FAMILY STORIES

have resided there since 1976 because of illness. Though I continue to write, compose music, and attempt to promote my writings, there is little response. Submitted by Elinor L. Brown

   Mr. and Mrs. Larry K. Brown and their children, Molly, Matthew, and Daniel, moved to Saunders County in the spring of 1978. This move signified a return home for both Mary and Larry. Larry lived with his parents, Ralph and Bertha Brown, on this same place for many years as a youngster. And Mary, the daughter of Orval and Dorothy (McClean) Boettner, grew up in Saunders County in Pohocco Precinct.

The Larry K. Brown Family. Front: Mary, Dan and Larry; Back: Matt and Molly.

   We have made our home on the south bank of the Platte River bluff two miles west of Highway #77. The home is just east of the Hillcrest Golf Course. The old home on the same acreage is what was once called Graham's Gardens, a showplace of forty years ago. This is also the site of Pahuk Hill, the sacred hill of the Pawnee Indians. Included in the acreage is the landing for the Lee Ferry Line, which was operated in the mid-1800's by Mary's great-grandfather, Robert M. McClean.

   We moved to the country for several reasons. We wanted to raise our family in a rural setting and we wanted them to go to a small school. Our children attend the Cedar Bluffs Public Schools. Also, Larry and I plan to retire someday in our home overlooking Fremont and the Platte River.

   Larry owns and manages the alfalfa dehydration plant near Leshara. He also custom farms many acres of Saunders County soil. I teach English part-time to foreign Americans through the Fremont Public Schools. We belong to the Presbyterian Church in Fremont and participate in many activities in our church. I serve as a Deacon.

   School activities at Cedar Bluffs occupy most of our free time during these busy years when the children are still home. Sixteen-year old Molly spends many hours running for sport and pleasure. She has also participated in 4-H and Summer League Softball at Cedar Bluffs. Nine-year-old Matthew started in Cedar's Little League Baseball program in 1981 and we're looking forward to watching him (and his younger brother, Daniel) in many sporting activities in the years to come.

   We are proud of our Saunders County roots and feel fortunate to be able to spend the rest of our lives here. Submitted by Mrs. L.K. Brown

   Ralph and Bertha Brown moved to Nebraska in 1953 from Hutchinson, Kansas with their twelve-year-old son, Larry. The family lived in Fremont for two years where Larry began attending the public schools. During this time Ralph was engaged in farming in Saunders County, incorporated in the name of Morrison, Brown and Quirk. A short time later, Ralph formed the company of Skyline Mills, Inc., which became an alfalfa dehydrating operation at Mead, Nebraska.

   With Ralph's business so active in the county, they soon began to think of moving out of Fremont. In 1955, the Browns bought a 26-acre parcel of land on the Saunders County bluff of the Platte River. This land was located two miles west of Highway #77. The home on the land they bought was once called Graham's Gardens, a showplace of forty years ago. This is also the site of Pahuk Hill, the sacred hill of the Pawnee Indians.

   During this time Ralph continued to farm and operate his alfalfa operation. Larry drove the five miles into Fremont to school and graduated in 1959.

   In 1964, Ralph and Larry went into business together. They formed two companies, with each holding the major responsibility of one of them. Centennial Farms, Inc. was the name they chose for the farm operation and Ralph became president of this company. Larry was put in charge of the alfalfa dehydrating company, operating under the name of Brown and Brown Inc. and now relocated at the mill near Leshara, Nebraska.

   In 1966, Ralph and Bertha began building a new home on their favorite point of the bluff directly east of the older home. They moved into the new home in March, 1967.

   The two companies thrived during the early and middle 1970's, but soon Ralph began to think of retiring to a warm climate where he could enjoy playing golf year round. On a winter visit to friends in Sun City, Arizona in 1977, the Browns bought a home in the southern retirement community. The move to Arizona was completed in January of 1978. During this time Larry and his family purchased the home and land on the Platte River bluff from Ralph and Bertha.

   Just as Ralph and Bertha were settling in to their new life in Sun City, Ralph was stricken with a rare blood disease and died on June 26, 1979. Bertha maintains a small apartment in Fremont where she spends her summers. Then she returns to Sun City for the winter months. Submitted by Mrs. L.K. Brown

   Although I was born in Saunders County, I have lived most of my adult life in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My husband, Dr. T.E. Browne Jr., for many years a research engineer and manager at Westinghouse Electric Corp., though retired, still serves as a consultant at the Westinghouse Research and Development Center. Except to identify myself with a few biographical details, I feel my parents' lives would be of greater interest to the readers than mine.

Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Browne, Jr.

   I was born on a farm south of Mead, the daughter of August and Hulda Strom. I received most of my elementary education at District 89 (Hallner School) and my secondary schooling, as well as my first year of college, at Luther College. In 1928 I received my A.B. degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota. Married in 1938, I have since lived in the Pittsburgh area. We are the parents of three sons and one daughter, all university graduates.

   My parents, both Swedish immigrants, settled in Saunders County almost a century ago. The only one of his immediate family to emigrate to this country, my father was born near Lulea, in northern Sweden in 1863. My mother, born in 1865, lived near Mjölby, in south central Sweden.

   For my parents this country, and particularly Saunders County, represented a land of opportunities. Through lean times and good, sustained by a deep religious faith, they never lost their vision of "Where but in America?" Higher education for their children, of whom they had five, always one of prime concern, was a dream realized. Their oldest daughter became a hospital superintendent, their oldest son a university professor, and, later, a Westinghouse research engineer and manager. The next son conducted plant research at a California university and the two younger daughters were high school teachers, one becoming a principal.

   In 1918, my parents moved to Wahoo, where they resided until their deaths, my father's in 1942, and my mother's in 1947. As they had been in the Alma Lutheran Church in Mead, they now became active in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. My father also served on the Luther College Board and as a Councilman.

   In the summer of 1960, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit Sweden and observe both the old and the new -- old parts of cities and old churches as well as the new social order. We attended services in the lovely old church near Lulea, where my father was christened and confirmed, a church dating back to the fourteenth century. There I met seven cousins whom I had never seen before and later visited with them. It was a moving and emotional experience. After the service the pastor took us to the sacristy to show us the medieval vestments and a priceless silver chalice.

   We did not attend services at Stora Aby, my mother's parish church, built in the twelfth century, but were given a guided tour of the church. The baptismal font was the one where both my mother's parents were christened on the same Sunday. In the sacristy I recognized a picture of Bishop Hall, who had confirmed my mother. As a confirmand she had been given a picture of the bishop, who later became chaplain to the Swedish king.

   On this first visit to Sweden it was almost as if I were seeing the land through my parents' eyes. Much as my parents loved their native country, however, they never regretted coming to the New World.

   From "Map of the United States" -- by Archibald MacLeish:

   "The map of America is a map of endlessness, of opening out forever. No man's face would make you think of it but his hope might, his courage might." By Edna Strom Browne

   Our grandparents, Lars (Gus) and Kate Bruce, were both born in Sweden. When they came to the United States, they resided in Madrid and Boone, Iowa.

   Our father, Andrew G., was born in Madrid in 1869. From Boone they moved to Malmo, where they farmed for several years. It was there that Carl Johan (Charley) was born in 1882. They also had a daughter, Viola, who died as a very young child.

   Our mother, Frieda Peters, was born in Heide, Germany in 1880. She came to the United States with her older sister and brother. Her sister remained in Omaha, while Mother and her brother came to Malmo where she met and married our father, Andrew G. Bruce in 1900. After they married, our grandparents moved to Malmo, and our parents moved to the farm, where they lived until the blacksmith shop burned in 1906. While on the farm, four children were born, Arthur, Carl, Viola, and Gilbert. After they gave up farming we moved to Mead where our father bought the blacksmith shop, which he ran until 1918 when he sold the shop and went to work for the Village of Mead, running the Power Plant. This he did until he had to retire because of ill health. He passed away Aug. 24, 1926 at the age of 57 years.

   After Father retired Carl ran the Power Plant until he started working for O.P.P.D. He took time out to join the Navy in 1943. He served with the Sea Bees, U.S. Navy, for 4 years, then resumed working for O.P.P.D. in managerial positions. After working

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for O.P.P.D. for 28 years, he retired, and still resides in our home place in Mead.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Bruce

   Our mother passed away on Apr. 11, 1976 at the age of 96 years. Arthur passed away in 1961 and Gilbert also passed away in 1961.

   Carl was married to Zelda Williams who passed away in 1961. Gilbert was married to Catherine Swanson. They had two children, Marshall and Diane.

   Viola graduated from the Wise Memorial School of Nursing in 1925. She did private duty, and supervisory nursing until she married Vern Beats in 1945. Then she retired from nursing, moved to Council Bluffs where she still resides. She will always think of Mead as her home. Submitted by Carl G. Bruce and Viola Bruce Beats

   My great-grandfather, Anton Brukner (Sr.), was born in Okriska, Trebic, Moravia, on 22 February 1850. He was the child of Matous and Frances (Clunek) Brukner. His wife, my great-grandmother, was Marie (Pecta), daughter of Frantisek and Marie (Padrnos) Pecta, and was born 22 April 1850 in Petrovic, Trebic, Moravia. They were married in Moravia and all of their seven children were born in Okriska, Moravia.

Front: Anton, Fred, Joseph, Stasia and Marie Brukner; Back: Anton Frank, Marie and Frances.

   They came to America in 1890 as a family and came directly to Saunders Co., Nebraska, from New York City. Their friends, by the name of Vybiral, sent a team and wagon to meet them at the train in Wahoo, Nebraska, and bring them to the Vybiral home near Weston. They lived with the Vybiral's until such a time that they could obtain a place of their own. A nephew, by the name of John Benal, accompanied them from Moravia, and he stayed longer at the Vybiral home.

   Anton and Marie Brukner spent their remaining years living in the Weston, Nebraska, area. Although Anton farmed most of his life, both in Moravia and here in America, he was also a very fine baker. He did all of the baking for the family.

   Their oldest son, Frank Anton, was born February 1875, and was married to Anna Catherine Budin in Omaha, Nebraska, 30 May 1900. They had twelve children, two died in infancy. He had served in the Spanish-American War and lived in Omaha after he was married. He was a butcher in the packing industry and he, too, was a baker for the family.

   Anton Frank, the second son, was born 13 May 1876 and was married to Mary Wotipka of Saunders Co., Nebr., on 5 November 1905. They had six children and lived their married life on a farm near Colon, Nebraska.

   Marie was born 12 May 1878 and was married to Ignac Perina 3 November 1895 in Omaha, Nebraska. They had eight children, one died in infancy. They lived most of their married life in the So. Omaha and Sarpy Co., area with exception of a couple of years in Saunders Co., and later a few years in Iowa. Ignac was a gardener and farmer until retiring in 1936.

   Frances was born 30 March 1879 and was married to John Thomas Zimola on 25 July 1898. They had seven children, and lived about three miles west of Wahoo, Nebraska, on a farm.

   Joseph Theodore was born 14 February 1883 and was married to Emma Mildred Rehak on 3 September 1911. They had four children. After 1915, they moved to Moorhead, Minn., and lived on a farm until their retirement.

   Stasia Helen was born 24 December 1884 and married Richard Wallace Cram. They lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had one daughter.

   Fred Louis was born 30 May 1887 and married Frances Antonett Vculek on 30 August 1909. They had four children, and lived near Weston on the same farm that originally belonged to his father, Anton (Sr.).

   Anton Brukner (Sr.) died 21 February 1919 and his wife, Marie, died 1 November 1922, and both are buried in St. John's Cemetery at Weston, Nebraska. Submitted by great-granddaughter, Marjorie (Perina) Sobotka

   Russ and I met in Lincoln on a blind date in 1974 when I was a senior in high school and he was working for Burlington Northern Railroad. In 1976, Russ took a leave of absence from the railroad and joined the Army. We were married in June of 1976 on my parents' farm near Ithaca, after he got out of Military Police School and before leaving for his first duty station in Karlsruhe, Germany. We lived in Germany for two years and loved every minute of it. His next duty station was at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah where we lived until Russ's tour of duty was over. In March of 1979, we moved back to Nebraska to the place we are living now, south of Ithaca.

Russ and Mary Bryan and one week old Casey

   Russ was born in Syracuse, Nebr. on August 25, 1956, to Gene and Virginia Bryan and grew up in Otoe County near Burr, Nebr. Russ's great-grandfather's cousin was William Jennings Bryan, and even though that is a distant relative, Russ still inherited his "silver tongue." Russ came from a railroading family, as his dad, Gene Bryan, and his grandfather, Eugene Bryan, were both railroaders. Russ works in Omaha now as a Railroad Detective. Russ is also a gun enthusiast and his interest in guns and law enforcement must have been inherited from his mom's side because his other grandfather, Walter Pearson, was a marshall at one time.

   I was born in Wahoo, Nebr. on December 31, 1956, and grew up less than a mile from where we now live. My parents are Milton and Alice Eichmeier. I have a few odd jobs in Ithaca and I raise and milk a few goats for fun. I also enjoy volksmarching, a walking sport I first started while living in Germany.

   We are presently trying to finish the inside of our log home that we had put up in 1981.

   Our first child, Casey August, was just born this January 4, 1983 in Lincoln. Submitted by Mary L. Bryan

   James Chilton Bryant, eldest son of Jesse Chilton and Ina M. (Whalen) Bryant, was born at Hartsburg, Boone County, Missouri, November 7, 1918, on a farm five miles west of Ashland, Missouri. He was the couple's second child and has a sister, Lucile (Bryant) Brady, born October 11, 1916 at Ashland, Nebraska and a brother, William Cullen Bryant, born July 29, 1920 in Boone County, Missouri. The family returned to Ashland, Nebraska in 1921 where Jesse C. Bryant practiced Law until his death in 1943.

James Chilton and Loraine Bryant

   James Chilton attended school at Ashland District 1 and graduated in 1937. He participated in football, choir, boys octet, drama and was on the yearbook committee.

   On March 13, 1937, he married Loraine Fender, youngest daughter of James D. and Hazel B. Fender of Ashland. Mr. Fender was telegraph operator for many years at the Burlington railroad depot until his death in 1941. Loraine was born April 28, 1921 at Ashland and also received her education at Ashland School District 1.

   Chilton and Loraine have two sons. James Frederic Bryant of Sioux City, Iowa was born February 4, 1938. He attended Ashland District 1 and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1960. Fred is now Group Vice President

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of Iowa Beef Processors at Dakota City, Nebraska. Patrick Jay Bryant was born November 17, 1954. He also attended school at Ashland and graduated from the University of Nebraska College of pharmacy in 1979. He then received a two-year residency at the University of Kentucky at Lexington. Pat is now a research pharmacist at Marion Laboratories in Kansas City, Missouri and lives in Lenexa, Kansas.

   The Bryants have two grandchildren, James Mark Bryant, born June 24, 1963 in Rochester, Minnesota, and Jill Rae Bryant, born June 8, 1967 in Sioux City, Iowa.

   James Chilton Bryant began his career at the Ashland Post Office April 1, 1938 as a clerk. He was appointed a rural carrier in January of 1953. Bryant was appointed Postmaster at Ashland by President John F. Kennedy September 28, 1962 replacing Blanche E. Kammerer who retired. He served as Postmaster until January 2, 1976, when he retired after nearly 38 years with the Post Office. During his tenure as Postmaster he was responsible for the building of a new Post Office building at Ashland in 1970.

   Chilt and Loraine have been active in the Ashland community for many years. They are members of the First Congregational Church and have held several offices in the church. He was Commander of American Legion Post 129 in 1953 and served as Post Adjutant in 1952. He is presently a member of the Saunders County Veterans Service Committee. Loraine is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 129. Chilton was the Master of Pomegranate Lodge 110, A.F. and A.M. in 1957 and is presently serving as Treasurer. Loraine and Chilton were Worthy Matron and Patron of Matthews Chapter 242, O.E.S. in 1958 and Rainbow Mother Advisor and Dad in 1959.

   Bryant served in the Army Air Corps during World War II from January, 1944 to April, 1946. He spent nine months on Okinawa with the 559th Air Service Group as a Staff Sergeant, servicing B-29 bombers. James Chilton Bryant

   Jesse Chilton Bryant, eldest son of James Chilton and Mary A. (McFadden) Bryant, was born October 12, 1882 at Griswold, Iowa. He had two brothers, Herbert Eugene and Harlan Andrew, who later became an attorney at Wahoo, Nebraska. His sister, Rachel Bryant, married George Davenport.

Jesse Chilton Bryant

   Jesse C. Bryant graduated from the University of Iowa Law College in 1905 and was admitted to the Iowa Bar that same year. He traveled around the country for several years, working as a school teacher, painter, and filed on a homestead near Fort Pierre, South Dakota.

   On January 1, 1914, Jesse married Ina M. Whalen, daughter of Job and Eva Whalen at Winner, South Dakota. They moved to Ashland, Saunders County, Nebraska that same year where Jesse and his brother Harlan A. Bryant established a law partnership in Ashland. Harlan A. had graduated from the University of South Dakota College of Law that year, and they were both accepted by the Nebraska Supreme Court to practice in the Courts of Nebraska on April 20, 1914.

   While in Ashland, Jesse and Ina had a baby girl, October 11, 1916, named Lucile (Mrs. Wayne Brady) who now resides in Kingman, Arizona.

   Jesse purchased a farm in Boone County, Missouri in 1917 which he farmed until 1921. During this period two sons were born to Jesse and Ina. James Chilton was born November 7, 1918 and now lives in Ashland, Nebraska. William Cullen was born July 29, 1920 and now resides in Fullerton, California.

   Jesse returned to Ashland in 1921 and re-established his law practice in that area of Saunders County. He served several terms as City Attorney of Ashland. Jess, (as his friends called him) became well-known in the Ashland vicinity for his honesty and integrity as an attorney and a friend and confidant to the many people who came to know him during his 25 years in Ashland.

   Jesse Chilton Bryant died in October, 1943, and is buried in the family plot at the Griswold, Iowa cemetery. His wife, Ina M., passed away in December, 1962 and is buried at his side.

   Records show that the Bryant Family are descendants of Squire Boone, Daniel Boone's father. By James Chilton Bryant (Son)

   Elmer Buchholtz is a descendant of one of the early settlers coming to Saunders County. As his daughter I proudly hold claim to this heritage. My parents, Elmer Buchholtz and Antoinette Navrkal were married in 1934 and I, Linda, was born to them in 1939 at Morse Bluff, where I grew up, went to grade school, and graduated from North Bend High School. I was married in 1959 to Emanuel Kovar. We have two daughters, Annette and Diana, and live at Fremont where my husband is employed at Hormel's.

   My great-grandparents, Frederick and Henrietta Buchholtz, left Germany in 1868 with their family of eight children, staying for four years in Wisconsin and, in 1872 came to Saunders County, settling on a farm East of Morse Bluff.

   My grandfather, William Buchholtz, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in 1861 and was very young when he came with his parents to the United States. In 1890, he married Malinda Leist, my grandmother. They had eight children. Three died in infancy. Four sons Fritz, Charles, Elmer, (my father) Albert, and a daughter, Malinda, survived. All of this family are now deceased except my father. Their mother died when my father was seven years old. In 1907, my grandfather married his second wife, Anna Blue. They had three children, Wilma, William and Viola. At this time, only Viola is living of these three, last named. She lives at Wakefield, Nebr.

   My parents have lived in Saunders County all of their lives. Since their marriage they have lived in Morse Bluff, with the exception of 2½ years during World War II, when they lived in Portland, Oregon. Both of my parents worked at Swan Island, a Kaiser Shipyard, during their stay in Oregon.

   Before retiring my father worked at a variety of jobs. He drove oil truck for Loudon Oil Company out of Cedar Bluffs, Nebr. He recalls selling heating oil for 7¢ a gallon for #1, and 6¢ a gallon for furnace fuel. Gasoline sold for 15¢ a gallon. After returning from Oregon, he drove an oil truck for Hynek Oil Company at Morse Bluff. His most recent job before his retirement was working as a tin smith for the late James Gaughan at North Bend.

   Time and marriages have scattered my generation. Very few still live in Saunders County. Relatives still residing there are my parents who continue to live in Morse Bluff. A daughter of the late Charles Buchholtz, Mrs. Tom (Leona) Simanek, lives in Wahoo. Of the Albert Buchholtz family, two daughters, Vonda (Mrs. Lawrence) Dolezal, resides on a farm near Morse Bluff and her sister, Dee Ann (Mrs. Jim) Allender, and her family live in Morse Bluff.

   Many changes have taken place in all small towns and Morse Bluff is no exception. I am glad that I grew up there and have many fond memories of living there. By Mrs. Emanuel Kovar (nee Linda Buchholtz)

   This Ervin Bull family picture was taken Sept. 11, 1982 on Theresa Bull and Bill Johnson's wedding day. (found on following page.)

   Samuel Vix Bumgardner (Dec. 18, 1843-Apr. 11, 1921) was the son of John Bumgardner. He was born in McLean Co., Ill. He served in the Civil War, enlisting at age 22 from Muscatine Co. Iowa, on Febr. 26, 1864, and was mustered into service March 3, 1864. He was discharged from Louisville, Kentucky, July 18, 1865, Co. K, 9th Iowa Voluntary Infantry.

   Lucinda Hooker was the daughter of Robert Hooker. She was born in Jennings County, Indiana. She came to Saunders Co. with her family at the age of 12. She was united in marriage to Samuel Bumgardner on Nov. 27, 1866. Theirs was the first marriage of white persons in Saunders County.

   They homesteaded 5 miles north of Ashland, West half of N.W. quarter of Section 12 in Township 13, north of Range Nine, East of the Dist. of lands, January 13, 1874. The homestead was signed by U.S. Grant, S.D. Williamson, and L.K. Lippincott.

   Samuel and Lucinda had six children: Albert, June 26, 1868; Mary, July 21, 1874; Robert, Sept. 6, 1872; Minnie, Febr. 10, 1879; Stella, Dec. 6, 1880; and Henry Harry, Aug. 6, 1882. Submitted by Laura Webb

   Albert Bumgardner was the oldest child of Samuel and Lucinda Hooker Bumgardner, early Ashland residents who were the first white people married in Saunders County. He lived from 1868 to 1946. He married Maud Mary Traphasan of Valley, Nebraska. Their children were Robert, Leva Mae, Marie, Roy Elmo, and Harvey Samuel Bumgardner.

Mr. and Mrs. Bumgardner

   Robert Bumgardner, born Oct. 1, 1902 in Ashland, died May 8, 1915 after he was hit by a car in Valley. Harvey (1912-14) died of pneumonia in Valley.

   Leva Mae married George Alvin Buehler on June 9, 1923 in Elk City, Nebraska. Her children were Leona Aline (Lester Leo Thomas), born June 5, 1929 at Brunswick, Mo.; Catherine Anna (Herbert Frank Jerome Aholt), born March 10, 1931 near Elk City; A. Roy Buehler, born April 8, 1933 at

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