Elmer was another of the many storytellers in the Vopal family. While he was researching the family, he sat down and typed out his memories. The following are Elmer's own writings:

Frank J Vopal was born in Dusejov, Bohemia, Czechoslovzkia, Austria-Hungary.
The Vopal family came to this country when Joseph was 4 years and Frank was 8 months old in 1891. First they lived in Chicago. Because of a scarlet fever epidemic they moved back to the old country. In 1895 when Frank was 4 years old then moved back to Milwaukee, WI, and lived on the south side.
Frank's Dad opened a tailor shop in the basement of their home. He learned the trade in Bohemia and he was good at it. He made suits and overcoats for some of the stores downtown. He had people working for him.
When brother Joe was old enough he learned the trade too. And when Frank was old enough he had to deliver (walk) them downtown.
Later they had a farm at South 27th and West Layton Ave on the southwest corner. The kids worked the farm. They had to get up a two in the A.M. to feed the horses and to milk the cows. It took them some time to get to town where they delivered their milk. Mostly around 14th and Burnham. When they got older on Saturday nights Joe and Frank would take the horse and buggy to town. On the way home they would go to sleep in the buggy and wake up in the apple orchard. When the apples were in season their mother would make a number of pies. Then she would set them on the window sill to cool. The boys would help themselves.

Frank and Hattie's first car they bought was a Mitchell touring car 1917 with the side windows of isin-glass. The second car was a Ford truck that he had custom made to deliver his goods to the farmers. And the last one was an 1927 Essex four door sedan.
Hattie liked to paint, Frank would go to work and he never knew what he would find when he got home. One day he returned home from work and she had painted the kitchen a bright red ceiling, and light blue table and chairs. She called it her Mexican Kitchen. She liked all the colors and used them. She also liked to sew. She made alot of dresses, hats and assortment of things.
When Frank retired he did all the gardening and he had a large one in the backyard. He would go fishing whenever he had a chance.
Next door we had the Ervin Acker family, a union made in heaven. We were back and forth. One party after another, Uncle Ervin played the concertina so it was a keg of beer and dancing. And there was Sheepshead. And Aunt Marie made the best homemade bread EVER.

Back to Home or Vopal Surname or Frank Vopal.