Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

Another source I search through for my factual stories is my five-subject notebook.

Inside the left over notebook from my son Steve’s high school days are phrases like, “Bob said,” “Marie said,” “Crystal said,” and the list goes on and one. I use this notebook to record my conversations with people. Just as soon as I am through talking to someone, I quickly take my chicken scratched notes, that only I can read, and rewrite them in my notebook in a more readable form. This memorandum book usually contains historical thoughts that I intend to do further research on.

Under “Crystal said,” I wrote, “Reimer Grube is listed in the 1890’s school atlas, district 34 of Franklin County as having children in school and living on the NE * of section 4 of Marion Township. Reimer was a brother of Otto Grube. Otto was a great-grandmother of Crystal Frerichs and lived on the NW * of Section 10 of Marion Township.

Reimer Grube came here with his two sons, John and Henry. His wife passed away before the family came to Nebraska. He lived on this above farm in a draw (surely in a sod dugout house) for five to six years. Reimer married Geraldine Loschen’s grandmother while living on this farm. They finally ended up in Upland by the railroad tracks in the southwest part of Upland and ran a hotel there for a period of time. Reimer is buried in Hastings.

There is an amazing tale to be told here. Reimer Grube’s grandson, David Grube and his wife Lois, live at Deming, NM. One day, a number of years ago, they were sitting in the waiting room at the Deming Clinic. Also waiting there was Evelyn Leggett, also of Deming, NM. They got to talking and Evelyn told David she was on her way to visit her cousin, Laoma Grube, in Franklin County. “Isn’t that odd. That’s my last name too,” David said. Evelyn wondered if he could be related to Laoma. David said he didn’t know much about his family, but before they parted he gave Evelyn a deposit slip with his name and address on it. From Evelyn to Laoma, to Crystal, the deposit slip was passed and time went on. One day Crystal was looking at some notes she has made from conversations with her father. Albert Grube, and sure enough she saw the name Reimer Grube. It turned out to be a small world. Since that time, Reimer’s grandson, David and his wife, Lois, have been visiting back and forth via mail and electronic mail with Crystal. David and Lois visited here several years back and all were reunited and a family was reborn again.

Isn’t that a heart-warming story?

My notebook is full of these memories in the form of, “____said,” or “____ said.” Some day I will share more of these tales with you. Maybe someday a reader will call me and tell me something, and then they can become a “____said.”

What if Evelyn and David hadn’t spoken that day in the clinic? Was it just coincidence? I think it was guidance from God who sends us angels to direct our paths to what He wants us to learn. So, There’s a lesson learned! Remember my repeated aging advice: if you see someone and you are compelled to visit with them, do so, for it was meant to be.

You that intend to write what is worth to be read more than once,
Blot frequently: and take no pains to make the multitude admire you,
Content with a few judicious reader. Horace (65-8 B.C.)

Rena Donovan, For Another Day.

Return to For Another Day main page

Return to Franklin County NEGenWeb Main Page