Today is the Wedding Anniversary of Louise and Otto

Louise Brueggeman and Otto Krausman were married in Akron on this day in 1920.  She was 30 years old. 


These notes are from her grandson, David Glawe:

The date of Otto’s birth is not certain.  Most of my early years I was told that Otto was 5 years younger than Louise putting his birth year as 1894.  His brother later told my mom that he was actually 7 years younger which puts it at 1896.  I always believed that Otto was 51 at his death but if the 1896 birth year is correct it would have made him only 49.  I know that Louise never told her age, partially because she wanted to hide the age difference.   Louise was 30 years old when they got married, which at the time would have been considered old.   She and Otto had 5 children in the next 12 years, one of which, (Howard) died at 18 months.  Only when she turn 70 did Louise begin to claim her age.  At 71 they discovered her bladder cancer and she lived until she was 82.

 

Louise and Otto knew each other before the US entered WWI and were serious about each other.  Louise wanted to get married before Otto went over seas but Otto refused.  He even refused to get officially engaged.  His reasoning was that he loved Louise and he was not afraid to leave her a widow as much as he did not want to have her burdened with a cripple. 

 

Selma's diary often mentions their courtship.  Selma alway referred to him in the diary as OK.  She also mentions his brother, Max.    

This is Selma's entry for April 2, 1918:

OK left for Camp Sherman, Chillicothe Ohio,  In the morning Linda went over with the machine (editor note:  Selma always referred to the family car as the machine) after his folks and when I was going to work I met Louise and Mama and Otto's sister in front of the Armory, but I did not see O.K. and I was late to wait for him.  Louise said he would be back in a few minutes.

May 28, 1918

In the evening the entertainment committee met at Max's house, Louise went with us.  Shortly after we arrived at his house, Louise read a letter written to them which read that Otto had left for France,  Louise cried and she got me to cry also, never before had I such a funny feeling for == did not want to cry, I tried to comfort her but did not help any, and Harold sat there and did not say a word.  Max had met Arti and then they came in and I was glad for that, I guess they didn't know what had happened but they knew something was radical wrong.