FAMILY STORIES

calico for the girls' dresses and denim for the boys' pants and jackets. Woe to the child who meddled with the sewing machine. She made soap from cracklings and rancid lard, and even made lye from wood ashes.

   From 1890 to 1893, Sam built a seven-room house and dug a 60-foot well. They made their own entertainment. In the summer they played in the Platte. They had literaries, programs, and lots of games in the evening. On Sunday, they held Sunday School in the school.

   They went through dry years, grasshoppers, pests, and plagues, but got through it all. Samuel died January 27, 1917, and Rachael followed October 22, 1918 at Cedar Bluffs. They are buried at Maple Grove Cemetery. Submitted by Richard Freeman

   Carl Eric Halgren and his wife, Anna Caroline, came to Saunders County in a covered wagon, December 27, 1871. They homesteaded 80 acres two miles south and one-half mile east of Malmo. After living there 5 years, they got the homestead papers signed. It was now theirs. They lived in the covered wagon until a dugout was completed. Their first home was built over the dugout. They dug a well and used a bucket to get water.

   They had five children: Daisy (Mrs. John Barry Sr.), Hilda (Mrs. Gust Magnuson), Charles, Ida, and Louis. The first three were born in the dugout. The first school for Dist. 97 was held in that same dugout.

   Clarence H. Barry, son of Daisy Barry, owns and farms the homestead. Clarence and his wife, Ruth, platted Barry's Addition to the City of Wahoo in 1952. He received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award on August 14, 1971 because the farm had been in the family for 100 years. By Clarence Barry

   Emil Barry and Charlotta Peterson were married February 23, 1914. Emil was the son of Anton Barry and Johanna Johnson Barry. Charlotta was the daughter of Carl Peterson and Charlotte Anderson Peterson. They have three sons; Willard, born 1915; Donald, 1921; and Kenneth, born 1933.

   Willard had his own truck line. He married Emily Churda on Jan. 18, 1937. They had two daughters, Delores and Phyllis. Willard was killed in a car accident June 22, 1950.

   Donald farms near Weston. He was married to Vada Meusborn. She passed away in 1970. Donald and Vada had five children. They are Donna, Neal, Steven, Linda, and Kim.

   Kenneth farms on the home place. He married Geraldine Hanke Sept. 20, 1958. They have four children, Deborah, Jeanette, Mark, and Michael.

   Emil and Charlotta lived on the home place. He farmed until his death on August 23, 1953. Charlotta passed away February 24, 1966.

   My grandfather, Barney Elof Barry, came to America from Sweden in 1869 when he was 18 years old. He married Anna Sophia Johnson in 1872, and they settled on a farm near Wahoo, and later near Malmo. They had 11 children -- two of whom died at a young age. My father, Oscar Ernest, was the ninth child, and he, along with my other uncles, remained in the county and farmed for most of their lives.

   When my grandfather and his 3 brothers came to America, they adopted the surname of their Grandfather Berg. In order to keep the original pronunciation they changed the spelling to Barry.

   In 1922, my father married Luella Jurgens. She was the daughter of Hans and Emma Jurgens of Cedar Bluffs. My father passed away in 1944 and my mother in June, 1982.

   I was born in 1925 and am the second oldest of the 4 children born to my parents. I live in the house my father built near Malmo in 1917. It is a large square white house typical of those built by the Swedish settlers. I have farmed all of my life, and also raised cattle and hogs until 1980 when I retired from the livestock business. I still do grain farming.

   In 1952, I married Darlene Magee of Lincoln. She was born on a farm at Cheney, Nebr. Her parents were A. Leslie and Laura Magee and she is the youngest of a family of seven. She was doing secretarial work in Lincoln when we met. We have 2 daughters, Laurie and Patricia. Both are music major graduates and Laurie and husband, Bruce Bartels, teach music at Logan View Jr. Sr. High School at Hooper. We are blessed with a one and half year old granddaughter, Lindy. Patricia is playing oboe with the Columbus, Ohio symphony orchestra and does private teaching.

   We are members of the First Presbyterian church in Wahoo. Darlene is a former Sunday School teacher and is a member of the Presbyterian Women's Assn. She is also a member of the Malmo Matrons Extension Club and was a 4-H leader for several years.

   I still remain interested in the livestock industry, and am a board member of the Saunders County Feeders Ass'n., serving as chairman for 5 years. I have been a member of the Malmo Volunteer Fire Department for 24 years.

   Both Darlene and I love to travel and have taken many memorable trips. By Ivan E. Barry

   John Aron Barry was born on February 9, 1865 in Sweden. He came to America in 1883. When he came to this country, he worked on the railroad in Pennsylvania, later on a farm at Weston, and then by Colon the remainder of his life.

John and Daisy Barry

   He married Daisy Caroline Halgren on Aug. 23, 1889.

   Daisy was born on Nov. 4, 1872 in the dugout homesteaded by her parents, Carl and Anna Halgren, who came from Sweden on Dec. 25, 1871. They had 5 children: Daisy, Hilda, Charles, Ida, and Louis.

   Daisy attended school in a dugout at her parent's home where the first school was held; later she attended District #97. She recalled using dried cow chips and grass roots for fuel, and candles for light. There were no trees. They would plow with a walking plow around the dugout to prevent and help in case of prairie fires.

   The Indians would travel in the ravine south of the home place to the northeast toward Fremont. They would stop and ask for food and if there was a dead chicken they would take it.

   John and Daisy had 12 children: Bertha, Barney, Gust, Albert, Charles, Elmer, Anna, Esther, Walter, Clarence, Lloyd, and John. They enjoyed their children and grandchildren very much. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1939 at Colon.

   Kenneth Barry and Geraldine Hanke were married September 20, 1958, at the Malmo Bethesda Covenant Church. Kenneth is the son of Emil and Charlotte Peterson Barry. He is one of three sons born to this family. They are Willard, Donald, and Kenneth. Geraldine is the daughter of Harold Hanke and Hazel Milton Hanke. They have four children, Keith, Geraldine, Doris, and Clarence.

   Kenneth graduated from Weston High School in 1951. He has been engaged in farming since graduation. Geraldine was a graduate of the 1958 graduation class which was the last class to graduate from Malmo High School before its closing.

   Kenneth and Geraldine have four children: Deborah, born in 1959; Jeanette, in 1961; Mark, in 1962; and Michael, born in 1965. Deborah, Jeanette, and Mark graduated from Wahoo High School. They were all active in sports in high school and were also involved in 4-H.

   Deborah graduated from the College of St. Mary's in Omaha as a Registered Nurse. She is currently employed at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha.

   Jeanette graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center as a Registered Nurse. She is employed at Lutheran Hospital in Omaha.

   Mark is attending Milford Technical College where he is studying Electronics. Michael is a senior at Wahoo High School, where he is active in sports. Michael is also active in 4-H.

   Kenneth and Geraldine live on the home place which has been in the family for 103 years. Beside farming, they feed cattle and raise hogs. Kenneth is a 4-H leader, and is a board member of the Farmer Union Co-op Oil Association of Saunders County. Submitted by Geraldine Barry

   Lloyd A. Barry is the son of the late John A. Barry and Daisy Halgren Barry. Lloyd came from a family of 9 brothers and 3 sisters. John A. Barry, who was born in Sweden in 1865, came to America at the age of 16. While in Sweden, the family name was Eriksson. By coming across the ocean, the four brothers who came to America, followed the tradition of changing the family name to Barry.

Lloyd A. and Anita Barry

   Lloyd was born January 10, 1911, in Saunders County and has remained in that vicinity all of his life. He married Anita Paulsen in 1938. Anita was born April 4, 1914. She is the daughter of the late Nels F. Paulsen and Anna Jensen Paulsen. Mrs. Paulsen resides in the home of Lloyd and Anita.

   We started our married life west of Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, as farmers. We remained farmers for 32 years, following occupations of our fathers. Along

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with our farming, we were in the dairy business, selling Grade A milk for many years. Our farming began in quite a different way than starting in the 1980's. We started with 4 horses, 3 cows and 25 hens. We had no electricity, but were fortunate enough to have a car.

   We began our family with a daughter, Lorelie Ann. She is now married to Robert J. Ankersen. They are residing in Beatrice, Nebraska, and their family consists of 2 boys and 1 girl. Our son, Marvin, is married to Cindy Thiesen and they live west of Cedar Bluffs. They also have 2 boys and 1 girl. Along with our 6 grandchildren, we also have one great-granddaughter.

   We are active members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, where we were both baptized, confirmed, and married. Anita is an active member of the Dorcas Society, and Lutheran Missionary League. Both Lloyd and Anita belong to the Lutheran Layman's League, and have held many different church offices.

   We retired from farming in 1967. We then moved to Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska. Lloyd began working at Valmont where he worked for 8 years as a machinist.

   Being farmers most of our lives, we still enjoy and take pride in caring for our lawn and flowers. Our greatest enjoyment is reminiscing with our children and grandchildren. Submitted by Lloyd and Anita Barry

   At age 18, my grandfather, Barney Elof Barry, immigrated to the United States from Sweden with his older brother, Anton. Though their father's name was Sven Erikson, by Swedish custom their last names should have been Svennson, as was Carl's who remained in Sweden. Sven's oldest sons and two younger brothers, Swan and John, who later came to America, adopted the surname of their grandfather, Erik Berg. In order to keep the original pronunciation, they changed the spelling to Barry.

   All four brothers ended up in Saunders County, although my grandfather settled first at Brookville, Pennsylvania, where, on June 8, 1872, he married Anna Sophia Johnson of Sweden.

   In October, 1873, my grandparents came to Nebraska and settled on a farm five miles west of Wahoo. In 1884, they moved to the farm on which my father, Richard August, one of 11 children, was born. Other children included Emma, Charlie, August, Alfred, Ida, Eddie, Gust, Barney, Oscar, and Selma.

   A horse and wagon accident claimed my grandfather's life on October 26, 1914. It was noted in his obituary that he was "one of the largest landowners in the county," possessing 1640 acres. My grandmother died December 14, 1921, after a year-long illness.

   My father was born March 27, 1891. On November 28, 1917 he married Pearl Verna Roslund, born December 23, 1896. They farmed the original home place until fall, 1947, when he retired. They moved to Wahoo. He also served as president of Security Home Bank in Malmo until his death, August 7, 1967.

   My mother continued to live at their home at 1010 Sycamore in Wahoo until October 30, 1981 when she moved to the Saunders County Care Center where she still resides at age 86.

   I was born June 23, 1921, in Malmo as was my sister Eileen, born January 10, 1923. After graduating from Wahoo High School in 1939, I briefly attended the University of Omaha, traveled East, and worked in Maryland for 5 years, returning to farm the land my father and my grandfather farmed before me.

   On February 12, 1947, I married Norma Jane Wesely. We had four children: Dianne Kay, born November 9, 1951; Dale Wayne, born Nov. 20, 1953; Richard Allen, born Febr. 4, 1956; and Marla Jean, born Dec. 13, 1959. In 1978, my first marriage ended in divorce. I married Vivian Rush on Mar. 24, 1979, and we moved to Wahoo in July, 1979.

   I continue to farm the land with the help of my son, Dale, who has two children, Joshua, born March 26, 1980, and Deanna Lynn, born March 11, 1981. My son, Richard, currently lives on the farm place with his wife, Joni, and infant son, Nathan, born January 31, 1983. My daughter, Marla, also lives in Wahoo with her husband, Jerry Nice, and daughter, April Lynn, born July 22, 1981. My daughter, Dianne, lives near Martell, Nebraska with her husband, Doug Kuppig, and son, Vince Douglas, born Febr. 27, 1982.

   In 1984, five generations of Barrys will have lived on the land for 100 years. Submitted by Wayne Barry

   Walter Barsell Jr. moved to Wahoo from David City in 1961, attended grade school, and graduated from Wahoo High School in 1967. Cathrine Makovicka Barsell, from Ithaca, Nebraska, attended grade school at a one-room schoolhouse, Dist. 102, later attending Wahoo High School. Walter and Cathrine were married in 1967. They have 2 sons, Wally, 14 years old, and Joey, 12 years old.

Walter Barsell Jr., Cathy, Walter III, Joey. Taken 1978

   In 1967, Walter joined the Navy for 4 years. He was stationed in Da Nang, Viet Nam for 2½ years, taking R and R in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Japan. Later he was transferred to Hawaii, where the family lived for 1 year. From Hawaii, Walter was transferred to Athens, Greece. By ship he went through the Panama Canal.

   Being in the Mediterranean, he took leave to see Naples, Italy, Nice, France, Monte Carlo, and Madrid, Spain.

   After discharge from the Navy the family lived in Wahoo while Walter attended Lincoln Barber College and received his Master License, in 1971. Leaving Wahoo, the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Walter barbered for 3 years. In 1974, Walter worked for a grocery store for 6 years. Then the family moved to Fremont, Nebraska, where we still live. Walter now works for Super Valu here in Wahoo. Cathrine works for Hinky Dinky in Fremont. Their sons attend Fremont Jr. High School. They also are members of the Midwest Karate School in Fremont where they both are brown belts in karate, two belts away from black belt. Submitted by Walter Barsell Jr.

   This story is about Adrian and Mary Alice Bartek and their four children, Mark, Anita, Angela, and Allison. Adrian is the son of Jarold V. and Adeline (Mach) Bartek of Weston. Mary Alice is the daughter of James and Helen (Rezac) Knap of Valparaiso. Adrian's grandfather was J.J. Bartek, son of Joseph B. Bartek, who was the son of Jan Bartek, who came to Weston from Moravia in June of 1870.

Adrian Bartek Family

   Adrian has two brothers Jarold and Marion, and a sister, Pat. Mary Alice has three sisters, Loretta Fiala of Seward, JoAnn Vrbka of Firth, and Margaret Spatz of Bee.

   Both of us came from farm families where milking cows and caring for chickens were some of the major chores. Cutting weeds in the corn, carrying in the wood and cobs for the cookstove, husking corn by hand, and carrying in the water for drinking were some of the other chores. We can both remember well when we didn't have electricity in the home. Television was non-existent and radio was the only means of getting in news from around the world.

   We were educated in rural country schools, Districts #76, #74, and #93. Adrian graduated from Wahoo Catholic and Mary Alice from Valparaiso High School. Adrian went on to college at Peru State and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1966.

   After high school Mary Alice found employment at First National Bank in Lincoln in the loan department.

   We were married in Valparaiso's St. Mary's Church on June 15, 1968. We lived in Gresham where Adrian taught music and art for three years. Our son, Mark, was born July 11, 1969 in Seward.

   We moved to 1173 North Sycamore in Wahoo in June, 1970, where Adrian taught art at Wahoo High for two years. Adrian gave up teaching after six years. He then worked for the City of Wahoo, Hellstar Corporation for seven years, Wahoo Built, Cada Inc., Chief Theater as manager, and the OK Meat Market.

   Presently, Mary Alice is a licensed Day Care Provider and Adrian is a photographer. We both enjoy doing wedding photography. Adrian does the camera work and Mary Alice does the arranging and checking for details. We now have four children: Mary, born July 11, 1969; Anita, born Sept. 10, 1973; Angela, born April 24, 1975; and Allison, born April 30, 1982. Our children attend St. Wenceslaus School and are in Boy Scouts and Brownies. Mark plays trombone in band. We are members of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and sing in the senior choir. Adrian is also an acolyte. Both of us are active in Pro Life, Marriage Encounter, Cursillo, and Knights of Columbus. We enjoy a close family, visiting our families and friends. By Adrian Bartek

   Joseph B. Bartek Jr., 1882-1945, was born near Weston, son of Joseph Bartholomew and Marie (Kovarik) Bartek, second to the eldest of seven brothers and five sisters.

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Al and Erma Bartek L. to R.: Kirk, Rick, Erma, Al, Vaughan and Denise.

   Along with helping his father with the farming, he attended Fremont Normal Business College. Later he moved to Loma where, with his brother, Ralph, he established a post office, lumber yard, hardware, and implement business. Some of the family came to Wahoo by rail to shop almost weekly.

   On May 3, 1915, he married Blanche Kavan at Wahoo. Four children were born; Celestine who died as an infant, Joseph L., Rita, and Alphonso (Al).

   Blanche Kavan was born June 1, 1890, the daughter of Philip and Mary (Hrdlicka) Kavan. She grew up in the Touhy area and attended the College of St. Mary's in Omaha.

   Joseph L. married Evelyn Eich.

   Rita married Kenneth Reinwald.

   Al attended school in Loma, moved to Wahoo with his parents in 1930, and graduated from Wahoo High in 1941. He served in the World War II Pacific theater from 1943 to 1946, spending 2 years in the Philippines.

   In 1946, he married Erma Shonka at the Presentation Catholic Church, Bellwood, NE. To them were born Vaughn, Richard, Denise, Renee, and Kirk.

   Erma (Shonka) Bartek, daughter of Anton and Mary (Cemper) Shonka, came to Wahoo from Butler County in 1943 to work at the Telephone Office. Her hobbies include doing family histories, acrylic painting, and sewing. She tailors for Lindley Clothing Store.

   Vaughn, born 1949, graduated from Wahoo Neumann, Class of 1966, attended Kennedy College, enlisted in the Army August 1967, and was sent to Lon Bink, Vietnam, where he was wounded in action. He returned to Fort Riley, Kansas, took part in the massive airlift to Germany where they had maneuvers near the Czech border. He attended the University of Nebraska, owned Beat's Place in Weston, and is at present attending Southeast Community College in Lincoln.

   Richard (Ric), born 1949, Class of 1968, Neumann High School, enlisted in the Navy, was appointed Postal Clerk Petty Officer in 1969, and was stationed at Subic Bay Naval Station, Philippines. In 1970 he reported to Saigon, Vietnam and returned home in 1972. He attended the University of Nebraska, and then graduated from Milford Community College as a Civil Engineer in 1976, and now works for the City of Lincoln.

   Denise (Dee), born 1952, Class of 1970, Neumann High School, attended the University of Nebraska. She married Ronald Malousek from Weston in 1973. He is presently a Captain in the Air National Guard, Lincoln, Ne. Denise works at the Saunders County Community Hospital. Their children are Andrew, 1974, Amy, 1977, and Joseph, 1978.

   Renee died as an infant.

   Kirk, born 1958, Class of 1976, Wahoo Neumann High, enjoys hobbies of fishing, bowling, and baseball, from PeeWees on to the Wahoo Town Team. He married Theresa Vanderpool of Weston in 1981. Their children are Jeffery, 1981, and Christian, 1982. Kirk works for the University Field Lab at Mead.

   Al and Erma reside at 531 West 3rd, Wahoo. Al, a former Safeway meat cutter, now works for Gamble Ace Hardware Store.

   They enjoy growing fruit, nuts and berries, and a big garden, and lots of flowers that brighten up their well-kept yard. Submitted by Erma Bartek

   Charles (Chuck) Bartek was born on a farm southeast of Weston (now the Paul Pleskac farm). He was the second child born to Frank E. Bartek and Anna Fiedler. He had three brothers, Ed and Leonard of Weston and Milo of Ithaca, Nebraska, and two sisters, Mrs. Anton (Rose) Benes of Lincoln and Mrs. Joe (Lorraine) Kremlacek of Weston.

Charles Bartek Family

   Charles graduated from Dist. 71 in 1930 at the age of 12. He attended Weston High School and graduated in 1935. Mr. Bartek always talked about the rough thirties. He was the oldest son so he had to start helping his dad at an early age. He farmed with horses through all the thirties. After two bad years of drought and low prices, they lost the 200-acre farm and had to move to a 160-acre farm near Weston. He remembers when his dad sold corn for 10¢ a bushel and hogs for $2.50 cwt.

   Charles remembers the bad blizzard in 1936. Drifts were 15 feet high, and it was below zero for 21 straight days. It was six weeks before they could get to town for groceries.

   In 1941, he left the farm and moved to Wahoo where he married Angeline Havelka, June 17, 1941. She was a nurse for Doctor Kaspar. He worked at Nebr. Ordnance Plant as a time checker, while it was being built. Later on, he was transferred to Cody, Wyo. on a government job. After that was completed, he and his wife lived in Dallas, Texas, where Charles worked in the post office as a mail carrier.

   In 1942, Charles and Angeline purchased the Weston Opera House (now the Ponderosa). After seven years in Weston, they moved back to Wahoo where Charles bought the house where he lives at the present time. In 1950, Mr. Bartek went to work for Standard Chemical as a salesman, which job he still holds after 33 years. The Barteks had three children (Larry) who lives in Grand Island, (Elaine) in Omaha, and Don in Fresno, California (14th year in the Marines).

   His wife, Angeline, passed away Jan. 29, 1958 at the age of 42 (heart attack).

   Charles married Lois Heng of Dunbar, Nebraska on Nov. 14, 1959, at St. Paul Church near Nebraska City. Charles and Lois had 7 children -- Linda, Jerry and Jodi, twins, Steve, Kaye, Peggy, and Danny.

   Lois was killed in Denver, Colorado on July 16, 1978 at the age of 42. She and her sister, Rose, were walking across a street. Lois was struck by a motorcycle and was killed instantly.

   At the present time four of the Charles Bartek children are in college. Jerry, Jodi, and Kaye are at Nebraska University, and Steve is at Doane College. Steve, at the present time, is a basketball star at Doane. He leads the NAIA District 11 in scoring and rebounding. The oldest child, Linda, works in Lincoln. Peggy is a Senior at Neumann High and Danny is a seventh grader at St. Wenceslaus.

   Charles suffered a heart attack in July, 1982, and is back at work with Standard.

   Mr. Bartek also received a 30-year service plaque from the Wahoo Fire Department as a volunteer Fireman and First Aid Man. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus for 30 years and is an acolyte at the St. Wenceslaus Church for the past 6 years.

   My daily prayers are that the Good Lord will give me extra good health to see my second family grow up to adulthood. By Charles Bartek

   The Bartek and Meduna families homesteaded several farms in the rural Weston area. So it was that Henry Bartek, the ninth of the twelve children of Joseph B. and Marie (Kovarik) Bartek, married the girl (next door) across the road, Josie Meduna, the second of the four daughters of Anton and Antonia (Cernik) Meduna.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bartek, Eleanor, Richard Flaska and Sophie

   Both sets of grandparents were natives of Bohemia, coming to this country around 150 years ago. The Joseph B. Barteks first lived in Wahoo, when Grandpa Bartek served as Saunders County Sheriff. The fact that Henry was born in jail is true, for the family occupied the living quarters for a while. Having a large family to rear, the Barteks moved to the 200-acre farm five miles southwest of Weston.

   The Anton Medunas, over eighty years ago, settled on a farm across the road from the Barteks. Both Henry and Josie speak of childhood memories, attending School District #74, located on the Bartek property. Of interest is the fact that Dist. #74 is one of the few rural schools still in operation today.

   These schoolmates, not classmates, grew to adulthood with Josie Meduna becoming the bride of Henry Bartek on Nov. 3, 1926, at St. Vitus Catholic Church in Touhy. They lived upstairs in the large frame house until the parents moved to Weston.

   Farm life had its ups and downs, with the union blessed with two daughters, Eleanor and Sophie, who attended Dist. #74, as did their parents. In the fall of 1944, Henry sold the farm to the J.J. Bartek sons and moved to their present home in Wahoo. The girls were ready to attend Wahoo High School and Luther College.

   Eleanor took employment at the Wahoo Bakery in 1953, and Sophie taught school in Cedar Bluffs, Weston, and St. Wenceslaus, Wahoo. She was married to Richard Flaska in 1961, going to Friend to live. They have five children, one of which, by coincidence, is back in Saunders County. Bonita Flaska Dewey, lives in Ceresco.

   It wasn't really retirement for Henry for he worked as an employee of the County Bridge Gang, as gas station attendant, and an employee of Charles Bartek's Standard Feed for a good number of years, really retiring in 1972. The Barteks remain long time members of St. Wenceslaus Church, the Knights of Columbus, and church organizations.

   Many will recall the Bartek Family Reunion in January of 1981, with Henry being honored on his 88th birthday, proud to be the oldest living member of the Joseph and Marie Bartek family, which now numbers over 500 living descendants of five generations. The Anton Meduna family descendants number only a fraction of this, also having a reunion in 1981.

   Our parents, Henry and Josie marked their 55th Wedding Anniversary in 1981, having memories of good times and hard times, continuing to be active

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