FAMILY STORIES

Thomas. The children were Fritz, Lloyd, Elmer, Clarence, Kathleen, Dorothy, and Charlene. William married Jennie Jensen. Their children were Donald, Robert, Phyllis, Suzanne, and Billy Gene.

   Herman married Marian Short. Their children were Doris, Marilyn, Joanne, Jean and Paul.

   The grandchildren of Jurgen and Wiebke Mumm are listed below.

   Helen Mumm married George Heldt. Children were Edgar, Lorraine Parrish and Evelyn Speckmann. After George's death, Helen married Herman Furrer.

   Harry married Elsie Frahm. Children were Carl, Willard, Leroy, Kathryn Nelson, Marceline Evans, Betty Ashworth, and Joyce Lennon.

   Emma married Clarence Lattz and had Richard and Myril.

   Clarence married Frances Steele and had Carlene (Desler) Sacco.

   Harvey married Emily Woods and had Roger, Barbara, and Alton.

   Bill Spech married Lizzie Thomas and had June Zimmerly and Kenneth. Lizzie Spech married Art Peterson and had Mae Allington, Elaine Allington and Glenn. Lena Spech married Arly Barger and had Wayne, and Faye Clark.

   Otto Mumm married Rose Thomas. Their children were Marvin, Marianne Bull, Marcella Grebe, and Marlene Peetz. Edgar Mumm married Mildred Kirchmann and had Kenneth and Annette Rogers.

   Edward Mumm married Alice Draper and had Irvin and Edward Jr. Lester married Betty (?). They had Sheryl, Cindy, Linda, Janice, Bonnie, Ronald, Dee, Douglas and Gayle.

   Harry Storm married Clara Thomas. Their children were Melvin, Rogene Schoening and Leonard. Laura married William Gerhman and had Marian Halouska.

   Donald Mumm married Anne Wasserburger. Their children are Bradley and Rodney. Robert married Patricia Batman and they had Steven and Michael. Phyllis married Allen Sherman and had Robert Dowles, Dixie Dowles, and Carey Allen. Suzanne married Raymond Frondise and had Kathy and Laurie. William Gene married Carolyn Noyes. Their children are Jennie, Patrick and Janie.

   Doris Mumm married Warren Hayes. Their children are Sandra Ratigan, Steven, and Stuart. Marilyn Syndergard has Terry, Susan, and Bob. Joanne married Robert Kirchmann. Their children are Bobby Joe and Michael. Paul Mumm married Judy Pflug. Their children are Michael and Sherry. By Harvey Mumm

   I am a granddaughter of the Olof Munsons.

The Olof Munson Family. Right to Left: Olof Sr., Olof Jr., Andrew, John, George and Lowry.

   As we were growing up we heard much about Saunders County. Never in my most remote thoughts, could I have envisioned one day preaching in churches in Saunders County.

   My mind goes back to a humble converted sod house in Boyd County. Around the heating stove in the living room, my dad, Andrew, in the oak rocker, and we five children were all ears as he reflected back nearly 50 years. He began with either, "I remember down to o-o-old Saunders County," or "When we were coming on the boat from Sweden." I don't think he ever forgave the prankster who threw his cap on the refuse belt. His cap was deposited in the ocean. To a six-year-old this wasn't a joke.

   Swedeburg, a home for many Swedes, was abundantly blessed with John Petersons. The community folks had to add I.D.s to keep them separate. Titles given were "little," "Emma's," "fat," "short," and even "whisky John Peterson." We never knew if these fellows were aware of their "new handles."

   I bring a Swedish family to old-timers' remembrance.

   On Nov. 1, 1889, Olof Munson (Monson) Sr. came from Malmo, Sweden to Saunders County. He had a very real goal in his heart and mind. While in Sweden he had an alcoholic problem, which he found impossible to conquer. Inconveniences, adjustments, hardship and loneliness (his family was still in Sweden) faded into insignificance as he pressed forward toward his goal. His desire was "a new and better life," which he accomplished, raising a lovely family. They were honest, hard-working, clean-living, religious people. To date, the original family have all passed on, with the exception of Lowry, the youngest, who lives in Bloomfield.

   In June, 1892, his wife and four children joined him: Hannah, ten, April 1, 1882; Olof Thed, eight, Sept. 22, 1884; Andrew Neil, six, Dec. 2, 1886; and John Elof, three, April 7, 1889. I'm sure they never forgot the terrible experience of starting to school, knowing no English. The result being none of us grandchildren were taught Swedish.

   God gave Munsons three more children. Hilma Aurora was born April 15, 1893. A disaster took a heavy toll, bringing much sorrow to this happy, quiet community. Many people died in a diphtheria epidemic in fall of 1894. Among them was little Hilma, one and one-half years old. On May 30, 1896, George William joined this family. The Omega was Lowry Dwight, born August 12, 1899.

   The first five years the Munsons lived near Ceresco. In March, 1895, they located on the Norman farm one and one-half miles from Swedeburg. Charley Ericson and Andrew Munson played together as their farms were close.

   About a year before my father Andrew's passing, he visited Wahoo. He and Charley sat on the porch swing, laughed and reminisced. Dad accused Charley of almost drowning him in the creek. Charley laughed and said, "I was quite a tease in those days."

   In the fourth generation there is only one son with the Monson name and now spelled Munson - Olof Sr., his son, Andrew Neil, followed by his son, Rayburn Neil, and Rayburn's son, John Parke Custis. John's mother is a direct descendant of Martha Washington. Submitted by Rev. Kathleen Jennings

   John Murphy, the eldest of five children of Phillip Murphy and Catherine Tobin, was born in 1848, in Kilkenny County, Ireland. At thirteen, he went to London, England, and found employment in a store. He landed in New York in May of 1864, following a six week voyage, working as a cabin boy on the sailing vessel, "American Eagle." In the spring of 1869, after clerking in a New York store, working in the copper mines along Lake Superior, and for the railroad, he arrived in Fremont, Nebraska. Shortly thereafter, he pre-empted 160 acres of land in Saunders County, Douglas precinct, known as the "Home Place." It was while clerking in the "Porter, Field and Newman Grocery" in Fremont, he met his future wife.

Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy, Sr.

   John and Mary Delaney were married February 8th, 1874, at St. Patrick's church, Fremont. Mary, the daughter of John Delaney and Julia Kelley, was born in 1856, at Germantown, Pennsylvania. Her family came by covered wagon in 1866 to a farm in Dodge County, which her father homesteaded.

   The young couple endured all the hardships of those early days, building their own two-room house, drouth, grasshoppers and prairie fires. The source of all supplies was sixteen miles away in Fremont. The journey was by team and lumber wagon, and by ferry across the Platte River. This was before the towns of Wahoo, Cedar Bluffs or Colon were established.

   They experienced much advancement in agriculture, from the "Marsh Harvester" to the Reaper, and then the Binder. The first riding plow was purchased about 1885. In 1892, they purchased the first carriage in the county. The problem of marketing grain to obtain a fair price led to his plan to establish a competing elevator. Thus, in cooperation with other farmers, the Farmers' Elevator of Cedar Bluffs was formed in 1888. This was taken over by the Farmers Union in 1915.

   Soon after their marriage, they began to add to their original 160 acres. As the years passed, they acquired nearly 900 acres of land. A granddaughter has inherited a part of this.

   John and Mary were the parents of thirteen children. James died in infancy, Phillip became a pharmacist, Emmet an attorney, Edward, John, Francis, and Albert established their homes on farms near the home place. Albert, the surviving son, is retired and lives in Cedar Bluffs. The six daughters also made their homes in Saunders County. They were Julia Barry, Catherine Blair, Mary Murphy, Mabel Krause, Genevieve Shanahan and Teresa Shanahan. Teresa is now living in Fremont. Today there are twenty-five grandchildren and over seventy great-grandchildren.

   Their perseverance and faith in God saw this truly pioneer couple through many adversities. They attended Mass in Fremont whenever possible, until St. Mary's (the Malloy church) was built about 1877. Later, in 1884, the Holy Rosary church (Sand Creek) was built within a mile of their home.

   They retired to a new home in Cedar Bluffs in 1920, after residing forty-seven years in one place. Submitted by Eileen Williams.

   John L. Murphy was the son of early settlers, John Murphy and Mary Delaney. He was born in 1887 in Saunders County, and lived his entire life in the Cedar Bluffs area. He attended the local school, District #34, and the Fremont Normal College.

John and Mayme Murphy. Home built in 1913

   John married Mayme Kelly in 1913 at St. Patrick's church in Fremont, Nebraska. She was the

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daughter of Michael Kelly and Mary Gaughen of North Bend. Born in 1889, she also attended the Fremont Normal College. She taught school for several years, and later worked in the County Treasurer's Office of Dodge County.

   After their marriage, they made their home on a farm in South Cedar precinct, where they lived for nearly fifty years.

   John served on the Board of Education of District #26 for twenty years. He was well-known for raising pure bred hogs. They saw the transition of farming with horses and two-row machinery, to the modern day use of tractors and eight-row equipment.

   They were members of St. Mary's parish in Cedar Bluffs and participated in community activities.

   They were the parents of one daughter, Eileen, Mrs. Frank Williams of Fremont. There is one granddaughter and there are three great-grandchildren. Submitted by Eileen Williams.

   James and Ellen Murray came to a farm two miles west of Yutan where they established a Homestead in 1878. They had five children. James and his son, Ed, and daughters, Julia and Nellie, spent a good deal of time in Omaha where they worked to keep the family going. Mr. Murray worked for Union Pacific Railroad. Mrs. Murray and the two younger children stayed on the Homestead to take care of it. Annie and Jim were going to enter school, but to their surprise they found the teacher and all the children talked only Bohemian. The two little Irish children soon learned to speak Bohemian also, so they could get their schooling.

   Later, the Murrays sold this homestead and moved near Ulysses. Annie Murray later married Marian Francis Hooker and they had three children; Myrtle, Ethel, and Harold.

   After various jobs, Harold Hooker went to work for U.P. Railroad in Omaha like his Grandfather Murray had done. After Mr. Hooker retired, he and his wife, Evelyn, came back to Saunders County and lived at Colon and Wahoo. She soon passed away. Later, Harold Hooker married a widow, Evangeline Landstrom Burklund, and they now reside in Ceresco. Submitted by Harold Hooker

   Joseph Murray's paternal grandparents were Oscar Cortland Murray and Winifred Baugher. Winifred was the daughter of Olive Mae Knapp. Olive Mae was a descendant of Nicholas Knapp who landed in Boston Bay, 1st March, 1630, in Winthrop and Saltenstalls fleet.

   Joseph's maternal grandparents were John O'Neill and Nora Foley. They were Irish immigrants who came to Hartford, Conn.

   Joseph's father was Russell Everett Murray, born 6 Sept. 1901 at Waterbury, Conn. He was a ship builder at Mystic until the great hurricane of 1939. The family moved to Galveston, Texas to build ships. Russell served in WWI and WWII, and was a retired Navy Officer.

   Joseph's mother is Margaret Loretta O'Neill, born 18 Sept. 1904 at Tahailla, Ireland. She lives in Altus, Ark.

   Joseph Vincent Murray was born Sept. 9, 1928, at New Haven, Conn. He survived Bloody and Heartbreak Ridges during the Korean War in 1952. Joseph is honorably discharged from both Army and Navy and has nearly 24 years of Federal Service. Electronics is both hobby and occupation. His amateur call letters are KQVTY.

   Jeanette Terrill Murray's paternal ancestry dates back to the Mayflower through the Standish and Alden lines, and ancestor, Benjamin Chandler, died at the battle of Bennington, Vt. Jeanette's great-grandfather, Ira Nathan Terrill wrote the bill for capital punishment in the First Territorial Legislature of Oklahoma and he was the first man punished by that bill.

   Jeanette's maternal grandparents were James Daniel McCleary and Jeanetta Mae Stevens. Jeanetta Mae's mother was Ellen Willsie, married 15 Feb. 1894 to William L. Stevens of Leder, Indian Territory.

   James Daniel McCleary II's father was James Daniel McCleary I and his mother was Florence Scott. McClearys were coal miners at Coal Hill, Ark. where many labor disputes existed. Mother Jones came to Coal Hill to speak. A familiar slogan then was "We can hire another man, but we won't kill a mule." Jeanetta Mae Stevens, wife of James Daniel II, was born 23 July 1895 at Ozark, Ark.

   Jeanette Terrill's parents were Elga Durmon Terrill, born 20 Sept. 1912 at Montana, Ark. and Muriel Beatrice McCleary, born 9 Oct. 1912 at Denning, Ark. Muriel died in 1949. Elga was a coal miner but served in the Navy aboard the U.S. George Ross in WWII.

   Jeanette Terrill, born 14 Oct. 1934 at Montana, Ark., married Joseph Vincent Murray, "Friday" the 13th, Nov., 1953 at Wichita, Kan. Joseph and Jeanette's family came to Saunders Co. to Mead N.O.P. in 1962. We have lived at Ithaca since 1965. Our children are: Nathan Joseph, born 28 Jan. 1956, Junction City, Kan.; Daniel Leslie, born 27 Dec. 1956, Junction City; Margaret Ruth, born 29 Mar. 1958, Junction City; Jean Louise, born 28 Apr. 1959, Junction City; Susan Leah, born 3 Mar. 1962, Lincoln; Russell Elga, born 12 June 1963; and Natalie Muriel, born 6 Dec. 1965, both born at Wahoo. One grandchild, Melissa Ann, daughter of Daniel and Diane Elizabeth (Sanders) Sanders, was born 11 July 1981 at Seward, Neb. Submitted by Jeanette Terrill Murray

   On January 5, 1924, Andrew (Andy) was born in Columbus, Nebr. to Thomas A. Jr. and Bridget Murren. He attended Colon and Fremont Public Schools. From grades three through ten, he attended St. Wenceslaus School in Wahoo, Nebr. He then attended and graduated from Wahoo High School in 1941 and attended Luther College in Wahoo. Being a World War 2 veteran he is a member of Bartek-Carlson Post #265 in Colon, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #4502 in Wahoo. He also belongs to the Knights of Columbus, Wahoo Eagles, Voiture 1018 40&8 at Fremont, and is a member of the Colon Fire Department. Our family attends St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Colon.

Thomas A. Jr. and Bridget Murren

   On February 11, 1947, he married Norma Pacl at St. John's Catholic Church in Prague, Nebraska. I was born near Linwood, Nebr., the daughter of Raymond and Rose Pacl. I attended St. John's School in Prague, Nebr. and graduated from Prague High School. I am active in church activities and am a member of the Altar Sodality, Catholic Daughters of America, Colon Legion Auxiliary, and the Semi-Colon Home Extension Club.

   We have five children. Thomas Andrew, Omaha, is a graduate of Creighton University. He is married to the former Julie Vervaecke.

   John Raymond is a graduate of Southeast Community College, Milford.

   Michael Joseph is a junior at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

   Mary Kay is a Freshman at the College of Saint Mary, Omaha.

   Patricia Jean will graduate from Bishop Neumann Central Catholic High School, Wahoo, in May, 1983.

   We live on the Murren family farm which is a four-generation farm. Submitted by Norma Murren

   Thomas Andrew Murren Sr. came to America from Ireland. Not knowing all dates, I will tell what my father knew about the family.

Thomas A. Sr. and Hannah Murren

   Grandfather Murren was born in 1838. He traveled to Michigan and worked in a coal mine. In this mine he had the misfortune to lose the use of his hand in a mine accident. Since he could no longer work in the mine, he decided to move westward. On this venture he met Hannah Murphy, who also came from Ireland. They were married in Omaha, Nebraska. Grandfather then homesteaded and filed claim on a farm north of Colon. He received his patent from President U.S. Grant on May 2, 1874. Two children were born here. Andrew (1877-1889) died at the age of twelve. Mary (1880-1921) was also born here.

   Now the trek to Laramie, Wyoming. Grandfather found a job working for the railroad. Grandmother cooked for the railroad employees in the section house. Here their third child, John, was born in 1881. John graduated from Wahoo High School and attended the University of Nebr., and then went to Mexico to work for a bank. He returned and went to South Dakota where he homesteaded 160 acres of land. He would tell about the Indians who would come to his cabin and take coal and firewood. He didn't mind because they did no harm. After proving on the land, which is still owned by the family, he moved back to Colon and operated a general merchandise store. He was associated with the State Bank of Colon. He held the office of president until his death in 1969.

   My grandparents returned to Nebraska from Wyoming and sold their land north of Colon. They purchased a half section of land east of Colon in 1882. Nellie (1883-1921) was born here. She married Frank Fraley of Wahoo. They had two sons, John Francis of Springfield, Missouri and Thomas, of Houston, Texas.

   In 1884, Grandpa purchased the farm which I farm and live on. Here Margaret, Thomas Jr., and Hannah were born. Margaret (1890-1915) married Vincent Lowry of Omaha. They had one son, Thomas Edward, deceased.

   Hannah (deceased) married Arvel Carlock of Saint Louis, Missouri. Grandpa passed away in 1924 and Grandma died in 1932.

   Thomas Andrew Jr., my father, was born November 20, 1891. He lived in the Colon area all his life. He went to the Colon School and Wahoo High. He married Bridget Noonan in Sacred Heart Church at Cornlea, Nebraska in 1923. Their son, Andrew, was born January 5, 1924. My mother passed away on March 10, 1924 at the age of twenty-nine. Dad farmed three miles south of Colon until he retired in 1945. He died on August 29, 1982, the last child in this generation.

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