FAMILY STORIES

grandmother, lived on the farm until they moved into Cedar Bluffs in about 1908. They were the parents of three living daughters namely, Mary, Emma, and Minnie. Their daughter, Mary, who married Adolph Jurgens from the Colon vicinity on August 4, 1909, farmed the land about thirty years.

   Adolph was the eldest of several children born to George and Anna Jurgens of Colon. Adolph and Mary had six children. They are Wilbert (married Dorothy Nelson, Ceresco) who lives in Ceresco; Bertwell (Bert) who lives on the home place; Emmett (married Miriam Linneman) who lived in Kansas City, Kansas until his death Jan. 25, 1978; Tillman who lives in Fremont and married (Lillian Swanson of Wahoo); Alta, (married Harold Gustafson, formerly of Mead) now living in Wahoo; and Neola (married Randall Thorsen) who lives in Holliston, Massachusetts.

   Bert's maternal great-grandparents on his mother's side, Henning and Sophia (Krapke) Siemsen, bought 80 acres from Lars Sundean in Douglas Precinct in Oct. 1888. This farm was sold to Thomas Rochford in June, 1911. The Henning Siemsens had seven children, Hans Agnes (Bert's grandmother), John, Hannah, Marie, Karl, and Dora.

   Dorothy (Bert's wife), who was born Dorothy Beierle of the Surprise, Nebraska area, was later adopted by Ervin and Phoebe Hinze after the death of her mother, Mable, at an early age. Hinzes moved from a farm in Butler County to Cedar Bluffs in Jan., 1940, where they operated the Hinze Grocery on the north side of Main Street until they sold the store to Louie and Eva Schere some years later.

   Bert and "Dot", as she is known in the Cedar Bluffs area, had one son, Russell, who died shortly after birth on Febr. 3, 1949.

   Bert and Dot purchased the family farm in 1951 from his parents' estate. Bert has lived on the home place for more than 65 years. They were awarded the AK-SAR-BEN Pioneer Farm Family Award in 1978. Submitted by Bert Jurgens

   My grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ira Nelson, came to Saunders County in 1869 and homesteaded about one mile west of the present Ceresco. That is where the original town was located. Grandma and her two brothers, Horace and Ashel, were the ones that named the town. They did this by placing three names in a hat and pulling one out. It happened that one was Ceresco.

   Grandpa was the first postmaster of Ceresco, though I understand Grandma did most of the work. Grandfather took care of the horses for the stagecoach operators, and Grandma cooked for them and also baked bread for them to take with them. Grandma used to tell of the friendly Indians that came by, and also of the not so friendly rattlesnakes they had to contend with. Grandpa died in 1914 and Grandma in 1937. Grandma lived in part of our house until her death.

   My grandparents had three sons. Frank was born in 1870, Earnest in 1879, and my father, Earl, was born in 1887. He lived on the same farm for the entire 83 years of his life. My two brothers, Roy, Floyd, and I grew up on the same farm also. We attended the Ceresco Public School and all started with the same teacher, Mrs. Edna Walker. She had also been my father's teacher.

   In 1940, I married Wilbert Jurgens of Cedar Bluffs. We had met at the Farmers Union Cooperative Oil Association where I was working as a bookkeeper and Wilbert was driving a gasoline transport and hauling gasoline, etc. to the station. After our marriage, we lived in Marysville, Kansas for a few years. That is where our two children, Wilbert Jr. and Jerrie, were born. We moved back to Ceresco into what was known as the Gus Johnson residence and have lived there since that time. My husband worked for International Harvester for a time, and later went into business for himself, doing plumbing work. He is now in the process of retiring. Our son, Bill, now has the Jurgens Hardware store in Ceresco.

   We have had the pleasure of having our three grandchildren grow up near us and are enjoying hearing of their experiences in Raymond Central Schools, some similar and some so different from our own. All in all, I think Saunders County is a good place to grow up in, live in, and raise a family. Submitted by Mrs. Wilbert Jurgens

   Looking back over the years, we found our grandfather, John Jurgensen, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in 1874. He came to America with his parents and settled on a farm near Yutan in 1880. John married Etta Heuck, oldest daughter of Henning and Wieke Heuck, in 1895. They lived on the Heuck farm north of Wann until 1923 when they retired in Yutan. John passed away in 1950 and Etta, in 1968. Their only child, Arthur born in 1902, lived 58 years on this farm. He married Minnie Reese, youngest daughter of George and Catherine Reese in 1922.

Art and Minnie Jurgensen and Family, 50th Anniversary, Nov., 1972

   Grandfather Reese also was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in 1857 and came to America in 1878. He worked in Omaha and Gretna as a carpenter. Then he moved to Yutan where he worked as a farmhand. In 1885, he married Catherine Backens who died when their son, Henry, was born. George remarried in 1890 to Catherina Lineau. They lived on a farm south of Yutan; then moved into Yutan in 1919 when their son, William, returned from the war and farmed.

   The Reese children were William, John, Louise Prinz, Anna Widman-Johnson, Bertha Wageman, Rosa Stamp, and Minnie Jurgensen-Karloff. Mr. Reese died in 1933 and his wife in 1950.

   Arthur Jurgensen and Minnie had four children: Darlene Odorisio, Maxine Johnson, Harold, and Keith. They retired in 1960 and moved to Ashland where they continued their love of growing things by raising a big garden. The many flowers around their home made it very attractive.

   Minnie worked several years as a grocery checker, making many friends. Art spent his last years working on improvements in their home. He passed away in 1979. Minnie married Louis Karloff in 1982 and moved to Yutan.

   Their youngest son, Keith, married Bonnie Williams, daughter of Richard and Marjorie Williams, at the Christian Church in Wann in 1955. They lived on rented land until 1960 when they moved onto the home place. Keith and his sons, Steve and Chuck, liked to hunt, fish, and play ball. Chuck also liked rodeo bull-riding. Bonnie was just a housewife except for the 10 years she was employed at Miller's Cafe in Venice.

   The Jurgensen children attended Dist. #20 and graduated from Ashland High School. They were members of the Wann Christian Church. They were active in the Platte Valley Farmers 4-H Club, one of the oldest clubs in the county.

   In 1981, Steven married Deborah Hightshoe and has a son, Dustin Keith. Steve works for Kolb Farms, and also farms with his dad. Pamela, after working several years in Lincoln and Wahoo, married Richard Gustafson in 1981. They live on his home place northwest of Wahoo and farm. Charles is employed by Foxley Cattle Co. of Mead as a cattleman.

   The Jurgensen family farm has always been an interesting place for the "city cousins" to visit. They especially liked the stick-weeds and mosquitoes when they fished at the pond. Submitted by Mrs. Keith Jurgensen

   Philip John Kaiser was born in Bronx, New York on June 24, 1950, to Raymond and Lillian Kaiser. Philip has one sister and three brothers. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School and pursued his college education at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

The Philip Kaiser Family

   Darlene Rezac Kaiser was born on June 18, 1950 to Joe and Marie Rezac, formerly of Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska. Darlene has one sister, Kathy, and one brother, Darryl. Darlene was active in 4-H for 10 years, band, chorus, and summer sports. She graduated from Wahoo Neumann High School in 1968 and began her college work at the University of Nebraska that fall.

   Philip and Darlene met in the fall of 1968 and were married at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wahoo on June 10, 1972. Darlene received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree and began teaching in August, 1972 for Wahoo Public Schools. Philip graduated from the University of Nebraska in December, 1973 and began teaching for Westside Community Schools in August, 1974.

   Darlene has taught for approximately 10 years to date; presently she is teaching at Linden Elementary in Fremont, Nebraska. Philip is in management with Burger King; he is beginning courses for an Associate Degree in Computer Science.

   Living in many places, Philip and Darlene settled in Wahoo for the past six years and during that time have spent spare time in remodeling an 80-year old house. They have three children: Alecia, born March 13, 1976, a first grader at St. Wenceslaus School; Nicole, born July 28, 1978, a pre-schooler; and Andrew, born May 24, 1981. They all enjoy family outings, camping, and are presently active in the Marriage Encounter movement. Submitted by Philip Kaiser

   The story of this family dates back to 1874 when Grandfather Jan Haba, a native of Bohemia, and his wife, Antonia, came to America.

Frank Kaplan Family, 1916. Back Row: George, Frank, Helen and Mary; Front Row: Emma and Emil.

page 282

   They with their son, Vaclav, age 3, left in a sailing vessel that took weeks to cross the Atlantic.

   They left their home because of the economic, political, and social conditions existing there. Grandpa himself was subject to compulsory military service.

   Upon their arrival in America they continued on westward and located in Omaha where Grandpa worked as a mason's helper.

   While living there, John Pospisil, a farmer living near Prague, Nebraska, visited them and told Grandpa to try farming.

   In March, 1870, Grandpa bought 80 acres of land from the U.P.R.R. Company for $400.

   A month later they moved to Saunders County, locating on this land near Rescue.

   In three days, the sod house that was their home for the next twenty years was built. Here were born three children: Barbara, Mary and Joseph.

   Life was not easy. They raised everything they ate. Grandma walked fifteen miles to Wahoo to buy sugar, salt, coffee, and calico for the girls' dresses and the boys' shirts.

   They often told about the Blizzard of 1888. It was three days before Grandpa got out to feed his livestock. Only Vaclav went to school that morning.

   Grandma and Grandpa retired to Morse Bluff in 1912 where Grandpa died in 1930 and Grandma the following year.

   Frank Kaplan was born in Bohemia in 1867, emigrating to America in 1891. He had been a subject to the Emperor of Austria. Because he did not wish to live under his regime, he left his native land and came to Nebraska in 1896.

   The years preceding his entrance into the harness and shoe repair business in Morse Bluff in 1900 were spent at different labors.

   He married Mary Haba at Wahoo in 1906. A friend drove them with a horse and buggy to the court house.

   They made their home in Morse Bluff where J.P. Shavlik built a one-story house for them. Cost -- $900. Here were born Helen, George, Emil, and Emma who died in 1923 at the age of nine after a brief illness with a strep throat.

   They lived through the Great Depression. There was no money. Farmers paid with grain, cattle, and swine.

   Upon graduation from North Bend High School in 1926, I started to teach in District 91, Saunders county for $85 a month. I taught there until 1931 when I was elected to teach the third grade in Cedar Bluffs -- a position I held until 1972 when I retired.

   My father died in 1940 and Emil in 1965. My mother lived in her own home where she died in 1969.

   In 1970, I married Cecil J. Dey of Gresham, the widower of a lifetime friend, Ida Edmiston. He had three children: Darrell, David, and Diane, all married.

   We lived on his farm until 1975 when we moved to our newly-built home in Gresham where we are living now. Submitted by Helen Kaplan Dey

   I am the son of Frank Kaplan, one of the later Czech immigrants to settle in Nebraska, and Mary Haba, born in 1881 at Rescue, Nebraska.

   I was born February 1, 1909 in Morse Bluff and have lived here since birth.

   I graduated from the tenth grade in Morse Bluff and two years later from North Bend High School in 1927.

   My father had bought an Overland Sedan in 1925. It was the first car our family owned and the first car I had driven.

   I saved money from my earnings around here and also from farm work during summer vacations. My ambition was to go to college. I worked my way through by working at cafes and restaurants.

   Following graduation from Nebraska University in 1931, there was the Great Depression as it is now referred to, and there were no jobs. I applied everywhere but had to settle for a job with my father in his harness and shoe shop. I also worked for our village as water and street commissioner.

   In 1936, we had a bad winter. People called it the champion of all others. The cold siege began January 18 when the mercury dropped to -3 degrees. During 23 of the 34 days which followed, the mercury was at -10 degrees or lower. On 7 of the days, the temperature was not above zero during the entire 24-hour period. There was one period from February 15-18 when the mercury remained at zero or below for 108 consecutive hours, according to weather statistics for 1936.

   Pheasants and quail were found lying in ditches frozen to death. Sportsmen were going into the county to scatter feed because they were worried game birds would die because of continued cold or lack of food.

   The same year the summer was awfully hot and there was a great drought. Great swarms of grasshoppers were seen migrating in the sky.

   On October 24, 1939, I married Sylvia Hanis, daughter of Vaclav and Caroline Hanis, in Lincoln.

   We had three children. Our daughter, Carol, married Douglas Haase in 1960. They have a son, James, and a daughter, Barbara. They live in Fremont. Our son, George and his daughter, Nicole, live in Omaha. Our other son is David who lives in Lincoln.

   When World War II broke out, I worked at the Mead Ordnance Plant until its closing after the end of the war.

   It was after that I started my own business, namely, heating and plumbing. I also worked as water commissioner for the village.

   My wife still works at Arbor Manor in North Bend where she has worked the past twenty years.

   I continued to work until suffering a stroke in 1981. At present I manage to get around and do light work around our home. Submitted by George Kaplan

   Glenn and I are natives of Saunders County, Nebraska. I was born at Memphis and Glenn was born at Yutan.

Glen and Dorene Karloff

   Glenn's parents were John D. and Minnie Miller Karloff. John was born in Illinois and came to Nebraska with his family when he was less than two years old. Minnie was born in Germany and came to United States and directly to Nebraska with her parents. When she was eleven years old, they lived in the Yutan area and were farmers. Glenn has one brother, Orvin, who married Orlinda Schulz. They now live in Yutan. He also has one sister, Erna, who married Harold Nelson of Leshara and they live in West Linn, Oregon.

   My parents were Emil L. and Sara Nitz Larson. They were also born in Saunders County. Emil was born at Malmo of Swedish parents and Sara was born at Wann of German parents who migrated here from Germany.

   I have one sister and two brothers. My sister is Violet Wendt of Ashland, Nebr. Orvin Larson, my youngest brother married Margaret Jones of Ashland and they now reside in Millard, Nebr. My oldest brother, Clifford Larson, married Maxine Laughlin of Ashland and they are now residents of Taft, California. My parents were farmers in the Memphis-Ashland area.

   I attended school in Memphis, rural district forty-one, Wann and Ashland High School. I later attended Luther and Midland Colleges and taught school for five years.

   Glenn attended Rural District thirty-five Leshara High School, and Reppert Auction School at Decatur, Indiana.

   Glenn and I were married in July, 1940. We lived on the family farm northwest of Yutan. Glenn was active in auction work and farmed as well.

   In nineteen forty-one he started working with Carl Dooley in the auction business and also at the Dooley Auction Market in Wahoo. He continued working there under owners, Bill James and Delbert Manske.

   In 1961, we moved to Wahoo and built a new home on West 9th Street. Glenn continued in the auction business and also became associated with the Burmeister Real Estate Agency.

   In 1972, Karl Burmeister retired and the business was changed to Karloff Real Estate and Auction Service.

   I help Glenn with the auction business, serving as cashier and also with the book work. We both enjoy it very much as we meet many people from all walks of life. I also worked at the sale barn.

   We are active members of the St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan. We have both served on the Council and various committees.

   Our hobbies are dancing, traveling, sightseeing, and card playing and other recreations.

   We especially enjoy family, friends, people in general, and last but not least, a good laugh. Submitted by M. Dorene Karloff

   Arnold Kaspar and Wilma Egr, both of Prague, were married on March 1, 1954 in the Plasi Catholic Church. Their parents were Charles and Clara Kaspar and James and Mary Egr. Their grandparents were Vaclav K. and Magdelena Kaspar, Anton and Frances Kriz, Frank and Anna Egr, and Wencl and Anna Polak.

The Arnold Kaspar Family

   Arnold had six sisters: Zdenka Urban, Elaine, Marcella Sloup, Nadine Bratcher, Clara, deceased, and June Madigan. Wilma had one brother and three sisters: Victor, Josephine Bouc, Beatrice Zimmerman, Leona Vasa, and Adeline Vasa.

   They settled on a farm one mile south of Prague. Their children are the fifth generation on this farm. The Holstein Diary has been part of the farm operation for about 45 years. They have seen numerous changes in farm life since they were children; from milking the cows by hand to the modern pipeline method, from horse-drawn machinery to 8-row equipment. Tractors, changing from 17-horsepower to 180-horsepower, are now equipped with cabs, radios, and air conditioning. A new house was built in 1962, replacing one which was partly constructed of log.

page 283

   The Burlington Northern Railroad Train, which passed near the yard twice a week on its way to Prague, made its last run in late 1982. The old whistle of the train is to be heard no more.

   Arnold and Wilma have four children, namely: Linda Jo McMullen, born 9/2/1955; Kaye Marie Morrison, born 3/17/1957; Mark Charles, born 5/23/1960; and John Scott, born 1/16/1969. One granddaughter, Linsey Michelle Kaspar, was born 1/1/1980.

   Their children attended Prague High School District 104 which was the same school their parents had graduated from in 1947-48. Linda went on to become a registered nurse and Kaye went to secretarial school. Mark is engaged in the dairy and farm operation. John is still in school, also hoping to be involved in the farming business.

   Arnold was a Korean veteran, serving from 1951-53.

   Charles was born to Vaclav K. and Magdalena (Sedlacek) Kaspar on August 13, 1898 on the farm one mile south of Prague. I was born on Mar. 14, 1901 on the Joe Karpisek farm near Prague where Emil Polacek now lives. My parents were Anton and Frances (Karpisek) Kriz.

Chas. Kaspar Family: Taken on Jeff's Wedding. Front Row, L to R: Nadine, Clara, Charles, Marcella; Back Row, L to R: June, Arnold, Elaine, Zdenka.

   Charles had 6 brothers: James, Leonard, George, Frank, Victor, and Thomas; and 1 sister, Zdenka, who died from blood poisoning at the age of 8½ on December 24, 1913. Frank died suddenly on February 4, 1975. The boys all went to Prague Public School and helped their father with the farm work.

   I went to the Linwood Public School, and later worked for Dr. and Mrs. Proskovec in Schuyler, and for the Walla Brothers Store in Morse Bluff.

   We met at a dance in Linwood, dated for 2 years, and on April 29, 1924 we got married in Wahoo. We rented some land from Charles's father and began our life together. We lived on this place 11 years and when Charles' folks retired from the farm, we took over.

   Seven children were born to us: Zdenka, Elaine, Marcella, Arnold, Nadine, Clara Jean, and June. All went to the Prague Public School and helped with all the work on the farm.

   Charles served several years on the school board and on the Farmers Cooperative Elevator board. I was a member of the Merry Matrons Extension Club for over 25 years and am a member of the Presbyterian Ladies Guild.

   We all worked hard and went through 7 years of drought and the depression. Besides grain crops, we raised cattle, pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese. We milked cows by hand and later installed milking machines.

   All our children are married now. Zdenka married Joe Urban on January 27, 1948 and has 3 children, Dwayne, Debbie, and Donald who all live in or near Prague.

   Elaine married Allen Kaspar on May 11, 1948 and they have 5 children, Michael, Kenneth, Karen, Ronald, and Timothy. They live in Omaha.

   Marcella married Adolph Sloup on January 30, 1950 and they have 5 children, David, Cathy, Elizabeth, Jeane and Jeff, twins. They live in Prague.

   Two years after Arnold graduated, he enlisted into service and served 2 years in the Korean War. He married Wilma Egr on March 1, 1954 and has 4 children, Linda, Kaye, Mark, and John. They live on the farm we lived on. The farm has been in the Kaspar family almost 100 years.

   Nadine married David Bratcher and lives in Lincoln.

   Clara was born on April 7, 1937, and died on December 26, 1951.

   June married Al Madigan on September 24, 1960 and has 5 children, Sherri, Annette, Todd, Megan, and Mathew. They live in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

   We built a home in Prague where Charles was an insurance agent for Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and has since retired.

   My hobbies are my housework and crocheting for all our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We have 22 lovely grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Charles and I celebrated our 50th anniversary on April 29, 1974 and will be married 59 years on April 29, 1983. Written by Clara Kaspar

   Vennie A. Kavan and Mary Ann Chapek were married in Wahoo on Feb. 16, 1957. Vennie was the son of Frank J. Kavan and Rose (Pelan) Kavan. He was born on October 26, 1932 on the farm near Wahoo where he now resides with his family. After high school graduation, he served four years in the United States Navy, receiving his discharge in 1956. At the present time he is farming, and in hog production.

   Mary Ann was the oldest child of Bernard B. Chapek and Anna (Machovec) Chapek of Weston, born on February 18, 1935. She graduated from Wahoo High School and worked in the courthouse for five years.

   Nine children were born to this couple. John, in 1958, is an agricultural engineer in Columbus, married to Linda Ricketts in Nov., 1980, and they have a son, Ryan. Carol, born in 1959, has a degree in Business Administration and is employed by the Omaha Bank of Cooperatives. Jacqueline, a registered nurse, was born in 1960. She works in the Burn Unit of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Lincoln. Mark, born in 1961, is farming near Cedar Bluffs and married Rita Pleskac in November, 1982.

   Dale attended the University, and at present, is farming. He was born in 1962. The twins, David and Douglas, were born in 1963. David is attending school at Platte college in Columbus and studying architectural drafting. Douglas is farming. Harold, born in 1964, is a senior at Bishop Neumann High School. Janet is a sophomore at Bishop Neumann High School. Her birthday is April, 1967. All the children attended St. Wenceslaus School, Wahoo and have graduated from Bishop Neumann High School.

   All members of the family are active in church activities, Pork Producers and Porkettes; and the American Legion Post and Auxiliary. By Vennie Kavan

   John Kavan, my grandfather, came to America at the age of 23, from Chudenice, Czechoslovakia in 1872. He then homesteaded the farm I now live on, three miles south and one mile west of Morse Bluff, in 1873. John married Anna Voplansky in 1873 and they had 13 children. My father, Joseph Kavan, was the twelfth child. He married Tillie Mach on March 23, 1920 at Wahoo, Nebraska. In 1922, my dad built a new home on the same farm with his parents. In 1926, John died, and a short time later, Anna moved to another home at Linwood, Nebraska, leaving the homestead to my father. Here they raised nine children, myself, George, Helen, Richard, Ruben, Maxine, Lester, Joan and Marcella.

   I joined the Army in 1944. My basic training was in Camp Hood, Texas with the tank destroyers division. From there I went to France and was an engineer. My job was to pump gas through a pipe line which ran to the front line. When the fighting was over there, I then went to the Philippines, then finally home in 1946.

   In 1947, I married Alice Ostry at St. John Catholic Church in Prague, Nebraska. We farmed my aunt's farm near Wahoo for 19 years. Here we had three children, Marvin, Joe, and Connie. They attended Mead Public School and also belonged to different 4-H clubs in the area. In 1966, my parents retired and moved off their farm to Schuyler, Nebraska. I then bought his farm in Morse Bluff and lived in the same house my father built in 1922. Here my daughter attended the same school my father and I went to in our earlier years, District #54. She went there for 2 years; then attended North Bend High School where all our children graduated.

   Marvin joined the Navy in January, 1968. In June, 1971, he married Susan Livingston of Collinsville, Mississippi. He was discharged in 1972. They now live in Mississippi and have one son, Brad.

   Our other son, Joe, joined the Coast Guard in November, 1968. He was discharged in 1973. He married Barbara Schmit of Haddon Heights, New Jersey in 1973. They now live in New Jersey and have a daughter, April.

   Our youngest child, Connie, married Elmer Ruppert of Scribner, Nebraska in 1973. They live in North Bend and have four children, Jonathan, Daniel, Kyle and Sarah.

   We received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award on June 15, 1976 from the KNIGHTS of AK-SAR-BEN. In that year our farm was in the Kavan family name for more than 100 years.

   I am a current member of the VFW Post 8223 in North Bend and my sons and myself are all members of the American Legion Post 340. My wife, daughter, and my two granddaughters are all members of the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 340. My wife is also a member of the Sacred Heart Altar Society at the Cedar Hill Catholic Church. Submitted by Joie Kavan

   My great-grandparents were John Placek, born Jan. 23, 1815 at Cerni Huri, Karluv, Czechoslovakia, and Barbara Placek, born June 22, 1922, also in Czechoslovakia. They came to Prague, Nebraska in 1868. John died Nov. 27, 1899 and is buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery near Prague. Barbara died

Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Kavan Sr., Morse Bluff, married Nov, 2, 1903

page 284