Lucke descendents make new connections, spanning miles and generations apart!



Obituaries for Robert and Jessie Lucke, from David Hummel's book and collection.  



Robert and Jessie Lucke, from David Hummel's book and collection.

These photos and several others found on this blog are here thanks to David Hummel.

David Hummel began documenting the Lucke family history some years ago, and is now writing a book for our family. I crossed paths with him this spring thanks to Wayne Kuntze (and thereby, ancestry.com). We three are all descendents of Karl Lucke, Robert's father.

Since our connection this spring, David has entrusted me to the task of writing the Richard Lucke chapter of his manuscript. David hopes to have the manuscript ready by 2011, to be printed and bound as a book for our family. He will also give a copy to the Library of Congress.

I have been curious about my musical, theatrical, vaudevillian ancestors since childhood. It all began one sunny afternoon in my childhood bedroom, when Grandma Lucke (Dorothea/Dottie Seery Lucke) taught me the 5 positions of ballet. Once I had the knack of that, she went on to show me the basics of Hula Dancing. I was captivated by my dancing grannie!! At that wee age, I didn't have the where-with-all to ask her about vaudeville or her fascinating life, but she did make such an impression on me! Ah, hindsight!!!

However, I did commit bits of oral history told to me by my mother to memory. I continue to do so. I began reading and writing about it as soon as I learned to research and document, starting in the terrific grade school library at Cooke Magnet in Waukegan, Illinois. Back then in the 1980's, the scope of resources available included card catalogues, books, photos, phone books, and home phones. Such a leap back from today's ability to surf the net for information, perhaps while whizzing along in a train. Today, I can find and save links to vast web resources and archives to sift through later from anywhere. All while talking to my mom using my wireless cell phone (omg- and with a phonebook built in!), now having the where-with-all to try and ask the right questions!

As a teenager in the 1990's, I was introduced to a family in southern Illinois. As I stood there shaking hands with the kind folks, I saw their computer glowing softly in the background. They had a computer AND they were connected to the interwebs! I gathered as much tact and grace as I could muster under the circumstances, and then begged to have a few moments at the helm. For I was suddenly struck with the idea that maybe, just maybe... since we were connected to people all over the country and the world... maybe I could find the album that my grandpa Lucke and his brother recorded... and finally hear what kind of music they made, what kind of music grandma Lucke danced to! They obliged, and showed me how to do a search. I managed to leave a post on a website that listed old jazz albums and lore. I had faith that someone who knew, or someone who was also looking, would come across it and contact me some day.

Years later, David happened across my digital trail and tried to contact me. He thought he found me in Elkhart, Indiana, where the Lucke's lived for many years. Alas, it was another Jennifer Moran; she never responded to him and the trail was dropped. David started a new trail, however, in his manuscript.

Shortly after Wayne & I began corresponding, Wayne mailed David's manuscript to me. I almost fell over when I saw my words woven into the manuscript in my hands-

 As mentioned above, Richard, or Dick as he was called, formed his own band. In Figure 4.2, we see him at the piano, with his younger brother, Waldemer or Walter, second from right on the clarinet. Walter played all the reed instruments. The band was called “Dick Lucky and His Arcadians Dance Orchestra Unique”.

Bands such as this, prevalent in the 1920’s and later, were known as Territory Bands.  Appendix V is an article about Territory Bands found on the internet (http://www.nfo.net/).  The site also specifically mentions Dick’s band, repeated here as follows”:

MICHIGAN

Daggett Area

“Dick Lucky and His Arcadians Dance Orchestra Unique”

In private correspondence, Jennifer Moran has noted:  “…my great-grandfather, Richard Lucke, was a Vaudeville musician, and I believe they performed primarily in the mid-west.  I know that he frequently traveled to Elkhart, Indiana to purchase instruments from Conn Instruments for his band and for his music store.  He used the Conn name on his advertisements, noting that he used their pieces exclusively”.

The author attempted to contact Jennifer Moran through the website and by written correspondence, but was unsuccessful. If any reader knows Jennifer, please have her contact the author.  She may have additional information that would complement this history and she may enjoy this history. It is suspected that she lives in or near Elkhart." -David Hummel  

I scrambled to my computer, reread some notes from Wayne, did some searching, and found a promising email address for David. I explained my story- our story- and hoped that it would reach him, and that I would hear from him soon. 

Bingo! A few days later, the three of us were connected, and the photos and stories began to flow. 

We hope to meet face to face next year. Pouring over David's manuscript will be the main focus. If there's time, we'll also check out the Hyde Park neighborhood Dottie grew up in, explore the Chicago theaters and dancehalls she danced in, and maybe other spots which we have yet to discover. It's probable that Dick visited & perfomed at these old hot spots too. Plans to visit other family locations in Indiana and Michigan are also brewing, along with a road trip to the Conn Instrument archives in South Dakota. There may be sketches & instruments crafted by our ancestors there, along with newsletters, photos and other treasures to include in the history.