FAMILY STORIES

Emil Quick Family

   The brothers and sisters of Emil Quick follow. Lena Freeman had two daughters, Sadie Budd and Winnie Larson. Mathilda Martinson had no children. Minnie Anderson had four children, Nora Ellis, Ruben, Goldie Johnson, and Charles.

   Althea Hultman had three children, Joe, Dora Sellstro, and Helen Rankin. Edward Quick married Emma Carlson and had three children: Virgil, Marguerite Quick, and Amelia Schlytern.

   Ellen married Otto Randell. Their seven children were Ethel Fjellin, Verlie Allgaier, Rudolf, Delver, Rosalind Quick, and Muriel Lubker.

   Emil Quick married Sarah Rowell. Their seven children were Earl, Roy, Eloise, Cecil, Pauline, Kenneth and Keith.

   Earl Quick married Martha Hageman. Their children were Wallace, Alice (Milton Eichmier), and Earlene (Berneal Warner).

   Roy Quick married Elsie Sandstrom. They had one daughter, Phyllis (Stanley McGill). His second marriage was to Iva Wedberg. There are two children, Patricia (Larry Stark) and Lee Quick.

   Eloise Hodgin (Veryl) had one son, Wayne. Her second marriage was to John Spech. There are no children.

   Cecil married Winnie Clemons. They had one daughter, Darlene Almery. His second marriage was to Gaitha Walters.

   Pauline and Elmer Miller have three children, Merline Husk, Wayne, and Anita Sizelove.

   Kenneth married Thelma Whitehead. They have three children: Michael, Steven, and Donna Quick. Keith Quick married Eunice Hughes. Their two sons are Kenneth Dale and Roger.

   Emil Quick lived with his family in Green Precinct west of Memphis most of his life. He was a farmer. They retired and moved into Ashland. They lived in the property now owned by Orval Thiessen. Later on, they moved into the Snodgrass property.

   Wallace M. Quick was born Dec. 8, 1924 on the farm one and a half miles east of Ithaca. At six months of age the family moved to a newly-built farmstead one-half mile north of Ithaca. He attended school at Ithaca and Wahoo, and worked the farm until he entered the service in 1945.

   After the service he married Alta Schiefelbein who was born five miles east of Ithaca. She attended Dist. 47 until 1941 when the government took over the area for the Mead Ordnance Plant. The family moved to Ithaca.

   Alta's father, Ben Schiefelbein, was born in Ithaca, and her mother, Rose (Schneider) Schiefelbein, was born in the house which also held the first post office, called Milton, the first in this area. When Ben and Rose moved to Ithaca, he became postmaster until retiring.

   Wallace's father and mother, Earl and Martha (Hageman) Quick, were both born in the Ithaca area and farmed until his death.

   Wallace and Alta were married Sept. 12, 1948 and lived for 13 years southwest of Ithaca. In 1961 they moved to his home place one-half mile north of Ithaca. During this time four boys were born: Mark on Jan. 17, 1951; Ralph on April 12, 1953; Craig on Sept. 4, 1956; and Harvey on Oct. 6, 1958. The family lived on the farm, with the boys attending Districts 102 and 50, and Wahoo High School.

   Ralph married Christi Swanson in June, 1974 and has 2 children, Lindy, 4 and Jeff, 1. Mark married Kathy Novacek April, 1981. Harvey married Annette Borreson June, 1981. Craig married Cindy Tunink in Sept., 1982.

   Wallace and Alta and Mark, Craig, and Harvey formed a partnership Nov. 7, 1977 and started a dairy, milking over a hundred cows, with the boys all residing in Ithaca.

   Ralph's family lived in Ogalalla where he works for Ogalalla Electronics. Submitted by Wallace Quick

   Rudolf R. Rabbass, son of Friedrick and Augusta Ehrike Rabbass, was born January 21, 1897.

Left to Right: Arvilla (Mrs. Carl Nilson), Rudolf Rabbass, Wilmond Rabbass, Maria Hoffmann Rabbass, Loretta (Mrs. Ray Hanson), Ioma (Mrs. James Ruff).

   His father, Friedrick Rabbass, was born April 4, 1851. His mother, Augusta Ehrike Rabbass, was born November 21, 1854. They came to the United States from Alt Kuestrinchen, Brandenburg, Germany in 1880. They first settled near Wisner, Nebraska and then relocated on a farm near Colon.

   Rudolf was the youngest of nine children; the others were: Fred, Carl, August, Frank, Emma Hoppe, Ida Peterson, Meta Mahrt Rohwer, and Anna Hoffmann.

   On September 24, 1919, he was united in marriage to Maria C. Hoffmann, daughter of Friedrick and Emma Jurgens Hoffmann. Maria was born on a farm located between Colon and Cedar Bluffs. Her father, Friedrick Hoffman, was born May 25, 1865 at Odderade, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He came to America in 1882, first locating at Plainview, Iowa. In 1885, he moved to a farm near Cedar Bluffs where he resided until moving into Cedar Bluffs in 1918. Her mother, Emma Jurgens Hoffmann, was born January 15, 1870 in Clinton, Iowa.

   Maria was one of eleven children; the others were: Rudolf, Heinrich (Henry), Johann (John), Bernard, Hans, Albert, Adele Mahrt, Augusta Eggers, Martha Tetens and Selma Bosholm.

   Rudolf and Maria had four children: Arvilla (Mrs. Carl Nilson) born December 7, 1920; Willmond born July 21, 1922; Loretta (Mrs. Raymond Hanson) born November 9, 1924; and Ioma (Mrs. James Ruff) born October 19, 1928.

   Rudolf and Maria farmed in the Cedar Bluffs and Colon vicinity until 1933 or 34. They then moved to a farm located between Malmo and Weston, Nebraska and from there to a farm southwest of Wahoo. They then relocated on a farm near Cedar Bluffs where they sold out and quit farming.

   In 1941, they purchased a home in Cedar Bluffs. While their son, Willmond, served in a tank battalion in the armed forces, Rudolf and Maria were both employed at the Nebraska Ordnance Plant. When the plant closed, Maria worked for Mode O' Day Corporation in Fremont and Rudolf worked as a service station attendant for his nephew. His last place of employment before retiring was janitor at the Cedar Bluffs High School. While there he received an honorary life membership in the Nebraska Congress of Parents and Teachers.

   Mr. Rabbass passed away four months after he and Maria had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Since his death Maria has broken both hips and is confined to a wheel chair in the Saunders County Care Center. Submitted by Loretta Hanson

   Mathias Raczek was born January 7, 1819, in Vreshovitz, Czechoslovakia. He was the son of Mathias Raczek, a farmer, and Anna Simpartle, daughter of Simon Simpartl and Eva Kreplin of Stisch, Czechoslovakia.

Mathias Racek 1819-1900

   Maria Suchy was born February 21, 1824, in Pollenka, Czechoslovakia. She was the daughter of Lorenz Suchy and Veronica Katzerowsky, daughter of Ignaz and Maria Katzerowsky. Ignaz Katzerowsky was a townsman (similar to a marshal) and the family lived in Chudenitz, Czechoslovakia.

   Mathias Racek and Maria Suchy were married November 8, 1842, in Pollenka, Czechoslovakia. At the time of their wedding, the Raczek family name was spelled without the z, Racek.

   In the late 1860's, Mike and Maria with their three sons, Mike Jr., born 1847, James, born 1849, Joe, born 1864, and two daughters, Mary, born 1854, and Anna, born 1858, came from Breskovice, Czechoslovakia, to an Illinois town where they worked for a cattle feeder for a year. He outfitted them with an old team of horses, a covered wagon and a horned cow. So with this equipment and 25¢ in their pocket, they set out for Nebraska. Halfway across Iowa, near Cedar Rapids, one of the horses died. There they stayed for more than a year, and in 1868 they once again started out of Iowa to homestead in Nebraska with a horse and a cow.

   They followed the Platte River on the north side until they came to North Bend. The river was too deep to cross at this point so they were stopped once again. Fortunately, they met an Indian who could speak English and he guided them to a crossing further west towards the town of Linwood.

   The family intended to homestead on land southwest of Linwood but a Pawnee Indian camp was located near by, so they traveled east and camped on the John and Fred Homer land west of Morse Bluff. From there they started looking for four eighties to homestead. They went to the Colon area but could get only one eighty so they returned back to where they came in contact with a land agent.

   The land agent told them there were three eighties south of Morse Bluff. This land is still owned by Racek descendants. One brother, Joe, was not of age to homestead, 21, so he went to Omaha to work and when he became of age, the Homestead Act was discontinued.

   The other two brothers built a sod house on the fence line and just about lost their homestead rights for having one home for two homesteads. They wanted to live together and still have half of their home on their land, but the Homestead Act read "One Home for Each Homestead."

   After the brothers got their Homestead claim, they would work in Omaha for three days a week, leveling hills for 25¢ a day. They would walk to work one day of the week, and walk back to their home-

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stead another day. That left two days per week to work on their homestead.

   Mike Jr. married Anna Kavan, James married Veronica Beznoska, Joe married Barbara Kohout, Mary married Taylor Slack (or Benjamin Taylor Slack) and Anna married John Mensik.

   Great-grandmother Maria was killed by the horned cow that was brought from Illinois. She is buried on the hillside east of Morse Bluff in an abandoned cemetery with unmarked graves. Great-grandfather Racek is buried in Killian Cemetery West of Morse Bluff. Great Grandson Raymond Racek

   James Racek, son of Mathias and Marie (Suchy) Racek, was born Nov. 27th, 1849 at Breskovice, Czechoslovakia and came to the United States in about 1861. He married Veronica Beznoska (born Feb. 4th, 1855) and to them were born four sons: Frank, William, Edward, and Emil; and five daughters: Anna Tenopir, Emma Virka, Lizzie Hines Svec, Teresa, and Julia Vachal. James and Veronica Racek lived all their lives on the homestead which they acquired in 1874. James died November 18th, 1908 and Veronica on Oct. 14th, 1946.

   The family of Edward Racek, son of James and Veronica Racek, follows in the next paragraph.

   Edward (born September 21st, 1878, died January 29th, 1937) married Anna Hines (born October 3rd, 1888, died July 24th, 1963) on December 11th, 1906 and moved on a farm south of Morse Bluff which James Racek purchased from Mary Levy for eighty-eight dollars an acre. A daughter, Libby, was born September 9th, 1907 and died July 1st, 1918. A son, Raymond, was born April 12th, 1911. He married Mayme Chvatal, daughter of Charles and Mary (Odvody) Chvatal, on January 30th, 1934. Born to them were two sons: Keith on March 2nd, 1936 and Robert (Bob) Lee on August 7th, 1941. Keith graduated from North Bend High School in 1954 and entered the U.S. Army in 1957 in which he served two years. He is presently farming the home place which has been in the family for over 75 years. He is a member of the Morse Bluff V.F.D. and Legion Post No. 340 of Morse Bluff.

   Robert Lee graduated from North Bend High School in 1959 and entered the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1961 and served actively from 1962-64. He married Wilma J. Spicka on July 29th, 1967. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Spicka, Jr. of Clarkson, Nebraska.

   They are the parents of four children: Laura Lynn, born July 2nd, 1968; Theodore (Ted) Edward, born August 16th, 1973; Paul Robert, born August 13th, 1974; and James (Jim) Alan, born October 4, 1977.

   The Robert Lee Racek family presently resides on the late Madelyn Hajek farm west of Morse Bluff which has been in the family since 1946.

   Robert has served six years on the School Board of Dist. 14, is a member of the Morse Bluff V.F.D. for 21 yrs., Bohemia Township Board, and Legion Post No. 340 of Morse Bluff.

   Wilma received her education in the Clarkson Public Schools and the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. She has taught in the Colfax and Saunders County Public School systems, is treasurer of St. George's Altar Society, and is an assistant Cub Scout Den Leader in North Bend. By Robert Racek

   Walter A. Raether was born at Juda, Wisconsin in Green County. I went to school to the Oakley School through the eighth grade. In 1918, war broke out and help was short so I went to work on the farm. Wages were high -- $50 a month for a sixteen-year old boy. Then at the age of nineteen, I came to Leshara, Nebraska. This was with Uncle Albert in September, 1924 to pick corn. All the corn was picked by hand. Then in the thirties, times got so hard that you couldn't make enough money to go back to Wisconsin, so I had to stay in Nebraska. I worked on farms till in 1937, I married Ruby L. Hamilton, daughter of Harvey and Johnana Hamilton. I worked on a farm the first year we were married. The next year I got a job in Omaha doing mason work. Then the war broke out again. So defense work was done at Cody, Wyoming and Topeka, Kansas.

   In 1945, we started farming on the Hamilton homestead. In 1960, Johnana passed away. We bought the homestead in 1962. In 1965, we rented out our farm. Carl Miller and I did mason work around Yutan, Valley, and Leshara.

   I retired in 1969, but Carl still did some work. On March 2, 1976 Ruby passed away. We had sold our farm, except the homestead of four acres. I lived there till October 3, 1981. Then I sold it and bought a house in Yutan at the address of 612-2nd street. I live alone here, but the people in town have just been wonderful to me. By Walter A. Raether

   Levi Carter Raikes, known as Levi or L.C. Raikes was born near Union, Nebraska. Nebraska became a state three months later. He spent over forty-five years of his life farming west of Ashland. He died Jan. 20, 1967 at the age of 101 years and one month. At the time of his death, he was believed to be the oldest native-born Nebraskan.

Levi Raikes

   He spent the early years of his life in the Union area, at one time being in charge of the apple orchard at the J. Sterling Morton Arbor Lodge. On July 12, 1899, he married Mary Isabel Jones who at the time was teaching a rural school in Cass County. Shortly thereafter, they moved to a farm in western Cass County, and two years later, purchased the farm in Saunders County near Ashland which is owned by the Raikes Family. It has been in the family for over 82 years.

   Three children were born to them. Forrest L. was born Aug. 18, 1900, served many years as an implement dealer in Ashland, and met with accidental death in 1975. Vernon A., who after attending the University of Nebraska in preparation for farming, was killed when struck by lightning in a field on the farm in 1926. He died at age 25. The third son, Ralph, still resides on the "home farm."

   The history of the Raikes Family is traceable to John Carter Raikes, born in England and who migrated to the U.S. and spent some time in Virginia. He and his son migrated to Kentucky in a two-wheel cart, spending an undetermined amount of time there. They then traveled to the Mississippi River, and proceeded upstream to the Missouri River, crossing the river into Nebraska at Rock Bluff, Cass County. The great, great-grandfather, Isaac Raikes, homesteaded land near Union, Nebraska in 1854.

   Forrest Levi Raikes was born on a farm near Greenwood, Nebraska on August 18, 1900. He was the son of Levi and Mary Raikes. While very young, he moved with his family to a farm northwest of Ashland. He graduated from Ashland High School in 1919 and attended the University of Nebraska.

   From 1922 to 1961 he was in the implement business. After his retirement in 1967, he turned a hobby into the professional photography business. He was an active person. He served as chairman of Ashland Centennial Celebration in 1957. He was a member of Rotary Club, president of the Chamber of Commerce three times, served nine years on the Ashland Board of Education and was president of the board at the time Memorial Stadium was built. He served several times on the Ashland Volunteer Fire Department. He served on the Saunders County Hospital Board. He was Master of Pomegranate Lodge 110, A.F. & A.M. and a fifty year member and also a member of Sesostris Shrine. He was King of Stir-Up in 1959.

   He married Glendora Folsom on September 28, 1924. To this union were born four children: Phyllis (Mrs. Jerald R. Bates), Shirley (Mrs. James F. Hemke), Robert F. and Jerry L.

   He was an active member of the First Christian Church, having served as deacon, trustee and treasurer. He was interested in all civic affairs and always an active civic leader. He set a fine example for all to follow. He was one who always went the extra mile with his fellow man.

   As a 75-year-old native of Saunders County and the youngest son of Levi and Mary (Jones) Raikes, many awards and honors have come to Mr. Raikes. He has been active in farming for 50 years and also gave long years of service to many agricultural boards and financial institutions. He resided all his life on the family farmstead northwest of Ashland that now encompasses over 2100 acres. The technology of agricultural engineering, computer science, foundation seed research and modern marketing tools are employed by Mr. Raikes and his son, Dr. Ronald Raikes, now president of the Raikes Foundation Farm Corporation.

   He married Alice Almira Kuske of Mound, Minnesota in 1940. She was a graduate of St. Olaf College of Northfield, Minnesota. She taught a number of years in Ashland Schools and was Ashland's Stirrup Queen in 1956, a community honor for great service to local organizations.

   Their children are: Alice Ann of N.Y.C., who attended Vassar and Columbia University before being employed 11 years as a financial analyst by Exxon Corp; Dr. Ronald, a graduate of Ames Iowa and Iowa State University with a Ph D. from California University at Davis, California; Susan, who lives on the Island of Saipan, and has a Bachelor's Degree from Sarah Lawrence College of N.Y.; and Mary Jo, who attended Grinnell, Iowa College and Columbia School of Nursing before getting her Master's Degree at the Stanford Medical Center in California. She is in Washington State as is Jeff, the youngest child. He got a B.S. from California Stanford University and is now with a software computer firm.

   The last four decades have brought many honors to Ralph Raikes: Premier Seed Grower of Nebraska, 1945; Skelly Award, 1942; King of Ashland Stirrup, 1949, for Community service; Nebraska Honor Family Award, 1953; honor society of Gamma Sigma Delta, 1956; Agri. Achievement Award by Ak-Sar-Ben, 1964; the University of Nebraska Agri. Economics Club service award, 1966; the Agri-Business Club award for public service, 1969; honoree of 1971 to Nebr. Hall of Agriculture Achievements; and, in 1981, the very prestigious National Award for Agricultural Excellence given by the N.A.M.A. in New Orleans, La. to four honorees of the nation. Ralph received the award for private service to agricultural marketing and transportation.

   Many of the awards and honors were for years of service to various local, state and national organiza-

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