Esther Marie Lang was born on August 18, 1922 in the rural community of Woonsocket, in northeastern South Dakota. Her mother, Mary and her father, George married because of her impending birth. After Esther was born Mary left and her grandparents took her to the family farm to raise.
Lang Family FarmThe family spoke only German and Esther didn't learn English until she began attending school. Although she was the only child in family of grown uncles and her father, she wasn't spoiled. She was expected to do her share of chores, and do so without complaint. Love and discipline
went hand-in-hand. There were no friends of her own age so she made friends of the farm animals; even giving her favorite cows names! She loved the outdoors and dreamed of having a large family of her own someday!
Esther about 1 1/2 yrs oldBesides learning English, she also learned "the family secret" from the children at school. She heard from them that her "Uncle George" was actually her father! She tearfully reported this to her grandmother who confirmed it in a matter-of-fact German way. It was quite a shock! She said after this she would see pictures of her mother, but had never met her in person.
Esther (front/center) about 8 yrs. old with Granddad Lang and cousin (?)
Esther about 12 yrs. old on her ConfirmationShortly after the above picture was taken, both of her grandparents passed away. She was sent to live with one of the married uncles to help around their house. She told the story of when the aunt had her first baby, and it died. They placed the baby's body in the basement (where it was cool) and set off for town to make funeral arrangments. Esther stayed behind and was to have dinner prepared when they returned with the priest. She went about her chores of cleaning the house, setting the table, and starting dinner. Then she realized the potatoes were down in the basement where the dead baby was! As the sun was starting to set she tried to convince herself to be brave and go get the potatoes. She knew if dinner wasn't ready, she'd get a beating - but she just couldn't do it! She was just a young girl! So dinner was made sans potatoes, she did get a beating AND a memory that stayed with her forever.
She rotated time between one or another of the uncles and the family farm. She said George and the uncles did some pretty wild and crazy things. And George never really was a father figure. Then her mother came back into her life. Mary had married an Eber "Sid" Siddons who owned a car dealership in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. So Esther moved west across the state near to Rapid City. She attended junior and senior high school there, met her best friend, Willie Ellen and caught the eye of the most eligible bachelor in town - Francis Robinson. It was love!
Esther about 16 yrs. old in downtown Belle Fourche, SD
Esther visiting before Graduation Day at the Lang farm
Senior picture, Class of 1941They were married in the fall of 1942 and began their married life as Francis began his military service. The first of their sons, Bill, was born while they were stationed in Portland, Maine. Like many miltary families of WWII, Francis was sent to the South Pacific. Esther made the best of the situation with little Bill as they awaited his return.
Francis P. Robinson in his dress uniform, shortly before shipping out
Esther in Portland, Maine. She was pregnant with Bill in this picture.
The picture of Esther and Bill that Francis carried during the war.When he returned from the war, they came home to Belle Fourche and family life continued. Francis ran the town bakery, owned a small garage and opened a go-cart track as the baby boys continued to come into their lives. There would eventually be seven living boys.
In 1953 Francis moved the family out in the country to a 100 yr-old stone fieldhouse, the Homestead. The boys had plenty of room to run free - think of "Little House on the Prairie" without the golly-gee moments and you've got the picture. There are so many stories of their adventures at the Homestead; many more blogs to come...
Esther allowed them the freedom to hike the hills and joined them searching for Indian artifacts. They planted the garden and raised a cow, a pig and chickens to feed the family. She bound their broken bones and sometimes stitched their wounds. She taught them respect for nature and a healthy fear of the rattlesnakes and bears that shared their woods. She expected them to do the chores required of a large family. She expected the truth - always! She gave them all love and taught them to love one another and bond closely as a family.
She sent them faithfully, if not always willingly, to church and gave them a strong foundation of faith. Family prayer was a daily experience. The boys recall learning their prayers, especially the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary." And they all remember daily Rosaries, even when they had better things to do!
Family picture from the Homestead -clockwise:
Byron in kitchen, All the boys at Bill's graduation, Boys around the front tree Summer 1955.
Francis came to Las Vegas to seek a better life for the family in 1960. Esther kept the family together at the Homestead through some very rough times until they could rejoin Francis about two years later. When he died after battling cancer in 1969, she still had young boys at home. She ran a daycare to make ends meet and raised seven strong, wonderful men! They all got their sense of family commitment and responsibility from Esther. In her German directness, she always let you know exactly where you stood, even if that made you uncomfortable! She could bake, especially for the Holidays; and loved reading, crocheting and quilting. A radio turned to a talk show always kept her company.
She passed away December 1, 2008. She was a strong woman and we miss her a lot! More stories to come....
(c) CHRobinson 03/2010
