FAMILY STORIES

Diana, and their four children also left Illinois to join the Nebraska part of the family in 1981. Son Robert's dream of owning his own business was realized when he was able to purchase the O.K. Meat Market from the Beranek Bros, in 1982. Since then, son Gerard has joined his brother in operating the business. By Helen (Havel) Divis

   Rudy and Adeline Dvoracek live on a farm east of Ceresco, bought by Rudolph J. Dvoracek Sr. in 1948. Rudy and Adeline were married on September 20 of 1949. They are the parents of two sons, Gary and David.

   Rudy is the son of Rudolph J. Sr. and the late Rose Dvoracek, formerly of Ceresco. Adeline is the daughter of the late Joseph and Rose Tichy of Dwight, Nebr.

   Rudy and Adeline are engaged in farming, poultry and livestock. By Rudy Dvoracek, Jr.

   It was 110 degrees; the weather was hot and dry on July 30, 1935, when Bohumil Dvorak of Prague and Henrietta Novak of Malmo were married. The wedding was at the Czech United Presbyterian with Rev. Benjamin Marek officiating.

Mr. and Mrs. Bohumil Dvorak

   We started housekeeping on a farm two miles southwest of Malmo. In February, 1936, we moved to town, and rented a four-room house from Albert Lawson's mother for five dollars a month; no electricity was available. In 1938, we purchased a 6-room house for eight hundred. We now live in a three-bedroom ranch type home, erected in 1951. The lot was bought for twenty-five dollars, and owned by John Nordquist.

   Bohumil started his business as Dvorak Transfer in 1935. The Dodge truck was purchased from Neal Motors, Wahoo, for eight hundred dollars. He hauled livestock to Omaha and sale barns. Freight and moving furniture was added. Later, a corn sheller was bought, grain was taken to feeders and elevators.

   Henrietta's parents, Louis and Frances (Pallas) Novak lived on a farm six miles west of Weston. In 1919, they all moved to farm two miles southeast of Malmo. Bohumil's parents, John and Barbara (Vrana) Dvorak, resided on a farm northeast of Prague.

   Henrietta's grandparents, Vaclav and Mary (Trutna) Pallas, came to America from Moravia, Czechoslovakia in 1878. They bought eighty acres of land at six dollars an acre. Fruit trees were planted, and grape vines. They lived in a nine-by-twelve room house; more was added later.

   Louis Novak operated a gas engine and did custom wood sawing in the community. He also had a large pond, which held water deep enough to be used for sawing ice in the winter. Blocks measured 22x25. These were hauled by wagon and horses by people for storage in deep cave icehouses packed with straw. The ice was used in iceboxes for the summer to keep milk, etc; a treat was to make ice cream in the summer for picnics.

   We have two children. Our son, Gawaine, married Donna Wirka of Prague in 1963. They have three daughters, Sherri, Lisa, Lanette and one son, Michael. They lived in Wahoo. Donna teaches; Gawaine works with his dad. Both drive diesel trucks, and do commercial hauling of grain and cobs.

   Our daughter, Lorraine, married Carl Cordini in 1980. They live in San Francisco with a two-month-old daughter, Jasmine. The family is planning to move to Saunders County this year. Lorraine was employed at Firemen Fund since 1972; now is a full-time homemaker. Carl does welding and stained glass.

   Bohumil attended District 63, called the Duck Creek School. Later, he went to Prague High, graduating in 1932. He enrolled at Fremont Midland College for one year. Times were hard for him to finish. He participated in the band, playing the clarinet. The band went on a tour to the World's Fair in 1933, traveling by truck.

   Henrietta went to Dist. 68, west of Weston and Dist. 97, south of Malmo.

   Both of us are active in the Czech United Presbyterian Church. It celebrated its hundredth anniversary in 1982. We both served on the area Scouting Council several years. I am a member of Malmo Legion Auxiliary, and held several offices. We were Rainbow Mom and Dad of Wahoo Assembly 25, Order of Rainbow for Girls for eleven years. We are active in the Eastern Star. Bohumil is a member of Wahoo Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter; also is a forty-five year member of the Malmo Volunteer Fire Co.

   He served as treasurer of Dist. 36 and town council several years. His hobbies are steam engines and gas engines. He enjoys restoring them. For relaxing, he likes classical music.

   Henrietta's hobbies are knitting, crocheting, flowers and crossword puzzles. By Henrietta Dvorak

   John came to the United States from Holesin, Czechoslovakia at the age of eighteen. His parents were Jim and Katherine Dvorak. John, upon arriving in America, stayed with relatives at Linwood. Later, he found a job on a farm at Cedar Bluffs, Nebr. After saving enough money, he purchased 160 acres with buildings. This farm was located northeast of Prague, Nebr. He paid twenty-six dollars an acre. He married Barbara Vrana in 1900. She was born near Linwood, Nebr. Her parents were Mr. and Mr. Mike Varna. They lived on a farm at Linwood.

John and Barbara Dvorak and Grandson Gawaine Dvorak

   Barbara's grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Kodesh. They came to America from Czechoslovakia.

   John was interested in fruit trees, had several bee-hives, extracted and sold honey. Barbara loved the out-of-doors. She raised ducks, geese, and chickens. She enjoyed her vegetable garden and flowers.

   They had five sons and one daughter. Frank lives on a farm west of Bruno, Nebr. His wife, Emma, passed away in 1933. Albin and Marian reside on his farm south of Linwood. He has done commercial trucking since 1926. Judith is a resident at Milford Rest Home. Bohumil and Henrietta live in Malmo, Nebr. He is in the trucking business. Jerry and Margaret are in Clarkson. Jerry served in the Army during the Second World War. He passed away suddenly in Clarkson in June, 1982. Bennie and Laverne live on a farm south of Prague, Nebr. Submitted By Bohumil Dvorak

   He was under the command of General Sherman -- "50,000 Strong as the Union forces marched from Atlanta to the Sea" ravaging the countryside with a swath 300 miles long and 60 miles wide. It was a grueling long ordeal as they pushed hard to destroy the railroad and countryside -- the main supply route of the Confederates to shorten the war. Uncle Thomas said the troops were at times so hungry they devoured whole grains of corn in the horses manure.

   Eventually Atlanta was "laid low" -- no longer a supply source -- and the Union troops could halt and forage for food. Uncle Thomas prevailed upon a Southern lady for a meal. In the course of their conversation, he mentioned the news from home of a baby sister. The family was then living in Nauvoo, Ill. After the meal, he asked his gracious hostess what he could do to repay her; She responded, "Just name your baby sister after me."

   Since my mother had already been named "Maggie", she received the middle name of "Oralee" and always signed her name as Maggie O. East till her marriage in Nebraska, when it became Maggie O. Madigan.

   Later Uncle Thomas married a Southerner. Submitted by Marian East Madigan

   Oscar Ecklund was born in Smoland, Sweden on August 10, 1865. He came to America at the age of 19. On May 2, 1894, he and Sigrid Swanson from Skane, Sweden were married. They settled on a farm southwest of Malmo, Nebraska. To them were born four children, Ronald, Mildred, Leonard and Norman. Of these, only Leonard survives at this time (1982).

   On September 3, 1936, Leonard and Mildred Olson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Olson of near Colon, were married. To them were born three children.

   Warner, who with his wife, the former Frances Shanahan, and their three sons, lives in Boulder, Colorado.

   Julie, with her husband, Richard McMaster, and one daughter and two sons, live in Rochester, Minnesota.

   Jeanette, with her husband, Dr. Wm. Schlichtemeier, and their two daughters, live in Omaha, Nebraska. Submitted by Leonard Ecklund

   Ronald Ecklund and Clara Magnuson were married December 28, 1917 at Mead, Nebraska. They

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settled on a farm 3 miles east of Malmo where they lived until Ronald's death in 1962.

Ronald and Clara Ecklund Family

   The winters and all the snow still seem vivid to me. The snow was piled so high some years the plows were not visible as they tried to make a path through the drifts. In places it was easier to drive through the fields than try the roads, as they seemed low and caught most of the snow. In the spring, the roads were almost impassable. I was taken to school by team and wagon, and then it was all the horses could do to walk in the mud.

   Later, the road past our place was graded -- elevating the road and creating ditches which caught a lot of snow; plus it was also graveled. I remember how elated my parents were to have a road that was passable, especially in the spring. It was also fun for the children who lived along the road to have ditches full of snow. They made ideal conditions to make sliding trails to play on our way home from school. It was easy to forget about the time and when we were due home for our evening chores.

   Clara continued living on the farm until 1964 when she moved into an apartment in Wahoo. As her ill health continued, she later resided at the Haven House in Wahoo, until her death in 1970.

   Three children were born to this union: Clarence, Maynard and Doris. Clarence served his country during World War II in the South Pacific from 1942-1945, Maynard helped his father farm while Clarence went to the army. On a very warm August day in 1944, while making hay, Maynard was fallen by a heart attack in the hay field. (See Donald Rood.) Doris Rood

   Herbert, born September 4, 1893, son of Peter and Laura Edstrom, immigrants from Sweden, came to Swedeburg from western Nebraska in a covered wagon. Herbert worked as a farmhand, as well as on the county roads driving a multi-team horse hitch road grader (a fond memory of his).

   Edna, born April 24, 1895, daughter of Nels and Elna Swanson, also Swedish immigrants, lived in the Swedeburg area. She enjoyed doing domestic work for prominent families in the community for many years.

   Herbert and Edna met when they were confirmation classmates at the Swedeburg Lutheran Church. They were married October 6, 1925. After living on a farm 2½ miles south of Wahoo, they, in the early 1930's, established their family farm three miles north and ¼ east of Ceresco, where they raised their three children, Harold, Everett and Lucille.

   Throughout the depression years they cut ice from Rock Creek for their ice box. Family life revolved around church, District 100 school activities, 4-H and Extension Club work (Edna was a charter member of the Richland Center Extension Club), and visiting friends and relatives.

   Harold recalls having the family farm wired for electricity in 1941 by Wink Lee at a cost of $100. In the late 40's, their telephone was installed.

   The boys remember buying a power pack cell radio from county fair 4-H exhibit prize money. What fun to listen to Major Bowes, Amos and Andy, One Man's Family ....

   Dr. Noyes of Ceresco made many house calls to the Edstrom home when Herbert was seriously ill with pneumonia in the middle '30's.

   In 1952, indoor plumbing was installed, and the road from the farm to Highway 77 was graveled.

   Herbert and Edna enjoyed their many years on the farm with their children (who all graduated from District #100 and from Ceresco High School). They later became grandparents to four grandsons and eight granddaughters.

   1960 saw a sale of farm items used throughout the years but Herbert and Edna remained on the farm until May of 1970, when they moved to Lincoln to a new home.

   This generation of the Edstroms closed when death came to Edna in December, 1974, and to Herbert in August, 1980.

   Harold married Grace Marrow of Lincoln in 1949 and farmed near the family farm until 1952, when they moved to Lincoln and he became a carpenter. Four children were born to them, and they are now blessed with five grandsons.

   Everett married Betty Dahl of Davey in 1951. They moved on a farm one mile south of the family farm after serving his country during the Korean War. They have six children and five grandchildren.

   Lucille contracted polio in September, 1950, attended Luther College in Wahoo, married Vernon Griess of Lushton in 1954, and they were blessed with two daughters. They farmed in York County until 1964 when they moved to Lincoln. Vernon died in August, 1979. Lucille works at the UNL College of Law and has one grandson. She married Francis Rolfes of Sutton in 1982 and they reside in Lincoln. By Lucille Rolfes

   Maria Dorothea Jurgensen and her brothers came to Yutan, Nebraska with their parents, Peter and Maria Sievers Jurgensen from Christiansholm, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in 1881. They came to Yutan to Maria's Uncle and Aunt, Phillip and Wiebke Jurgensen Thomas, northwest of Yutan. They lived in a dugout for a while. Maria was eight years old.

The Dave and Mary Jurgensen Eggers Family. Back Row, L to R: Elsie, Willie, Henry, John, Lizzie; Front: Laura, Dave, Mary, Anna.

   When they first arrived in this country and while waiting for a train in Pennsylvania, they saw kernels of corn along the railroad track. They wondered what they were, little knowing that corn would be their main source of livelihood.

   On March 6, 1890, she was married to Detlef Eggers by Reverend Hulhorst on a farm where Maria's parents lived, which is now the Willard Jacobs farm.

   They were members of Zion Lutheran Church of Yutan which is now St. John's Lutheran's Church.

   Detler (Dave) also came from Germany; Lohe, Schleswig-Holstein, in 1881. He was 16 years old. He went to his Uncle and Lizzie Eggers Kolb in Tuscola, Illinois. There he worked for several years as a hired hand, earning $90 the first years. The next year he got a raise. Then he came to Yutan, Nebraska.

   Dave and Maria (Mary) started farming a quarter mile east of what used to be the District 8 schoolhouse, now known as the Marvin Mumm farm. They lived there three years. They moved to the home place a mile and a half south and a mile and a half east of Yutan, and lived there for one year. They then bought the 240 acre farm at $40 an acre from Robert Weidensal in the year 1895. The Burlington Railroad went thru the farm. He received $2000 for it in the year 1905. Another railroad went thru in 1914 and he received $3500 for it.

   Eight children were born to this union: Henry, Elsie, John, Willie, Anna, Lizzie, Laura and Edgar, who died in infancy.

   On March 27, 1924, they retired and moved to Yutan. Dave passed away November 7, and Mary on December 7, 1962. They observed their 60th wedding anniversary on March 6, 1950. Submitted by Mary Ann Cernin

   John Eggers, the son of Detlef and Maria Jurgensen Eggers was born October 22, 1895 at the family farm southeast of Yutan.

The John and Rose Kuhr Eggers Family. L-R: Robert, Marvin, John, Rose, Johnny and Mary Ann.

   His father was a farmer and he also took up farming as his life work.

   He was baptized as an infant at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Yutan. He was confirmed on Palm Sunday, April 9, 1911. At that time the confirmands learned their instruction in German.

   He attended District 8 school southeast of Yutan. Since the Platte River ran near the farm, he got a lot of enjoyment fishing from the river.

   In his early twenties, he began farming on his own, three miles north of Memphis. Since his brother, Henry, and his wife, Maggie, farmed across the road from his farm, he lived with them. Then a year or so later, he acquired another 80 acres with buildings. He moved into them and his sister, Ann, kept house for him.

   On September 27, 1922, he was married to Rose Kuhr, daughter of Henry and Anna Mumm Kuhr of Mead, at her parents home by Pastor Rowoldt from the Lutheran Church at Yutan.

   Rose was born on a farm north of Fremont, on February 10, 1902. When she was a year old the family moved to their farm east of Mead. Rose attended the Mead Public School along with her nine brothers and sisters. Since their home was located near the Union Pacific Railroad, the children always walked the railroad tracks to school.

   Rose was baptized and confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church at Yutan. She, too, learned the instruction in German.

   She and a friend, Elsie Hollst Karloff, attended sewing school in Fremont when she was about 15 or 16. They boarded with a Tank family in Fremont.

   John and Rose became the parents of four children: Marvin who is married to Jean Smith of Waterloo, Iowa; John H. who is married to Miriam Jones of Bayard, Iowa; Mary Ann, married to Harvey Cernin of Leshara, Nebraska and Robert, married to Gwen Zimmerman of Holbrook, Nebraska.

   John was a member of the school board at District 21, where the children attended school.

   After living on their farm south of Yutan for twenty years, the Nebraska Ordnance Plant came along and the family had to find another farm. They bought a farm two and a half miles west of Leshara, which they have enjoyed to the present time. Some hard times were endured during the thirties, but are referred to as the good old days.

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   They have 13 grandchildren, 10 grandsons and 3 granddaughters. John passed away June 21st, 1982, and Rose is still living on the farm. Son Robert farms the land.

   Rose was a member of the Leshara Community Club of Leshara for many years and a charter member of the LCW of Yutan. Submitted by Mary Ann Cernin

   I, Miriam Jones Eggers, was born to Clarence L. and Florence Jones in Bayard, Iowa in July, 1930. I grew up in Bayard and graduated from Bayard High School. I, along with my family, was a member of the Methodist Church there. After graduation from high school, I went to Omaha and worked for United Benefit Insurance Company.

   Johnny has always lived in Saunders County. He was born to John and Rose Kuhr Eggers at their farm home north of Memphis in January of 1926. Johnny attended school at District 21 and attended high school at Mead for three years. His last year of high school was at Leshara where he graduated. The family moved to a farm two and a half miles west of Leshara, after they had to leave their farm north of Memphis because of the Nebraska Ordnance Plant moving in.

   On May 19, 1944, Johnny was drafted into the army, the infantry. He took his basic training at Camp Roberts, California -- then to Fort Benning, Georgia for a short time. From there he went overseas, to Germany, in January of 1945. He returned home on June 2, 1946, and went into farming with his dad and brother, Marvin. He later spent another year of service in the army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Michigan during that time.

   Johnny and I were married in the Methodist Church at Bayard, Iowa on July 22, 1951. Johnny was serving his second session in the service at the time of our marriage and so we lived in Michigan until his discharge. We moved into a rural home east of Colon for a little over a year -- then moved to a farm northwest of Yutan, before moving into our present farm home a mile northeast of Yutan.

   We have two sons, John Thomas (Tom) who spent 4 years in the navy after graduating from Yutan High School. When he was discharged from the navy, he attended and graduated from Wayne State College. He is presently employed at the State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

   Tom and Glenda Rausa were married November 11, 1978 at St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan. They have a daughter, Stacy Leigh.

   Our son, Richard James ( Rick), graduated from Yutan High School and is employed at Burns Biotec.

   On July 22, 1978, Rick and Cynthia Trost were married at St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan. Cindy is a secretary at the Elementary School at Yutan. They have two children, Joshua James and Charissa Brooke.

   I am a past president of the American Legion Auxiliary at Yutan. Submitted by Miriam Eggers

   Marvin has always been a resident of Saunders County, being born to John and Rose Kuhr Eggers at their farm home north of Memphis in March of 1924.

   He attended school at District 21. Then his freshman year of high school was spent at Wann, and his sophomore year at Memphis. He then went to Mead High School and graduated in 1941. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church of Yutan by Reverend John Schrader.

   In the fall of 1941, the Nebraska Ordnance Plant came into being and the family moved to a farm two and a half miles west of Leshara.

   Marvin went into farming with his dad at this time.

   My early years of life were spent near Nashua, Iowa, where I, Jean Smith Eggers, was born. My family later moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where I graduated from high school. I then went to work for the John Deere Corporation. After about a year there, I moved to Omaha and worked for Mutual and United Benefit Insurance Company.

   We were married in January, 1952 at St. John's Lutheran Church of Yutan by Pastor Karl Konig.

   Our first home was three and a half miles southwest of Marvin's parents' home. Our first two children were born while living on this farm. Randall was born in December of 1952 and Carol, in September of 1956. Then the farm was being sold. We moved to a farm a mile north. After living there for a year, we moved to our present home a mile northwest of Yutan. Our third child, Bradley, was born while living here. All three of our children graduated from Yutan High School.

   Randall is employed with Brown & Brown at Leshara. Carol, who is married to Jeff Jacob, is a graduate of Bahner Beauty School of Fremont. She has been employed for several years with Guarantee Mutual Insurance Company in Omaha. Her husband, Jeff, is a teacher in the Yutan Schools. They live in Fremont. Brad is a student at Norfolk Vocational School.

   Our family are members of St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan.

   Marvin has been a member of the church council for several years. I was a member of the Sunshine Hour Club of Leshara for several years. Submitted by Jean Eggers

   My grandfather, Peter Eggers, came to Nebraska in 1881, bringing his eight sons, three daughters, and wife, Elsabea. They left Germany because he did not want his sons to serve in the army. In fact, one boy was smuggled aboard ship in a barrel of bedding because he was of draft age. They chose Yutan because of a sister there.

   My father, Hans, was fourteen years old. His first job was with a farmer, named Marble, near Mead. A schoolteacher was boarding at Marbles and she helped Hans learn to read and write English. While on a corn shelling crew, he was seated at the end of a long table. No one passed food to him and, since he could not ask, he ate what was near. He consumed a whole pie.

   Hans tried homesteading in western Kansas. After the bitter cold, stormy winter of 1888, he traded his rights for a pair of boots and a watch. He journeyed to Washington state where he worked in a Sash and Door factory. He soon returned to Nebraska and bought the farm where I now live, one-half mile youth of Leshara. He married Franziska Fradrich, also from Germany, in 1895 in West Point, Nebr.

One of the old bridges across the Platte River.

   My sister, Elsa, and I were born here. Except for four years spent in Valley, I have lived here all my life.

   There was no town, Leshara, then, no railroad, and no bridge across the Platte River. Dad drove a team and wagon to Louisville by way of Fremont and hauled stones for a barn foundation.

   Joseph Lamuel, Wm. Widman, and Hans Eggers circulated a petition and helped raise funds to build the first bridge across the Platte. It was of wood and built in 1903. The town was built in 1904 before the railroad came. In 1905, we attended the dedication. One store, a hardware, had burned before that. The track had been laid and the Burlington ran a train to Leshara so people could tour it. A real treat!

   I was married to Mabel Penny of Leshara in 1924. She had been teaching in Dist. #85 near Malmo. We raised four children, two boys and two girls: Gayle, Leon, Sue, and Madge. We have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

   Elsie married Herbert Steel of Valley in 1918. They had seven children. Herbert died in 1952. Elsie has twenty-one grandchildren, thirty-seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

   We have lived through two World Wars, Vietnam, and Korea, and the Great Depression, but we managed. We milked cows and sold milk and raised chickens for many years.

   My grandfather, three daughters, and four sons moved to Hooper. Three brothers stayed in Yutan. A cousin, Claude, ran a meat market there for years.

   Our kids smiled when their grandpa used to say of an acquaintance, "He's a nice feller, good worker, he's German."

   We are active members of the Baptist Presbyterian Church in Valley. We are Republicans and I am a member of the Masonic Lodge. Our hobbies are reading, gardening and visiting our children. We have been married fifty-eight years, going on -- ? Submitted by Albert Eggers

   I, Gwen Eggers, was born in Kearney, Nebraska, April 16, 1933, to Emil and Mabel Zimmerman. The first years of my life were spent in many places of south central Nebraska, attending school in Axtell, Elm Creek, Wilsonville and Holbrook.

   When I was in the fourth grade, we moved to Holbrook and spent the rest of my school years there, graduating in 1951. Receiving normal training in high school, I was waiting for my rural school in Garden County. Through the summer I worked at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. When school was out, I went to Salem, Oregon where I worked in a textile mill. Lonesome for Nebraska, I came back and was employed for Elgin at Lincoln, for four years, until they closed. From there I went to Western Electric at Omaha, where I was working at the time of my marriage to Robert Eggers. I am presently employed at the Mead Public School.

   Robert has lived in Saunders County all his life. He was born to John and Rose Kuhr Eggers in October, 1933, on a farm north of Memphis. He started grade school at District 21 until the family moved to a farm west of Leshara. He then attended school at Leshara and graduated from Valley High School. He has been farming west of Leshara since graduation.

   Robert and I were married July 6, 1963 at St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan by Pastor Donald Kern. For the first year after our marriage, we lived in Valley, after which we bought our present home in Mead. We have one son, Ronald, who will graduate from Mead High School in May, 1983. Submitted by Gwen Eggers

   James Egr was born February 17, 1891, to Frank Egr and Anna (Petrzelka) Egr on a farm near Prague, Nebraska. In the family were eight brothers and four sisters. On September 28, 1915, he married Mary Polak, the daughter of Wenceslaus Polak and Anna (Chmelka) Polak who were living in the same community. She had three brothers and two sisters. All were members of St. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church at Plasi, Nebraska. The first church built in 1877, was destroyed by fire on April 14, 1901. A second church was again destroyed by fire on August 4, 1934. The family helped and another church was built. On October 24, 1935 it was blessed by Bishop L.B. Kucera of Lincoln, Nebraska.

   James and Mary were parents of five children, one son and four daughters. Victor, married August

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