Klug Family

John Klug prided himself by saying he was born in Jerusalem (on Broadway, where Anselmi's was, north of today's, 2007, JFK Middle School), raised in Central Park, lived in Bethpage and never moved. He was born in August 1896, and orphaned 6 months later. He was raised by Mr and Mrs. Fredericks and their home was on Sherman Avenue (the block after Broadway) which John remodeled in 1931 and is still standing. The street now known as Park Avenue (right behind the fire house on Broadway). He operated "Broadway Garage" in the 20's in the building in the back of their Park Avenue home (the garage is still standing in 2000) Depression came and business went. John was also a blacksmith.

Mr. and Mrs. Klug were part of the group who addressed the need for starting a Lutheran Church in Central Park. They spoke to Rev. William Rush of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hicksville about this desire. Invitations were written in the Klug kitchen by them and Pastor Rush. The first service was in the Theodore Republican Club House and later they met in the fire house on Stewart Avenue. The corner stone for the church was laid in 1923 and the church was called St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Daughter, Aline, was the first child baptized and Mrs. Klug took charge of the Cradle Roll. Evelyn Auer was Aline's Sunday School Teacher.

The Klug children, Aline, Wes and Ken went to Powell Avenue School, and walked in all kinds of weather. Mr. Goubleman, principal, started the day in assembly with the Lord's Prayer, a reading from the Bible, salute to the flag, and sang the National Anthem. Teachers in Powell Avenue School were: Miss Hartz - History, Miss Callahan - Geography, Mrs. Dunton - Math, and Mr. Miller - English.

After Aline graduated high school she worked at Powell Avenue School part time. Mr. Victor Miller was principal, and he had Aline set up the first school library in Bethpage by using half of the nurses office for the library.

Aline (Klug) Scherer remembers:

Hoschen's Bakery - Corner Broadway & Baldwin Place Walton's Grocery Store - Across from Hoschen's Benkert Garage - Corner Baldwin Place & Sherman Avenue (Now Park Avenue) Kniffing's Machinery Repair Shop - On Baldwin Place Godfrey's Farm Machinery - Corner Central and Stewart Avenues Grossman's Garage - Corner Central Avenue and Park Avenue Post Office - South of the RR - Mrs. Hackett, Postmistress - then moved North of the RR (Corner Broadway and Baldwin Place) Mr. Harry Stolz, Postmaster. Mr. Klingelhoffer's Butcher Shop - Broadway, always got a slice of Baloney Mr. John Maggi - Shoemaker - west side of Broadway Fonari's Garage & Restaurant - west side of Broadway next to the Rectory (now St. Vincent DePaul) Public Library opened in the stores on the north side of the RR. I was so happy. The librarian was Mrs. Fredericks and her husband was the ticket agent for the RR. Mr. Greco - our gate keeper, and his friend, Mr. Sam Seitz, who was always at the gates. We called Mr. Seitz the Mayor Sengstacken's Bake Shop - Best meltaway Miss Gillgar's Gift Shop - Lovely gifts and cards (both these shops were on the east side of Broadway near corner Central Avenue.

Past Times:

On Saturday or Sunday we would be given 10 cents to go to the movies in Hicksville. Cold weather - lots of snow - went sleigh riding in Bethpage Park - walked there and back. Sometimes we would go down Central Avenue to the RR tracks where there was a hill and we called it the Bumpity Bumps. We would sleigh rid there. A much shorter walk. On weekends we would sit on the curb on Stewart Avenue and watch the big cars (as we called them) take all the rich and famous into the Beau Sejour for dinner. Later years my other brother worked there as a waiter and met many celebrities. Monopoly was a real great game. We usually played that from house to house depending on the weather. Weather permitting we played all the ball games we could. Always found time to read. Loved the library. Did loads of walking every day. Picking beans on the corner of Stewart and Central Avenue for a guarter a bushel plus a good sunburn.

(Information from Aline (Klug) Scherer July, 2000)