In later years, Ella became very active in the Eastern Star and later became Worth Matron of Arizona Lodge Number Five.

As a youth, George, Jr. liked to go to the fire station, which was a block east of the Commercial Hotel or on the northeast corner of First Street and Jefferson Street. George, Jr. would stand in front of the horses and pet their velvet noses. This was dangerous for the horses had been trained, when the alarm went off, the chains to the horses stalls dropped and the horses took their places by the fire truck. If this happened, George, Jr. could be trampled over. One time when they were going to a fire, one of the firemen spotted George, Jr. on the running board of the hook and ladder. They stopped and George, Jr. was taken into the Commercial Hotel, where he was taken care of by his father. This was one spanking George, Jr. never forgot. When George, Jr. was about six years old, his Uncle Edward Eisele gave him his first bicycle. Robert and John Bennet were friends of George, Jr. and were in his class at the Center Street School. They lived on the east side of south Third Street, just south of Jefferson Street. George, Jr. wanted to show his bicycle to the Bennet Brothers, let them see how fast it would go. There was a livery stable on the northeast corner of Third Street and Jefferson Street, with a high fence around it. George, Jr. darted out from behind the fence right in front of the Thalheimer horse and buggy driven by Otto Thalheimer. Fortunately, George, Jr. was not hurt. The bicycle fell on top of him, thus protecting him.

49