The following was sent by Elma (Buehler) Lehmann to her cousin Walter Johnston's son Wesley in 1987. I have added some square-bracketed notations and reformatted the text for easier reading.

Was born on a farm in Bisdorf, Germany. [WJ: Elma mis-read the German on her husband's parents marriage record (see Media Gallery). Minnia was born at Rixdorf, Germany.] Her first job was joining a circus learning to hang by her teeth. When her mother found out she made her quit. Minnia got an office job. After her father died her mother Emily came to live with her. She then got a job in a pen point factory so she could make more money.

Minnia had a beautiful singing voice. She could sing any song named. She liked to sing opera the best. Her favorite was "Fledermaus" opera. Often talked about the Black Forest, sidewalk cafes and Kaiser Wilhelm Castle she saw when going to school not only from the outside but saw it on the inside. She said it was beautiful.

Minnia worked for Spaulding Sports Co. sewing baseball covers and later in 1948 worked for Spiegel Co. located at 1061 W 37th St Chicago. She also became a U. S. citizen.