此内容暂无简体中文译文，以下为英文原文。
Original printed byline: Glorianna L’Ecuyer
Historical February–March 2018 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Editor’s Note: In our November-December, 2017, issue, we introduced the proposal of the GermanAmerican Heritage Society to restore the historic names of some St. Louis streets by installing plaques. Jim Merkel had invited responses from the neighborhood, and we are pleased that two letters representing both pro and con were received. Remember, you can always go to our website to read the previous articles, as well as explore the full archives of the TIMES, fully digitized and easy to search!
From Glorianna L’Ecuyer I’m in favor of a marker to show that Enright was once names Von Versen.
My German ancestor, my great aunt, Blanche Wise McMenamy, was in her forties here in St. Louis when the United States entered WWI.
Her great grandfather brought his family to Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. By the time they moved to Alton in 1840 their name had been changed from Weiss to Wise. I’m guessing it sounded very close to that in English.
My great aunt was quite the socialite.
It must have been sad and even alarming for her to face the possibility of becoming a social outcast among her wealthy friends because of her German heritage.
The pressure to be nonGerman must have been very real.
As a result she told them that the family was from Alsace Lorraine, which was both French and German. Later I found census data that showed they had migrated from Bavaria.
My Great Aunt lived with her husband at the Jefferson Arms downtown.
The flu epidemic took him from her, her sister died in childbirth, and her brother-in-law followed dying from heart disease.
She then did what she had to do and moved into their home at 6018 Clemens.
She took care of all six of her nieces and nephews until they were grown and on their own.
She finally sold the house in 1947.
I think it’s fitting to have a marker showing that Von Versen was previously the name of the street just south of Clemens, who was the wife of Von Versen. Thanks to Jim Merkel for the great article and good luck to him in acquiring the markers.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2018.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Letter identifies Clemens as wife of Von Versen and prints once names; preserve correspondent wording as attributed family history, not independently verified genealogy or street-name history.
Original source: SD_Times2018_02.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
