Jimmy
1. Mildred Neubauer (Jim’s mother) was born on January 19, 1907, in Chicago, Illinois. Both her parents were born in Germany and emigrated to the USA. Grandma Neubauer particularly enjoyed baking bread, while Grandpa Neubauer’s speciality was dandelion wine. Grandma Neubauer became sick in her later years and possibly had some form of cancer.
2. Neubauer sisters (L to R) Hertha, Lydia (Kurth), and Mildred. Sister Elinore is not pictured. Notice the very rare round screen Zenith TV. Zenith began in Chicago in 1918. Not much is known about Jim’s mother’s side of the family. However, more is known about his father’s family.
3. Jim’s father was Adolph Neumann. Adolph and his Neumann ancestors did not arrive in the USA by the usual means. Though they may have originally come from Wuerttemberg or Pomerania, Germany, Jim’s ancestors first emigrated from Germany east into Poland.(c. 1801). It was in Russian-controlled Poland that Pauline Kunkel (May 22, 1860) and John Martin Neumann (September 28, 1860) were born—Adolph’s mother and father.
John Martin (Jim’s paternal grandfather), Adolph (Jim’s father aged 10), Martin, Pauline, (Jim’s paternal grandmother), Emil, Adelheid, Edward Jr. (infant), and Edward Sr. Neumann in 1914, several years after arriving in Chicago.
4. The Kunkels and Neumanns were largely farmers who likely migrated further east to the “wooded world” of Volhynia, in northwestern Ukraine, looking for new forests to clear in order to plant crops. After both Pauline’s and John’s families migrated to Volhynia, they met and were married in the Lutheran church in Rozyszcze on February 2, 1882 (both nearly 22 years old).
Emilie, Johnny, John Martin (Jim’s paternal grandfather), Edward Sr., and Albert Neumann in an unknown house in Chicago.
5. At the time, migrating from Russian-controlled Poland to Volhynia was still a move within the Russian Empire. However, when arriving in America, some families listed their country of origin as Poland, while others listed Russia. These ancestors primarily spoke German and generally never learned Russian.
John Martin Neumann, Jim’s paternal grandfather, in his later years.
6. In Volhynia, John worked in the bogs cutting peat for fuel and in the forest making wooden shingles for roofs. Ironically, John and Pauline lived in a house of “interlocking boards with a thatched roof.” They had nine sons., of which Adolph (Jim’s father) was the ninth—born on November 19, 1904. (Pauline may have had two other children that miscarried or were still-born.)
Adolph (left) and his father John (middle) in Chicago. The person on the right has not been identified—possibly an older brother. This is the first time we see this house with the shingle siding and stone base with basement windows. The house is seen in multiple photos over many years, so it must have belonged to a family that lived there for an extended period..
7. By 1911, John and Pauline, both 51 years old, found their family surrounded by political upheaval and decided to emigrate to America. John, Martin, and Emil departed from Libau, Latvia aboard the SS Birma and arrived in the Port of New York on August 30, 1911. From there they entered Ontario, Canada, and then finally settled in Chicago, Illinois on December 31, 1911.
Roughly a year later, on October 31, 1912, Pauline, Karl, and Adolph (8 years old) departed from Rotterdam, Netherlands aboard the SS Volturno and arrived in Port of Halifax,, Nova Scotia, Canada on November 11, 1912. They then joined the rest of the family in Chicago, Illinois.
Tabor Lutheran Church, 3542 W Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, IL
8. John and Pauline lived at 2632 Cortez Street. John was a very serious person. He was proud of his lawn and with the soul of a cantankerous old man, yelled at the neighbor boys when they played on it. He read his German Bible each morning and did a lot of “preaching” to the family. He read the German paper Abendpost and freely shared his opinions on world affairs. He never drove a car. He was a watchman (security guard) for a shoe company and later a porter at a tailor shop. Pauline was known for her sausage, soup, coffee cake, pączki (Polish pastries), white bread, and stollen (German Christmas bread).
When their son Edward moved to 4852 N Kenneth Ave, near Tabor Lutheran Church and School (above), John and Pauline moved into the upstairs apartment.
9. As both Mildred’s and Adolph’s families attended Tabor Lutheran Church and School, we can safely presume this was where Adolph and Mildred met. They began dating and were married on May 7, 1927, at Tabor Lutheran Church. Their daughter Jean recalls attending the same school. Adolph and Mildred initially lived upstairs at her parent’s house on Karlov Ave in Chicago.
10. Aunt Hertha (Mildred’s sister) and Uncle Harry.
Adolph and Jean at her wedding June 28, 1957.
11. When the doctor was delayed by winter weather, Jean (Simpson) was born on February 24, 1928, with assistance from Mildred’s sister Lydia. (Unsurprisingly, Lydia became Jean’s favorite aunt.) This was while Adolph and Mildred lived in the upstairs half of Grandma & Grandpa Neubauer’s house. Jean was slightly more than 12 years older than Jim. Jean remembered Grandpa Neubauer as a “great grandfather” who shared apples, read the funnies, and took she and Bob riding on the Chicago streetcars, where he was a conductor.
Adolph and Mildred later lived with Adolph’s brother, Martin and his wife Helen, until they could afford their own place. Bob was born October 31, 1929, seven days after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 began. Bob was slightly more than 11 years older than Jim.
12. Proud parents Adolph and Mildred welcomed James A. Neumann into the world o March 4, 1940, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. They are pictured here standing on what appears to be a covered porch at an unknown home..
13. Jim was baptized later that month. When Jim was born, Germany's military machine was gaining momentum, with the conquest of much of Western Europe anticipated. This may explain why Jim’s middle name was only ever “A” and not Adolph after his father. Adolph was also known to some family as “Uncle A.” This may have been a natural nickname or possibly a German man avoiding the name Adolph. Jim does remember his mother not wanting the name Adolph used.
14. Baby “Jimmy” is seen here held by his mother.
15. Toddler Jimmy at the back door of the same house seen in Photo 7 above.
16. Jim with his mother, probably in nearly the same place as Photo 14 above.
17. Jim playing with an unknown person.
18. Since Jim is wearing the same outfit as Photos 16 & 17, and the small house extension appears in Photos 17 & 24—Photos 7, 14-17, 24, 55 & 56 were probably taken at the same house.
19. Jim and his bear sit for Jim’s first formal portrait.
20. Adolph and Mildred first lived with Mildred’s parents and later with Adolph’s brother Martin. The first home they purchased was this home at 4651 N Springfield St. Here is Jean in her confirmation dress on the front porch. Assuming she was confirmed at the typical age of 14, Jim would have been two years old when this photo was taken.
21. The front of the Springfield house in 2025.
22. The back of Springfield house in 2025. The upper story may have been added subsequent to the Neumanns living in the house.
23. Jim as a young boy.
24. Jim playing in the yard of the same house at Photos 7, 14-17, 52 & 53.
25. Jim, his mother Mildred, and a woman from their church. It’s unclear whose house is in the background..
26. Jim wearing a rather elaborate U.S. Army uniform given to him by “Uncle” Eddie (the exact family connection is not known). Assuming Jim was 4-5 years old here, Allied forces had gained the upper hand, and WWII would be nearing its end.
27. Jim with “Uncle” Eddie.
28. Jim with his older brother Bob. This photo highlights their 11 year age gap.
29. The same “uncle” as above, but Jim is clearly wearing a different U.S. Army uniform than previously.
30. In yet a third uniform, Jim is seen standing outside 6623 Oliphant Ave in Chicago, the second home Adolph and Mildred owned. Here, Adolph fixed up the basement where Jim’s brother Bob and their cousin Dick often played ping-pong, hit a punching bag, and boxed.
31. Street view of the Oliphant house with the same door at the side of the house seen in the image with Jim in the U.S. Navy uniform (Photo 30). Edison Park Lutheran Church is across the street.
32. Jim and his bicycle in front of the Oliphant house, the address of 6623 is visible.
33. A young Jim standing in front the Oliphant house in nearly the same place as the photo of him with his bike (Photo 32). Jim attended Our Saviour’s Lutheran School in Norwood Park for Grades 2-5. Perhaps the graduation cap is for completing Grade 5 and moving to St. John’s (Evangelical) Lutheran School for Grade 6 (although Photo 35 indicates Our Saviour’s went through Grade 6). In any event, Jim moved to St. John’s for Grade 6.
34. There are report cards for Jimmy for Grades 2, 3, 4, & 5 (1946-1950)
35. Jim’s 5th Grade class photo (middle right near teacher), Jim already sporting his classic sun sensitivity. (1949-1950 school year)
36. Jim re-visiting the Oliphant house in 2009, roughly 60 years after the family moved to their next house on Nordica Ave. You can still see where the sailor, bicycle, and grad cap photos were taken.
37. From Oliphant Ave, the family moved to their third house at 6470 N Nordica Ave, in Chicago’s Norwood Park East neighborhood. We came across no old photos of this house. The photos here were taken during Jim and Ruth’s 2009 nostalgic visit to the area.
38. This beautiful home built in 1923 had 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms spread over 1,986 square feet. Jim remembers his sister Jean having a friend from church named Lois whom Adolph and Mildred allowed to stay in the house. Jean may also have left for boarding school while the family lived here.
39. Jim remembers fondly the lovely garden space behind the house. At the time, the garden backed to a large open field where he and friends played “cowboys and indians” and built “homes” out of scraps of cardboard. Grandpa Neubauer would take the streetcar to the house and weed in this back garden.
40. Much like his father Martin, Adolph was quite particular in his Lutheran beliefs. As such, he often took issue with churches where the family attended, which resulted in the family moving quite often. This house at 4912 W Cullom Ave was the family’s fourth home in Chicago: Springfield, Oliphant, & Nordica being previous family residences. Jean mentioned a possible fifth residence on Monticello Ave, but no other mentions were made of this address.
41. The modern day owners or their neighbors took the unusual step of asking Google to blur images of their home, but they did not ask Apple Maps, so the Cullom house is still visible here on Apple Maps.
42. This 2020 Apple Maps view of Cullom Ave shows where Jim was seen standing at the top of the steps (Photo 40), although the screens have been removed from the around the porch.
43. Jim in the kitchen of the Cullom house.
44. While living on West Cullom, Jim attended St. John’s Lutheran School from 1950-1953 (Grades 6-8), which was within walking distance of the new home.
45. Google Street View of St. John’s (Evangelical) Lutheran School (left) and Church (right).
46. Jim’s Grade 7 class photo. Jim (top left) said the girl at the left front was Shirley Steigerwalt and she was his “girlfriend”…though she didn’t know it. 😊
47. The other side of the kitchen inside the Cullom house. Note the wallpaper.
48. Jim in the dining room inside the Cullom house. Note again the wallpaper.
49. Jim inside the Cullom house. Adolph was a professional wallpaper hanger. Jim recalled that, while papering this house, Adolph fell from scaffolding he had assembled and was injured.
50. Jim in the backyard of the Cullom house, possibly with the same bicycle from Photo 32. Notice the elaborate tri-fold garage doors with faux windows in the background across the alleyway.
51. Adolph and Jim at a local farm. The bag says Morton Salt Company, but it’s likely the bag was repurposed to hold something else.
52. Jim with a dog at the farm.
53. Speaking of dogs, here is Jim holding puppies. Based on the photos below, one of the puppies may have become Jim’s dog. The girl may be the dog owner’s daughter or someone else coming to meet the puppies.
54. Jim holding puppies.
55. Back Row: Mildred, unidentified woman, Pauline, Martin. Front Row: Jim, Adolph, and possibly one of Adolph’s older brothers (unknown name). The photo is taken in the now classic home seen in Photos 7, 14-17, & 24, It seems quite possible this may have been the house owned by Adolph’s brother (Martin?) shown and the woman next to Mildred may have been his wife.
56. Solo picture of Jim on the same day as in Photos 55 & 57.
57. Jim and his mother at an unknown cemetery. Perhaps the family was gathered in Photo 55 for a funeral. Clearly, both of Jim’s paternal grandparents were alive in that photo.
58. Jim’s 8th Grade class photo. (Jim is third row from the top, second from the right.)
59. Jim in the backyard of Cullom Ave, likely before his 8th Grade promotion. This photo was taken from nearly the same perspective as Jim with his bike in Photo 50. The same side of the neighbor’s garage is seen, although the shrub has grown and obscures the view of the alleyway.
60. Jim in the backyard of the Cullom house, the ribbon possibly indicative of his now having attended his 8th Grade promotion from St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran School. The photo was taken slightly further into the backyard looking through several backyards and garages. Fed up with the snow, after graduation in 1953, the family moved to Whittier, California.
61. A map of Jim’s four homes in Chicago from March 1940 through summer 1953.
62. One of the first photos of Jim in 1953 at their new home at 1224 Dittmar Dr, Whittier, CA (now 13932 Dittmar Dr). Jim is the backyard holding Rusty(?), likely one of the puppies seen in Photos 53 & 54.
63. This photo of idyllic 1950s domestic bliss captures Mildred, Jim, and Adolph, most likely, in the sunny environs of Whittier, where Jim continued his education as a freshman at California High School. While the photo may be at the front of the Dittmar house, the location is not clear.
64. As with photo 63, though it is not clear, this may be in front of the Dittmar house. What is clear is the 12 year age gap between Jim and Jean. They are joined by Jim’s dog possibly named Rusty.
65. The backyard at Dittmar house with his dog. Notice the railroad tracks. Jim referred to this as the “orange throwing” house because he and friends threw oranges at passing trains. The former tracks have since been replaced by the Whittier Greenway Trail, paralleling Lambert Road.
66. Jim, perhaps 13-14 years old, in the driveway of the Dittmar house, between the front gate and the rear detached garage, washing a c. 1949 Frazer Manhattan four-door, an American luxury automobile built by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation for model years 1947 through 1951. The little boy helping Jim is Paul Neumann, son of George and Dorothy Neumann and owners of the car.
67. Photos 67-70 are part of Jim’s college years, but since they are at the Dittmar house, they are included here. While on summer break from Concordia College in Portland (c. 1957-59, 17-19 years old), Jim washing his delivery truck backed into the rear driveway at the Dittmar house. To help pay for his college tuition, Jim was a substitute delivery driver while the independent truck owner went on summer vacation. Jim was paid $100 a week. Helms Bakery was well-known in Southern California from 1931 until 1969—famous for its "Daily at Your Door" delivery service. Notice the awning extended over the truck’s back doors.
68. Jim’s bakery truck parked in front of the Dittmar house. The bakery was primarily based in Culver City, though Helms had no retail stores. All of their bakery items were sold by trucks, which drove to neighborhoods throughout Southern California—similar to an ice cream truck.
69. By the end of the 1960s, however, truck deliveries were becoming passe due to fierce competition from ever-expanding retail stores. The Helms Bakery concept was no longer financially viable and the business closed in 1969—some 10+ years after Jim had his temporary summer job.
70. Jim’s truck nosed toward the garage in the backyard of the Dittmar house, displaying the various drawers—six with clear glass fronts—that held fresh bread, donuts, pastries, and other baked goods. The rear awning is retracted. The signs on each door read, “Cold Cr. Puffs” and there appear to be photos of fancy cake options on the left window.
71. Adolph and Mildred in front of the Dittmar house on an unknown date.
72. Jim’s 1957 high school graduation photo from California High School in Whittier.
73. Jim in front of 13932 (formerly 1224) Dittmar Dr in November 2021, roughly 64 years after he left the house to attend college. The front elevation, side driveway (of car and truck washing fame), and rear garage remain recognizable.
74. Jim in front of California High School, Whittier, in November 2021, roughly 64 years after graduating.
