Excerpts taken from “Adventure in Jade” by James Lewis Kraft.
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About Kraftwood
The Kraftwood gardens were open to the public on Sundays through the 1950’s. They were also home to some of the earliest recordings of the Kraft Music Hall radio programs. The home remains in the Kraft family to this day and is now closed to the public.
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J.L. was my great great uncle. Everytime i fly through chicago i think about going to see this but never feel like going far from the airport. I feel like a while back some letters were found that talked about how some of the pieces of jade were procured. I WILL see this in person one day
I’m his great-grandson. You can read all about how he procured his jade in his book entitled, “Adventure in Jade”. You can read it at the following link:
https://archive.org/details/adventureinjade0000jame_k9t0/page/n10/mode/1up
Thanks for posting.
We have a copy that has been with us all my life. my grand father was JL’s nephew Robert.I don’t know off hand which brother was Robert’s father. This makes you and my mom Karen 3rd cousins and you and i 3rd cousins once removed. I do know my mom Karen went to some reunion or event in stockton a few years back. Thank you for the response
I’m glad you have a copy. My mom attended the reunion in Stockton, IL a few years back.
J.L.’s sister Sally Ann had a son named Robert Rose. Is that your grandfather?
My brother had a frank written in his baby book but i don’t see a frank mentioned on the wiki page. I suspect it may be george franklin. I would have a better idea if he was married to an Elizabeth.
George Franklin Kraft, Jr (1878-1961) was J.L.’s brother who was married to Elizabeth “Lizzy” Carter (1877-1971). They had five children, including Irene (1910-1993), who married a man named Lester Schwedt (1906-unknown). They had a son named Robert Schwedt born in ’37. Could that be your grandpa?
Are you sure the 1937 date for robert is correct? My mom karen was born in 1943. The frank and elizabeth names would be correct.
That 1937 date would most likely (i don’t have a birthyear for elizabeth) be past Elizabeth’s child bearing age
That’s because this Robert (b.1937) was the child of Irene Kraft (1910-1993) and her husband Lester Schwedt, not the child of George/Elizabeth. We’re one generation forward. George/Elizabeth were my grandma’s generation. Nevertheless, we won’t get anywhere on this without some last names, or some of your mom’s siblings names, or something concrete. I’d be happy to help you out if you like if you want to message me privately @ rdykier@gmail.com