George Henry Kloepfer
1875-1951

From "Joys and Tears of Yesteryears:"

The youngest child in the Kloepfer family of 12 children, three of whom died in infancy, was a blond boy named George. He was born March 9, 1875 and was baptized in April of the next year in Jay Hawk. Reverend Patrick O’Connell, Pastor of St. Patrick’s in Placerville, officiated. George’s sponsors were James Murphy, Jr. and Fredelina Friedman. These christenings were held once a year, usually in the spring, in convenient localities where there were no regular church services. I have selected George’s because it was more unusual than the others; however, it was similar up to a point. The locale, the refreshments and the gatherings were about the same, but in the middle of the 1870’s there was added enjoyment for the family-the fact that the girls, Adelaide, Louisa and Mary were now in their budding years.

The best information that can be gleaned at this late date is that this christening was held in the upstairs or school room of the old building which housed the old Pinchem-Tight store on the Conrad Etzel property. However, many times a home was offered by some family for these gatherings. In later years, the Mary Brandon home in Rescue was one such. At the conclusion of the services, coffee and cake was served and the people lingered and visited. They returned home in the early afternoon to pursue their chores on their ranches.

George Kloepfer’s christening day was a full one as folks renewed their acquaintances with old friends and schoolmates. The Kloepfer girls were lovely young ladies now and they caught some appraising glances and not entirely from the ladies. The three girls were slender and medium height. Adelaide, the oldest, was the only one inclined toward plumpness. Her hair coloring was dark brown, almost black. Mary, the next oldest, was a blonde while Louisa had light brown hair. Elizabeth must have realized that sparking days were just around the corner and the swains would soon come calling. Looking at this in retrospect, one might equate this with a coming out day just as surely as if they were presented at a cotillion ball.

The girls were dressed in the latest fashion in ginghams which they stitched on a newly-acquired Singer which Louisa had purchased with her first pay when she was working in Placerville. This afforded the two budding debutantes, Mary and Louisa, the opportunity to attend the country dances or socials which were held from time to time. Many a girl or boy, for that matter, could not take in an affair due to lack of a party dress or shoes. Adelaide did not attend these dances for another reason. Her physical handicap prevented any such exercise as dancing or sitting in a hay wagon bumping along the rough roads. Perhaps she had become interested in the young man from Saint Louis and this precluded any desire to check dancing partners to ultimately find a life partner.

The girls’ dress material was bought in Placerville. The colors were subdued with tiny flowers and others were striped or checkered. The neck of the dress was high to the clavicle. Some dresses were worn with jabots. Sleeves came below the elbow and the skirts fell below the calf with small ruffles around the bottom. Sometimes the neck and sleeves had ruffles, too. There was usually one pattern, if there was any at all, but if so, Elizabeth cut each dress differently as the girls were individual types and their taste in clothes were just as individual. The boys from Jay Hawk, Shingle Springs and other districts soon came calling to visit the boys, but ostensibly to see the girls.

Sacramento Bee
Thursday, July 12, 1951

KLOEPFER - Near Coloma, El Dorado County, July 7, 1951. George Henry Kloepfer, uncle of Fred Luneman, a native of Coloma, aged 75 years. Funeral services were held today in the Memory Chapel, Placerville. Interment in Union Cemetery.

Return to Klöpfer, Kloepfer and Kleopfer