FAMILY STORIES

moved to Ceresco. Henry died the following July at the age of 82 years.

   We were baptized members of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Yutan and transferred to Grace Lutheran, southwest of Swedeburg where I continue my membership. By Mrs. Henry Kuhr

   Anna Kuhr was born Anna Mumm, November 14, 1864, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany to Heinrich and Weibke Ohm Mumm.

Henry and Anna Mumm Kuhr

   Her parents made their living by ferrying peat moss across the North Sea in a houseboat in which they also lived.

   When Anna was old enough for school, she was sent to live on the land with an aunt and uncle. On the day before Anna's tenth birthday, a terrific storm came up on the sea and the ferry boat and all her family were lost at sea.

   At sixteen, she came to America to another uncle, Henry Mumm, who was married to Katherine Kuhr. There she met Henry Kuhr, a brother of Katherine's, whom she married on July 12, 1883. He had also come from Germany, the son of Heinrich and Catherine Bohrnsen Kuhr. They settled on a farm a mile east of Mead. After a short while, they moved to a farm a mile north of Fremont for a couple of years, but then moved back to the farm near Mead.

   They belonged to Zion Lutheran Church at Yutan, now the St. John's Lutheran Church.

   There were 12 children born to this union: Catherine (Tena), Henry, who died in infancy, Anna, Margaretha (Maggie), Emma, Henry, John, Herman, Rose, George, Lena, and Otto, who also died as an infant.

   Henry Kuhr passed away December 27, 1933, and Anna Kuhr, February 23, 1951. Submitted by Mary Ann Cernin

   Richard and I came to Saunders County, August, 1968. We were transferred here from Chicago, Illinois area with Research Doctors and 5 non-professional families of which we were one, to University of Nebraska Eppley Cancer Research, Omaha. When this job opportunity came up, my husband said it would be a profitable move. It was very hard to decide to leave all of our family and friends. I always thought of Nebraska as barren land, covered wagons and Indians. Our decision was made to pack up our two sons and relocate.

   A step back in our lives, Richard was born in Detroit, Michigan, September, 1938. At 18, he, his mother, and three brothers moved to Illinois. I, Jean, was born in Oak Park, Illinois, April, 1941. Richard and I were married in Illinois, Mary 4, 1963, and lived in Des Plaines, Illinois. Two sons were born in Illinois, John -- March, 1967 and Thomas -- March, 1968. In August, 1968, we packed up our belongings, two sons, and a dog, moving to Yutan, Nebraska. We enjoyed Yutan for 5 years and all the friendly people there. One of our dreams was set on owning our own farm someday. That dream came true when we purchased the Lehmann farm south of Ithaca, November, 1972. We moved out to the farm, May, 1971, after John completed kindergarten at Yutan.

Richard Kunkle Family

   December, 1974, our daughter, Donna, was born in Wahoo. John and Tom attend Wahoo High School and Donna is in second grade at Wahoo West Ward School.

   We belong to St. James Catholic Church, Mead, where I teach CCD and am Co-ordinator. Other organizations I belong to are St. Theresa's Circle, St. James Church, Wahoo Deanery Council Catholic Women of which I am secretary, '76 Travelers Extension Club, and Catholic Daughters. Richard belongs to Saunders County National Farmers Organization, Catholic Order Foresters, and Wahoo Eagles Club.

   We began raising hogs in 1977, and remodeled a chicken house into a farrowing house in 1978, making our first attempt at farrowing. That was an experience we will never forget. We did learn a lot. I still continue to farrow hogs, with new experiences all the time.

   In spring 1983, Richard is going to make his first attempt at farming. This will be a new challenge, and a new experience for our family with many hurdles to overcome. I know, with God's help, the support of our neighbors, and a determination to fulfill another dream, we will succeed. With our hearts now here in Nebraska, even though our own families are miles away, we feel a part of Saunders County. Hopefully, we will be able to see our grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up in Saunders County. Submitted by Jean Kunkle

   Thomas A. Ladenburg, native of Saunders County, resides in Morse Bluff with his wife, Marie. He is retired from the Ladenburg Oil Co. that he operated until 1977. He continues to oversee his farm land.

   His parents, the late Arthur and Emma (Mallow) Ladenburg, also were natives of the county. His grandparents, Moritz and Carolyn (Kraus) Ladenburg, migrated to the United States in the year 1866, from Zogingen Wurttomberg, Germany settling in Saunders County.

   Farming was the primary occupation of Moritz, later helped by Arthur until he was old enough to purchase his own land. With a successful cattle-raising and shipping operation as well as farming, A.J. became well-known in these areas. He purchased the oil business that he operated with his son, Thomas, until his retirement in 1959, passing the business onto his son. They did importing, distributing, and operated Bulk Plants in Bruno, North Bend and Morse Bluff, Nebraska.

   Thomas and Marie have 2 children, Arthur and Sharon. Both are married and are living in Vienna, Va. Arthur, an employee of the United States Dept. of State, and his wife, Kay, have a daughter, Linda, and a son, Thomas. Shari and her husband, Monte West, have a son, ArJay, a senior in high school. They own and operate their own construction business, West Homes Inc.

   The Ladenburgs are Catholic and belong to St. George's Church in Morse Bluff. Submitted by Marie D. Ladenburg

   Larry was born in Fremont, Nebraska in 1948 to Mr. and Mrs. Art Lamprecht. They moved to the Ithaca area in 1957. Larry attended school at District 41 for one year; then went to District 16. Larry played basketball, and he was active in FFA at Mead High School. He graduated in 1967 and was drafted into the Army.

The Larry Lamprecht Family

   I, Georgia, was born in Wahoo, Nebraska in 1950 to Mr. and Mrs. George Hageman. They have always lived in Saunders County, Nebraska. We lived south of Ithaca, and my brother and I attended school at District 102 until 1957. Then we went to District 50 in Ithaca. I graduated from Mead High School in 1968, where I was active in Pep Club and FHA.

   Larry and I were married January 4, 1969 in the Ithaca United Methodist Church. Larry was stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado at the time, so we lived in Colorado Springs until February of 1970.

   We moved to a house in Ithaca until October, 1970. Then we bought a farm south of Ithaca. Larry and his brother, Jim, farm 700 acres together, and stack and bale hay. We raise pigs and built a new farrowing barn a few years ago after our old barn burned in 1977 with 22 sows and 200 baby pigs lost in the fire.

   We have three children, all born in Wahoo, Nebraska. They are Traci -- age 12, Terri -- age 10, and Troy -- age 7. They all attend school in Ithaca. Traci and Terri are both active in 4-H, taking cooking, sewing, and calves. They attend Sunday School at the United Methodist Church in Ithaca. The girls have received perfect attendance pins for the last three years and Troy is working on his second-year pin.

   Larry is an officer on the Ithaca Volunteer Fire Dept. and he is also on the Ithaca Hall Board, Wahoo Co-op Board, and a trustee for the United Methodist Church in Ithaca. I belong to the '76 Travelers Extension Club and will be the 1983 president for the club. Submitted by Georgia Lamprecht

   Gustav Hjalmer Landgren was born in Torp, Hagshult, Sweden July 9, 1882 and came to the United States as a 19-year-old where he worked as a carpenter and a farmer. His sister died in Sweden and he went back to his homeland in 1907. On this

page 299

boat, there was a girl whose name was Augusta Ekdahl. She had crossed the Atlantic as a 16-year-old in 1900 and was also on a trip to her homeland, to Makaryd where she had been born July 6, 1883. She came from Brooklyn and he came from Illinois and they met on this American boat. This crossing was the beginning leading to their marriage in Nebraska on the 15th day of June, 1911.

   In the spring of 1919, they moved from Lincoln to Saunders County, farming north of Mead; later, east of Colon, and retiring after farming southwest of Yutan. In March 1947, they sold their farming equipment and moved back to Lincoln. The following years were happy. Gustav Landgren became employed at our State Capital as a custodian, watchman, and guide.

   Five children were born to Gustav and Augusta.

   Elizabeth married Richard (deceased) Sample, now living at Seward, Nebraska. Their children are James W. and Deanne.

   Ruth married Lloyd (deceased) McReynolds, now living at Clovis, California. Their children are Linda and Barbara.

   Lowell G. married Elaine Tuberg, now living at Ft. Collins, Colorado. Their children are Gary, Dale and Jay.

   Carl E. married Mary Isabel Williams of Mead, now living at Columbus, Nebraska. Their children are Carl B., Pamela, and Jane.

   Kenneth E. (deceased) married Pat Assmusen who lives at Valley, Nebraska. Their children are Keith, Kent, Keri and Kirk.

   Gustav passed away August 29, 1965 and Augusta the following June 21, 1966. Both are buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Seward, Nebr.

   Gustav's father, Esaias Magnus Samuel, was born July 6, 1850, to Sophia Elisabet Bengtsson. Sophia Elisabet Bengtsson was born December 16, 1827 and died in Bosebo on August 28, 1894. She was the daughter of the Bishop in Fryele, Magnus Bengtsson. Esaias Magnus Samuel's father, Niels Peter Landgren was born in Bergunda (west of Vaxjo) September 3, 1815, a son to real estate owner, Magnus Pehrsson in Marklanda and Cajsa Svensdotter. He studied in Uppsala and was ordained priest on the 28th day of April 1839; he passed his pastor examination in 1848, was co-minister in Tannaker and assumed his pastorate the same year; and in Hagshult, 1856. He passed away May 25, 1874.

   Nils Peter Landgren was attentive, orderly, and preached the Bible and the profession of faith, but was not credited with particularly being a very prominent preacher, but earned the reverence of his congregations through his good humor and dedication.

   (Information of Nils Peter was given by Vaxjo County Church community by Gotthard Virdestam, 1931.) Submitted by: Mrs. Carl E. Landgren

   Frank Emil Lanik and Rose M. Brtek were married October 4, 1927. Frank was one of 15 children born to Joseph and Frantiska Konecky Lanik. His grandparents were Frantisek and Antonia Rezac Lanik and Frank and Anna Konecky. The Konecky family came to Saunders County in 1874 and the Laniks in 1876 from Moravia, Austria. They farmed south and west of Wahoo. Both families were instrumental in founding the St. Wenceslaus Church in Wahoo in 1878. It was named after the patron saint of Bohemia. Prior to that the nearest Catholic churches were in Plasi (16 miles away) and Fremont. The first Mass celebrated in Wahoo was at the farm home of Frank Konecky in 1875.

   Rose was the oldest of seven children born to John and Anna Sedlacek Brtek of the Prague vicinity. Her grandparents were John and Mary Kralla Brtek and Joseph and Anna Kastl Sedlacek. Maternal great-grandparents were Peter and Anna Frohner Kastl -- all natives of Bohemia. Peter Kastl was the first Czech settler in Saunders County according to the book "History of Czechs in Nebraska" published in 1928. He arrived in 1867, choosing to settle near Plasi because the rolling land there was reminiscent of his native Bohemia. He and his family helped to start the Plasi Church, SS. Cyril and Methodius, founded in 1872.

   Frank and Rose farmed southwest of Wahoo and eight children were born to them.

   Francis, who married Mildred Cihal and lives on a farm near Davey, has two children and two grandchildren.

   Leo, married to Darlene Hanis, died suddenly April, 1980. They have two daughters.

   Godfrey is married to Joyce Kuhr and lives on a farm near Ceresco. They have seven children and nine grandchildren.

   Bernard is married to Joyce Rexilius and lives in Wahoo. They have three children and two grandchildren.

   Larry married Mardell Hagelstein. They live in Oak Lawn, Ill., and have five children and two grandchildren.

   Ven is married to Willa Placek. They live in Lincoln and are the parents of three sons.

   Ralph married Lois Christensen. They have three children and live in Tucson, Arizona.

   RoseMarie, their only daughter, is married to Al Cermak and they live in Milpitas, California with their two sons.

   Frank died in March of 1941 and Rose moved to Wahoo with her children where she still resides. She is an active member of St. Wenceslaus church and Altar Society. Submitted by Mrs. Godfrey Lanik

   On March 3, 1921 Julius Lanik was born to Joe L. and Mary (Tvrdy) Lanik of Wahoo, Nebr. Julius was raised on a farm southwest of Wahoo, educated in Saunders County schools. He served in the army in World War II in the Pacific Theater. In 1946, he married Virginia Maly, daughter of Joe J. and Anna (Carek) Maly, of Weston, Nebraska. Virginia attended schools in the Weston area.

   Julius and Virginia established a home southwest of Wahoo, farming on a farm bought by his great-grandfather in 1876.

   In 1947 a son, Robert, was born. Robert graduated from college with a B.A. degree, after which he served in the Navy during the Vietnam Conflict. Upon his return he went on to school, earning his masters Degree. In 1969, he married Susan Peetz of Wahoo. They have two sons, Andrew, age 9 and Joel, age 7. Robert is a Hospital Administrator in a Lincoln Hospital.

   In 1949, a daughter, Susan, was born. Susan graduated from College of St. Mary, Omaha, with a degree in Education. In 1974, she married John Moylan of Omaha. They have 3 sons, Sean age 4, Patrick age 2, and Devin 6 months.

   In 1953 a daughter, Patricia, was born. Patricia graduated as an R.N. In 1977, she married Dr. Michael Germer of Hebron. A daughter, Brianna, was born in 1980. They are presently living in Lincoln. By Julius Lanik

   Lars (Pehr) Larson arrived in America in 1854 from Sweden. He was a blacksmith at Knoxville, Illinois until he took up farming in the Mead area, later moving to Swedeburg, Nebraska.

   Lars reared seven children, namely: Mrs. Henry (Sena) Peterson of Colon; Edwin, who moved to Canada to farm; Oscar who was a missionary to India for 20 years; Mrs. Oscar (Esther) Liliedahl of Swedeburg; Mrs. Emil (Minnie) Henning of California; Arthur who became the farmer; and David, a carpenter, and for years custodian of Luther College in Wahoo.

   Arthur E. Larson was born 1881 and married Hulda Brostrom 1903. They purchased and moved to the old Louis place 1½ miles west of the Swedeburg (Grace) Lutheran Church. They had 3 sons -- Archie, Lester and Glenn. Hulda passed away in 1926.

   Archie, born in 1912, became a confirmed farmer, Lester, a Lutheran pastor, and Glenn farmed several years before going into the insurance business.

Archie and Violet Larson

   In 1930, Arthur married a widow, Alvera (Brostrom) Walin, a sister of Hulda. Alvera had a daughter, Alvena, now Mrs. Norris Johnson.

   1933, and no crops, seemed like an opportune time for Archie and his neighbor friend, Joe Erickson, to see America. Driving a Model T Ford, they toured Western Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Glacier Park, north 300 miles to Wetaskiwin, Alberta where Archie's Uncle Edwin farmed. They had time for sight-seeing as well as harvesting. They returned home by way of Winnipeg and the Chicago World's Fair.

   While in Canada, Archie met a school teacher named Violet Anderson in whom he became very interested. In August, 1936 they were married in Canada and made their home on a farm in the Swedeburg area. After two years of constant drought and grasshoppers, they moved to Canada to farm and lived in the Wetaskiwin and Camrose, Alberta area for 8 years. During that time three daughters were born, Yvonne, 1938; Dawn, 1940; and Jean, 1945.

   In 1946, Arthur and Alvera retired to Wahoo, so Archie and Violet and daughters came home to the family farm. In 1950, Ross came to join the family.

   Archie has always taken an active part in the Lutheran Church, the various school boards, and has been a constant volunteer on Heart Fund, Cancer and Red Cross.

   Archie and Violet always encouraged their children to get an education so Yvonne Neville of Palo Cedro, California and Dawn Fusselman of Lewiston, Montana are graduates of Immanuel School of Nursing. Jean Clark of Hollis, N.H. and Ross received their Bachelor of Science Degrees from Nebraska Wesleyan.

   In 1973, Ross returned home to farm with his father. In 1976, Archie and Violet sold their farm operation to Ross and retired to Wahoo. Since then, Ross has expanded his farm operation to include a hog confinement system.

   Ross married Carole (Henning) Evers who is now a practicing lawyer in Wahoo. They have 3 children -- Jennifer, Jane and Richard. Ross is the generation of Larsons on this Saunders County farm. Submitted by Archie H. Larson

   James D. Larson married Cora S. Herfordt January 21, 1901 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their first home was on a farm near Wahoo.

   At a farm near Weston they lost their two-year old daughter, Verna, and then lost a team, and then their crops to a hailstorm. So they packed in the middle of the night and moved in to Wahoo. Later, they lived on a farm near Colon, then one near Mead, and bought a farm in the same section of Mead. Their son, Vernon Larson, was born in 1908 and farmed with his father until August 2, 1935 when his father passed away. Vernon and his mother

page 300