Virgil Clark Winsor, 1887-1955

Since my last post was the wedding announcement for Virgil Winsor and Olga Krengel, I thought I would post more about them.

Virgil Clark Winsor, son of Samuel Winsor and Edith Banks

b. Dec. 12, 1887 in McIntire, Iowa

d. Mar. 11, 1955 in Excelsior, Minn.

m. Sept. 5, 1916 in Mankato, Minn.

Olga Krengel, daughter of William Krengel and Theresa Keller

b. Oct. 15, 1889 in Mapleton, Minn.

d. Sept. 26, 1977 in Excelsior, Minn

Virgil and Olga had two children; a daughter, Evelyn Marie Winsor who was born and died on Jan 16, 1919 in Minneapolis, Minn; the other child is still living as of this post.

This information is from Census records:
1900 - Virgil is 12 yrs old and is living in Jenkins, Iowa with his parents and siblings.
1905 - Virgil is 17 yrs old and living in Wyanette Twp, Minn. with his parents and siblings and is a farm laborer.  His father Samuel is a farmer, so Virgil is most likely working on his father's farm.
1910 - Virgil is now 22 yrs old and rooming with a family in Red Wing, Minn.  He is a traveling salesman selling medicines.

On Sept. 5, 1916 Virgil and Olga are married at her parents home in Mankato, Minn.

On January 5, 1917 Virgil filled out a WWI Draft Registration card.  He lives in Excelsior, Minn. and lists his occupation as salesman.  His employer is W.T. Rawleigh Company in Excelsior and vicinity.  He claimed exemption from the draft on the grounds of a weak heart and bad feet.  He is described as being tall and slender with brown eyes and dark brown hair.

More Census records:
1920 - Virgil and Olga are living with Olga's widowed mother, Theresa, in Excelsior, Minn.  Theresa owns her home, free (no mortgage).  Virgil is a salesman at a medical company.
1930 - Virgil, Olga and their child are living in Excelsior, Minn.  Virgil owns a home valued at $2500.  He is a salesman for Rawleigh Co. (medical) and Olga is a proprietor of a wearing apparel shop.  Olga's mother Theresa Krengel is now living with them.  In the column asking if the person is a veteran of the US military or naval forces, it is answered "no" for Virgil.
1940 - Virgil, Olga, and child are living in Excelsior, Minn.  Virgil owns a home valued at $4000.  He is a salesman of retail ready-to-wear and Olga is the manager of retail ready-to-wear.  Under the column of "Class of worker", Virgil is classified as "Wage or salary worker in private work" and Olga is classified as "working on own account".


The following information was gathered from a book I found about the Winsor lineage.  The book is titled Down Winsor Way - A Family History and Genealogy written by Vivian Winsor Toothaker.  (Vivian is one of Virgil's sisters.  She was also mentioned in a previous post about Fred and Rena Elsner's wedding.  She was the little sister that carried the wedding ring.)  I won't copy the whole page from the book, but will give you the highlights that clarify the information above that I had gathered from other sources.

             "Virgil possessed a happy nature and a real interest in people.  These
              characteristics combined to give him the qualities of a salesman.  As
              he traveled about the countryside selling Watkins, then Raleigh (sic)
              Products, he enjoyed visiting with the people on whom he called."

             "In his youth, he and his brother, Roy, were good helpers on his father's farm."

             "Virgil borrowed money from his parents to attend Minneapolis Business
              College.  The money was faithfully repaid.  His brother-in-law, Fred Harrington,
              had become a Watkins salesman and was living in Mapleton, Minn.  Virgil
              visited them and was introduced to a young lady friend of theirs, Olga Krengel.  
              A romance developed which resulted in marriage.  Virgil also became a Watkins  
              salesman as a result of that visit.  His territory was first in Red Wing,
              then Zumbrota, later when he moved to Excelsior, it was south of
              Minneapolis through Chaska, Mendota, etc."

             "Olga had a natural bent for business.  She learned the milliner trade.  For
              many years she owned and operated a variety or dry goods store in Excelsior
              which she called "WINDSOR SHOPPE."

             "In later years, Virgil gave up traveling as a salesman and assisted Olga at the store."

             "He loved to sing and whistle as he went about his work; this was an
              expression of Virgil's happy spirit.  He was always busy, trying his hand at
              many jobs around his home, even to the extent of building some rental houses.
              During one period, he raised dogs, specializing in Boston Bull Terriers."

             "He overtaxed his heart shoveling snow after a storm and in his later years
              he suffered many heart attacks which brought about his death in March, 1955."

             "Virgil was deeply religious and united with the Lutheran Church of Excelsior.
               He was interested in the civic activities in his city."

Virgil Clark Winsor is my great grand uncle Fred Elsner's brother-in-law.  Fred and his wife, Rena, had a son named Virgil.  I wonder: did they name their son after Rena's brother?