horses could hardly break the ice, but not strong enough to carry them. When they arrived at the Rupprecht home they found that he lived in Stanton County so that the good pastor went with them to a neighbor's home in Madison County where they were married. Their first home was a log cabin and they lived there until 1890 when the frame house which still stands was built. Mr. Stolle in early years had to haul his produce to Columbus, three days being needed to make a round trip. Wheat had to be sacked and he would exchange a part of the wheat for flour.

Mrs. Stolle died in 1929 and Mr. Stolle died in 1938 at the age of 93 years, 10 1/2 months. At 86 years he still helped his grandson Fred Otjen do the spring plowing.

In 1871, grandfather's mother came to America. Her husband had died. Coming with her were two sons and three daughters. One daughter, Gesina, died on the ship close to New York. She was buried in New York. The other children coming to Nebraska with their mother were Herman, Barnhardt, Anna and Adeline.

Adeline Stolle married Albert Mantey on January 6, 1876. (The Mantey family has previously been mentioned).

The other sister Anna Stolle married Henry Otjen, homesteading northwest of Battle Creek. All the family except Henry Jr. moved to Eugene, Oregon.

The Bernhard Stolle children were John Henry Stolle who married Anna Hobus; Mary, who never married, and Augusta (Mrs. Henry Otjen). One son died in his youth.

All of the Stolle family remained life long residents of this community. All have now passed away.

Mrs. Frank Wisch

THE FRED RICHARDSON FAMILY

The Fred W. Richardson story is one of a homesteader, a Civil War veteran who came to claim a quarter section of land in 1869 not long after receiving his discharge from army service. He served with distinction with Co. G Twenty-first Infantry from 1862 to 1865 at Fort Gibson, Mississippi and in the great battle and siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama and took part in the capture of the Spanish Fort and Blakely; mustered out of service in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 15, 1865.

Three of his brothers and his father also served with the Union forces namely Henry and Edward, both died from starvation as prisoners of war in a Confederate prison; George E., who later lived in Butler County, Nebraska and Fremont. Albert B., the youngest of the family, did not serve in the army but he came to Nebraska with Fred W. and took as his homestead the SW 1/4 of Section 28, Valley Precinct when Fred claimed the NE 1/4 of Section 33 in the same precinct. Their father, Charles Richardson, also served in the Union Army in Co. D, Twenty-first Iowa Infantry. He too later came to Madison County.

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