FAMILY STORIES

me back to school in the winter months to review subjects.

Front, Left to Right: Lewis and Phoebe Ann Stamp. Back: Vera and Genevieve.

   When I was 16 years old, papa and mama became very lonesome for their family in Wales. We moved back to Wales with the intention of remaining there. However, one very long and lonesome year later, we all returned to our Leshara farm home. My parents said they could no longer stand the crying of their children wanting to go back to America. I shall never forget how lonesome the splashing of the ocean waves would make me for friends in America. I have been thankful that we returned to America or I would never have met my husband.

   Lewis C. Stamp of Yutan, son of Fred and Wilhelmina Karloff Stamp, and I were married April 24, 1912. Lewis was born September 11, 1888, and was from a family of 11 children. His family was German. I helped my husband with the milking and the chores on the farm. In our early years of marriage, I would take my own team and wagon to the field to pick corn. In 1930, we moved to our farm which we purchased from William Ohm for $200 an acre. We moved from the District #35 School District to District #10 which was only a distance of 1½ miles.

   Two daughters were born to us. Genevieve was born August 27, 1914 and married Waldo Christensen of Pohocco in 1936. They had one son, Lyle. Waldo passed away in 1975. Vera Irene was born July 27, 1920, and married Ned Swanson of Wahoo in 1942. They have one daughter, Roma Jean, who married Ken Smith of Ithaca. I have 2 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.

   My parents moved from Saunders County about 1918 to Idaho, and then later, to Kearney, Nebraska where they are buried. We moved to Yutan in 1951 and enjoyed 25 happy years together. We were only a block from our church, St. John Lutheran. Lewis passed away in 1976 and I have been a resident in the Saunders County Care Center for 7 years. (Mrs. Stamp passed away on Mar. 6, 1983.) Submitted by Phoebe Ann Phillips Stamp

   Winfred J. Stamp, son of John and Rosa (Reese) Stamp, was born April 16, 1926 on the Stamp home place one mile north of Yutan. His sisters are Marjorie Lewis and Roselyn Kenkel.

   Marian Bull, daughter of Christian B. and Elizabeth (Rosacker) Bull, was born June 19, 1928. Her sister and brother are Margery Warren and Ervin Bull. She was raised on a farm, which is now a part of Skyline Ranches at Elkhorn, Neb.

   Their ancestors emigrated from Germany during the 1800's.

Front Row, L. to R.: Steve holding Nicholette, Suzanne, Janice, holding Elissa, and Zachary; Back Row, L. to R.: Marty, Winfred, Marian, and Ed holding Kelly.

   Winfred was valedictorian of his high school class. He served in the Army during 1945 and 1946, being stationed on Okinawa for a year.

   After fun-filled times at Elkhorn High School, Marian worked at Mutual Benefit Insurance Company in Omaha.

   Feb. 1, 1948, Winfred and Marian were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkhorn. A dance was held at the Millrose Ballroom in Millard. They made their home on a farm two miles northwest of Yutan, and moved to their present home two miles southwest of Yutan in 1951. Here they spent many happy years raising their family. Steven was born Dec. 7, 1950, Janice, Dec. 11, 1952 and Martin, Oct. 15, 1959.

   Winfred is a dedicated farmer and cattle feeder. He has given many years of community service by serving as an officer and member of Lutheran Church Council and Sunday School, Yutan Public School board, Saunders County Cooperative Association, Yutan Grange and American Legion Post 262.

   Marian has taught Sunday School and Confirmation classes, has held offices in Lutheran Church Women, Extension Clubs and American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoys raising flowers. They both garden and have planted many trees on their farm.

   Steve has always liked people. He enjoyed participating in football, basketball, class plays and 4-H. He played in the state basketball tournament in 1969, was salutatorian of his class, toured Europe and had a variety of summer jobs. Steve graduated from UNL with a major in journalism and political science. He works for KMTV as a producer-director.

   Aug. 16, 1975, Steven Stamp married Suzanne Wise at St. John's Lutheran Church in Yutan. A lawn party was enjoyed at the Stamp farm, followed by a dance at the Yutan Country Club. Suzanne is an executive secretary at Boys Town. They have a daughter, Nicholette, born Nov. 12, 1979. The family attends Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church.

   Janice enjoyed singing, band, cheerleading, sports and 4-H sewing. She was salutatorian of her class and had a variety of summer jobs. Janice graduated with high distinction from UNL with a major in special education.

   On Aug. 4, 1973 Janice Stamp married Edward Wiles at St. John's Lutheran Church in Yutan. A lawn party was enjoyed at the Stamp farm, followed by a dance at the Yutan Country Club. Janice was a special education teacher at the Beatrice Public Schools until she became a full-time mother. Ed is an electrical engineer for Natural Gas Pipeline Co. at Beatrice. Their children are Zachary, born Feb. 24, 1978, Elissa, July 29, 1980, and Kelly June 12, 1982. The family attends First Christian Church.

   Marty was lost in the cornfield when he was two and volunteer firemen assisted in finding him. He enjoyed a variety of pets, including garter snakes, tropical fish, horned toads and others during his childhood. Marty was a 4-H club member, played Legion baseball, football, basketball and was chess champion at YHS. He spent six summers doing a variety of farm work for three different employers. Martin graduated from UNL in 1982 with a major in business administration. He is now working for Dial Finance in Lincoln as a credit manager, training to be a branch manager. He enjoys snow and water skiing.

   Winfred and Marian observed their silver wedding anniversary with an open house at the Lutheran Church, followed by a dance at the Yutan Country Club. They find having grandchildren to be a delightful experience and pray the Christian family structure will be preserved.

   I was born January 8, 1905 at Yutan, Nebraska. My parents were Claus and Catherina (Ohm) Stange. My father, mother, myself, and eight brothers and sisters lived on a farm north of Yutan. I have many happy memories of my childhood with my family. Some of the games we used to play were: fox and goose, old sow, hide and seek, andy over, tin can soccer, I got a signal, come a sheep pen, and many games we made up.

Carl and Lucille Stange, Paulette Duerfeldt

   I was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church at Yutan. I started grade school and graduated from high school at Yutan in 1922. The only sports in school at that time were basketball and baseball. I could not play baseball in school because of a health problem but loved watching the sport. After high school I was manager of the town team for many years. At that time baseball in small towns was a very popular sport with everyone. Yutan always had one of the best teams. They also had one of the best community followings of their team.

   In 1922 until 1927, I worked on farms in the Yutan, Gretna and Millard area. In 1927, I started working for the Yutan Oil Co. as tank wagon man. I purchased Yutan Oil Co. in 1945 and sold it in 1963 to the Gretna Oil Co. I worked for Gretna Oil until 1968; then worked part time for Stange Grocery and Locker until I retired in 1976.

   I married Lucille (Beutler) Yocum July 3, 1946. Lucille was born July 14, 1909 at Yutan. She attended District 8 and graduated from Yutan High in 1928. After high school she attended Boyles Business College in Omaha. She worked at the Bank of Yutan, and, during the war, she worked at the Bomber Plant. In 1934, she married Marvin Yocum; Marvin died in December, 1934. They had one daughter, Ann Marlene, born Feb. 12, 1935. Lucille and I had one daughter, Paulette Marie, born Sept. 15, 1948.

   Lucille died when Paulette was four. After her death we were fortunate to find a housekeeper named Elsie Vollstedt to help care for Paulette. Elsie was with us until her death in 1967. Paulette graduated from Yutan in 1966; then attended Commercial Extension in Omaha. Paulette married Ray

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Duerfeldt April 26, 1969. They have three daughters: Tammy Sue, Cindy Marie and Julie Rae.

   I have been active in many community activities. I joined the Masonic Lodge at Valley in 1929, went through the chairs and received my 50-year pin in 1979. I've served on the School Board, Member of the Church Council at St. John's, Yutan Village Council, first Saunders County School Redistricting Committee, first Yutan planning board, the Fire Dept., board member at Tabitha Home and the Boy Scout community committee.

   The last several years I have been active with the Senior Citizen activities in Saunders County. I helped organize the Yutan 60 plus club, and am a member of the Saunders County Senior Citizen Advisory Board.

   I have liked my whole life in the Yutan area and have many wonderful memories of this community. Submitted by Carl G. Stange

   Claus Stange was born Sept. 12, 1854 in Hohn -- Schleswig Holstein, Germany. He came to America in 1881. In 1889 Claus went back to Germany and on March 21, 1890, he married Catharina Ohm. Catharina was born May 29, 1867 in Hohn -- Schleswig Holstein, Germany. In 1890, they came back to America and settled at Yutan, Nebr. Claus and Catharina were the only ones from their families to come to America. Claus was a carpenter and he built many farm buildings in the Yutan, Mead, and Memphis area. He also helped build the first St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, Nebr. In 1905 Claus started farming north of Yutan.

Claus and Catharina Stange

   Claus and Catharina had nine children: Margaret Catharina -- April 14, 1891-Sept. 9, 1974; Claus Henry -- March 9, 1892-July 6, 1980; Herman John -- Oct. 8, 1894-June 21, 1956; Annie Louise -- May 4, 1893-Feb. 8, 1894; Elsie Magdalena -- Aug. 8, 1896-Jan. 20, 1899; Bertha Maria -- July 19, 1898-Oct. 3, 1981; Otto Frederick -- Sept. 3, 1899; Baby boy Stange -- Nov. 16, 1902-Nov. 16, 1902; and Carl George -- Jan 8, 1905.

   Claus Stange died May 1, 1937. Catharina (Ohm) Stange died Jan. 19, 1946. Margaret (Maggie) married Theodor Lorenz Feb. 16, 1910. Maggie and Theodor had two children: Carl Christian and Caroline Meta. Theodor died May 17, 1968. Carl married Berniece Miners Feb. 3, 1932. Caroline married Glen Miners Feb. 26, 1936. They had two children: Lyle Lorenz and Linda Louise.

   Claus Henry married Rosie Kennec Feb. 23, 1921. Henry and Rosie had five children: Marguerite Irene, Irving Henry, Kathryn Ann, Darlene Mae and Gary Lee. Rosie died Jan. 10, 1980. Marguerite married Robert Carr Oct. 30, 1946. They had one child: Judith Kay, Irving married Jean Lee Feb. 6, 1951. They had three children: Denise Kay, Cheryl Rae and Kevin Lee. Kathryn married Wesley Wells Sept. 27, 1952. They had three children: Twin daughters, Maureen Kay and Jeanine Rae, and a baby girl, July 6, 1957. Kathryn Ann died Aug. 15, 1973. Darlene married Paul Pilcher Nov. 17, 1948. They had two children: Steven Paul and Jerry Dean. Gary Lee married Jane Gutzweiler Nov. 28, 1964. Gary Lee died July 30, 1970.

   Bertha married William (Bill) Lorenz Feb. 6, 1918. They had three children: Lorraine Audrey, Merlynn Donald and Leslie Lloyd. Bill died Feb. 20, 1975. Lorraine married Michael Narmi Aug. 29, 1942. They had three children: Michelyn Marene, Cherelyn Lorraine and Joy Josephine. Merlynn married Joyce Estep Sept. 21, 1947. They had three children: Sandra Darlene, Cynthia Lou and Donna Lorraine. Leslie Lloyd never married.

   Otto married Reka Kennec Sept. 27, 1928. They had one child: Leon Gilbert. Leon married Jennie August Aug. 19, 1961. They had three children: Michael Leon, Mark Alan and Julie Ann.

   Carl married Lucille Beutler Yocum July 3, 1946. They had one child: Paulette Marie. Lucille died Dec. 11, 1952.

   Paulette married Raymond Duerfeldt April 26, 1969. They had three children: Tammy Sue, Cindy Marie and Julie Rae.

   Claus and Catharina still have many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren living in the Yutan area. Submitted by: Paulette Duerfeldt

   Irving was born in 1923, in Yutan, Nebraska, to Claus H. and Rosie (Kennec) Stange. He was united in marriage in 1951 to Jean Lee, (born in Hazelcliff, Canada) of Ithaca, Nebraska. (Parents were Winford (Wink) and Josephine Lee of Ithaca, owners of a Grocery Business, and an Electrical and Plumbing Business in Ithaca for many years.)

   Three children of Irving and Jean are Denise (Jim Olmsted), Cheryl (Greg Duey), and Kevin. Denise earned her Juris Doctorate from University of Nebraska, Cheryl a P.E. degree from U.N., and Kevin a Dr. of Pharmacy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.

   Irving served in the Pacific during World War II. Upon his return from service, he operated the Red and White Store for Lee, Markle, and Wagner. In January, 1956, he purchased the business. In 1966, he added onto the building and renovated the store. Jean taught in Saunders County and in Yutan before her marriage. The past 16 years she has taught in Yutan.

   Irving's grandparents came from Germany; Claus Stange, in 1881; George Kennec, in 1868. Irving's parents had five children: Irving of Yutan; Marquerite (Robert Carr) of Omaha; Kathryn (Wesly Wells), deceased in 1973; Darlene (Paul Pilcher), Millard; and Gary Lee, deceased in 1970, by accidental drowning. He was married to Jane Gutzweiler.

   Irving's parents are both deceased, his father July, 1980, and his mother, in January, 1980.

   The Stange family have been Saunders County residents for many years, most of them residing in the Yutan area. Submitted by Irving Stange

   John Frank Stanislav, son of Frank and Francis (Benes) Stanislav, was born August 24, 1892, near Weston, Nebraska. He was the third of eight children. John married Gertrude Hiltcher, November 16, 1914, in St. Vitus Catholic Church, Touhy, Nebraska.

   Gertrude was born near Weston, Nebraska July 10, 1894, to Joseph and Christina (Fiedler) Hiltcher who had immigrated from the area of Moravia as had the Frank Stanislavs. The Hiltchers had four daughters, Emma, Gertrude, Ida and Gladys.

   John and Gertrude had three children: Gertrude (1916-1964); John J. (1918); and Leo J. (1927). They have eight grandsons, three great-grandsons and 2 great-granddaughters. Gertrude married Ignac Pekarek, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pekarek, in 1935. John J. married Lillian Paseka, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Paseka, in 1939. Leo married Betty Holverson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Holverson, in 1957.

John F. and Gertrude Stanislav

   John and Gertrude farmed in the Weston (Chapman Precinct) area until 1919 when they moved to a farm near Ceresco. As a young man, John had attended U.N. Business College, and had always had a desire to use this education. For a few years he was employed by a bank in Ceresco. Being a farmer at heart, he returned to farming near Ceresco and, in 1937, he and Gertrude and the two boys moved to Iowa, establishing a home near Blencoe, in Monona County. In 1938, Gertrude and Ignac also moved to this area.

   They are members of St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Blencoe. Gertrude is a member of the Rosary Society, John of the Knights of Columbus.

   John has owned Buick automobiles since he purchased his first new one in 1916. He obtained his last one in 1966, which he still drives. Gertrude enjoys gardening, flowers and baking. At the time of this writing, Gertrude is 88 and John 90. Both are in good health and very active in mind and spirit. Submitted by Mrs. Leo Stanislav

   My father, John Fredrick (Fritz) Stark, migrated to America from Reisdorf, Germany at the age of 18 years. He settled close to Omaha where he worked in a dairy. Later, he bought a farm in Washington County. He married Anna Elizabeth Armbrust in 1892. Six of their 7 children were born while living there, namely, Henry, Anna, Charles, William, Chris and John (Fritz). (All are now deceased.) In 1911, they bought a farm southwest of Ceresco. In 1914, I, their youngest son, was born. The farm has been in the family ever since. My brother, Chris, purchased it from Dad in the 30's. It now belongs to his heirs. Mother passed away in 1922 and my dad in 1946.

   I was educated in the Ceresco Public School, and, after graduation in 1934, I left to make my home in Paonia, Colo. There I met and married Juanita Andrews in 1937. Three children were born to us, Virgil Paul in 1940, Norma Jean in 1942, and Martha Jane in 1944.

   In 1943, I returned to Ceresco with my family to make our home. Our children were all graduated from Ceresco Public Schools. Virgil served his country for four years in the Navy. In 1965, he married Carolyn Goddard. They live in Broken Bow, Nebraska and have four children: Shane, Juli, Todd, and Jason. Norma Jean attended Nebr. Wesleyan for one year and graduated from the Nebr. Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. She married Ronald McFarland in 1973. They have two daughters, Erin and Amy and live in Tooele, Utah. Martha Jean attended Wayne State for one year. She later enrolled in Ben's College of Hairdressers where she became a licensed cosmetologist. She married Lyle McKlem of Wahoo in 1964. They have two children, Laura and Steven, and live on an

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