1934 PIERCE COUNTY
FAIR
The first
The Pierce County Leader printed
a collection of stories of those early pioneers in the July and August 1934
editions of the paper. The following is
a sampling of those stories and a great insight into the early years of
Assembled by the
Index of Names
Ahlman - 4
Babcock - 15
- 10 Bowen
- 22
Bauman - 12 Braasch
- 5 - 21
Bennett - 30 Breyer - 6
Berge - 21 Buckendahl
- 6 - 7 - 21- 24 - 28
Bermel - 28 Burkhard
- 13
Birch - 4 Buss
- 14
Bouchie - 8
Carlson - 26 Cones
- 7- 8
Christensen
- 14 Conrad
- 22
Dean - 12 Durfee
- 8
Degner - 16 Dutcher
- 8
Eike - 24 Estel
- 15
Eppler - 21
Fahrman -
14 Fischer
- 16 - 21
Fehringer -
13 Frady
- 9
Gay - 27 Gould
- 9
Gillespie -
10 Graeser
- 4
Gleason -
26 Griebenow
- 16 - 25 - 26
Gloe - 20 Gruchow
- 16
Goff - 31 Gruett
- 19
Goke – 30 Grunwald
- 26
Haas - 18 Hilgert
- 28
Hahn - 12 -
13 Hoffman
- 11
Hall - 8 -
9 - 27 Hoskins
- 27
Hanson - 9 Huebner
- 22
Harris - 32 Husak
- 32
Heckendorf
- 26 - 22 Husted
- 14
Herbolsheimer
- 7 Hutfless
- 12
Kaiser - 23 Kollmar
- 14
Kerr - 21 Kolterman
- 4 - 16- 25 - 26
Kieckhafer
- 16 Korth
– 16 - 22
Klug - 14 -
17 - 18 Kratochvil
- 32
Knaak - 5 -
16 Kuhl
– 19 - 31
Koehler - 15 - 18 - 28 Kumm
- 32
Koeppe - 9
Lambrecht -
31 Lichtenberg
- 15
Leake - 10 Lierman
- 16 - 19 - 26
Lee - 7 Linstad
- 16
Lehman - 4 Luebke
- 18
Leitzke -
17
Magdanz - 7
- 15 - 14 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 24 - 26 Meier - 28
Magdefrau -
18 Melker
- 30
Malzahn -
28 Miles
- 27
Manske - 16 - 15 - 19 - 24 - 26 Miller - 18
Martischang
- 13 Mitchell
- 7
McDonald -
20
Neighbors -
24 Nenow
- 5
Otto - 21
Paul – 16 Pfeifer
- 11
Paulson -
15 Prahl
- 25 - 29
Raasch - 5 Rohde
- 22
Raubach -
12 Rohrke
- 5 - 23
Riley - 12
- 22 Royce
- 30
Roberts -
14 Ruhlow
- 5
Saeger - 25 - 26
Scheer - 16
- 21 Silhacek
- 7
Scheips -
27 Splittgerber
- 20
Schellen -
7 Sporleder
- 27
Schmeling -
14 Stedry
- 30
Schmidt -
14 Streich
- 29
Schulz - 16
- 19 - 24 - 28 Strelow
- 29
Schwichtenberg - 27 Synovec
- 29
Sharpe - 5
Tesch - 14 Tomek - 13
Turner - 30
Uecker - 21 Ulrich
- 8 - 30
Verges - 12 Voecks
- 31
Wagner - 5 Wieser
- 11
Weber - 13 Winter
- 5 - 23
Webster - 9 Witte
- 29
Wecker - 32 Wittnebel
- 23
Werner - 14 Woodward
- 4
Zach - 13 Zibell
- 13
Zellmer -
18
MRS. HERMAN AHLMAN
Among the oldest residents
in the county is Mrs. Herman Ahlman, who as Miss Elizabeth Kolterman came with
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Kolterman in 1869 from
She was married to Herman
Ahlman on
They were the parents of
eleven children, 3 dying in infancy, those living are Paul, Mrs. Clara Lehman,
John, Alma of Pierce, Arthur of Stanton, Albert of Norfolk, Lawrence of Hadar
and Mrs. Ella Brandon of
Mrs. Ahlman experienced all
the hardships of the early pioneer and helped in no small degree in the
development of Pierce county.
Illness has prevented her
from taking part in community affairs for the past several years, however, her
interest has never waned and she enjoys visits with her many friends and her
children who visit her frequently.
FRANK BIRCH
Frank Birch, now a resident
of Foster, is one of the oldest settlers of Pierce county, having filed first
on a timber claim and later on a preemption claim about six miles west of
Pierce where he built a board shack, in which he lived for a time, and as his
means increased he erected good barns and a fine home. This place is now occupied by his son, Harry.
Mr. Birch is a native of St.
Lawrence county,
As Mr. Birch was only seven
years old when his father died he was obliged to make his own way in the world,
and was bound out for his board and clothes, getting only a scant amount of
either.
He came to Pierce county in
1879 which has been his home since.
Mr. Birch was united in
matrimony
They are the parents of four
children, Mrs. Minnie Graeser, Harry, (article is not complete).
AUGUST BRAASCH
August Braasch of Hadar was
born at
After selecting a location
for a colony, they returned to
On
The first rude survey of
these lands was made by William Sharpe with a pocket compass and a pair of
harness lines. After the laying out of
the claims, the selection was made by lot, each settler taking as his the 160
acres corresponding in number to the number on a slip of paper drawn by him,
blindfolded, out of a hat. Thus did this
colony of honest Germans recognize the equality of each with the other in his
rights, and thus were many possible future bickerings, quarrels and envying
prevented.
While these preliminaries
were being arranged, the families lived in their wagons, as they continued to
do, while houses were built. This was
not so arduous a task as in some localities, for there was plenty of cottonwood
timber on the
It was here that August
Braasch lived until 1884 when he took a homestead in Pierce county, about seven
miles south of Pierce. He was married to
Miss Augusta Knaak in 1886. Mrs. Braasch
was born in
Mr. and Mrs. Braasch are the
parents of eight children. A few years
ago they retired from the farm and moved to a very comfortable home in
Hadar. Both are enjoying good health.
RICHARD BREYER
Richard Breyer, a well-known
resident of Pierce was born February 12, 1864 in Germany and came to America
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Breyer when three years old, first
locating in Wisconsin and emigrated to Pierce county in 1871.
Mr. Breyer took a homestead
eight miles northeast of Pierce.
Mr. Breyer distinctly
remembers the historic blizzard of 1888, there being huge drifts the next
morning and cattle from neighboring farms standing on his place, some were
frozen to death. Deer and antelope
wandered about the plains in large numbers but were seldom shot as people were
too poor to buy guns and ammunition.
Times were terribly hard,
Mr. Breyer recalls, taking wheat to Wisner, a three day trip and receiving
thirty cents a bushel, and hogs, after they were dressed, the only way they
could sell them at all, were sold for one and a half or two cents a pound.
Fuel was always a real
problem on account of the severity of the winters, as there was nothing but raw
prairie between here and the
Comparing the times of those
days with the present, Mr. Breyer stated they were much harder than now, but
what little they did possess was without debt and no mortgage chasing in those
days, as people did not assume one.
Mr. Breyer was married to
Miss Alvina Buckendahl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Buckendahl, natives of
She also remembers the Ponca's
saying “Ponca’s Good”—while the Spotted Sioux saying “Uh! Uh! Bad.”
Mr. and Mrs. Breyer retired
from their farm about thirty years ago and have a comfortable home in
Pierce. They are the parents of nine
children, eight living, they are Mrs. Lena Herbolsheimer, William, Paul, August
and Mrs. Margaret Silhacek, all of Pierce; Mrs. Bertha Schellen of
WILLIAM BUCKENDAHL
William Buckendahl was born
in Germany on Sept. 29, 1859 and came to America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Buckendahl, Sr., in 1870, his father taking a homestead about 5 miles
east of Pierce. When Mr. Buckendahl
reach maturity he took a homestead ten miles northeast of Pierce, later
disposing of this place and bought a farm one-mile east of Pierce where he
resided for a number of years, retiring twenty-five years ago and has since
made his home in Pierce. He is the
father of eleven children, six living.
One son, Emil, received the
D.S.C. citation for heroic action in
Judge Douglas Cones is one
of the best known residents of Pierce county, and has been a leading attorney
in this state for many years. He is
prominent in business and political circles, has served as a county attorney
and also as district judge.
Mr. Cones was born on
Mr. Cones was married to
Miss Grace Lee, a native of Sac county,
Judge Cones is a staunch
democrat and has been honored by his party as county attorney, judge in Ninth
judicial district, and other official positions.
Mr. Cones has practiced his
profession probably longer than any other man in the county and enjoys a
splendid practice in the courts in this section of
WOODS CONES
Woods Cones, one of the best
known men in the state, probably holds the distinction of being the oldest
pioneer banker in the state, having founded the Cones State Bank, formerly
called The Pierce County Bank in 1882 as its president, our county’s oldest and
most substantial banking institution.
Under the careful guidance of Mr. Cones, this institution has grown and
prospered and kept pace with the development of the county. The Cones State Bank has unflinchingly stood
the test of all financial flurries that have waved over the country.
Mr. Cones was born in
Mr. Cones was married to
Miss Ida Ulrich and their only child, Miss Lorinda Cones, died in 1924 at the
age of 20years.
Mr. and Mrs. Cones spend the
summer season at their lodge at
SCHUYLER M. DURFEE
Schuyler M. Durfee and his
wife, Eva Hall Durfee, have both resided for 50 years in Pierce county.
Mr. Durfee came here as a
baby with his father, in 1884 from Belle Plaine,
They have three children,
Norman A.; living in Lincoln, and Caryl and Donald, both of who are spending
the summer vacation at home. Miss Caryl
from her duties as teacher, and Donald from the
MR. AND MRS. M. R. DUTCHER
Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Dutcher,
prominent and well-known residents of Pierce are numbered with the early
pioneers, who have helped to make history in this county.
Mr. Dutcher was born at
Mr. and Mrs. Dutcher were
married on
After leaving the farm, Mr.
Dutcher was at different times engaged in the implement business, proprietor of
a general merchandise store and cashier of the former
Mrs. Dutcher has the
distinction of being the teacher of more Sunday school pupils over the longest
period of continuous service of any person in
Mr. and Mrs. Dutcher are the
parents of four children, Mrs. William Koeppe and Raymond of Pierce; Ralph of
Franklin, Minnesota and Lester of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
MRS. JAMES W. GOULD
Mrs. James W. Gould of
Mrs. Gould was keenly
interested in the Diamond Jubilee and loaned articles for the exhibit. The lovely sampler used in the Hall’s Variety
Store window belonged to Mrs. Gould. It
is over 100 years old. At the Historical
exhibit she displayed a candle mold and an iron fluter among other articles.
Mrs. Gould as Miss Wiego
Hanson, was born in Clippinge, near
WILSON HALL
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Hall,
early pioneers with two small children, Lewis and Ida, left Williamsport, Pa.,
for Nebraska in the spring of 1871. They
visited relatives at White Pigeon,
After erecting shanties on
their claims the men went back after their families. Mr. Frady had a team and “top-buggy” as they
were styled so the women folks and children rode in it and the men came by
wagon, bring cows and machinery. It took
them three days to come from
By fall they had built a two
room sod house also shelter for the stock and put up hay for feed. It was fortunate they were prepared for
winter came on before the corn was husked and blizzards one after another
followed. Mr. Babcock, a neighbor, told
Mr. Hall he needn’t prepare any shelter for his stock as the winters were so
mild they could even go swimming. That was
true of the first winter this neighbor spent here but ’72 and ’73 were very
severe ones.
In 1873 they had a good crop
of small grain but grasshoppers came alter and the corn was taken also the
gardens and fruit trees were destroyed.
They came like a cloud and settled down on everything green and when they
passed nothing but bare stumps were left of the crops. This happened three years in succession,
although the third year they harvested half the crop, but prices were low. Corn sold for ten cents and hogs a dollar a
hundred. They marketed them at Wisner,
it taking two days to make the trip, going and coming.
They secured their winter’s
supply of groceries, meager though they were, before snow fell. After that they didn’t get to town and only
received their mail once a week as neighbors took turns in riding horseback to
One of the early teachers
was Charles Leake. He had had whooping
cough previous to coming here and needless to say not a child who had not had
it escaped that sickness that winter.
Marion Hall, then a baby eighteen months old had it so severely that it
caused her deafness. At seven years of
age she enrolled in the school for the deaf at Omaha and graduated in 1908,
alter she went to Pittsburgh to work and then to Williamsport, Pa., where she
worked in a silk factory. In 1913 she
was married to Charles Gillespie of
It is interesting to note
how near to death’s door Lewis Hall has been on three different occasions and
still lives to council with and bless brothers, sisters, children and
friends. When just a little to the was
helping himself and feeding his sister what he called “sugar” which he had found in an open trunk. This was sugar of lead used for poison
ivy. Imagine the young mothers horror
when she saw them! She had some stewed
pumpkin and she gave it to them with plenty of milk until she could go to the
neighbors for help. When they returned
they found nature had taken its course for she had used the right antidote and
their lives were saved.
In the early days the Willow
Creek was forded and only a log thrown across it for pedestrians. Lewis had on a pretty pair of new boots and
he went skipping down the path to meet his teacher who was coming from
town. Just as he reached the middle of
the stream his dog bounced across after him and knocked him off the log. He went down three times before he was
rescued. The boots were never recovered
which fact he bemoans to this day. They
were the proberbial red-top boots, a joy to every boy’s heart in those days.
The third time occurred when
an epidemic of typhoid fever went through Pierce and Lewis and his brother,
Robert, were two very sick boys. The
doctor shook his head and said “there’s nothing more I can do” and only a
mother’s careful nursing pulled them through.
Not many can remember the
old town herd. Most every family had a
cow and a boy was hired to herd them on the prairies west of town. A led cow with bell around its neck was the
signal for everyone to turn their cows loose to be gathered up by the herd boy
as he drove them to pasture and returned them about six in the afternoon. This was Robert’s job for a few years. Later he carried mail to Birch and Colbergen.
Other experiences of the
pioneer days were Indian scares and prairie fires. Many times have the people been called out to
fight fire. Some to plow fire guards and
others with barrels of water and brooms and sacks to beat it out if it jumped
the fire guard.
In 1879 Mr. Hall left the
farm and conducted a general merchandise store, was also a coal dealer, and
later engaged in the livery trade until failing health caused him to
retire. He died
He served his community in
the capacity of Justice of the Peace, Deputy Sheriff,
CHARLES HOFFMAN, SR.
Mr. Charles Hoffmann, Sr.,
one of our oldest residents in Pierce county, was born
Mr. Casper Hoffman,
Charley’s father, learned of Pierce county through an aunt of the late Theodore
Raubach that land could be had for homestead here. He and Mr. Wieser went as far as
The first night they stopped
at Wetzel breaking and plowing camp. At
daybreak they started on their way again without waking anyone. Two mules of the camp had gone astray in the
night and since these two strangers in camp had left so early it was naturally
thought that they were the thieves. Five
miles from the camp they were caught up with but of course the mules were not
in their possession.
As Mr. Hoffman and Mr.
Wieser came in the vicinity of Osmond they saw a herd of antelope trailing each
other to their watering place in the
At
They crossed the
The neighbors were Doc
Verges to the North, Adam Bauman to the east, Theodore Verges and his father to
the south, and James Dean to the west.
Old settlers recall them all.
Bill, Jarves’s son and Charles H. have become such fast friends that
they have established a permanent office in the building across the street from
the Farmer’s Grain elevator office.
Two team of oxen were later
purchased which were used in plowing and
to haul grain to the nearest marketing places, Columbus and Wisner. Other cattle were purchased and when the herd
grew large enough Mr. Hoffman turned cowboy.
His range was as far as Willow Creek, a distance of six or more miles
west. His companion herders were Bill
Dean and Webb Riley. During the day the
cattle were left to graze in a herd and at night they were separated and driven
to their respective homes.
We think hog prices are low
now, but Mr. Hoffman recalls when a dressed hog was sold and delivered to
He also remembers blizzards
when the snow had full sweep through the county since prairie fires which
burned for weeks at a time had cleared the country of all obstructions. Snow came for miles until it drifted about a
sod house, higher than itself and filled in creek beds in such a compact mass
that it was possible to cross over with loaded wagon.
Grasshoppers also were
plentiful then. Sometimes they came in
such hordes that it seemed to be a cloud of dust moving along the horizon. When they landed they would not leave again
until a favorable wind presented itself.
Sometimes they stayed for three days.
They ate the bark and leaves off the trees, nipped off the grain ears
and did general damage to corn.
On
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman are
still living on the old home place which they and the family love.
VINCENT HOFFMAN
Vincent Hoffman was born in
When he was 21 he bought the
farm where Charles Hoffman now lives. He
married Mary Burkhard at
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1931 at which time they
had a family reunion.
They own a nice home in
Pierce, but prefer life on the old home place.
They enjoy good health, a get a great deal of pleasure visiting with
their children and friends.
Mr. Hoffman was 84 years old
last July, and Mrs. Hoffman, 77 years on Sept. 12.
MRS.
Mrs. Lydia Husted, a native
of
On
Mrs. Husted relates the many
hardships of those days, blizzards, prairie fires and the terrible homesickness
that at times seemed unbearable, how she had longed to see her mother, who was
ill, but distance and lack of money made the trip back east impossible and she
never again saw her mother after they left to seek a home on these Nebraska
plains.
Their first home was a
“soddy” the roof was of boards and then covered with sod, and they were real
comfortable in it. The stables were
built of willow poles and the roofs were covered with straw and slough
grass—and they seldom leaked.
Mrs. Husted is the mother of four daughters, Mrs. Fred Kollmar of
Mrs. Husted is still very
active and makes her home with Mrs. John Magdanz in Pierce. She frequently visits at the homes of her
other daughters and enjoys visiting with her many friends.
ALBERT W. KLUG
The subject of this sketch,
Albert W. Klug, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Klug, was born on
Mr. Klug’s parents with four
older children emigrated from
Mr. Klug’s grandmother, Mrs.
Henrietta Koehler and her three daughters had come to
Mr. Klug now owns 360 acres
of land homesteaded by his father, grandmother and uncle, Fred. These old deeds from the
Mr. Klug’s parents were the
first to build an all-frame house, others had soddies, caves, and houses made
of clay and straw with the thatch roof.
He can remember however the time the old sod house barn gave way to a
frame barn and a new straw shed was built for the cattle. Mr. Fred Magdanz, father of Mrs. H. J. Manske
was the architect and carpenter of the new barn. The lumber, mostly cottonwood was hauled from
Bazile Mills. Mr. Klug can remember the
kidding H.J. Manske got about calling for Mr. Pickerols mail, meaning (Mr.
Hecht).. The Indian scare, where all the
white’s left their houses and spent the day and night in the slough was caused
by Mr. Hecht or some other farmer living along the trail leading to Norfolk
calling to a neighbor who passed by before daylight to bring him some
tobacco. Mr. Klug well remembers the day
the news got to the farmers that President Garfield had been shot. It was not by radio, but days after it had
happened. Albert remembers the first day
in school in spite of all the candy the teacher, Rev. P.S. Estel could scrape
up. Albert did not go back to school
until his sister, Mrs. Emil Lichtenberg, two years younger also went. He also recalls one of his first teachers on
the hill, Dist. No. 3, was A. J Babcock.
But the biggest kick he got out of riding his Indian pony without saddle
or bridle to Pierce after groceries and tobacco, doing the guiding all with his
long legs. He got so proficient that he
rode the pony in races standing with his bare feet on the ponies bare back,
until one day while showing off for the benefit of some larger boys and girls,
he took a tumble and he showed off no more.
The picture of this pony and the rider will be on display at the Diamond
Jubilee, Sept. 21 and 22.
Well does he remember the
snow storm of ’88. His father was away
from home on his first and only visit to his old home in
These were the good old days
you hear about, the younger generation has no conception of the hardships the
pioneers had to endure, but these old pioneers got more joy out of life than
the present generation with their radios, automobiles and airplanes.
MRS. FRED KNAAK
Mrs. Fred Knaak, a
well-known resident of Pierce was born in
Fred Knaak and Miss Eliza
Kieckhafer were married on
Mr. and Mrs. Knaak had no
children, but a niece, Miss Linda Schulz has made her home with them for a
number of years. Mrs. Knaak has been in
failing health, but always enjoys visits from her many friends and relatives
who frequently visit her.
MRS. WILLIAM KORTH
Mrs. William Korth is
numbered among our oldest pioneers, she being 84 years old.
She was born in
Her maiden name was Miss
Wilhelmina Paul and she was married to Wm. Korth and they homesteaded five
miles east and one mile north of Pierce, the farm is now occupied by her son,
Ernest.
They experienced all the
hardships of the early pioneer, the grass hopper scourge, and the blizzard of
1888.
Mr. Korth died thirteen
years ago. She is the mother of seven
children, one daughter, Mrs. Henry Fischer died several years ago. Those living are August, Ernest, William,
Mrs. Ernest Fischer, Mrs. Emil Scheer, all of Pierce and Robert of McLean.
GUS LIERMAN
Gus Lierman of Hadar is one
of the first, if not the first pioneer of Pierce county, who came from
Upon reaching Council Bluffs
the ox-teams became rebellious and would not go on the ferry, after
considerable difficulty, Mr. Lierman then a boy of seven, who had one ox-team
as pets, was selected to coax them on the ferry and was successful, after the
first trip they had no more trouble with the oxen. They saw many freighters who also crossed the
ferry there, one of them with a fine team of horses who became frightened on
the ferry and ran away at the pier and over the man who was driving them, he
dying a few minutes.
They continued their
journey, arriving at
Mr. Lierman experienced the
grasshopper scourge, when they were so numerous, that when they were flying
they would completely obstruct the sun and they took everything in their path,
even the leaves on the trees. They
always traveled with the wind and the last grasshopper raid, the wind changed
suddenly when they settled on the ground, laid their eggs and when they
hatched, although they were so tiny a person could not see them, they made a
sizzling noise in the grass, when almost matured and read to fly, tiny lice
infested their bodies and they all died in a short time and grasshopper raids
were ended. They never came the same
seasons, if they took the small grain, corn was raised, and if the corn was
taken the small grain was left thus they always had a partial crop.
Mr. Lierman well remembers
of the Indians coming through in great bands, and the oxen had a dreadful fear
of the Indians. If there were Indians
within a three mile radius, the oxen could small their trail, get rebellious
and leave the prairie trails and run across the prairies in every direction.
Speaking of the hard times
now as compared to those days, Mr. Lierman states they are not to be
compared. Most people in those days, in
spite of all the hardships, were compelled to stay for they were so poor they
could not go back where they came from.
A few returned to their old homes, but those who remained made good and
lived to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
Mr. Lierman was born at
For 30 years he was county
assessor in South Branch precinct, and a school director for 17 years in
District No. 15.
MRS. ALVINA LUEBKE
Alvina Koltermann Luebke was
born Febr. 18, 1869 in
In 1889 she married William
Luebke a blacksmith and wagon
maker. They had twelve children, eight
of whom are living, Mr. Luebke died in 1915.
Mrs. Luebke recalls many
experiences of her early days here and tells of hearing how her father helped
Christian Magdefrau across Dry Creek, north of Pierce. She says that Mr. Magdefrau horses were so
thin that they could not pull the wagon through the mud.
She has many heirlooms,
which are valued highly.
HERMAN MAGDANZ
Herman Magdanz, one of
Pierce county’s best known and most successful citizens was born in Germany on
Oct. 11, 1864, emigrating to America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Magdanz, Sr., when very young, first locating in Wisconsin and coming to Pierce
county in 1870, his father taking a homestead two and a half miles northeast of
Pierce, which is still owned by Mr. Magdanz and now occupied by Rudolph
Zellmer.
Mr. Magdanz experienced the
many incidents of the early day the blizzards which usually lasted three days,
they could not get out of the house to do their chores and would melt snow for
drinking. When the blizzard of 1888
struck, Mr. Magdanz was half way home from town on foot and he said he could
see a black cloud that appeared to be on the ground and without further warning
it was upon him and a wagon track in the snow was his only guide and with
difficulty he finally reached his home.
He related the grasshopper
raids, which came in great numbers, and completely hid the sun from view and if
they were not hungry they would settle on the grain and leave without doing any
damage.
Mr. Magdanz herded cattle
and sheep all along Willow Creek and for miles around, the slough grass being
so tall a youngster could scarcely see out.
He remembers of herding sheep, the Carl Klug, Fred and Ferdinand Koehler
and Magdanz families having them all in one herd when one of the severe three
day blizzard came, the sheep ran into the ravines of Yankton slough and after
the storm they began looking for the sheep.
They finally came upon a lone sheep all humped up and standing on the
bank of the ravine being all drifted level full of snow, so they commenced
digging in the snow, when they got down about 6 or 8 feet they found their
sheep all bunched together and when the opening was made they all hopped out
one after the other, unharmed.
The first corn sheller was a
spade and a pail and so efficient did the pioneers become in the art of
shelling a large amount was shelled in a day.
To compare present day
problems with those of pioneer days, Mr. Magdanz relates of their poverty,
where often they had no money to buy food with, but in that event they went to
their merchant in Norfolk or Wisner and they always received food to be paid
for when they had money and no creditor ever lost a cent, and a note or
mortgage was unheard of, but a man’s word was never broken.
Mr. Magdanz relates the
difficulty in training oxen to drive.
They would yoke a wild ox with a tame one, then hitch them to a pole or
heavy timber and just turn them loose on the prairie. They would run for miles and after a day or
two they were played out and pretty well broke.
Mr. Magdanz was married to Miss Ida Kuhl. When 6 months old she came with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kuhl from
Mr. and Mrs. Magdanz are the
parents of our children, Mrs. Linda Gruett, Ernest, Mrs. Esther Schulz and
Elmer, all of Pierce.
Mr. and Mrs. Magdanz retired
from the farm 21 years ago and are living in a very comfortable home in Pierce.
HERMAN J. MANSKE
Herman J. Manske is one of
the pioneer residents of Pierce county, with his brother, William of Pierce and
Gus Lierman of Hadar he holds the distinction of the longest continuous
residence in the county. The length of
an ox-team and wagon is the only difference in time of residence, as they all
came in the same ox-train from
Mr. Manske was born in
Germany on April 21, 1861, coming to America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
John Manske when seven years old, first locating in Wisconsin and in the spring
of 1869 they started in covered wagon and ox-team for Pierce county, reaching
West Point on the fourth of July.
They camped about a mile
from town and in the evening when fireworks were displayed they wondered what
it was all about for they had never seen or heard of such a thing.
Mr. Manske’s parents
homesteaded on a farm two miles northeast of Pierce now owned by his brother
William.
His father purchased the
farm just south of his homestead from the government in 1870 for $2.25 an acre
where Mr. Manske lived after his marriage to Miss Bertha Magdanz and which was
their home until eighteen year’s ago when they moved to town. Fifteen years ago Mr. Manske sold this farm
for $250 per acre.
Mr. Manske can relate
interesting as well as humorous stories of those early days. He laughingly remarked of their journey from
He further relates of a
family by the name of Hecht, living near them and it was customary when one
settler went to town, to bring provisions for the entire neighborhood—so on one
occasion when Mr. Manske and a brother were going to town, among other things
they were to ask for mail for the “Hecht” family. As they were all Germans, but were getting
better versed in English, Mr. Manske being quite apt, when he went to the post
office to get the mail he asked “Is there mail for “Pickerel”—“Hecht”
translated into English in “Pickerel” of course, there was not mail for
“Pickerel’s”.
Mr. Manske vividly remembers
of the Indian scares, blizzards and the early trials of the pioneer. His father died shortly after their residence
in the county. In the tax record of
1870, his mother was rated as the wealthiest person in Pierce county, her
assessed valuation was $779.00 and her taxes were $19.67.
Mr. Manske is still actively
engaged in business, being owner of the Home Filling Station and having many
other holdings. He is an enthusiastic
golfer and may be seen there whenever weather is favorable.
Mr. and Mrs. Manske are the
parents of six children all who reside in Pierce, Gus, Henry, Otto, Julius,
Mrs. Fred Gloe and Mrs. Julius Splittgerber.
J.B. MCDONALD
Mr. McDonald was deputy
postmaster from 1893-97 when he was employed in the H.H. Mohr lumber yard from
1897 to 1908 when he was elected county clerk.
He resigned that position in 1914 to accept the postmastership and
served until 1923. Served as city clerk
in 1924. He was elected county judge in November 1926 which position he still
holds.
Mrs. McDonald, whose maiden
name was Jessie Kerr, was born in
Mr. and Mrs. McDonald were
married on
MR. AND MRS. ALBERT OTTO
Albert Otto a well-known
pioneer of this community has lived in Pierce county since 1869, coming
directly to this county from Prownsberg,
Mr. Otto was married to Miss
Dorothea Buckendahl on
They have in no small way
contributed to the betterment of this county, endured the hardships and
privations of those days and are now enjoying the fruits of their labors. They are the parents of ten children, three dying
in infancy. Those living are Mrs. George
Scheer, Herman, Gustave, Mrs. Henry Miller, Mrs. Alice Braasch and Lawrence of
Pierce and William of Magnet.
JOHN RAASCH
John Raasch of Hadar came to
Pierce county in 1869 from
Mr. Raasch was born
Mr. and Mrs. Raasch are the
parents of eleven children, Mrs. Clara Fischer, Paul, Mrs. Rieke Uecker, Mrs.
Dora Eppler, Anton, Louis, George, Elmer, Rudolph, Erhart and Hubert.
W. W. RILEY
W. W. Riley, a member of one
of the earliest families in Pierce county, is almost a native Nebraskan, as he
was only 4 years old when he came here with his parents in the fall of 1870
from
He recalls how during the
grasshopper raids they took turns sweeping the grasshoppers off the cabbage
plants with old brooms and brushes. All
they were able to save were two rows of cabbage.
Mr. Riley is a progressive
farmer and stock breeder and also engages extensively in Shetland ponies, that
are shipped to various parts of the
Mr. and Mrs. Riley are the
parents of two children, Mrs. Margaret Bowen of Pierce and Hubert of Seward.
They have traveled
extensively in this country as well as abroad and take an active interest in
the affairs of the community.
MRS. HERMAN ROHDE
Mrs. Herman Rohde of Pierce
holds the signal distinction of being the first white child born in Pierce
county, the second being the late Richard Korth, son of Carl Korth and the
third Mrs. W.A. Saeger.
Mrs. Rohde was Miss
Bernadine Conrad, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Conrad, who homesteaded
one-half mile west of Hadar in 1869.
Mrs. Rohde was born on
She vividly recalls the time
when she attended the district school when the teacher, Miss Martha Heckendorf
and Mrs. Rohde and sisters stopped at the August Huebner home, aunt and uncle
of Mrs. Rohde and the Indians were in the dug-out and Mrs. Huebner who was so
frightened, as Mr. Huebner was away, had given them almost all she had in the
house, still they persisted in staying, when Miss Heckendorf looked into the
little window of the dug-out they became frightened, thinking many more
“whites” were about, they dashed out of the dug-out.
Mr. and Mrs. Rohde were
married on
Mr. Rohde was born near
Mr. Rohde’s parents lived in
a dug-out and they experienced the scourge of grasshoppers, prairie fires and
blizzard which proved a menace to these early settlers.
Mr. and Mrs. Rohde are the
parents of two children, Edwin, who resides on a farm south of Pierce and Mrs.
Agnes Wittnebel of
MRS. MINA ROHRKE
Mrs. Mina Rohrke, of Hadar,
is a daughter of an early
The family settled near
The young couple went to
live on their own farm 3 miles west of Hadar, where they lived for 45 years and
experiencing the hardships of the early pioneers. In 1925 they moved to Hadar, where in 1927
Mr. Rohrke died.
Mrs. Rohde is now 72 years
old and is in good health and enjoys the companionship of her many friends.
REINHOLD W. ROHRKE
R. W. Rohrke was born near
Mr. Rohrke attended school
under difficult circumstances, often walking six miles to reach the neighboring
school.
He was married to Anna Maria
Kaiser on July 24, 1879(?). To them were
born six children.
Mr. Rohrke has been a
resident of Pierce county for over 60 years and has lived on his own farm since
1897.
He served for 21 years as a
school director in District 15, which was first known as District 1, the first
to be organized in Pierce county. He was
road supervisor in South Branch precinct for two years.
He remembers early hardships
including the fear of Indians, the prairie fires and grasshopper invasions, but
feels the present depression is the hardest to bear. He recalls his mother telling of how she
broke sod with an ox team and crude plow.
He is in failing health due
to an accident suffered three years ago when he was kicked by a horse. His hobby has always been fine horses.
FRANK SCHULZ
Frank Schulz, a resident of
this community for sixty-one years was born in
Mr. Schulz took a timber
claim ten miles northeast of Pierce, which he sold and purchased the farm east
of Pierce now owned by his son, Arthur.
On April 13, 1883 Mr. Schulz
was married to Miss Bertha Manske, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Manske
homesteaded in 1869 on the farm a half miles east of town, known as the old
William Buckendahl place.
As the grasshoppers had
taken all the crops and no work was available here, Mr. Schulz and two boys
walked to Omaha to secure work, there being only a few houses in Omaha then,
they stopped at a house and asked where the depot man lived and they were
ordered off the place under threat of being shot. Hitchhikers in those days were not welcomed,
which is more or less comparable to present day conditions. They continued to
Mr. and Mrs. Schulz moved to
Pierce in 1891 and at various times Mr. Schulz has been engaged in
business. Mrs. Schulz died fourteen
years ago. Of their seven children the
six living are Arthur and Mrs. Ernest Magdanz of Pierce, Mrs. Wm. Eike of
Randolph, Frank of Omaha, Paul of Beloit, Kansas, and Mrs. Chas. Neighbors of
MRS. W. A. SAEGER
Perhaps no other person in
Pierce county holds the unusual distinction of being born in Pierce county and
also to have lived on the same place the 64 years of their life which Mrs. W.
A. Saeger can boats of. She was born on
The Ponca Indians would stop
at the door of their long cabin and say, “How, how, Ponca, Goot!” which meant,
“Good morning, Ponca’s good!” They wore
suits made of animal skins and wore a read blanket.
At one time Frederich
Kolterman, grandfather of Mrs. Saeger, living on an adjoining homestead,
poisoned wolves and they had been dead for several days in the hills north of
the Griebenow home when the Indians found them, they dressed them and prepared
them and held a feast, and in their crude way of preparation, none became ill
from the feast of “poisoned wolves.” Another
time Grandfather Kolterman gave them a dog, an old squaw came out of the
tee-pee, hit the dog over the head with a club and set about to dress it and
that was also a feast.
Rattlesnakes being numerous
in those days, but the Indians had remedies
for their bites and seldom did a rattlesnake bite prove fatal, however,
an Indian Princess died as the result of a rattler bite and together with all
her jewels and finery with great ostentation, she was buried in the hills on or
near the Fred Prahl place southeast of Pierce.
They mourned for a month had their war dances and had all manner of
commotion.
As a little child, Mrs.
Saeger made a little tent out of old sacks and sticks in which she had her doll
and other toys, when the Indians happened along and she was so afraid, they
picked it up and handed it from one to another and would take her doll,
however, they laughed as only an Indian could.
The fear of the Indian could
never be entirely overcome, even so often they would come to their places with
all kinds of knives to sharpen them on her father’s grindstone and always they
wondered whether they would scalp them.
Indian scares were not
uncommon at one time—word was sent from one settler to another that the Indians
were coming had already killed some settlers, and Mrs. Saeger then a small
baby, was wrapped in a blanket and together with her parents, the Kolterman’s,
Magdanz, Manske families and others, ran for shelter in the old Yankton slough
northeast of Pierce and hid among brush and plum thickets and remained there a
night and part of a day. However, the
Indians never came, the report proved to be a hoax. Those were the fears of the people who have
made history in
Mrs. Saeger started to
school in Sept. 1875 and school was held in their log home for 2 years, the
first teacher was Miss Josephine Heckendorf.
Herman Magdanz also attended school in the log cabin.
In 1877 the school house
(Dist. 8 north of town) was built, the first director was John Wright;
treasurer, Carl Griebenow and moderator was Frederick Kolterman. For five years Mrs. Saeger was the only pupil
in the school, then Emil and Harry Grunwald moved to the farm now owned by
Chas. Chilvers and they attended.
Miss Amanda Griebenow was
married to William A. Saeger, a native of
AUGUST SCHWICHTENBERG
August Schwichtenberg, a
well-known resident of Pierce county was born in Pommerian Germany, Nov. 23,
1850, coming to America when 17 years old from Ixonia, Wis., with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Johann Schwichtenberg in 1871, his father taking a homestead 3 ½
miles east of Hadar in Wayne County.
They made the trip from
It required six weeks to
make the trip, they crossed the
In 1872 Mr. Schwichtenberg
took a homestead 3 ½ miles east of Hadar.
On
In 1880 he sold the
homestead for $1000.00 and he and his wife and son Julius went to
He improved the place with
fine buildings, and Mr. Schwichtenberg states he has never experienced a
complete crop failure.
He was director of school
district No. 7 for 45 years, and during that time hired thirty-five teachers,
the first teacher was Miss Nora Miles, a sister-in-law of Dr. Gay of Pierce.
He help organize Christ
Lutheran church in Norfolk in 1872 and in 1883 helped organize Immanuel
Lutheran church in Hadar of which he is a charter member, he served as
president of the congregation for two years.
He served as county
commissioner of Pierce county from 1900 until 1907.
His wife died
Twelve children were born to
them, the five living are Julius in Omaha; Mrs. Alma Scheips, Pierce; Otto,
Norfolk; Eleanor Hoskins, Long Beach, California and Martin living on the home
place.
Mr. Schwichtenberg took out
his citizenship papers at the age of 21 years and they were signed by President
Grant.
MRS. IDA HALL
Mrs. Ida Hall Sherman came
with her parents to Pierce county over sixty years ago from Lycoming county,
After graduation at the
She was married to Frank
Sherman of
Three children were born to
this couple, Robert of Salina, Kansas, who is employed by the Beebe Runyan
Furniture Co. of Omaha, and
WILLIAM SPORLEDER
William Sporleder one of the
oldest residents of this community is a native of
A friend of his was leaving
for
They first located in
Mr. Sporleder was married in
When they first arrived in
Pierce county, they lived with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Buckendahl, Sr., until their
buildings were completed. He paid $80
for a team of oxen which he used to farm.
He distinctly remembers the
blizzard of 1888, the sun was shining and the day was mild, and Mr. Sporleder
had just watered his stock, when suddenly it appeared as a cloud was on the
ground and the storm was upon them.
John Bermel was at their
home and they decided to get the children from school which was nearby, when
they met them and got them safely to their home where they remained all
night. Early the next morning Wm. Schulz
came looking for his daughter, Ida, the late Mrs. Fred Hilgert. People had worried throughout the night as to
the fate of their children, but the fury of the storm was so great it meant
death to venture out in it.
On June 14, 1885 a terrible
storm of tornado proportions took Mr. Sporleder’s barn which was built of posts
and boards and carried it a distance of a half mile.
Mr. Sporleder distinctly
remembers the hail storm on Sept. 29 of 1881 or 1882 during the Fair which was
held south of town on the west side of the road, when hail stones were the size
of a goose egg, it was so unusual, as the sun was shining and the stated it was
a pretty sight with the hailstones sparkling against the sun.
Mr. and Mrs. Sporleder
retired from the farm twenty-five years ago and moved to Pierce. Mrs. Sporleder died eight years ago, his
daughter, Mrs. Richard Malzahn and Mr. Malzahn live with Mr. Sporleder since
the death of Mrs. Sporleder. Of his ten
children, the eight living are John, Henry, Mrs. H.C. Buckendahl, Mrs. Louise
Koehler, Mrs. Albert Koehler, Mrs. Carl Meier, Mrs. George Malzahn and Mrs.
Richard Malzahn.
THEODORE STREICH
Theodore Streich, was 61
years of age August 15. He was born on a
farm northeast of Pierce, and has spent his lifetime in this county.
In 1898 he was married to
Miss Emma Witte of Bazile Mills, and took his bride to his farm home northwest
of Osmond, where they lived until a year ago when they retired to live in
Osmond.
They had four sons, two of
who died in infancy. One son, Julius
lives on the home place which has been owned by the Streich family for
forty-two years. The other son, John,
also farms nearby.
FRANK STRELOW
Frank Strelow, a prominent
business man of Pierce is numbered among our pioneers and has done his share in
the development of Pierce county. Mr.
Strelow was born in Braunsburg,
Mr. Strelow served as
assessor of Pierce county for a term, filling the office with credit and
honor. He is a member of Zion Lutheran
church and always has taken a keen interest in all church activities. He is the father of 11 children, one son
Julius is a Lutheran minister in
Mr. and Mrs. Strelow occupy
a very fine home in the west part of Pierce.
FRANK SYNOVEC
Frank Synovec, one of Pierce
county’s well-known farmers, came here at the age of 16 years in 1884. His father, Frank Peter Synovec, and mother
and seven children, made the trip from Yates county,
He recalls herding cattle,
as many as 500 heard at one time. Three
months of schooling in the winter was all they had and pupils furnished the
books.
In 1896 he was married to
Anna Stedry. Three children were born to
this union. Mrs. Clara Goke, living
northeast of Pierce, and Laura and Allen, both at home. This worthy couple lived for thirty-six years
on the farm they now occupy.
MRS. HASON TURNER
Mrs. Hason Turner is
numbered among the early pioneers of
She was born in
During the blizzard of 1888
the teacher, Miss Loye Royse, who was teaching in the Thompson district near
the Turner homestead, lost both feet as the result of being frozen and three of
the pupils with her perished.
Mrs. Turner is a prominent
member of the Eastern Star and past worthy matron.
Mr. Turner died Febr. 25,
1934.
They have three children,
Mrs. Belle Bennett of
WILLIAM C. ULRICH
William C. Ulrich is one of
Pierce’s most progressive business men and ranks second in years of service to
this community. He has conducted the
City Meat Market for the past 34 years and prior to ownership assisted his
father, the late Charles Ulrich, who conducted the meat market for twenty
years, until his interests were purchased by his son, William.
Mr. Ulrich was born at
Mr. Ulrich has always been
industrious. As a small boy he served as
mail messenger between Pierce and Colbergen, riding a pony and making the trip
Tuesdays and Saturdays, receiving $1.19 a trip.
He also worked in the beet fields in 1893 and 1894 when the largest beet
field in the word was just east of Pierce.
Mr. Ulrich has always been
interested in the best interests for the community; has served in various
offices of trust; and at the present is a member of the city council and the
fair board.
Mr. Ulrich has extensive
land holdings in various parts of the county.
He was married to Miss Ella
Goff and they are parents of three children, Mary, a student nurse in Lincoln,
and Robert and William, at home.
MR. AND MRS. FRANK VOECKS
Mr. and Mrs. Frank C.
Voecks, who only recently moved to Creston, Nebraska, with their cons, still
call Pierce county “home” as is evidence by a letter received from them, in
part follows: “We saw a notice in the
Pierce Leader that anyone who has lived in Pierce county for fifty years or
more would be give honor seats at the County Fair this year. Mr. Voecks and I are wondering whether you
would include those who have lived in the county that many years or more or
those who still reside in the county?”
“Both Mr. Voecks and myself
have lived in Pierce county until
“I was born and raised on
the old Lambrecht homestead, which is located ten miles west of Pierce. My father and mother, the late Mr. and Mrs.
August Lambrecht moved to the homestead October 31, 1878, my brother, Ernest A.
Lambrecht, Co. Commissioner of Pierce county, owns the old homestead now. Father and mother are buried on the
homestead, father gave one acre of it for a cemetery, it being called the “
“I well remember the
blizzard of 1888. I was almost six years
old then, my oldest sister, now Mrs. Henry Kuhl of
“Mr. Voecks’ father and
mother homesteaded nine miles southwest of Pierce in 1876 the late Mr. and Mrs.
William Voecks. The place is now owned
by my husband’s brother, Richard Voecks.
There is where Mr. Voecks was born and raised fifty-seven years ago, so
we both have lived in
“Respectfully ours,
“Mrs. Frank C. Voecks,
Mr. and Mrs. Voecks, who have
helped in the development of Pierce county are justly entitled to a seat of
honor at the Pierce County Fair although now removed from our midst.
The subject of this sketch,
Frederick Wecker, has been a resident of Pierce county for over 60 years,
having come here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Wecker when a baby a
year and a half old. He was one of 10
children. The family homesteaded between
Pierce and Hadar and Mr. Wecker attended school on the Ahlman farm.
He tells of their first home
being just a hole dug in the ground with a sod roof and when the creek raised
it would fill with water. Their second
house was a long house built from timbers along the creek.
His father while farming also
followed his trade of carpentering and when
Mrs. Wecker died on
Mr. Wecker tells vividly of
the grasshopper raids and how for two years they lost all crops due to the
grasshoppers.
His father, Nicholas Wecker
was well-known around Pierce, having been county treasurer for about eight
years.