A Group of Early Johnstown Turners - 1904

 

This rare old gem was sent in by Carolyn Clark. She says this is a 1904 clipping that included an 1867 photograph of the founders of the Johnstown Turnverein (Turners). All the men came from Beidenkopf, Hesse-Darmstadt and included in this picture is her great-great grandfather Charles Zimmerman, Sr. and his nephew Augustus Burggraf.

 Tuesday, August 16, 1905 - A Group of Early Johnstown Turners: The above cut represents a group of Turners who has this picture taken in 1867, just one year after the organization of the Johnstown Turnverein. These members did not constitute any particular class, but as they had all come from the same place in Germany, Beidenkopf, Hesse-Darmstadt, and had belonged to the Turners, there, they cemented an otherwise strong friendship by having their pictures taken as a "family."

The rear row, reading from left to right, was made up as follows: August Wild, William Miller, Julius Wild, Henry Alt and Charles Doepp

Middle Row: Charles Zimmerman, John Ludwig, George Engelbach and Augustus Burggraf

Front Row: Charles Wehn, Louis When and Harry Engelbach

The members of the Johnstown Turnverein are getting ready to celebrate the thirty-eighth anniversary of the founding of the local branch, the exercises in commemoration to be held at the Valley Park, Tuesday, August 23, 1904. The complete program will be ready within a few days.

There will be speeches, athletic contests, and games of all kinds. The married and single men of the Turners have formed baseball teams and will contest for the championship. There will be a quoit contest between several experts and contests of many other kinds. Findlay's orchestra will furnish the music for the dancing. Prof. Fritz John is Chairman of the Committee of Arrarangements and is working hard for the success of the celebrations.