The Class of 1928

Henrietta Lohff

William Mosely

Henrietta Lohff married Robert P. Wurtzel Nov. 22, 1933. Henrietta and Bob were known around the midwest as “The Magical Wurtzels.” Their talents took them around the U.S., to Cuba, Canada and Hawaii. During World War II, Henrietta Bob created “The Wurtzel News,” a concise edition of the happenings and whereabouts of service men and women from the area, in addition to tidbits of Freeport news. The Wurtzels were widely-known for their annual Open Houses, featuring performances by magicians throughout the midwest.

Henrietta Wurtzel was known as Freeport’s "First Lady of Magic” and was a member of the national organization, “Magic Gals.” Her memberships included being an officer of Freeport Women’s Club, the Culture Club, the YWCA, a 50-year-member of Winneshiek Players, a life member of Stephenson County Historical Society and a life member of Freeport Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. A member of St. John United Church of Christ, she served as a Sunday school teacher, a member of the church dramatic Guild, President of the Women’s Fellowship, and was a past officer of the Golden Agers. (Scan of Henrietta's magic brochure courtesy of Alice Horner.)

She & Bob set up a scholarship for Highland Community College students. She presented her scholarship to a student in person at the annual scholarship program. When it was time to give the scholarship, it would seemed to have “disappeared.” But Henrietta always had her “magic purse” and “magic wand” which made the scholarship re-appear, to the relief of the recipient student and the delight of the audience.

Bob died April 4, 1983, just a few months short of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Henrietta died at age 98, on May 11, 2008.

William Mosely was only the second black student to graduate from Freeport High School.

This is a card from the 1920s showing a brick paved Stephenson Street, looking west. The first building on the left is a bakery; the second is a hardware store. Then comes State Street, and the tall State Bank building. Trolley tracks run up the middle of the street. On the right, the tall brick building with the flag is the old Brewster Hotel, where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas stayed during the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Little's China Plate Tower is just visible beyond the Brewster. On the near side of State Street is the cupola of what was in my day Garrity's Drug Store. The next store is a tire store, which prophetically advertises Kelly Springfield Tires. In the 1960s, Kelly Springfield opened a tire factory just east of Freeport. The next nearest sign says Cigars, with a small sign underneath that says, Bowling. On the street are a mixture of automobiles and a horse-drawn wagon.

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