Beyond the Island

By Joy Lizbeth Holmquist

In this historical view of Germany and the United States from pre–World War I to the beginning of World War II, three orphans journey through Ellis Island to America, expecting to remain together upon their arrival. A providential hand guides and protects them but in a much different way than they expected. Despite the children’s insecurities, they eventually trust that their lives can be transformed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984542762

Joy Lizbeth Holmquist

The author spent her childhood in the Lancaster and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania areas. She and her husband live in Florida and have four children and eight grandchildren. One son and daughter-in-law are in the military service. She taught in CEF Good News Clubs for six years and has been in a jail ministry to incarcerated women for eleven years. For a number of years she served in various capacities, and as Chair, in the Christian Business Women's After Five Club. She has a degree in communications. Joy and her dog, King Hezekiah, aka, Kiah, belong to an obedience club where Kiah trains as a fancy dancer. Fancy dance dogs perform on stage and visit nursing homes to the amusement of many.

Book preview

Beyond the Island

Joy Lizbeth Holmquist

Copyright © 2018 by Joy Lizbeth Holmquist.

ISBN:                        Softcover                            978-1-9845-4259-5

                                  eBook                                  978-1-9845-4276-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 12/19/2018

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1 Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1916

Chapter 2 Moving On

Chapter 3 West Central Germany North Rhine-Westphalia 1922

Chapter 4 Reveries

Chapter 5 Oma’s Faith

Chapter 6 The History of the Land

Chapter 7 Ghosts

Chapter 8 Wartime Memories

Chapter 9 A New Family

Chapter 10 The Escape

Chapter 11 Jackson Street

Chapter 12 Kutztown 1928

Chapter 13 The Great Depression

Chapter 14 A Long Winter

Chapter 15 A New Life

Chapter 16 Friendships

Chapter 17 Prosperity

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

M Y THANKS GO to Eileen and Trudie for their assistance in proofreading. I thank my husband for his patience during the creation of this fictional account concerning three orphans who must journey to America. Thanks to Pastor Tim for his inspirational teaching and to Pastor Eric whose guiding rule of conduct is Every soul mat ters.

PROLOGUE

D ESPITE THE MISANTHROPIC actions of humankind imposed by WWI, two of three orphaned sisters believe their lives can be transformed. Would the discernment within a grandmother’s diary pass to her descendants when ahead was an oppressive government, growing imperialism, the Great Depression, World War II, and Ellis Island? Beyond the Island is a story of old-fashioned immigration, old-fashioned-values, and the importance of family. An historical view of Germany and the United States, from pre-World War I to the beginning of World War II, is presented in this narrative of immigration to Ame rica.

Immigration is not the same today as described within the pages of Beyond the Island. The modern-day story of immigration is currently being written. Governments appear stymied. We face complicated circumstances. If you read no other chapters of this book, read chapters 9 and 10 to understand the differences between the immigration of yesterday as compared to the immigration of today. We face waves of humanity from troubled nations traveling over borders around the world by any means they can find.

There is a prophecy about a one world government that will occur in the future. If you research it, you will find a millennial reign on earth and then. … …eternity! History has certainly proven all too numerous uncivilized and barbaric behaviors by humankind. One might say that man doesn’t know how to govern himself. Many people believe the prophecy sets forth the only way an inhabitable system for humanity can exist without the chaos, failed nations, and countries without borders. In the meantime, enjoy the quick read within these pages about a family traveling to America through Ellis Island. Today it looks as though we are well beyond the island and gradually moving toward a world without borders, i.e., one world government. Should there be a course correction? That is the controversial debate of today.

CHAPTER 1

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

1916

I T WAS A sunny Sunday in the summer of 1916. Erik and his father, Ezra, were excited about the train trip they were taking from Lancaster to Willow Grove Park, Philadelphia, where they would hear John Philip Sousa play The Stars and Stripes For ever.

Erik, I know you have waited since your birthday. We’re going to thoroughly enjoy the day. After all, you only turn sixteen once in a lifetime! exclaimed his father.

Oh, I haven’t minded waiting, Father, reported Erik. There’s not much to celebrate in the middle of winter, and you and Mother gave me a family party. I’ve looked forward to taking the trolley to the park’s entrance. It’s fun going into the tunnel under the tracks at Easton Road.

Ezra agreed. I anticipate the excitement of the park when we get off the train downtown. Until then, I enjoy the scenery and the relaxation of the rocking train.

Erik and his father waved farewell to Mother and Erik’s younger brother, John, as they settled into the cushioned fabric seats. Erik adjusted his suit coat and thought of the park’s dress code. Sousa would be well dressed, wearing a white uniform and gloves, as he performed in the summer heat before a packed audience.

Often, Father would take a blanket and they’d sit with a large crowd by the lake where a gentle breeze somewhat abated the summer heat. Erik wondered where they would sit today. There was free seating and standing room outside the music pavilion. They had never taken seating in the reservation-only pavilion, which housed five thousand people. The seating around the lake sometimes totaled fifteen thousand, and often there were additional people standing. People also congregated by the bridge and lakeside pavilion to listen to the concert, or to watch boats on the lake. The big restaurant had porches, a rotunda, and many nooks, where people gathered to hear the bands.

Father, he said, how many people are supposed to attend this concert?

There are reports of up to forty thousand people, Erik, and there will be additional people in the upper part of the park around the fountain and amusement park.

Erik speculated as to how many people the park could actually hold, where even on a hot summer afternoon the men wore dark-colored pants and suit coats, and the women wore long dresses.

As the train rattled merrily along, a conductor with a developed sense of balance approached each occupied seat to gather or punch a hole in each passenger’s ticket.

As the conductor moved away, effortlessly rocking from side to side, Erik’s father spoke about their upcoming vacation. We’ll go to Margate City, New Jersey, this summer, Son. I’ve arranged for a cabin on Absecon Island, south of Atlantic City. We’ll be near Lucy, the zoomorphic, wood and tin, white, elephant …

Oh, that’s fantastic, replied Erik. I can’t wait to see that curious elephant. I hear it stands on the sandy shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

Yes, it certainly does. I’m sure we’ll never see anything like it again. Your mother is looking forward to the trip and has purchased a parasol and a fancy bathing suit. It’s rather like a blouse with bloomers and over the bloomers is a skirt. She’s more excited about the trip than we are about hearing the March King.

Yes, Father, Erik chortled, I’ve seen Mother’s bathing suit. She’ll be more covered than when she worked on the farm in the summer.

They spoke of their time on the farm, remembering the shotgun targets and gigging for fish. They chuckled over the time Erik’s brother, John, accidentally shot their old rooster. Ezra reminisced about wading through streams with a torch-like device consisting of candles with a shield over the top. When the light reflected on a glossy fish, he drove a spear like fork consisting of five or six tines into its body and placed the catch in his shoulder bag.

It’s a shame gigging became illegal. It was a quick way to catch some tasty meals, wasn’t it, Father!

Yes, indeed, and it was fun.

When they arrived at the park, Erik was surprised that his father led the way to the big restaurant in front of the music pavilion. The restaurant provided an elevated view of the park. A uniformed man escorted them to seating on one of the spacious porches, where one could truly appreciate the sights and sounds of the concert. Previously they had packed lunches and snacks, never utilizing the park’s refreshment stands, soda fountains, or lunch cafes. Upon a quick glance at the menu, Erik was astounded at the restaurant’s apparent quality and prices.

Father, I never dreamed of anything so wonderful!

Well, you turned sixteen last February, and you’ve been waiting for this special day. We’ve lounged in the park and around the lake to listen to Sousa; today we’ll experience fine dining and quality service.

Thank you, Father. This is an experience I’ll treasure forever.

Son, they even have musical groups on hand during Sousa’s intermission to play while we dine. That is, if we can afford to stay that long, his father joked.

Erik thought for a few minutes, and a sly smile came over his face. He knew of his Father’s favorite hobby. He often helped Father care for the horse they kept behind their house in Ephrata, on State Street. They cared for that horse as well as they did any family member, and races were common among friends on roads where the chances of meeting an automobile were slim. Erik’s grandfather, Jacob, had made a livelihood selling horses he’d obtained out West.

Father, has Scotty been winning any races?

Erik, Scotty is an active horse; he needs his exercise, and sometimes he exercises longer than any horse around town. He recently exercised faster than my friends believed he could.

Having a great horse runs in the family. Mother’s father surely had some great horses.

Yes, selling horses earned him money well into his old age.

And racing them! chuckled Erik.

Ezra grinned and changed the subject. Son, do you know that the trolley company operates this restaurant? They maintain its high standards. The park was their idea—something to do with increasing the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company’s business area. They control the trolley lines and the two turnpikes into Willow Grove.

Well, it looks as if they’re making money, replied Erik.

Actually, said Ezra, I heard that the park came about because of financial problems, so the transit company decided to promote development of parks outside town. They built trolley lines to create weekend traffic. There are three other parks, although they aren’t as spectacular.

Don’t a lot of people ride their bikes and drive their automobiles to this park?

Some do, said father, but the transit still makes money from turnpike fees and from city people who take the trolley. Still, it is surprising the park is profitable. Everything costs a lot to operate, and this music mecca has no entrance fee."

Yes, it seems they should charge a fee because not everyone hangs around to spend money after a concert. Twenty thousand people probably leave this park all at once when a concert ends. Many people are simply buying a concert ticket, and the PRT had to construct a powerhouse, car barns, and loading platforms, Erik retorted.

Yes, replied father, I don’t know how they afford everything when they service seasonal crowds.

What do you suppose they pay the bands?

I can only imagine what they pay now. I read articles indicating over sixty thousand dollars for a season a number of years ago; I haven’t read anything recently, but I’m sure it’s an amazing amount.

Well, Erik responded, I hope the park can afford to remain open. People have wonderful times here.

When the concert came to a thunderous end, the crowd erupted in resounding cheers and applause. Erik and his father followed throngs of people back to the loading platforms. Lines of trains and the general populace produced no confusion or problems.

It’s truly amazing how well organized everything is, Erik commented. He and his father cheerfully joined crowds of people on a trolley back to downtown Philadelphia, where they would catch their train to Lancaster.

Traveling home, Erik continued recalling their years on the farm. The farm had come to them from his mother’s side of the family. Why did we leave the farm, Father?

Your mother and I sold the farm, said Ezra, so we could move to Ephrata, where life would be more convenient.

Oh, Father, replied Erik, "we still have a horse, a barn, pigs, chickens, and a garden behind the house,