Lena Funk Hoffman and Billy: 52 Ancestors Prompt "Transportation"

Billy: The Original "Horsepower"

            Looking back through family photos, I am struck by how rapidly means of transportation changed. In the span of a single century, people transitioned from the original “horse power”—a horse pulling a wagon or carriage—to the roaring horsepower of high-performance engines. Most of the photos feature men with horse teams or at the wheel of cars—Model Ts, Model A’s and then the growing variety of cars, trucks and tractors. So when I found a photo of my great-grandmother, Lena Funk Hoffman, holding the reins of a carriage, I was reminded that transportation wasn’t just the province of my male ancestors.

                Lena Hellena Funk was born in Blue Earth County Minnesota on February 12, 1869 to parents Charles Funk and Catherina Grentz. Lena had three half-siblings from her mother’s first marriage, and two full siblings.

                Lena married my great-grandfather William Henry Hoffman on January 31, 1889 at age nineteen. William took over Lena’s father’s farm just outside Mankato, and they had six daughters and one son, including my grandmother Nora Hoffman.

                Lena was obviously an active partner on the farm, so would have been comfortable around horses. I am sure she could harness the horses, hook up wagons and carriages, and handle farm equipment. From my grandmother’s stories, the whole family loved their horses—they were more than just a means of transportation.

                By the time gas-powered cars and tractors came along, Lena was quite elderly. She probably never learned how to drive a car, but even in her later years, she was still getting around by horse and buggy. This charming photo was labeled by my grandmother Nora, and read “Ma and Billy”.  I am guessing that the photo was taken between 1915 and 1921, based on Lena’s appearance and clothing. The family had huge draft horses to pull the farm equipment, but Billy was a smaller horse used for lighter work.

I love that the family horses all had human names like “Billy” (Mom talked about Joe and Daisy as well). I also love how comfortable Lena looks with the reins in her hands. While she may have been limited to vehicles powered by a mere one or two horsepower during her lifetime, Lena was a competent, confident traveler.