Staff Photo by Fritz Busch The Mulligan Moonshine Mama (Lorie Jewell) performs at Turner Hall Thursday. “She did WHAT?!” was a spoof on women in situations presented by the Brown County Historical Society.

NEW ULM — Historical stories of Brown County featured six women who portrayed notable characters based on 1980 to 1930 Brown County newspaper stories at Turner Hall Thursday.

“She did WHAT?!” presented by the Brown County Historical Society (BCHS) included language like “house of ill repute, alienation of affection, and breach of promise.”

Presenters included Kathleen Backer as Nettie Newsworthy, Bonnie Lantz as the Milford Merry Widow, Denice Evers in dancing with the devil at the Lake Marion Ballroom, Christina Koester as the Magi Priestess, Donna Wing as Ms. Breach of Promise and Lorie Jewell as the Mulligan Moonshine Mama.

Amy Johnson, BCHS executive director, said characters presented were real people with real stories. Their names were changed.

“We are here tonight to honor their experience and to learn,” Johnson said.

“What we found fascinating was what made the news and headlines,” she added.

Backer, Brown County Blabber reporter, was mistress of ceremonies.

“We changed names to protect the innocent or protect the guilty,” she said.

“Tonight, I’m going to share tips on proper etiquette, what to wear or what not to wear,” Newsworthy said.

“Do any of you remember wearing nylon stockings? Not panty hose. Nylon stockings with seams, garter belts, everything. You couldn’t leave home until you knew the seams were straight. Lucky for all of you, seams have gone out of style,” she added.

Her next hint was wearing lipstick only on your lips, not your teeth.

“I remember hearing about the Milford Merry Widow. Put yourself into her shoes. She didn’t have a matchmaker,” said Newsworthy.

Lantz gave a detailed, intriguing portrayal of the Milford Merry Widow.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. I made the front page of the Brown County Journal,” she said.

“The headline read ‘runs away with young man. Aged New Ulm woman with young man 50 years her junior, secretly, with $800 in cash. Purpose of her companion a mystery. People are free in their guesses.’

The Milford Merry Widow said she was born in Germany in 1830 and George at 16.

“George was not very handsome. He was a good man. He was kind and a very good provider but we never really had a romantic marriage. But we had eight children,” the widow said.

“I always dreamed of living in America. We immigrated to America two years after we were married. We lived in Le Sueur, then Sigel in Brown County, until George passed away after nearly 17 years,” she added.

“I then made it to my final home on the farm in Milford with my two youngest sons, Bob and Tom,” the widow said.

She said running a farm was a lot of hard work, so her sons hired a young man, Joe.

“Oh that Joe, he was such a charmer. He was so handsome too and so young. Every day after his chores were done, he’d come and sit by me on the porch and we’d talk,” the widow said.

She said he would bring her wildflower bouquets. He’d give her homemade apple pie and compliment her on her clothes, hair and cooking, making her feel young and attractive.

“He told me he bought land in Colorado. I’d dream of living there with Joe. One day he got into a fight with my boys. I guess it was about his filling my head with nonsense. After all, I’m 80 and he’s 30. I was so upset, I packed my bags and moved to town,” said the widow.

She said Joe followed me to town and she heard plenty of whispering from the town folk.

“We didn’t care what they said. We had a secret plan. On Easter Sunday, I was supposed to visit my daughter in Chicago. I never made it. Instead, I hopped on the train with Joe with $800 cash and a certified check for $1,000 and we headed for Colorado,” the widow said.

She said her family contacted the police to investigate.

“I think people were jealous. I think and act younger than my 80 years. Joe told me that. I was disappointed when we got to Colorado. Joe’s land wasn’t like the pictures. It was dry, rocky and barren,” the widow said.

She said Joe had no money because it all went to buy the land, so she agreed to build a house.

“I was later was told I was being swindled and Joe was sweet on me to get my money to build a house and Joe had a girlfriend in town. The house was for he and his girlfriend. I was so embarrassed, I left and lived the rest of my back on the farm back in Milford,” said the widow.