember when he would take me in his vigortone truck and I would sit on the feed bags while he would deliver the feed at the end he would stop at the little gas station as you ...came in town and I mean little and buy a pepsi:) When we would go stay for the weekend sleeping upstairs in the old beds we would get up in the morning and go to the bakery and get donuts which one of my favorites was raspberry filled bismark:) If it was cold we would go downstairs in the morning since there was really no heat upstairs and stand on the one and only heat register and he would say be careful the register gets really hot. When the bakery I believed closed we would then go to the grocery store and get donuts and one time we ran into Great Grandma Dinger and remember the back yard I hated going back there because of all the walnuts it hurt bare feet. Love it:)

Earliest Memory - 1953

 I was 2 - 3 yrs old.  We lived in a farmhouse just outside of Decorah.  The gravel driveway came off the highway and curved uphill to the house.  Susan and I were playing outside when we spotted grandpa's car turning into the driveway.  We ran down the drive to meet him and he stopped about 30 feet from the house.  He let us stand on the running boards (yes! running boards) and wrap our arms through the window frame to hold on.  He drove very slowly up to the house.  Wow, that was a wild ride!