The Leigh World publishes a weekly column entitled Looking Back at the World, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Leigh World files. A special thank you to the Leigh World for allowing me to reprint those articles. The following are selections from that column:
April 1, 1949 - reprinted April 16, 2003The Leigh community is still in the grip of old man winter. Since Friday of last week, we have received about an inch and a half of precipitation in one form or another.
March having come in like a lamb is certainly giving one last fling and going out like a lion. After only two days of sunshine and driving weather in the past week which occurred on Sunday and Monday, we have had everything from rain, mist, sleet and snow. On the last day of March the ground was again white with snow.
However, the steady rainfalls have packed the ground and the roads have foundation again instead of the bottomless maze of mud and muck.
The very bad places in the roads continue to be bad because the maintainers have all they can do to keep going much less than trying to grade these spots into some semblance of a highway. The mail bus was unable to get in with the mail again on Wednesday and Thursday, so we are without news from outside.
Many farmers are getting anxious to get in the fields again. Several were caught in November's blizzard with corn to be picked still in the fields and since that time have not been able to get at it. Those who have tried to pick it had to give it up as a bad joke as they couldn't get out again with more than 10 or 15 bushels at a time.
However, with a week of good drying weather, everyone will be out in the fields again and we will all be happy.Military funeral services were held at Madison for Pfc. Thomas McCurdy, killed in action on December 12, 1944. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McCurdy of Madison and is a relative of the Mortimer family of Leigh.
He leaves to mourn his passing, a wife and six year old daughter, his parents and one sister, Mrs. Ardis Kinney, and one brother, Harold of Omaha.
Sgt. Bernard Ditmar accompanied the body.Arthur G. Sexton, father of Mrs. Leonard Hobel, passed away at his home in West Point after a lingering illness caused by cancer. Many people will remember him as he visited in Leigh many times in the past years at the Hobel home and with the many friends he had made here. Mrs. Leonard Hobel had been to West Point the weekend before his death and was called to his bedside on Wednesday. She was able to be there at the time of his death.
Obituary
Arthur G. Sexton was born on June 7, 1875, at Chathon Hill, Virginia. When he was 13 years old, he moved with his parents to Nebraska where he has resided ever since.
During the Spanish-American War, he enlisted in the army and served until the end of the war.
On March 26, 1904, he was married to Dora Krause at the Evangelical Church in West Point. To this union was born one daughter, Mrs. Leonard Hobel. They raised a nephew, Jack Sexton, having taken him under their care when he was a baby.
For 17 years, Mr. Sexton was Sheriff of Cumming County. Previous to that he was Chief of Police at West Point.
Mr. Sexton retired in 1931. He passed away at the age of 73 years 8 months and 16 days.
He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife, Mrs. Arthur Sexton, one daughter, Mrs. Leonard Hobel, one nephew, Jack Sexton, two grandsons, Robert and Douglas Hobel, and five sisters and two brothers.
Funeral services were held in the Evangelical Church, Saturday at 10:30 o'clock. Rev. H.H. Pyche officiated. He was honored with a full military funeral. Mr. Sexton was buried from the same church he was married in, on what would have been his 45th wedding anniversary.Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Asche and family, Mr. and Mrs. Erick Wurdeman, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Hogendorn and Ray Asche were Sunday evening vistors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Asche.
The evening was spent playing cards and lunch was served.
The occasion was the birthday anniversary of Mrs. Otto Asche.
April 1, 1949 - reprinted May 7, 2003Mrs. Helen Cramer was called to Emerson, Iowa, by the death of her father-in-law, W. H. Cramer.
Mrs. Cramer went to Lincoln where she was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Manning to Emerson.
Funeral services were held for Mr. W. H. Cramer on Tuesday afternoon at the Baptist Church in Emerson.Many friends and neighbors gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Muhle to help them celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary. The guests each brought something for lunch that was served later in the afternoon.
William Claussen recently purchased the lot south of his house and between the Creston Hotel building and the lumber yard. He will operate a filling station on the lot and expects to start in business soon.
He has already received his delivery truck for delivering gas, kerosene and tractor fuel but, because of the rainy weather, excavation for the underground tanks has been delayed.Mr. and Mrs. Jack Nickols are parents of a daughter born at the Norfolk Hospital. The baby has been named Kathie Lou.
Measles continue to appear on a few new victims each week. Recent victims were Bob Ogan, Grammar room teacher, Robert Settje, Darrell Barrett, Bryon Broeder, Janie Grotelueschen, John Lee Hollatz, Shirely Went and Vada Wardenburg.
Mr. and Mrs. William Anson are the parents of a 7 pound, 9 ounce baby boy born to them at a Columbus Hospital.
The Settje residence on Main Street was sold Monday to settle the estate. Herman Settje was the high bidder. The property sold for $2700.
Friday night’s rain ruined the good that Thursday and Friday’s strong wind had done for the roads. Chains again became a necessity on the highway and travel on dirt roads was at a standstill in most places.
Creston was without mail last week from Monday morning until Friday, longer than at any time during the winter. The mail bus started from Columbus Monday morning at 6:00 a.m. and arrived in Creston after 10:00, having been stuck twice on the Monastery Road. Both times it took a tractor to pull the bus out.
Since highway 91 east was in much worse condition, the driver decided to give up the trip and return to Columbus. Before he was a mile out of Creston, he was having to be pulled again.
So although it was very inconvenient to have no mail service, nor newspapers, no one blamed the bus driver for not attempting the impossible.
April 4 [8?], 1949 - reprinted October 2, 2002
Herman Brauner, 68, passed away at his home south of Creston after a lingering illness.
Funeral services were held for Mr. Brauner at 1:30 at the house and at 2:00 at the Lutheran Church in Creston. Interment with Reverend Goldstein, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbus officiating at the services.
Obituary
Herman Brauner was born April 21, 1880, on a farm seven miles south of Leigh in Platte County. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wendolyn Brauner. His entire life was spent in Platte county.
After reaching manhood, he was united in marriage to Hattie Otto of Albion. To this union was born two daughters, Mrs. Herbert Hake of Creston and Mrs. Walter Schutte of Richland.
He was a lifelong member of St. Peter's Church of Creston and was active in his church and community.
He was devoted to his family and a good neighbor. Possessed of a kindly nature, and a willingness to help those in need, he will long be remembered by his friends and neighbors for his many acts of helpfulness and good neighborliness.
Two years ago Mr. Brauner submitted to a major operation from which he never fully recovered. He is survived by his wife; two daughters; one grandson; two sisters, Mrs. Bertha Helms of Arapahoe and Mrs. William Oltjen of Creston; two brothers, Henry Brauner of Columbus and Emil Brauner of Creston.
Two brothers, John and Wendolyn and two sisters, Mrs. John Oltjen and Mrs. Otto Wenck proceded him in death.Myrna Rae Botsch celebrated her fifth birthday at a party given by her parents.
David Reininger, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Reininger, was honored at a birthday dinner at the home of his parents. David was eight years old that day.
Through a business deal transacted, the place known as the Hoessel farm, which consisted of 160 acres and lying west of the village of Leigh, was sold for $27,000.
The new owners are the Marolf Bros. of Leigh.
The transaction was handled by Adolph Vasek, broker.Fred E. Gigax recently received the Air Medal and Permanent Citation for service in the Naval Air Corp as a radioman in the South Pacific. Following is the citation. "For meritorious achievement in serial flight as a aircrewman of a Patrol Plane in Patrol Squadron Twelve during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific war Area from December 15, 1942 to January 8, 1943, from February 1 to 28, 1943; and from April 7 to 29, 1943. Completing numerous night search and bombing missions during this period, Gigax contributed materially to the success of his plane in the infliction of damage on enemy installations at Munda Point and Via Plantation despite searchlight illumination and heavy anti-aircraft fire. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
April 8, 1949 - reprinted May 28, 2003Milo Richard Herink, resident of this community for many years, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Columbus at 8:15 o’clock on April 5, 1949.
Mr. Herink was overcome in his farmyard when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage late in the afternoon and was immediately taken to the hospital where he passed away that evening.
Joseph and John Herink and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reichmuth, brothers and sister of the deceased, were immediately called and they were with him at the time of his death.
Obituary
Milo Richard Herink, son of Joseph H. and Josephine Herink, was born on December 20, 1903, at Stanton, Nebraska. He attended school at Leigh, where he grew to manhood.
On April 10, 1928, he was united in marriage to Mary Vsetecka. To this union seven children were born, one set of twins, Allen and Arlyn, Marcella, Loretta, Norma, Lorraine, and Milo, Jr.
After his marriage, he was engaged in farming and farmed on farms at Richland, Columbus, and now near Humphrey.
Mr. Herink was affiliated with the Catholic church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Milo Herink passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital on Tuesday, April 5th, at the age of 45 years, 3 months and 15 days. He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife Mary Herink, seven minor children, Marcella, Loretta, Norma, Lorraine, Milo, Jr., Allen and Arlyn Herink; two brothers, Joseph Herink, John Herink; four sisters, Mrs. Emma Jensen of Omaha, Mrs. Rose Hampel of Chicago, Mrs. Frank Reichmuth of Leigh, and Mrs. Walter Burger of Fairfax, Iowa.
Funeral services for Mr. Herink will be held at St. Francis Catholic Church at Humphrey with Father Claude officiating, on Saturday morning. Interment will be in the Leigh Cemetery.
The pallbearers will be nephews of the deceased.The mortal remains of Mrs. Terezie Motycka were brought to Clarkson from near Scribner for burial in the Clarkson Cemetery. Mrs. Motycka, who was a former resident of this community, died Friday at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Helgenberger, with whom she had been making her home since leaving Clarkson several years ago. She departed this life at the age of 78 years, 5, months and 16 days.
Mrs. Motycka came to America many years ago from Bohemia where she was born in 1870, in Krouna, District of Chrudim. After living in this country for a number of years, she was united in marriage to Stanley Motycka of Clarkson who preceded her in death about 39 years ago. She was left with three small children, two of whom she reared intO fine, respectable citizens. One son died about 9 years of age. Although she was not left much of an estate, she provided for her family by hard work and by engaging herself in various work and custom washing. In those days there was no federal nor state aid for people of meager circumstances and it was necessary for her to depend upon herself. It must be conceded that she proved to be a wonderful mother in the performance of her obligations.
Unable to carry on with her work because of her advanced age, she disposed of her dwelling in Clarkson in 1944 and went to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Helgenberger, near Scribner, where she passed away.
Funeral services were conducted Monday morning by Rev, B. A. Filipi at the C. J. Novotny Funeral Home with burial in the Clarkson Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Joseph Bukacek, James Harper, Edward Makousky, Elwood Dahl, Otto Sobeslavsky, Dr. V. L. Odvaka.
Surviving is a daughter, Emma, wife of Edward Helgenberger, and son Emil Motycka, who is engaged in butcher business at Leigh, Mrs. Motycka was preceded in death by her husband, a son, a sister, Mrs. Anna Vitek, and a brother, Jos. Bridicko, Sr.Lumir Podany, implement dealer of Clarkson, Nebraska, was fatally injured when his light plane crashed while flying low over the Jerry Tomasek farm six miles northeast of Clarkson.
According to friends and relatives that were gathered at the Tomasek home, the wing caught on the tall trees near the house causing the plane to crash on the hilltop.
Mr. Podany was 32 years old and an ex-service man. He had been taking flying lessons about six months.
Mr. Podany was taken to Columbus Hospital where he died eight hours after the crash.
April 8, 1949 - reprinted June 18, 2003Word was received here of the death of Leigh’s former resident, Mrs. Alma A. Byrum. She was born in Leigh in the 1880’s and resided here in this community until seven years ago. At that time, she and her husband and family moved to Chula Vista, California, where they have resided since.
Mr. Byrum formerly owned and operated a barber shop in Leigh for many years.
Funeral services for Mrs. Alma A. Byrum, who passed away in her home after a six months illness, were held at ten o’clock in the Hubbard Mortuary with the Reverend Floyd W. Reed officiating. Interment was in Glen Abbey Memorial Park. Pallbearers included Gordon and J. L. Hobel and Robert Grutzmacher, Chula Vista; Laverne Wolken, and Emil Fajman of San Diego, and Frank Hobel of La Mesa.
Born April 3, 1880 in Leigh, Nebraska, Mrs. Byrum had resided in Chula Vista for the past seven years. In addition to her husband, Julius L. Byrum, she is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Edna Hobel and Miss Goldie Byrum, Chula Vista; a son Earl Byrum, Salt Lake City, Utah; four grandsons, Kenneth and James Hobel of Chula Vista, Jerome and Gary Byrum of Salt Lake City; four sisters, Hulda Panek and Hattie Pledger of Kearney, Nebraska, Olga Butler of Chicago, Ella Olson of Leigh; three brothers Herman Tabke, North Platte, Walter Tabke, Kearney and Otto Tabke, Longmont Colorado.Mrs. Adolph Hobel received word of the death of the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tony Kennaley of Scottsbluff. Mrs. Kennaley is the niece of Mrs. Hobel and the former Thelma Johns.
Mrs. Alice Barr attended the double funeral of T-5 Ralph LaVern Sayers and Jean Sayers of Stanton on Saturday. The body of Ralph Sayers was brought back from overseas where he was killed while fighting in the European Theatre and given a military funeral. Miss Sayers, a sufferer of asthma for the past ten years, passed away in an Omaha hospital. They were the children of Mr. and Mrs. John Sayers.
April 15, 1949 - reprinted July 9, 2003The Club Cafe, owned and operated by Esty Sadler and assisted by his wife, Virginia, was leased for one year to Harold Gernstein and Jerald Held in a business transaction completed this week.
Mr. and Mrs. Sadler and two sons, Bob and Jim, will leave for an extended trip to the West Coast. They are closing up their home in the north part of Leigh and will leave as soon as the boys have completed their graduation from high school.
Mr. Gernstein and Mr. Held will assume their duties on May 1st at which time they will take over the business.Leigh has lost another good friend in the death of Julius Pieper, formerly of Leigh, now a resident of Albion. Mr. Pieper was formerly in the insurance business here in Leigh and being most active in civic affairs of the town had gained many friends.
At the time of his death, he was director of the Central Catholic Casualty Co. and served this company as president in 1931.
Surviving him are his wife and two sons, Leo and Gene.Firemen were called to the Victor Wolken home when some wires became crossed between the house and the barn. As a precaution against the house starting on fire, firemen were called. Mr. Wolken, unable to shut off the current after he pulled the switch, watched the wires become red hot and continue to burn to a crisp.
Monday afternoon’s recess saw two accidents to pupils in Mr. Ogans room and Creston High School. The pupils were playing ball. Norma King missed a fly ball which struck her on the mouth. Mr. Ogan took her in the school house to stop the bleeding and a few minutes later, Richard Lightner twisted his foot while sliding into base. He was taken to the family doctor, who said his ankle had been broken.
Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Malena are the parents of a son, born Thursday, April 7, in Columbus Community Hospital.
April 22, 1949 - reprinted July 9, 2003Emil Molle, well known former resident of this community, passed away at his home at Stanton, Nebraska, at the age of 53 years and 3 months.
Mr. Molle had only been ill a few days when he was overcome by a cerebral hemorrhage the evening before his death and never regained consciousness until his death about 10:00 o’clock Friday evening, April 15.
Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church at Stanton with Rev. J. E. Gebhardt officiating from the mortuary and at the church.
Burial was at the cemetery east of Dodge in the Vlach family plot. The Masonic Lodge, of which he was a member, conducted the last services at the graveside.
Obituary
Emil Molle was born on January 16, 1896, at Snyder, Nebraska.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. J. Molle. He passed away at the age of 53 years and 3 months.
Mr. Molle grew tb manhood on a farm in Stanton County and attended country school near his home. On June 17, 1918, he was united in marriage to Anna Vlach at the Leigh Congregational Church. No children were born to this union. Mr. and Mrs. Molle settled on a farm near Leigh aftley were married and later moved to West Point where they resided until 1946 at which time they moved to Stanton.
At Stanton, Mr. Molle followed the carpenter trade at which he was working when he became ill.
Mr. Molle was preceded in death by his father who died on October 26, 1936, and his mother who passed away on October 19, 1947.
He is survived by one brother, Rev. Elmer Molle of Lodge Pole; one uncle, William Wittgow of Madison and his wife, Anna; Two nephews, Robert and Donald Molle; and one niece, Virginia Molle.
At every place Mr. Molle lived he made a host of friends and was well loved by many. This was especially accentuated by the many bouquets of flowers that covered the front of the church. He was affiliated with the Congregational Church and was a member of the Masonic Lodge. He was an untiring and faithful worker in both the church and lodge and was active in the civic welfare of the towns he lived in.
Hymns sung at the funeral were: "Sometime We Shall Understand," "Face to Face" and "Going Home".
Pallbearers were all members of the Masonic Lodge of Stanton and West Point.
April 22, 1949 - reprinted July 30, 2003Chris Ehlers passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Robert Sayers, April 20, after having been ill for over a year.
Funeral services will be held at the home of Hans Ehlers at 2:00 and at 2:30 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, with Rev. Gigstad officiating at the services.
A,complete obituary will be printed next week.Requiem high mass was held at 9:30 for Julius H. Pieper, Albion real estate dealer and insurance man for more than 40 years. Mass was sung by the Rev. Fr. Francis Werthman in St. Michael’s Church and burial was in the family plot in St. Michael’s Cemetery.
Mr. Pieper died at St. Cathrine’s Hospital in Omaha on Saturday, April 8. He was 77, and the immediate cause of his death was cirrhosis of the liver.
Mr. Pieper was born in Elmstock, Germany, on September 18, 1817, and was orphaned at the age of eight. When he was 15, he came to the United States, living first with an uncle near Columbus. In rather quick succession, he was a farmer, a grocery clerk, and finally worked in a greenhouse in Leigh. It was at Leigh that Mr. Pieper went to work in the real estate business buying out his employer in 1900, and continuing the business there until 1909 when he moved with his family to Albion.
He married Katie Hyland, and to this union two sons were born: Gene of Albion, and Leo, who travels with his band. Mr. and Mrs. Pieper have lived in the same house since two months after their arrival to Albion 40 years ago. This is a mark of Mr. Pieper’s stability, and companion to that stability, was his sustaining faith in his land. Many have heard him say: “If you have land, keep it clear and it will take care of you.”
He was a Knight of Columbus, and has served as Grand Knight and Financial Secretary. He was an organizer and first president of the now large Central Catholic Casualty Company, and was a member of the board of directors at the time of his death. He was a leader in the Nebraska Good Roads Association and always took part in anything he felt was for the good of the community.
Mr. Pieper loved flowers, and spent much of his leisure time caring for roses in his yard.
Pallbearers were Otto Bogner, Crofton; James Cullinane, Omaha; Hanley Goodwater, Norfolk; Melvin Hamilton, A. P. Quiter and Melvin Hamilton, all of Albion.A son was born, to Mr. and Mrs. Wireman of Cole Sola, Panama on April 9th. The baby weighed six pounds and one ounce. Mrs. Wireman was the former Charlotte Eby. They named the baby Daniel Richard. yard.
April 29, 1949 - reprinted August 20, 2003Funeral services were held in St. John’s Lutheran Church April 22 at 2:30 o’clock for the late Christian Ehlers. Mr. Ehlers passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Robert Sayers, April 20, after having been ill for over a year. Interment was made in the Leigh cemetery.
Obituary
Christian Carl Fendrick Ehlers was born in Ronnfeldtscholes, Germany, on June 2, 1871, and passed away into the beyond on April 20, 1949, at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 18 days.
He was the son of Hans Christian Ehlers and Betty Elizabeth Ehlers.
He grew to manhood in Germany and in 1903 was united in marriage to Anna Romfeldt. To this union were born three daughters, Agusta, Frieda and Sophia, and two sons, Hans and William.
In 1905, Mr. and Mrs. Ehlers came to America and settled in Sarpy County near Omaha. Later the family moved to a farm northeast of Leigh and have resided in this community ever since.
Mr. Ehlers, for the past year has endured much sickness, yet he was cheerful and hopeful through his troubles and affliction. He was a devout member of the Lutheran faith and most faithfully followed this belief. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in Germany and was a Charter Member of St. John’s Lutheran church.
He was preceded in death by his wife on January 15, 1933. Two sisters also preceded him in death.
In addition to his three daughters, Mrs. Agusta Paulsen, north of Leigh, Mrs. Frieda Sayers, southeast of Leigh, and Mrs. Elmer (Sophia) Swanke of Norfolk and two sons, Hans Ehlers and William Ehlers, he also leaves to mourn his passing one stepson, Carl Ronfeldt of Spokane, Washington; four nieces; two nephews; eighteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Brief services were held at the home at 2:00 p.m. The pallbearers were Art Watchorn, John Hogendorn and Otto Hamann.
The flower ladies were granddaughters of the deceased and included Alvina Sayers, Helen Paulsen, and Betty Schwanke.Funeral services were held for Mrs. Lousia Mastny of Clarkson. She lived to the age of 89 years and 19 months. She passed away at the home of her son, John Mastny at Clarkson.
She is preceded in death by her husband and one daughter, Mrs. Vincent Smejkal.
She leaves to mourn her passing, a son John Mastny, and a daughter, Mrs. Frank Lapour of Clarkson, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a large circle of relatives and friends.
Brief services were held at F. J. Miller funeral home with Father Kubesh officiating.
The pallbearers were all grandsons of the deceased and they included Walter Littelman, Frank Smejkal, James Smejkal, Lumir Prazak, Elmer Zrust and Joseph Mastny.
April 29, 1949 - reprinted September 10, 2003Word was received here of the death of Mrs. Anna Baade. She spent several months at St Paul’s parsonage in 1947 and 1948 when Rev. Bahnsen was the pastor of that congregation.
She is the mother of Mr. J. A. Bahnsen and passed away on Thursday, April 21 at California, Missouri.
Mrs. Baade was also Mr. Arthur Gersib’s grandmother.Miss Adella Fendrick of Clarkson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Fendrick, became the bride of Raymond Fuhr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Fuhr of Leigh, on April 24, at one o’clock at the Congregational Church at Leigh. Rev. Thomas A. Dixon performed the double ring ceremony.
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Fuhr will make their home on a farm northwest of Leigh.Elmer Wurdeman was served with a summons on by Sheriff Edward J. Patach to appear in court on June 6th at which time votes cast on the April 5th election for trustees for the Village of Leigh will be recounted.
In a petition filed in county court on April 25th, the contestants ask that the votes be recounted and recanvassed and that all illegal votes received at said election be rejected.
The plaintiffs and contestants allege that there were errors on the part of the counting board at the election on April 5, 1949, and that if it had not been for these errors and errors of the Board of Canvassers in counting the results, and that a sufficient number of illegal votes were received to change the result, that Frank Cremers or Hugh Mortimer would have been declared elected to the third place as a member of the Board of Trustees instead of Elmer Wurdeman.
The contestants claim that the mistakes are sufficient to change the result of the election.
At the election 226 votes were cast for the election of three Trustees for the Village of Leigh. Six names appeared on the ballot, namely: John A. Glandt, receiving 126 votes, Elmer Wurdernan - 108, Ed Callies - 124, Frank Cremers - 95, Hugh Mortimer - 92, and Fred Rabeler - 90. Fifteen scattered votes were also recorded.
Regardless of whether the former election be contested or not, the regular business procedure is to be followed.Miss Elva Hembd of Ponca, formerly of Creston, and Emmet J. Finnegan of Newcastle, were united in marriage Tuesday at 8:00 in the morning. The ceremony took place in the rectory of St. Peter’s Church in Newcastle.
Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan will make their home near Sloan. Iowa, on a farm.
May 6, 1949 - reprinted October 1, 2003The Farmers Coop Mercantile Co. will soon receive kiln-dried lumber from the mill at Swisshome, Oregon. This mill, owned by the local coop yard and others in the midwest through Consumers Cooperative association, will be equipped with six kilns capable of drying 100,000 board feet a day.
Mrs. George Bruhn suffered severe injuries of the lower spine breaking a bone in three places, when the cars of Theodore Poulcin and George Bruhn crashed on the Monastery Road five miles south of Creston. The car driven by Mr. Poulcin pulled onto the highway from the west without stopping just as the Bruhn car reached the intersection while traveling south on the Monastery Road.
Mr. and Mrs. George Bruhn, Jr., and Georgianna, Jackie Kafka and Mrs. Helen Cramer occupied the Bruhn car. Mr. and Mrs. Bruhn, who were sitting in the front seat were thrown from the car at the impact with Mrs. Bruhn flying out of the car and over the top of the Poulcin car into the ditch beyond sustaining, severe injuries as she hit the ground.
Mr. Bruhn was knocked unconscious for some time and suffered severe bruises on one knee reinjuring a broken kneecap. He is suffering much pain with his limb swelling to great extent.
Mrs. Cramer hurt her legs in the crash and was badly shaken up. She was able to come to work on Monday morning despite her injuries.
Jackie Kafka remained home several days suffering from shock and bruises Georgianna escaped with but a few bruises on her head and body.
Mr. Poulcin, driver of the other car, was badly cut above the left eye and received bruises. His daughter received a broken collar bone as a result of the wreck. The other six occupants received cuts and bruises too as their car crashed and went into the opposite dich.
Both cars were badly wrecked and had to be brought into town for repairs. The accident occurred between 8:00 and 8:30 Sunday evening. The victims of the accident were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital for first aid and examination. Mrs. Bruhn will have to remain there for some time because of the extent of her injuries.Ludwig Ondracek, 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Ondracek. was fatally injured about three o’clock Sunday afternoon by a gun in the hands of his 14 year old sister.
Only the two young people were at home when the accident occurred, Ludwig had loaded the gun prior to going hunting and had set it on the porch. His sister had gone after a pail of water and Ludwig had playfully held the screen-door against her and she picked up the gun intending only to tease him into letting her in. As soon as her brother told her it was loaded, she went to hand the gun to him through a kitchen window. Somehow through the process of handing him the gun, it discharged. According to the grief stricken girl's story, she has no idea how the gun went off, whether the trigger caught some torn screen or her clothing.
The charge hit her brother in the lower chest. The injured youth urged his sister to hurry for a doctor and she ran to the Everett Craig home, one-half mile west to call for aid.
When friends accompanied Barbara back to the farm, they I found the boy dead.
Ludwig and Barbara had always been close companions. They lived with their parents on a farm four miles north of Creston for the past four years. Ludwig was a quiet, home loving youth and helped his father on the farm.
Funeral services were held Wednesday in Madison.A large number of friends, relatives and neighbors gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Rahtz in honor of their silver wedding anniversary.
A six o’clock supper was served to the many guests. Two beautifully decorated cakes were centered on the table for the table decorations. One cake was baked and decorated by Mrs. Ben Burenhiede and was topped with a miniature bride and groom. The other was baked and also beautifully decorated by Marlene Held and it had a large silver numeral of “25” topped the cake.
Mrs. Rahtz was given a silver corsage made out of $5.00 worth of silver coins by her bridesmaid, Mrs. Ben Burenhiede. The corsage was made by Mrs. Gus Rahtz of Chicago.
A wedding dance was given for the guests in the evening celebration of the affair.
On Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Rahtz entertained thirty relatives at dinner.
June 3, 1949 - reprinted December 3, 2003Funeral services were held for Mrs. Emil Hunteman who passed away at the Lutheran Hospital at Columbus on Thursday, May 26, 1949.
Mrs. Hunteman spent most of her life in this community having come to America at the age of five. She has been suffering from cancer for the past seven months, which caused her death.
Funeral services were held at St. Paul’s Church with Rev. Wm. Goede of Columbus officiating at English services and Rev. J. A. Bahnsen, former pastor, officiating at the German services.Miss Elva Mae Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Brown of Clarkson, was united in marriage to Laurence Dittmar, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Dittmar of Lexington, Nebraska, at a double ring ceremony on June 1, 1949, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at Leigh at 1:30 p.m. Rev. Karl Gigstad officiated.
A flash flood that hit Leigh was preceded by about 2 to 2 1/2 inches of rain which fell in less than two hours. Accompanying this was a heavy wind which tore branches from trees and strew the lawns and streets with twigs. A small amount of hail also fell but wasn’t heavy enough at least in town to do any damage.
Callies Implement Co. suffered the most damage as many pieces of machinery were under water for several hours.
The flood waters reached Clarkson and took out a wooden constructed bridge on Highway 91.Miss Doris Mae Curtis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Curtis, became the bride of Donald Orvis Fleischman on May 23 at the First Baptist Church at 8:00 p.m. in Tekamah, Nebraska, with the Rev. Harlaugh officiating at a single ring ceremony.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Fleischman will settle on a farm northwest of Tekamah.
June 10, 1949 - reprinted December 3, 2003Miss Agnes Jelinek, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Jelinek of Clarkson, Nebraska, was united in marriage to William Thalken, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thalken of Clarkson, in a double ring ceremony on May 31, at St. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church at Clarkson with Rev. C. C. Kubesh officiating.
Mr. and Mrs. William Thalken will make their home on a farm southeast of Leigh.In the recount of ballots held in the court court of Colfax County, Nebraska, at Schuyler on Monday, June 6, before County Judge, Ros. R. Bros, the result of the election contest, Frank Cremers and Hugh Mortimer, plaintiffs, and contestants VS Elmer Wurdeman, defenant and contestee, corresponded to the original count given by the village counting board at the election.
After the sealed ballot box, which was taken to county court by Village Clerk, Ed Korte, was opened, the ballots were recounted, the result being the same. Elmer Wurdeman, who was 13 votes ahead of the next candidate, is to remain in office.
However, three illegal voters who were under age at the time of the April 5 election were given new ballots and sent separately into another room and asked to revote exactly as they had at the election. These votes were then subtracted from the original count and the result then read by the judge.
Since the votes were not sufficient to change the result of the election, no further action was brought up by the plaintiffs.The light poles, which were ordered over two years ago, have recently arrived and have been unloaded and placed along the side of the places where they will be put up.
So very soon, in fact in the next couple of weeks, Leigh will have a modern lighting system of which it can be proud of.A miscellaneous shower was held May 29, honoring Miss Norma Neuhaus. Miss Neuhas will soon become the bride of Gordon Fuhr.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Rayman are the parents of a son, Keith Donald, on June 2.
June 17, 1949 - reprinted December 10, 2003Miss Norma Neuhaus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Neuhaus, was united in marriage to Gordon Fuhr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Fuhr, at a double ring ceremony on June 9 at St. John’s Church with Rev. Karl Gigstad officiating.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Fuhr will be at home in Leigh.The Leigh World this week passes another milestone in its lifetime to the community-its sixty-third year. Beginning with this issue we open the sixty-fourth year of publication of the Leigh World, the past six months of which has been under your present editor’s guidance.
A miscellaneous shower was given in honor of Miss Marlene Muhle. Miss Muhle will become the bride of Ewald Cattau.
June 24, 1949 - reprinted December 10, 2003The Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Health and Hospital insurance plan is gaining momentum in this community as more people delve for facts of its compensation abilities.
Having gotten enough signers to start the plan in this community, the Blue Cross-Blue Shield program will begin enrollment.A miscellaneous shower was held in honor of Miss Donnette Urban June 19.