FAMILY STORIES

Farmers Electric District and maintained the system for a number of years. He was active in farm organizations. He was a longtime president of the Farmers Cooperative Co., and president and general manager of the Farmers Union Cooperative Oil Co. until his retirement. He was active in the Lion's Club's sponsorship of the hospital in Wahoo.

   Helen and I are members of the Congregational Church. We were active in various civic affairs, 20 years as chairman of the County Agricultural Association, and served as officers of the Wahoo Saddle Club. Vernon A. Schmidt

   Edward John Schoen was born Dec. 26, 1898, one and one-half miles south of Gladstone, Nebraska. Mary Louise Miller was born Dec. 31, 1902, three miles east of Fairbury, Nebraska. They were married Sept. 1, 1922 in the parsonage of the church one mile east of Gladstone by Rev. Wm. Kocheim. This couple started farming on the old Schoen farm one mile south and one and three-fourths miles west of Gladstone in Sec. 17.

Lester, LeRoy, Esther, Kenneth, Virginia, Louis, Dad and Mother Schoen -- Taken -- 1966

   The first child, Esther, was born April 9, 1923, and graduated from Fairbury High School and the University in Lincoln in 1950. She married Richard Sorensen on June 11, 1950.

   Virginia, born Sept. 14, 1924, graduated from Fairbury High in 1941, and worked for Saunders A.A.A. in Wahoo. Both attended Commercial Extension in Omaha. Esther came home to help her mother raise her twin brothers, and entered the University in the fall of 1946.

   Due to the depression of crops and prices for same in the 30's, Dad lost the farm we lived on in Jefferson County. We rented a farm in Saunders County, one-half mile north of the west elevator in Valparaiso from Walter L. Anderson of Lincoln. We moved there March 10, 1941. Rains came. So did World War II. Ed was asked to help raise funds for Red Cross. He became involved in all community affairs the 26 years we lived there.

   Kenneth was 14½ years old when we moved; Louis was 7 years, three months. Kenneth graduated from Valparaiso High in 1944. He was over six feet, four inches tall, and did not pass his physical for service. He rented a farm near Valparaiso. He met Ruthanne Barry, a school teacher in Valparaiso. They were married June 6, 1948. Now they live on the Barry farm about five miles west of Wahoo on Highway 92.

   After Virginia graduated from Commercial Extension in 1946, she worked as secretary at American Stores Packing Company in Lincoln. She went to Boise, Idaho in 1950 and was employed as a secretary. She met Alvin Smart and came home to get married in the Valparaiso Methodist Church by the Rev. Matthews, Oct. 19, 1951. They live in Boise.

   Louis, born June 18, 1933, on the farm at Gladstone, graduated from Valparaiso in 1951, and from the University of Nebraska in 1955 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the R.O.T.C. His major was journalism. He was called to serve as Editor of the Post Dispatch at Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1961. He met Linnah Henderson and they were married Mar. 3, 1962. Now he works for North Western Bell as Public Relations Department Head in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

   On May 26, 1946, twins LeRoy and Lester were born in old St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lincoln. Both boys graduated from Valparaiso High School in 1964. LeRoy went to the University of Nebraska and graduated in 1968 as 2nd Lt. from R.O.T.C. He was called to service in June of 1968. He spent 12 months in Vietnam as a 1st Lt. He was discharged July 15, 1970. He worked in Lincoln, and met Susan Miller, a school teacher in Lincoln. They were married Jan. 19, 1974. Now he works as a counselor at Full Circle, a Lincoln-Lancaster drug project.

   Lester took schooling at Good Will Industry of Omaha for several months, and took employment at the University Field Lab at Mead, the fall of 1967. After harvest, he got a job as custodian at Love Library in 1969. He never married and is still there.

   Members of the Schoen family have all become Church-affiliated, and served as officers on many occasions. Ed was a member of the first Board of Directors of the Salt-Wahoo Watershed Association. He helped organize the first Rural Fire District at Valparaiso, was a member of the local watershed district, and was manager of the Valparaiso Baseball team in 1946. He worked with Boy Scouts, and was a member of the Valparaiso School Board -- as chairman for a few years. He retired from farming in March, 1967, and moved to the Rood 80, two miles south of Wahoo. He joined the Methodist Church, became a Kiwanis member in 1969, and helped with their project to start a Senior Citizens Center in Wahoo and surrounding communities. He still does volunteer work and spends much time at the Center. Ed is 84 years old now and ready to quit writing and typing. Thanks. By Edward Schoen

   The Great Depression of the '30's changed many lives in many ways. For the Edward Schoens of Gladstone, Nebr., it meant moving from the farm lost by his father and finding another place to locate. As the result of answering an ad in the Nebraska Farmer, the family moved to a farm near Valparaiso in 1941. Kenneth, born August 27, 1926, in Jefferson County, graduated from Valparaiso High School and then farmed with his father.

Back Row: Mary Schoen, Janice Schoen Tooker, Rev. Lyle Schoen, Ruth Anne Schoen, Nancy Schoen; Front Row: Anne Schoen Ballard in her grandmother Barry's wedding dress, and Kenneth Schoen. Picture taken on November 20, 1982 -- Wedding day of Anne Schoen and G. Wesly Ballard.

   Meanwhile, the Gust C. Barrys were farming the place near Weston which his father had purchased from the homesteader in 1875. Their daughter, Ruth Anne, born August 17, 1923, attended District 44, graduated from Wahoo High School, and attended Doane College for two years. She taught at the state Home for Dependent Children, Lincoln, in the Yutan Public Schools, and the Valparaiso Public Schools, where she met Kenneth Schoen.

   Kenneth and Ruth Anne were married on June 6, 1948, and, in 1949, they moved to the farm where she was born and where they still live. Their 5 children were active in 4-H, attended school District 44, and graduated from Wahoo High School. All have attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, the older 3 having graduated. All were active in music in high school, and Lyle was a 3-year member of the Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band, touring Europe with them in the summer of 1974.

   Their children are as follows: Anne, married in 1982 to G. Wesly Ballard, teaches in the Macy, Nebr. schools; Lyle, married in 1974 to Susan Dusenbery, is a graduate of St. Paul School of Theology, Methodist, and is presently a United Methodist minister at Elm Creek, Nebr.; they have one son, David; Janice of Beatrice, married Jerome Tooker in 1982, has her Master's degree from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and is a social worker at Tabitha Home in Lincoln; Nancy attended UNL for 3 years, is now an accompanist in the Lincoln Public Schools, and attends UNL part-time, and Mary is a freshman at UNL.

   Kenneth and Ruth Anne joined the Methodist Church in Wahoo in 1950. During their young adult years they had the privilege of serving in various capacities on the district and conference levels. They credit the Methodist Church as being very instrumental in the formation of their priorities and values during the years they were establishing a family. They are still active in the United Methodist Church and have served in most positions of leadership in the local church.

   Kenneth served almost 25 years on the school board of rural school District 44. He also served as president of the County School Boards Association, and is currently chairman of the board of directors of the Saunders County Historical Society.

   Ruth Anne was a 4-H leader for 21 years, and is now a trained geriatric aide at the Saunders County Care Center. They were both active in the Wahoo Band Parents organization, and served a term as president. They enjoy square dancing, and Ken was a caller at one time.

   Their farming operation consists of 475 acres, owned and rented, a herd of 25 beef cows, and custom baling. Submitted by Kenneth Schoen

   John K. Schultz was the son of Otto and Anne Schultz. He was born in 1899 at Malmo, Nebraska. He lived northwest of Malmo on a farm until his death in 1978. He married Elva Danielson on March 28, 1931. Their son, John Otto, was born on August 14, 1939. Elva Danielson was born in Wayne, County, in 1904 to Otto and Ellida (Pearson) Danielson. She came to teach school in Malmo in the fall of 1926.

Left to Right: John K., John O., and Alva Schultz.

   Malmo was a thriving town with two grocery stores, a garage, a meat market, a drug store, a hardware store, a harness shop, a blacksmith shop, two banks, two churches, a lumberyard, two elevators, two barbershops and pool halls, a postoffice, a central office, a depot with a train running twice daily. A doctor lived in Malmo during those years. The four-room school employed four teachers. All roads into Malmo were dirt roads.

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   During the Depression Years of the 30's, times were difficult. Grain and farm produce were cheap, hogs sold for two dollars a hundredweight. Dust storms and unbearable heat during the spring and summer months lessened the crop yield. The severe snowstorms were trying to all town and country folks. With the help of good neighbors and faith in God, one made a living and stayed in the Malmo community.

   After the Bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 and war was declared, teachers were needed in the rural schools. Elva went back to teaching and John K. continued to farm. She taught thirty-six years in Saunders County and three years in Cedar County.

   John Otto received his elementary and high school education in Malmo, Nebraska. He attended Midland College and received his degree in 1961.

   Grace Koerte, born November 1939, to Otto and Angeline Koerte in Lihue, Hawaii, received her degree from Midland College in 1961.

   In the fall of 1961, John became the band and music instructor in Cedar Bluffs High School. Grace was a second grade teacher at Clarkson School in Fremont. On June 23, 1962, John and Grace were married in the Malmo Edensburg Lutheran Church. They have three children: Kathryn Ann, born February 3, 1964; John Joseph, born July 4, 1967; and Dawn Marie, born January 24, 1974.

   In 1967, John and his family moved to Stanton, Iowa, where he is the band and music instructor in Stanton's Community High School.

   Elva moved from her farm home to Wahoo July, 1982. Submitted by Mrs. John K. Schultz

   Josef Schultz came to America in 1877 from Zahajske Lhoty (Okres County), Jilemice, Kraj, Jicin, Bohemia (about 40 miles northeast of Praha, Czechoslovakia, and settled near where Prague, Nebr. is now located.

   Josef and Marie Buchar Schultz had eleven children: Anton, Frank, Joseph, John, Marie (Mrs. Frank Ostry), Anna (Mrs. John Novak), Jennie (Mrs. John Horn), Frances (Mrs. John Krohn), Albina (Mrs. Philip Hauth), Pauline (Mrs. Thomas Rerucha), and Antonia (Mrs. Nicholas Hauth).

   Josef died on Dec. 28, 1913, at the age of 88, and his wife, Marie, died on Sept. 13, 1886, at the age of 61. They are buried in the SS. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Cemetery at Plasi, near Prague. Submitted by Jerome and Mary Ann Ostry

   Theodore and Marguerite Schultz were married in Fremont, Nebraska on June 12, 1934. Ted is the son of Otto and Anna Schultz. Mag is the daughter of Thomas and Anna Shanahan.

   Ted was born on a farm north of Malmo on Jan. 17, 1906. Mag was born in Schuyler, Nebraska on April 11, 1910. Mag moved with her parents to a farm east of Malmo. She attended school in Dist. 70, Malmo, and graduated from Wahoo High School. She attended Luther College and Midland College at Fremont. She taught school for 5 years in Dist. 85, northwest of Malmo. Ted attended Malmo High School.

   Ted helped his father on the farm, and also drove the truck to Omaha with livestock and brought back supplies for the town of Malmo. In 1933, he bought a tavern and grocery store in Malmo. In June, 1943, he was called to serve his country in World War II. He was discharged in Oct. 1945. He and Mag operated the business for forty years. They sold the store and retired in 1972.

   Ted and Mag have two daughters: Judy (Mrs. Daryl Swanson) of Wahoo, and Nancy (Mrs. Clarence Egr) of Prague. They have five grandchildren.

   Ted and Mag both belong to Arthur Adolphson Legion and Auxiliary Post 232 in Malmo. Ted is also a charter member of Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie No. 2971, in Wahoo. Submitted by Mrs. Ted Schultz

   My grandfather, John Schulz, came to the United States from Handorf, Germany, in 1867. After two years of working as a farm hand near Joliet, Illinois, and two years near Adel, Iowa, he came to Saunders County by team and wagon, and, in 1874, married Margretta Sievers. By sheer diligence, they managed to acquire 160 acres of land for each of their eight children.

Mr. and Mrs. George W. Schulz - 50th Wedding Anniv., Feb. 23, 1950

   My father, George W. Schulz, was their third child, and second son. Dad elected to live in section 10 of Marble Precinct; and in a double wedding ceremony on February 23, 1900, married Lizzie Nissen. His sister, Lena, became the bride of Henry Heldt.

   After that, life was not just "a bowl of cherries", but more of a "bunch of raisins" - raisin' pigs, raisin' chickens, raisin' kids. For many years, on their Cedar Lawn Farm, they bred and sold registered Duroc Jersey hogs, and Barred Plymouth Rock chickens. They were frequent exhibitors at fairs and at poultry shows throughout the state. Mother had three incubators of 500-egg capacity and it was part of my nightly chores to help turn each of those incubating eggs. She sold hatching eggs and day-old baby chicks by mail and by rail.

   Dad raised Reed's Yellow Dent Corn, and on winter evenings the family sat in the kitchen "butting and tipping" seed corn. Incidentally, my brother still has the ear of corn which won a prize for being the smallest perfect ear, nearly sixty years ago.

   Due to cedar rust affecting their many apple trees, the cedar trees were removed and the farm renamed "Clover Lawn." Dad kept many hives of bees. It was a family affair to put together the boxes and frames, and to prepare the combs and strained honey for sale at local stores.

   Their children were: Laura, the eldest, who married Herman Moller and had 3 children, Allan, Marian Brinton Hale, and Judith Putnam; Oscar, married to Mary Clark, had children, Marlene Thomas, twins Arleigh and Alton and Dr. Harold Schulz, a minister now in Portland, Oregon (Oscar died in 1973.); Orlinda, Mrs. Orvin Karloff, had three daughters, Jaceta Keeler Kovanda and twins Myrna Nissen and Myrtle Nygren. An infant son passed away in 1911.

   Luther was wed to Sonia Lindquist, and they adopted a son, Theodore, who now lives on the home place. Their youngest child, Lois, succumbed to complications from scarlet fever at the age of six years.

   In 1913, the folks built a fourteen-room house with a full basement, but, in 1937, they retired and bought the Billy Nelson house in Yutan. Mother was a charter member of the Yutan Garden Club, and became an accredited flower show judge. She passed away in 1971. Dad dropped dead in the doorway of the Yutan Post Office on Valentine's Day, 1966. Submitted by Orlinda Karloff

   Dr. Harold D. Schulz lived on a farm in Saunders County south of Yutan, Nebraska. He was born August 22, 1945 to Oscar A. and Mary V. Schulz. His wife, Carol A. Spader, was born in Lancaster County, November 4, 1944 and lived on a farm 2 miles east of Waverly, Nebraska. The two met while attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and were married August 20, 1966. They have three children -- Christina Ann, Brenda Lynn, and Daniel Dean. Harold received his B.S. degree from U.N.L. in secondary education in 1967, his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, in Dallas, Texas in 1971, and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon in 1980. He has served as an Associate Pastor at the Berean Fundamental Church in Lincoln, Nebraska for 1½ years, at the Evangelical Bible Church in Omaha, Nebraska, as Sr. Pastor for 9 years, and has just accepted the position of Sr. Pastor at the Central Bible Church of Portland, Oregon which has a congregation of 800.

   Harold's father, Oscar A. Schulz, was born in Saunders County on a farm south of Yutan, January 6, 1903 and passed away January 25, 1974. He farmed in the Yutan area all of his life. Harold's mother, Mary V. Clark Schulz, was born in Douglas County 10 miles south of Valley, February 15, 1910. They were married September 20, 1933.

   Carol's father, Warren A. Spader, was born in Lancaster County on a farm 1 mile east of Waverly, Nebraska November 20, 1911, where he farmed all of his life. Carol's mother, Eddis C. Shaver, was born in Iowa January 6, 1924, and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska when she was in her teens. They were married October 31, 1943 and lived near and in Waverly all of their lives. Their children are Carol (Schulz) and Joyce (Parker). Dr. Harold D. Schulz

   Our maternal grandparents, Dirk and Gesche Speckmann Schmidt, were born in Aurich, Germany. They were married in Illinois and lived there until coming to Saunders County. They settled on a farm east of Wahoo. Two children, John and Hannah, died in infancy. Others were: Anna, husband Emil Thoms of Wahoo; Zena, wife of John A. Schulz, Yutan; John, married to Blanche Jansa of

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Schulz Married February 27, 1903

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