FAMILY STORIES |
very active in all phases of church work. She was a writer, a speaker, a historian, and at Bethlehem, the adult Bible teacher for many years. During the last 30 years of her life she wove rugs on a handmade loom which many people still proudly possess. She died on June 27, 1957 at the age of 89 years. Submitted by Vera Swanson PHILIP W. FOLSOMPhilip W. Folsom was born near Wahoo, Nebraska on June 16, 1876. He spent his later boyhood in Wahoo and South Bend and moved to Ashland on August 29, 1892. He graduated from Ashland High School in June, 1895. While going to high school, he worked at watch repairing in the jewelry store of his uncle, George Duby. In April, 1897, Mr. Folsom started a tobacco and cigar manufacturing shop, during which time he repaired watches at his home. In 1905, he started his own jewelry store on Silver Street. He was an active member of the Baptist Church. In October, 1898, Mr. Folsom was united in marriage to Miss Clara Hoffman. To this union was born two daughters, Mildred and Glendora. Philip was a member of the Ashland City Council in 1909 and served on the school board from 1915 to 1921. For years he was an active member of the Volunteer Fire Department. He was actively interested in all affairs of the town and surrounding community. He was especially interested in educational advantages for the coming generations as he felt that was one of the most worthwhile things we could leave behind. LEROY AND ROSE FRAHMLeRoy and Rose Frahm live on a farm east of Ceresco which they purchased in 1952. They were married Sept. 11, 1935 at Memphis, Nebr. and moved to a farm near Ithaca. This was the years of the big drouth. The corn got knee-high and had to be cut with a grain binder to use for silage. The chickens ate grasshoppers, and they ate the chickens. Since there were no cobs they broke twigs from the grove of trees to burn in the cookstove. LeRoy and Rose are the parents of three children, Marvin, Charlyn (Shickell), and Roger. They have 9 grandchildren. LeRoy, one of seven children, was born on a farm near Ithaca to Claus J. and Anna (Eichmeier) Frahm. The Frahms had migrated from Germany to Illinois and then to Saunders County to a farm near Malmo, Nebraska. After 3½ years, he accepted the position of Superintendent of the County Farm near Wahoo, where he resided until his death. Claus Frahm Jr. purchased a farm south of Ithaca. Anna Eichmeier was born at Fairbury, Nebraska. Her parents moved to a farm which they purchased south of Ithaca. They migrated from Germany in 1880. LeRoy was active in community affairs serving as a school board member for twenty some years. He was active in his church serving as board member, Sunday School superintendent, Sunday School teacher, trustee, choir member, and many other activities of both the church and community. Rose was born on a homestead near Lambert, Montana and came to Nebraska at the age of 20 months with her parents and two sisters in a covered wagon. The trip took over 4 months. Her parents, Otto and Mabel Clyde Quass, moved to a farm north of Ashland where Rose grew to womanhood with 5 sisters. Otto was the son of Fred and Anna Quass who came to Saunders County from Germany. Fred was a landowner farmer and circuit preacher serving parishes at Ceresco, Memphis, Cedar Hill, and Leshara. Mabel is the daughter of George and Clara (Brassfield) Clyde and traces her ancestors to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts and Jamestown. Mabel grew up on a farm in Holt County near O'Neill and met Otto at York College. Rose has served as Sunday School teacher, secretary of various church organizations, the PTA, YWCA board in Lincoln, and Y-Teens Council, Lincoln. She was also a choir director and a member. She also served as president of her extension club, secretary and county chairman of the Extension Council, and a member of the County Extension Board and the County Board of Health. On the state level she served as state vice-president and state president of the Nebraska Home Economics Association of Organized Agriculture, and was also chosen Outstanding Homemaker. Submitted by Rose Frahm LOUIS AND GUSTIE FRANTAGustie (Mach) Franta, daughter of Jessie and Joseph Mach was born January 23, 1914 at Prague, Nebraska. Louis and I have two daughters: Elaine, Mrs. Ray Stoupa; and Bonnie, Mrs. Norris Fujan. We have 4 grandchildren: Raymond Jr., Robert, and Ronnie Stoupa; and Jessica Lynn Fujan.
I have 2 sisters, Mrs. Christine Dvorak and Libbie Zavodny, and 3 brothers, Ernest, Elmer, and Emil Mach. Ernest was in the service in the army during World War II from July 21, 1942, and came home after the war on December 11, 1945. He was with the 37th Division Infantry. They were fighting in the South Pacific Islands of Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Bougainville, the Philippines, Luzon, and the City of Manik. They were in on the liberation of the Philippines. Elmer was in the service in the army during World War II from Sept. 20, 1941 to Nov. 11, 1945, in Africa and Italy. He was discharged from military service on Nov. 11, 1945 on Armistice Day. Emil was in the service in the army during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953. My mother, Jessie Mach, was the daughter of Vaclav and Mary Mach. She was born Dec. 2, 1888 in Kosik, Czechoslovakia. When she was 5 years old, she came to the United States with her parents, brothers, and sisters to the Humboldt, Nebraska vicinity. Later, they farmed near DuBois, Nebr. On November 28, 1909, Jessie was united in marriage to Joseph Mach at Pawnee City, Nebraska. Joseph was born on a farm southwest of Prague, Nebraska, the son of Josef and Katerina (Kubalek) Mach, on Jan. 15, 1882. Joseph and Jessie moved to a farm near Prague. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1959. My mother's parents were Vaclav Mach (Sept. 17, 1844-Mar. 10, 1910) and Mary (Brichnac) Mach (Dec. 26, 1853-April 13, 1929). My dad's parents were Josef Mach (May 25, 1852-Nov. 23, 1916) and Katerina (Kubalek) Mach (May 15, 1857-Febr. 23, 1933). Both were born in Bohemia. I, Gustie, was married to Louis Franta June 24, 1937. He was born July 14, 1906 to Joseph and Mary Franta. Louis has 1 living brother, Raymond. Twin brother Anton died in May, 1982, and brother Joe in October, 1982. Louis' parents were Joseph J. Franta (born Febr. 18, 1876 at Morse Bluff), and Mary (Kvacek) Franta, born Mar. 15, 1882 in Bohemia. Joseph died in Schuyler on Dec. 19, 1954. Mary died Aug. 2, 1933 in North Bend, Nebr. They were married in 1900. Louis' paternal grandfather, Jacob Franta, was born Apr., 1838 in Bohemia and died Aug. 15, 1914 in Morse Bluff. Grandmother, Anna (Kubicek) Franta, was born June, 1843 in Bohemia and died Febr. 3, 1911 in Morse Bluff. His maternal grandparents were James Kvacek, born Aug. 30, 1858 in Bohemia, and Marie (Sarovec) Kvacek, born in Bohemia on Dec. 16, 1863. James died July 10, 1942, and Marie on Febr. 28, 1915, both at Sumner, Nebraska. Their marriage took place on Febr. 6, 1883. Submitted by Mrs. Louis (Gustie) Franta THE LOUIS FREEMAN FAMILYLouis and Jane Freeman knew each other six years before they married. After his discharge from the Spanish-American War, he went to Cedar Bluffs visiting, and met Jane. To get work, he answered an ad for a job in a harness shop in Akron, Iowa. Louis eventually returned and they married on February 22, 1905 at the Presbyterian Church in Fremont. It was thawing, with two feet of snow on the ground that day. The couple with them left for home and had just crossed the bridge when two spans collapsed.
Louis Alexis was born November 3, 1877 on a farm by Neligh, Nebraska to Theron and Celia Groves Freeman. Cynthia Janette was one of 12 children born to Samuel and Rachael Snyder Barrett on July 13, 1881. Her family homesteaded northeast of Cedar Bluffs in the 1860's. The Freemans farmed until 1929 when they moved into Cedar Bluffs. Louis became marshal and night watchman during the Depression. He had as many as 20 in jail at once wanting food and shelter. In 1935, Louis became ill and had to quit. They moved into Fremont in 1939. In 1970, they made their final move to Rupert, Idaho where several of their children live. Jane passed away April 22, 1972 and Louis followed on November 26, 1973. Both are buried at the Paul, Idaho Cemetery. Louis enjoyed woodworking, making miniature buildings in his later years. He was quite a gardener and took pride in his 12 foot sweet corn. Jane acquired an extensive vocabulary from reading and working crossword puzzles, becoming an expert with them. The Freemans had 10 children: Mabel, December 1, 1905, who married Walter Osterman; Paul, January 11, 1907, who is married to Darlene Lohman; Louis, November 5, 1908, who is married to page 237 |
Ella Mehrer; Robert, January 17, 1911-August 11, 1973, who married Fern Miles; Donald, August 6, 1913-November 15, 1913; Ruth, January 17, 1916-October 11, 1962, who married Edwin Mehrer; Lester, January 21, 1918, who is married to Elsie Cornelsen; Harley, September 6, 1920-June l2, 1945, who married Frances Riedel; Larry, September 13, 1922, who is married to Ruth Carlson; and Gene, July 13, 1927 (his mother's birthday), who is married to Mildred Reidmiller. Three of their sons, Lester, Larry, and Harley were in World War II. Harley was killed on Okinawa. Gene was in the Signal Corps in the Korean War. Both remembered the Blizzard of 1888. Although it was nice, Jane's father told them to stay home as there might be a blizzard. He was school director and went to Cedar Bluffs for coal and didn't get home. Her mother burned corn all night to keep warm. Louis was in school by Neligh, when it struck about 12:15 P.M. on January 12. A man ½ mile away came with mules, blankets, and a rope to rescue them at 3:00 P.M. The mules couldn't get back through, so he unhitched them and led them to Louis' uncle's farm. The next day was 40 below with no wind and Louis' father drove a team over the drifts to get them. Submitted by Paul Freeman THE PAUL FREEMAN FAMILYPaul M. Freeman was born January 11, 1907 on a farm 1½ miles northeast of Cedar Bluffs to Louis Freeman and Cynthia Janette "Jane" Barrett. He was the second child and oldest son of 10 children. E. Darlene Lohman, his future wife, was born July 31, 1917, also on a farm two miles southwest of Cedar Bluffs, to John Lohman and Ruby Kimble. She was the oldest of a son and daughter.
At a young age, Paul's family left Saunders County. His growing years were spent at Plainview and Mitchell, Nebraska. Some of Paul's earliest childhood memories happened while living at Plainview. Most vivid were the death of his younger brother, Donald, in 1913, and seeing Halley's comet in 1910. The family would sit outside every night to watch it. The family moved to Mitchell, Scottsbluff County, in March of 1914 where Louis Freeman homesteaded. The land was irrigated by canal ditches coming from Pathfinder Dam. Paul's father built their home, a framed structure, which later he added to. Paul attended Sunnyslope School, District 43 through eighth grade. Migrant workers lived in the area to work beet fields. Paul had many experiences with them. He, also, worked in the beets and was thrown off a beet rack which passed over his back. He trapped gophers, receiving ten cents apiece from the U.S. Reclamation Service. After proving up on the homestead, the family returned to Cedar Bluffs the fall of 1922, and lived on land owned by Paul's mother's family. In 1923, Paul was on his own, working for other farmers in the area doing general farm work. By 1925, he started farming for himself on shares on Kimble land (his future wife's grandparents). Sheep and cattle were raised and Paul farmed anywhere from 220 to 440 acres at a time during the next 20 years. He farmed with horses until 1941 when he bought a John Deere tractor. In the meantime, Darlene lived her early years around Cedar Bluffs. One of her earliest memories is when the barn burned after being struck by lightning during a storm. She started her schooling at District 43, southwest of Cedar Bluffs located on their land. She learned cooking and sewing from her mother and, being the only girl, became a real help to her. When she was 15, the family moved to a farm by Elkhorn and attended Elkhorn High School. After about a 1½ year's courtship, Paul and Darlene were married October 21, 1939 in Omaha. They spent their honeymoon in Shenandoah, Iowa, then came home to the place Paul had been farming for 14 years. They shucked corn for the next 30 days, except Sundays, without missing a day because it was such a beautiful fall. Their families had been friends and neighbors for years. On December 7, 1941, they heard over the radio the shocking news about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because farmers were considered a necessity and Paul farmed a lot of land, he was never drafted, although three of his brothers were sent overseas and one was in Korea. Their first son was born February 10, 1942 in Wahoo. He was named Richard Paul. Another son, Ronald Vonne, joined their family April 5, 1945, also in Wahoo. In 1947, the family moved by North Bend, and farmed 27 years in Dodge County on two different farms. Terilee Edith was born in Fremont on July 31, 1951. Their family was now complete. The Freemans joined the United Presbyterian Church at North Bend in March, 1947. Paul has served as a Trustee and Elder and Darlene is active in the women's organization. The Freeman's sons graduated from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont and their daughter attended Wayne State College in Nebraska. Richard married Kathleen Snyder, Ronald married Rita Wittmersehouse, and Terilee married Gary Roberts. After many years of farming, the decision was made to retire. They had their farm sale March 22, 1975. Earlier, a home and acreage at the outskirts of Morse Bluff was purchased. They moved over there that spring. It was nice to be back in Saunders County again. Since they've retired, more time has been available for their interests and hobbies. Paul likes woodworking and collecting family records and history. Darlene enjoys sewing and plants. She is active in her extension club. They enjoy visiting their children and watching their grandchildren grow. Submitted by Paul Freeman THE RONALD FREEMAN |
Ronald and Rita Freeman. Standing: Amy; Seated on Lap: Lori. |
Ron was born in Wahoo in 1945, and lived with his parents and older brother, Richard, on a farm northeast of Cedar Bluffs. When he was two years old, the family moved to a farm northeast of North Bend in Dodge County. His sister, Terilee, was born in Dodge County four years later. Ron attended a country grade school and North Bend High School. During the summer months, Richard and Ron baled hay and shelled corn to earn money for college.
After graduating in 1963, Ron attended Midland College in Fremont and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1967. Ron and Rita met during this time. After graduation Ron joined the army and graduated from Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1968.
Rita was born in Fremont in 1946. She was the only child of Merlin and Bernice Wittmersehouse and grew up southwest of Cedar Bluffs on the same farm where her father was born. Rita attended a one-room country school and graduated from Cedar Bluffs High School in 1964. She was very active in school activities and was involved in 4-H for 10 years. After high school, Rita attended the Lincoln School of Commerce, graduating in 1965. While working in Fremont as a secretary, she and Ron met and were married two years later in 1968.
They spent the next two months in Baltimore, Maryland, while Ron attended an army intelligence school at Fort Holabird. Rita returned home and worked in Fremont while Ron spent the next year in Viet Nam.
After returning to the States in 1969, Ron and Rita were stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the next nine months. Upon completion of three years in the army in 1970, they returned to Nebraska and purchased a home in Omaha at 1618 South 98th St., where they reside today. Ron is a Certified Public Accountant in Omaha and has re-developed his roots in Saunders County by purchasing and farming 80 acres southwest of Cedar Bluffs.
Ron and Rita had three children: Amy, born in 1975; Thomas, born in 1977 with a medical disorder and later died in 1980; and Laura, born in 1979.
The family is involved in a variety of community activities and belongs to the Presbyterian Church of the Cross. Submitted by Ron and Rita Freeman
The Ivan Merwyn French family is relatively new to Saunders County. Ivan came to Wahoo in 1947 to join the practice of Drs. Way and Lathrop, whose clinic was founded by Dr. F.E. Way in 1890. Ivan's Nebraska roots originated in Page, in Holt County, where his great-grandmother, Louisa Parker French, had homesteaded. A widow with six children, the oldest of whom was sixteen, she had come from Bath, New York, in 1883.
The Ivan M. French Family. L. to R.: Richard, Linda, Ivan, Muriel, Jonathan, Marcia, Rick, William, Virginia, and James at Marcia's wedding, June, 1981. |
French family ancestors originally settled in New York, moved to Canada as Loyalists after the Revolutionary War, and returned to the States in the early 1800's. Louisa's husband, Henry, had owned a cheese factory in Bath; but after his death, Louisa felt that the West held more promise for the future.
For many years, Louisa French's descendants farmed near Page. However, Ivan's father, Oscar William French, opted to become a family physi-
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cian. He graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University and the Nebraska College of Medicine, and practiced in Page and neighboring O'Neill for 35 years. Ivan was also a Nebraska College of Medicine alumnus. Before coming to Wahoo, he served two years in the Army during World War II and saw duty in the Philippines and in occupied Japan. After the war, he began a residency in Internal Medicine at University Hospital in Omaha, where we met. I was working in the laboratory as a medical technologist after graduating from the University of Minnesota. We married after he began his practice in Wahoo, and it has been our home ever since. Our four children have all attended Wahoo schools, graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and gone on to graduate school. William, our oldest, spent two years in the Army at the time of the Vietnam War and was stationed in Belgium. He is as yet unmarried and has worked as a chemist. Richard, a graduate of the Nebr. College of Medicine, is certified by the Board of Internal Medicine and is a practicing physician in Hastings. He is married to the former Linda Pielstick and has a son, Jonathan. James is also a Nebraska Medical College graduate and will complete a residency in surgery in Wichita, Kansas, in July, 1983. He and his wife, the former Virginia Ann Farley, have one child, Elizabeth. Marcia, our youngest, has a master's degree in speech pathology from the Univ. of Nebraska and resides in St. Joseph, Missouri. She teaches in the St. Joseph school system and is married to Rick D. Gilmore, a St. Joseph native. One of Ivan's chief concerns over the years, in addition to caring for his patients and his family, has been to keep abreast in the field of medicine. To this end, he has spent many hours attending seminars, postgraduate courses and medical meetings. He is a Charter Diplomate of the Board of Family Practice, a Charter Fellow of the Academy of Family Practice, and a past president of the Nebraska Chapter of the Academy of Family Practice. Ivan never considered practicing medicine anywhere but in a small community. We have enjoyed our years in Wahoo; its proximity to Omaha and Lincoln has been ideal for pursuing our cultural and educational interests, all the while providing a friendly, wholesome atmosphere in which to raise our children. Submitted by Muriel French ADAM FRONK FAMILYAdam Fronk and Alzbeta Kamen were born in Bohemia on Feb. 1, 1855 and Nov. 16, 1855, respectively. They were married in Bohemia, immigrated to America in 1885 and settled in Prague, Nebr. The house they lived in is still standing. Grandfather worked as a farmhand in the Prague and Morse Bluff communities. They were members of St. John's Catholic Church, Prague. Four children were born to them, Mary, Albina, John and Anna. Mary married Joe Steyskal, lived near Ralston and had three children: Clara, Stanley and Viola. Mary died during the influenza epidemic in Nov 1918. Albina married Anton Suchy, lived in Omaha and had two sons; James and Anton. Albina died in 1931. John, married Anna Vavra, farmed northwest of Weston and had three children; Edward John, who died in infancy, Clara and Maxine. John died June 5, 1965. Anna, lived in Chicago with an aunt and uncle, married Louis Krubel, and had one daughter, Ann. Anna died in 1959. Grandfather died July 3, 1918 and grandmother died Jan. 16, 1933. They are buried at the Prague National Cemetery, Prague, Nebraska. JOHN FRONK FAMILYJohn was born in Prague, Nebraska on May 15, 1893 to .Adam and Alzbeta (Kamen) Fronk. He attended grade school in Prague with his three sisters Mary, Alvina and Anna. At the age of 14 he moved to North Dakota where he worked on his uncle's farm. On July 26, 1918 at Wahoo, Nebraska, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the private veterinary hospitals in Germany and France. His love for animals qualified him for the job of treating and caring for wounded horses which were used in battles at that time. After his honorable discharge on July 14, 1919, he returned to Prague and worked as a farmhand.
Anna was born at Newton, Nebraska on Nov. 14, 1888 to Vaclav and Anna (Koranda) Vavra. She attended rural school District #68 with her three brothers and six sisters. As was customary in those days, Anna took sewing lessons in Brainard in exchange for doing housework. She also did housework in David City. On July 5, 1922, John and Anna were married in Omaha, Nebraska. They settled on the homestead with parents Vaclav and Anna Vavra, whom they cared for until their deaths. On Aug. 6, 1927, they purchased the homestead for $2100. They were the parents of three children, Edward John (who died in infancy Dec. 24, 1924), Clara and Maxine. John and Anna lived on the farm until their deaths. John died June 5, 1965 and Anna died June 23, 1968. They are buried at the Prague National Cemetery. THE WILLIAM FUCHSER |
William and Sophia Fuchser |
Lizzie Wuthrich Fuchser was also born in Switzerland, the daughter of Ullrich and Magdalena Wuthrich. The Ullrich family came to America in 1870, coming directly to Clear Creek. They lived northwest of the present site of Yutan in the fertile Platte River bottom.
Christian and Lizzie were married January 1, 1876. Their children were: Fred, William, John, Lena Frahm, Emma Hampton, Ernest, Minnie, Laura Ireland, Walter and Ruth.
William, my father, was born April 28, 1879 in Yutan. As a young man he helped his father with the farming. For several years he farmed in North Dakota, but not liking the severe winters, he returned to Nebraska.
My mother, Sophia Dimmel Fuchser, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Wieble Dimmel was born at Hulben, Wittenberg, Germany, on April 3, 1887. The Dimmel family came to America in 1891 to Winside, Nebraska. At the age of 16 years, her father took her to Omaha to find employment. Her first position, was as a seamstress in an overall factory. Later she worked for the Dr. Michael Ford family.
Fred and Rosie Hunziker, the uncle and aunt of William Fuchser, lived next door to the Dr. Ford family. Hunzikers had two daughters who were friends of Sophia, so it was natural for Sophia and William to become acquainted. On December 11, 1913, they were married in the Hunziker home. They made their home on a farm northwest of Yutan where William was living, having farmed the land for several years.
During my father's lifetime, he farmed with horse-drawn machinery that one could ride, an improvement over the walking plows, etc. used when he farmed with his father. He was active in community affairs, a lifelong member of what is now the United Church of Christ, belonging to the Men's Club, as well as serving on the Church Consistory. He died in 1937.
My mother soon adapted to living on the farm, quite an adjustment from living in Omaha. In 1941, several years after her husband's death, she went to Independence, Missouri to live with her brother. His wife had died of cancer, leaving four children, ages 4 to 10. She returned to Omaha in 1945 to live with Mrs. Michael Ford, and was employed at the Baum Iron Company until 1958. Mother lives in her home in Yutan. She has been an active member of the United Church of Christ since 1917, where she attends the Sunday School and Women's Fellowship.
William and Sophia, my parents, had two children, a son Willard, who died in 1929, and a daughter, Pauline.
Pauline married Louis Witte: Willard, Frederick and Kathryn (deceased)
Willard married Valerie Vavak: Craig
Frederick married Linda Kratky: Lisa, Troy and Tina. Submitted by Pauline Fuchser Witte
Charles and I were married in California in 1944. He was in the Army Air Force at March Field near Riverside and I worked in Los Angeles for an Insurance Co. Our first son was born in Jan. 1946 in the old Saunders Co. Hospital. Charles was discharged in March of that year and worked for Volin Bros. in Malmo until Feb. 1948. We then moved to the home farm and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Fujan, moved to Wahoo.
They lived in Saunders Co. all of their lives. The farm I live on was given to them as a wedding gift from his parents. Charles' mother was Rose A. Sabata. She was born and raised on the Sabata farm which has been in the family more than one hundred years. We received the Ak-Sar-Ben award as a pioneer family in 1977. The Fujan and Sabata families both came from Czechoslovakia. They were among the earliest members of the Plasi Parish.
I was born in Omaha. My father died when I was only a year old. We moved to Wakefield in Dixon Co. and lived with my grandmother. We spent summers living with a bachelor uncle on a farm. This farm of 160 acres was bought for $800 by my grandparents after they moved to Nebraska from Illinois. They were both born in Sweden. Crossing the ocean was quite an ordeal when my Grandmother came to America. Passage was very difficult and families were expected to furnish their own food. By the time they arrived, the food supply and money
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