Today I’m adding Al and Frank Capone to that list of associations. Many of you may know that Lester Ltd was a costume company in Chicago owned by my great-grandparents, Lester & Margaret Essig, and my great-uncle & aunt, Fred & Esther Essig. While digging through boxes I found an article about the closing of the costume company. The article covers the story of Lester Ltd, including the statement “The Essigs did parties for Al and Ralph Capone”. There you have it. Let your imagination start rolling from here. Did Al Capone actually step foot in their store? Hmmm… Okay, so maybe they aren’t the greatest of characters to have the Essig name associated with, but it’s fun to think about.

Here’s the article for your enjoyment.

Jens was born 29 July 1867 in Alindelille Old, Ringsted Herred, Denmark and died 17 February 1943 in Evanston, Wyoming.

Petrea was born 23 July 1873 in Palstrop, Viborg, Denmark.  She died 6 June 1936, in Evanston, Wyoming.

They were married 30 September 1896 in Copenhagen, , København, Denmark.

Bessie was born 15 November 1877 in Plattsburg, Missouri.  She died at the age of 36.  At one point that was all I knew about her until I read her mother’s obituary:

Another obituary suggested that Bessie had been studying music in Europe.  These obituaries led me to believe Bessie had died in Europe.  However while searching the internet I discovered that she passed away in New York. I sent for her death certificate in New York.  When it arrived I found that she had been living in New York for 3 years at 7 months.  I also found it interesting that her place of residence was listed as “Bloomingdale Hospital”.  After doing more searching on the internet I found that Bloomingdale Hospital was an asylum.  Her cause of death was listed as meningitis with a secondary cause of “dementia praecox” which in modern day terms is Schizophrenia.

As I have thought of Bessie’s situation I have realized how much her parents loved her.  I am sure at that time many families would forget about a child struggling with Schizophrenia.  Instead her parents went in search of the best medical care they could find.  I honestly wonder if they had gone to Europe to seek out help there and finally ended up in New York.  Her mother spent much of her life at the time caring for the daughter she loved so greatly.

A tribute to her husband said the following about her:

“His widow, the daughter of John Patton, whom he married in January 1844, survives him.  Among the ladies of our county no one is better known – and her devotion to her husband in his long years of affliction and absolute dependence on her ministrations is one of the bright jewels in the great ocean of humanity.”