AKA: Sylvester Sebastian Zahnweh
Paul's Mother died and his Dad left to return to Europe to settle his estate. He never returned. March 26, 1913, Paul was placed in St. Vincent Orphanage in Denver, Co. On about Sept 30, 1914, Fred & Anna Groff came and took him out. They needed someone to help them on their farm. Anna died and Fred married Agnes O'Conner. Paul stayed with them until he was about 17, and then he went out on his own. He worked on ranches in Colorado.
Paul lived with us for the last 4 years of his life. During the first two years, we use to sit out on the front porch and he told me his life story. I would take notes, and then come in and write it down. So I have his life story on a disk. During his last 6 months, he became bedridden and was on a feeding machine and all. He didn't want the feeding tubes in, but since his papers on not having to go through this weren't properly signed, they had to do it. He was loved by all of us. Paul was a quiet man, very soft spoken, and he agreed with anything you wanted to do. He and Caleb had a very special bond. I guess because as an very tiny infant, Sabrina brought Caleb over and laid him next to his Grandpa. So for about 2 1/2 years Caleb grew up with Grandpa. Most of the time we could find him up in Grandpa's wheel chair, sitting on the food tray! And he would be hugging his Grandpa.
Pop had beautiful blue eyes & he had a very fair complection.Gerald Zowie, his #3 son, is a carbon copy of his Dad. They not only look alike but also have the same walk and hold their hands the same way. Before he got real sick, he weighed about 165..stood 5'6". Just before he passed away, he had lost down to 120 lbs. |