FAMILY STORIES

(1924), and Meryln (1928). In 1928, they moved to Gretna where I, Marion "Bill" Haldeman (1930), and my sister, Sandra (1936), were born.

   In 1963, my wife, Lorraine, and I purchased a farm north of Ashland. We moved there along with our son, Larry (1954). A daughter, Lisa, was born in 1965. Our children attended grade school at District 20 at Wann, and high school in Ashland.

   There has been a Haldeman residing in Saunders County for over 100 years. Marion "Bill" Haldeman

   Samantha Hooker was the youngest daughter of Robert Hooker. She was a sister to Lucinda Hooker Bumgardner. Samantha married Jasper Hall in Saunders County where they lived for several years. They moved to Columbus, Nebr. They had 2 sons, Elmer and Lloyd, and one daughter, Bertha who wed Neil Roth. Elmer and Lloyd were the founders of the Elmer Hall Band. Submitted by Laura Mae Webb

Jasper and Samantha Hall Family

   Jerry and I moved to the Vojtech homestead in 1979, enlarging the home that my grandfather built in 1903. While my husband was born and raised in the North Bend, Nebraska area, this was a return home for me. We, my parents and my grandparents, were all married in Sacred Heart Church, Cedar Hill. I have memories of catechism classes in the lodge hall and the old rectory; having to bring water in cream cans; helping my dad "turn" the Katolicky Delnik (Catholic Workman) badges -- black for funerals, purple side for celebrations; women sitting on the north side of the church, men on the south, children in the front pews. Also dad would drive us to Mass with horse and wagon if the car couldn't make it through the snow. There were a few times that mom would walk the two miles to church to play the organ so the Mass wouldn't be quiet.

   We have five children, Mary, Beth, Greg, Rebecca and Rachel. The three oldest attend North Bend Central High School. The two youngest will attend Morse Bluff Elementary, since the rural school District 15 where I and my brother and sister attended is now a machine shed for a nearby farmer.

   My husband is a contractor and part-time farmer. I teach half days at North Bend Elementary School in North Bend as librarian. In the winter, our biggest challenge is making certain we can get out of our half-mile lane. What little spare time we have is spent working on our home and the farmstead repairs. Jerry is working on stopping the gully erosion that has taken place over the years on the predominantly timberland. It is a good place to raise children and we enjoy our solitude after city living our first 15 years of married life.

   Robert Judson Hall and wife, Mary E. (Yates) Hall, moved their family from Los Angeles, California, where they grew up, attended school together, and partially raised their family, to Nebraska in the summer of 1960, locating in the town of Swedeburg. The family at that time, consisted of a daughter, Phyllis (18), sons John (12) and William (6).

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Hall

   Phyllis secured work at the Mead Missile site, and inside of two years, married a local boy, Karl Person. Karl is the second son of Malvin G. and Ruth Person of rural Swedeburg. To this union a son, Mark and a daughter, Mary Jo, were born. Karl and Phyllis, in addition to managing a drug store in Omaha, have a Hallmark franchise there also.

   After military service with the 4th Armored (Korea), and some time in Southern California, John returned to Nebraska and settled on the Oliver Cameron farm near Swedeburg, with his wife Virginia. To this union two sons, David and Jeffry, were born. John owned the service station at First and Chestnut, and then went with Wahoo Ford before finally settling in Lincoln where he now owns Hall Motors. John re-married and increased his family to five boys, James (adopted), Chad and Nicholas.

   William entered the Marine Corps after graduating from Neumann High, and served aboard the USS Enterprise during the Vietnam Conflict. After a period of time following the service, he migrated to Phoenix, Arizona and attended Radio Broadcasting School. After graduating, he secured a position as News Manager and Disc Jockey and is serving his apprenticeship with Station KZUL, Parker, Arizona. He married Patti Zacek of Lincoln.

   Robert was born in Dowers Grove, Illinois, August, 1920, and the family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1926. Robert has one brother, Donald, still in L.A. Mary was born in Houston, Texas in August, 1921 and moved with her parents and a brother, Hugh, to Los Angeles in 1924.

   Robert served eight years with U.S. Army Air Corps throughout WWII. Then a couple of years were spent in trade school for aviation. He migrated to Nebraska in May of 1960 to participate in the Missile (Atlas) installation at Mead where he served as Quality Control Representative and Contraction Office Specialist for the Department of Defense. The family was to return to the Los Angeles area under Department of Defense policies, but Robert and Mary opted to remain in Nebraska to finish raising their boys. Robert was employed in several ventures within and without the government until his retirement from the Dept. of Defense in 1971. His last assignment was to Winnipeg, Canada where he functioned as Property Administrator for the U.S. Government under a reciprocal contract with the Canadian Government.

   The Robert Hall family is no stranger to Nebraska as far as family is concerned. Robert is the great-grandnephew of Jacob Friend who was responsible for platting Friend, Nebraska. Robert's great-grandfather settled in 1848 at Buchanan, Iowa which is across the Cedar River from Iowa City. It has long since ceased to exist as a village. The family farm is still there and working under the stewardship of a cousin.

   Mary's father is a son of an old schoolmaster who first started a school in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Mary is known by many from having worked at J.C. Penney's. At this writing, Robert works as Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector for Saunders County.

   John Hallner and his wife, Johanna Eriksdotter, came from Herrljunga parish in the province of Vastergotland, Sweden. John, a professional soldier, was a blacksmith in the army and the family lived on a small farm called a soldiers torp. During the summer John served with the army while his wife and children tended the farm. He would return for the winter.

   They decided to emigrate in the 1850's but delayed moving because of the threat of war in America. By 1863, they heard the North had won the Battle of Gettysburg and it was only a matter of time before the Confederacy was crushed, so they emigrated.

   The Hallners intended to settle in Minnesota, but the Sioux Indian uprising occurred at that time, so they stopped at New Hampton, Iowa, remaining there till 1865. When the Sioux had been quelled, they moved to Carver, Minnesota, about thirty miles southwest of Minneapolis. They lived there for five years. All the land had been taken so John did blacksmith work and built and sold spinning wheels.

   In 1869, hearing of land in Nebraska, John and his twelve-year-old son August walked four hundred miles to the Mead area, filed a homestead claim, and walked back. They stayed with farmers along the way. Some could speak only German and the Hallners spoke mainly Swedish. Communication was difficult, but the father and young son were always welcome to food and lodging.

   In 1870, the Hallners moved in wagons and settled on the farm in Wahoo Precinct. Their first home was half dugout and half sod, dug into the bank of what is commonly called "Dry Creek." They began breaking the prairie with plows pulled by oxen. The Hallners were among the founders of Alma Lutheran Church at Mead. John was one of the few blacksmiths in the area and farmers brought plow lays from as far away as Swedeburg to be sharpened.

   In the early 1870's, August, still only a teenager, persuaded John to buy a steam engine and threshing machine. The machines arrived in Fremont, the closest railroad. Since there was no bridge across the Platte River, the Hallners used several teams to pull the machines through a ford. This may have been the first steam engine in Saunders County. For the next thirty years, August and his brother Carl threshed and shelled corn throughout the area. Carl and August were commonly known as the Hallner Brothers.

   In the 1870's, John invented and patented two machines for making barbed wire. The patents were sold and the type called "Greenbriar" was used fairly extensively in the western states.

   Mary, the oldest daughter, homesteaded eighty acres west of the Hallner farm and married John Smith. This became part of the Smith farm.

   Andrew, the oldest son, became involved with the Covenant Church movement and helped organize Covenant churches at Swedeburg and Malmo. In the early 1900's, Andrew went to California, played a major role in establishing covenant churches in the Turlock area, and promoted settlement of these communities. He actively recruited from the Swed-

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ish settlements in Saunders County, and several families moved to California.

   By 1912, John Hallner and his wife were both over ninety when they decided to move to California where Andrew and their daughters were living. So the land was sold and the whole family left Nebraska. Submitted by Roger Smith

Jacqueline Kaye Konecky was born on December 19, 1947 in Lincoln, Nebraska to Vernon J. and Arlene D. Konecky. She attended school in Wahoo; then at the age of nine moved to Mead, Nebraska. Jacque attended school at Mead until 1962, when the family moved to Casper, Wyoming. She graduated from Natrona County High School in 1966. On July 2, 1967, Jacque married Daniel J. Estes. Three children were born to this marriage: James Raymond, Laura Candice and Jolene Marie. The marriage was dissolved after ten years.

Taken 1981 Front Row: Dale and Jacque Hallock; Back Row: James R., Laura C., and Jolene M.

   Jacque resumed her schooling at Northwest Vocational Technical School in Gillette, Wyoming, where she received an Accounting degree in 1981. She and her children then moved to Fremont, Nebraska where she could be closer to her family.

   Jacque is a bookkeeper for Immanuel Medical Center's satellite program in Fremont. On July 23, 1982, Jacque and Dale P. Hallock were united in marriage at the Fremont Missionary Alliance Church. Dale graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming, has served in the armed forces, and is a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

   James Hamilton was born to John and Elizabeth Shaw Hamilton, Hancock County, Ohio, May, 1848. He was born on a 143-acre farm three miles south of Bluffton, Ohio. The deed for the land was written on sheepskin and bore the signature of President Andrew Jackson. The land was covered with hardwood forest which had to be cleared before it could be cultivated. Part of the timber was used for buildings and fences.

   His father was a blacksmith by trade. His parents, John and Elizabeth, lived in a squatter's cabin with their children until their new two-story home was built.

   John and Elizabeth Hamilton had eleven children, James being the seventh. The children by age from oldest to youngest were David, Sarah, Mary, Jonathan, William, Margaret, James, Thomas, Eupheme, Amanda and John.

   James Hamilton married Eliza Wood in 1871. They moved from Ohio to Missouri Valley, Iowa, about 1874. They had three children: Jessie, Harvey and Ida. Eliza Hamilton died December, 1881 and is buried in Missouri Valley, Iowa.

   James Hamilton married Mary McCurday in 1884. She was born in Peoria, Ill. They had three children: Ralph, Laura and Cloyd.

   Jessie Hamilton died in infancy.

   Harvey A. Hamilton, was born in Sept. 1878, Missouri Valley, Ia. As a young boy, Harvey moved with his parents to Saunders County, Nebraska, to what is now known as the Hubbard place. James Hamilton later purchased the home where Mrs. Bernard Harms lived. Harvey bought a farm in Saunders County south of Leshara, Nebraska. He married Johanna Gocken April, 1908. They lived on the farm until their deaths. They had four children: Ruby, Ethel, Bessie and Elmer.

   Ida Hamilton, b. Dec., 1881, Missouri Valley, Iowa, married Frank Christensen, Sept., 1901. They had one daughter, Helen.

   Ralph Hamilton, b. Jan., 1886, Mead, Nebraska, married Helen McCoy of Surprise, Nebraska, August, 1930. They had one daughter, Janette.

   Laura Hamilton, b. Oct., 1887, Mead, married Bruno Gocken of Leshara, Nebraska, October, 1908. They had three children: Marvin, Elvin and Harold.

   Cloyd Hamilton, b. Oct., 1889, Mead, married Ann Peters of Yutan, Nebraska, Sept., 1910. They had five children: Leona, Myrle, Ray, Glen and Marvin.

   James and all his children farmed in Saunders County, Nebraska. James and Mary Hamilton retired from farming and moved to a home in Leshara, Nebraska, where they lived until their deaths. The home they lived in at Leshara is now located just south and east of the Fremont Platte River bridge on the edge of the Platte River.

   In 1982, Billy D. (Bill) and Eleanor Smith Hand moved from Papillion, Nebraska to Yutan. They purchased a two and one-half story country home built in 1907 by Walter Fuscher, situated on one and one-half acres, one-half mile east of Yutan, originally the homestead of the Fuscher family, with the barn, machine shed and other buildings still standing.

Bill Hand Residence

   Wild flowers, including columbines, lilacs, raspberry abound, plus trees of great heights, elms, honey locust, black locust, and others. The orchard includes pear, apple and peach trees. The asparagus and rhubarb beds are large and productive. Bill and Eleanor are busy recapturing the lovely charm of the historical home and grounds.

   Bill is an Electrical Contractor. His company name is Hand Electric Company and he has been in business eighteen years. Bill was born in Greenfield, Iowa, Aug. 20, 1930, and Eleanor was born in Omaha, Nebraska, April 2, 1932. Eleanor is Assistant Librarian at Papillion Public Library.

   Their daughter, Theresa J., married Gary Vlasnik and live at Cedar Creek, Nebraska. Daughter Marjorie J. Hand lives with her son, Frank J. O'Connor, in Omaha. Daughter Barbara K. married Gary J. Donnar. They and their two children, Crystal Lynn and William Blaine Donnar, live near Papillion on five acres in the two-story frame home that Bill and Eleanor built themselves 11 years ago.

   Eleanor's mother, Hazel Smith, and her brother, Lawrence Edward Smith, and family have lived in Yutan since 1969. Bill and Eleanor attend St. Peter's United Church of Christ.

   The home has beautiful wood trim and wood floors. When we first purchased our home in the spring of 1982, our children helped with a lot of the work due to Bill's heart surgery that year. Bill has a workshop in the basement and enjoys working with his many tools. Eleanor loves her cats and dogs and enjoys the out-of-doors.

   Alan and I, Mary, lived in Lincoln and returned to Wahoo in April of 1975. We were both working in Lincoln when Alan decided to go into farming with his father, Loren Hanke. We later moved to the farm southeast of Swedeburg where Alan grew up. Although the farm is owned by Rita Kanouff of Bothell, Washington, our children are the fourth generation of Hanke's to live in the house.

Alan, Mary, Deric, Travis, and Cory Hanke

   Our children are Travis Alan -- 7½ yrs., Deric Wayne -- 3½ yrs., and Cory Lee -- 15 months. Travis attends West Ward School at Wahoo.

   We belong to the United Methodist Church in Ithaca, where our children are the fifth generation of Hanke's to belong there. F.C. Hanke was one of the founders of the old church. He would be the boys' great, great-grandfather.

   Alan still continues to farm with his father. He also does a lot of custom large round baling, hauling, and sells seed. In the last few years farming has become an even greater gamble. Our expenses have soared and our income has decreased. The weather was been against us in the spring. The rains don't want to shut off before planting, and then we hope it is generous in July and August. The last few years we have seen an excess in grain supply, making our prices drop. Exports are down, so many of us depend on government policies to seal our grain. We then have a known price for our grain. If the market does go up, then maybe a lot of grain will be moved and the farmers can pay off some of their high interest loans. This year is the year of the PIK (Payment in Kind) Program. It will be very interesting to see how this helps the farming economy.

   We still feel this is the best life for us. Alan says words can't express the feeling you get at harvest time when you've made a round with the combine and the bin is about to overflow with corn. Some times you can only make a half-round and it's full. After all the hard work and worry, it has made it to maturity and it's in the bin! Now it is up to the unpredictable market to see what we'll make on a bushel. I only hope when and if it reaches a breakeven plus a little profit price, Alan doesn't decide to hold out for more, only to have it reverse and sell below our agreed price a month ago.

   Loren Rudolph Hanke was born March 31, 1926 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska to Rudolph and Marie (Hageman) Hanke. In 1928, the family moved to Ceresco. Loren attended school at Ceresco, District 85 near Malmo, and Ceresco High School, graduating in 1943. Since our country was at war, tires and gasoline were in short supply and rationed. School sports were very limited. Machinery, too, was in short supply. Loren helped his dad farm and in 1945 bought his own tractor after having his name in line for some time. Loren farmed until he went into the

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