FAMILY STORIES

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Swanson

   I, Erma, was born October 18, 1911 on the windswept prairies of South Dakota, where the coyotes and prairie dogs were abundant. My parents moved there from Nebraska, hoping to find a better living, but drought and privation made them decide to move back to the "good life". I was 2 years old at that time, and although my parents, Alfred and Cecilia Johnson, were poor in worldly goods, they were rich in eternal wealth. I was the third child; a brother, Robert, died in infancy. A sister, Gladys (Mrs. Enfred Pearson), is now deceased and my younger sister, Wilma, Mrs. Jake Hammer, resides in Waverly, Ne.

   When I was 6, I remember vividly the night my father was taken violently ill. Dr. Wright was called from Ceresco, and when he arrived, he diagnosed it as a ruptured appendix. He called Dr. Welch out from Lincoln and they set up surgery. The dining room table was used as the operating table. Several neighbor men were called to bring lamps and assist by holding the lighted kerosene lamps around the table so the doctors could see to operate. It was touch and go, as peronitis had already set in.

   A special nurse was assigned to attend my father from March to May. Dr. Wright made daily visits and, in June, he removed the drain tubes. It was fall before my father had fully recovered. The neighbors and relatives put in our crops and attended the fields. Thank God for neighbors! Everytime the doctor drove into the yard, Gladys and I would go out and peek in the back seat of the car to see, if by any chance, he had any extra babies in it.

   I grew up in the Ceresco community and went to Ceresco school in the 7th and 8th grade and four years of high school. Roy and I were in the same grade in school and in the same confirmation class at church. We were married in the same church, the Evangelical Covenant, July 23, 1936, during the dry depression years.

   We have been active members of the church and many community affairs. Roy served on the Volunteer Fire Department 31 years and served at Fire Chief 21 of those years.

   We have three children. Shirley, who lives in Omaha, is married to John Overton. John is in the carpenter business. Shirley has taught in the District 66 school system for the past 25 years. She has one son, Mark Wilgus, who attends the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

   Janet, our second daughter, is married to Charles Matzke of Seward, where she is a substitute teacher. Charles is associated with Jones National Bank. They are parents of 3 boys, Bill, Tom and Jeff.

   Glenn, our youngest resides in Ceresco. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam Conflict. His tour of duty took him around the world. He looked the girls over and came back home to find the one he wanted. He is married to Sharon Edstrom and they have a son, Brad, and 2 daughters, Wendi and Nicole. Glenn has been employed at Goodyear over 11 years in the maintenance department.

   We have had a good life and hope to have many more happy years together. By Mrs. Roy Swanson

   Both people in this history were born of Swedish ancestry, Roy C. being the fifth child of Martin and Emma (Helsing) Swanson, and Gladys C., the second child of Julius E. and Ella (Peterson) Olson. Roy remembered the Indian visits coming to Lancaster-Saunders County line where he was born in a farm home in 1898. Roy passed from this life at home on May 3, 1982.

Dr. Roy and Gladys Swanson

   In growing-up years, he attended Dist. 70, Luther College, and Health-Science College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating 1936. Prior to that, he was a farmer and banker. He and his brother, Dr. J.R., doctored patients for miles, in and around Wahoo, for a combined 92 years, retiring in 1978.

   Roy was a charter member of Kiwanis Club, member of County and State Historical Societies, member of Sigma, Sigma, Phi Honorary Fraternity, Atlas Club, and a past president of Nebraska Osteopathic Association, and, with the family, a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Wahoo for 45 years. The JR and RC families have lived in a brick duplex at 416 W. 14th, Wahoo, for 42 years, a unique arrangement to many folks.

   Gladys attended Malmo Public School and Luther College. After graduation from business, she fulfilled a Civil Service appointment in Washington, D.C., prior to becoming the bride of Roy on March 17, 1926, married in Trinity Lutheran Church, Omaha. She was active in Church Women's Societies, having served as president, statistician, and historian for over 25 years, as church choir director for over 25 years, held membership in Mothers' Club, Federated Woman's Club, Garden Club, Ladies' Choir, and Legion Auxiliary.

   Their children are Dr. Noble L. Swanson, practicing physician in Lincoln and married to Jacquelynn Allder February 26, 1972. They have three sons, Vincent, 9, Timothy, 7, and Bradford, 5. They live on an acreage near Roca, Nebraska.

   Ronita C. Swanson is a graduate nurse from Clarkson Hospital, Omaha, and received her B.S. in nursing from Metro State College, Denver, Colorado. As a family and individually, they have visited most of the 50 states, provinces in Canada, Washington, D.C., many National Parks, Hawaii, Japan, Mexico, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Nebraska through and through. Family hobbies have been hunting dogs, gardening, scouting, swimming, music, scrapbooks, civic affairs, and faithful workers in the Lord's Kingdom.

   They are thankful that their forebearers had the fortitude and stamina to come to America to make a new home for themselves and their offsprings. Here we are free to worship Jesus Christ as Savior from sin, and with that freedom, we have the responsibility to live as involved Christian citizens. Thus, we can expect to be a people whom the Lord blesses. So we close with thankfulness and gratitude to God for all our many blessings in this life, and for those in the life to come. Submitted Gladys Swanson

   Edwin was born on the family farm southwest of Colon on March 22, 1919. His parents, James and Anna (Sousek) Swartz, moved to Colon in about 1915 from South Dakota where they homesteaded near Gregory. Edwin attended school at Dist #88 and graduated from Malmo High School in 1938. He attended the University of Nebraska but came home to help his dad after his mother passed away in 1939.

   He was drafted into the army Oct. 17, 1941. He served his country four years. Part of his time was spent with the 645th Tank Destroyer Btn. in Africa, Anzio, Italy, southern France, and Germany. He received his discharge Sept. 26, 1945.

   On Sept. 9, 1946, Edwin and I, Eleanor (Sabatka) Swartz were married at Weston's St. John's Catholic Church. My parents, George and Gabriela (Meduna) Sabatka, lived south of Wahoo where I was born on February 3, 1925. I attended Dist #32 and graduated from Wahoo High School in 1942.

   We have five children. Walter married JoAnn Jonas and they have 3 children, Tammy, April, and Wyatt Swartz. Janet married John Howell and they have one daughter, Jaime. James married JoAnna Stodgill and they have one daughter, Andrea. Marilyn is married to Paul Kuehl and they have a daughter, Brittney. Linda is in her fourth year at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

   Edwin and I still reside on the same farm. We are members of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Colon. Edwin belongs to Bartek-Carlson American Legion Post and Forty and Eight. I am a member of St. Ann's Altar Sodality, American Legion Auxiliary, and the Malmo Matrons Extension Club.

   We have always loved to travel with our family and now alone. We have been to nearly all fifty states and hope to travel more in the future. Submitted by Eleanor Swartz

   In the early 1900's, James Swartz left his home near Pragur, Ne. with a wagon and team of horses and drove to Burke, So. Dakota where he homesteaded a tract of land. He built a sod house for himself until he could build a two-room frame house. In 1906, he married Anna Sousek of Morse Bluff, Ne. She was born in Czechoslovakia and came to America with her parents when she was nine years old. Together they lived in So. Dakota for nine years where five of their children were born, namely, Alvin, Stanley, Bessie, Marie and Rudolph. The sixth one, Edwin, was born in Saunders county on the farm where he now resides.

James and Anna Swartz family, taken about 1925

   In 1915, due to dry weather and poor crops, they decided to move back to Saunders County to a farm near Colon, which they purchased. A railroad car on a freight train was rented and loaded with the family's four hourses, small machinery, furniture and trunks. Mr. Swartz rode the freight car to Colon while the rest of the family rode in a passenger train to Prague. Some of the many relatives in this area

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met them at the depot. The next day they took them to their new farm home. The house was very small with only two rooms downstairs and one room upstairs where they all slept.

   In 1920, a large two-story house was built with five bedrooms. Mrs. Swartz cooked all the meals on the old kitchen range for several carpenters who slept in the hay mow in the barn while they were building the house. They took their baths in an old rain barrel that was placed next to the house to catch rain water off the roof. The family now owned their first automobile, a 1917 Ford Touring.

   All six children attended Pleasant Hill school, Dist. #88. They felt quite important when they were permitted to help the teacher dust the blackboard erasers, bring in a bucket of coal or water, or help spread sweeping compound on the floor. Many a time the children froze their toes and fingers walking the mile and half to school. Rides were few and far between. Several children attended high school in Malmo and Wahoo, and a couple taught school.

   All six children married and pursued their own lives. Mrs. Swartz passed away May 26, 1939 at age 54. Mr. Swartz died May 23, 1950 at age 68 in Colon where he retired for almost four years when the youngest son, Edwin, returned home after four years in military service, married, and took over the home place. Submitted by, Bessie Swartz Simanek

   January, 1951 found our family moving to Wahoo, Saunders County, Nebraska. Not unlike our pioneers, we were seeking a new place to live and make our living. Stanley was to be the Raleigh Salesman, but rather, became an employee of the Allis-Chalmers Implement Co. When it was sold, he worked for Torrens Produce and Grocery firm until he became a Sinclair dealer for several months; then later became the Custodian of the Wahoo High School, finally on to serve in the same capacity at the Bishop Neumann High School, totaling twenty-three years before retirement in August, 1974. I completed twenty years as a clerk for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, retiring in March, 1974.

Mr. and Mrs. Stan Taylor

   We were both raised in the Exeter-Friend area in Saline County, Nebraska, where we attended school and were married. My parents owned and operated the Friend Newspaper. Stanley's parents came from a long line of farmers. Having farmed at Friend, Overton, and south of Hastings in Adams County, we changed professions, leaving us wealthy only in friends. During three World War years, we lived in Lincoln and Stanley worked for Leuck's Crystal Factory.

   Our son, Robert, was born in Kearney; attended school here and Central Technical Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, in the field of Electronics, came back to Omaha and has been employed at Western Electric. He is married to Carol Johnson and they have three children: Nicole, Rochelle and Roby (Robert).

   Daughter Eugenia was born in Hastings, attended school here, and the Lincoln School of Commerce in Lincoln. She worked for Fruehauf in Omaha before her marriage to David Young and lived in Omaha until April, 1980, when they moved to Watertown, Minnesota. David works for the Hybrid Electronic Implementation Corporation as Computer Supervisor at Victoria, Minnesota. They have three sons; Aaron, Randall, and Charles.

   Daughter Sarah, also born in Hastings, attended Wahoo Schools, and is married to Ermin J. Hajek. After living in Wahoo for several years while Ermin was attending Kennedy College and working at Cushman's in Lincoln, then later at Armco here, they moved to Thornton, Colorado, where Ermin is now employed with Sheffield Steel in Commerce City. They have three children: Kelly, Andrew, and Sandi.

   We have both been members of the United Methodist faith all of our lives. Stanley has been a member of the Saunders County Kiwanis Club, and the State Custodians' Association.

   For many years we have owned Recreation Vehicles, the first being a Taylor-built model. We enjoy the fellowship in two Nebraska Campers and Hikers groups. We have spent two winters in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and enjoy camping experiences and trips with family members.

   We have, through the study of our genealogy, learned that there was a paternal grandfather that came from Germany at the time of the hated Prussian rule; a maternal grandmother that came from Wales; and great-grandparents that came from Scotland. Otherwise we are truly Americans, and dearly love our Country and are so thankful for our Christian family heritage. Submitted by Stanley and Grace Taylor

   James H. Teachman, son of Margaret and Luke Teachman, was born in 1856 at Hancock, Delaware County, New York. He came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of fourteen, May 16, 1870, arriving at Ashland, which was at that time the end of the Burlington railroad. From that point, they traveled west and settled on a homestead, three miles east of Ceresco. During the next seven years, he received his training in pioneering, and helped in the development of this new country by transplanting young trees from an island in the Platte river to the plains. The trees now stand as silent witnesses to this pioneer's foresight.

James H. Teachman Family

   In 1877, at the age of twenty-one, he homesteaded in Rooks County, Kansas near the Solomon river, at which time he freighted, by wagon, from Hastings to Stockton, Kansas. His ability as a magician, and through his knowledge of music, both as song leader and fiddler, he gained the acquaintance and sincere friendship of his associates.

   He came back to Nebraska in 1886 and was united in marriage to Emma Biggerstaff in 1889. To this union was born a daughter, Grace Jane. His wife died in 1893.

   On April 12, 1895, he married Mrs. Ruth Van Dyke and lived on a farm near Ceresco. To this union was born seven children, William Allen, Florence, Mina, Inez, Merle, Willard, and Fern. His one step-daughter is Hazel (Mrs. Otis) Beaman who lives in Ceresco. He passed away July 14th, 1933 at his home at University Place.

   Dennis W. Tejral is the son of Ladislav and Evelyn Skalak Tejral. He was born on a farm east of Valparaiso in 1933. They later moved to a farm near Prague and then to a farm in the Ceresco Area. In 1948, they moved to Ceresco. Dennis has one brother, Donald.

Dennis Tejral Family. Back Row: Devin, Kendra; Front Row: Beverly, Bryn, Dennis.

   Beverly A. Tejral is the daughter of Walter and Anna Fleek Smith. She was born on a farm east of Ceresco, in District 41, in 1934. They moved to Ceresco in 1946. Beverly has two brothers, Keith and Wesley, and one sister, Wanda.

   Dennis and Beverly were married in 1953 and moved to Lincoln. Dennis managed Hinky Dinky grocery stores and was transferred to Omaha, Nebraska City, Grand Island and South Sioux City. In 1964, we returned to Saunders County and started a Western Auto Store in Wahoo. In 1967 we also started Wahoo Furniture. We sold our businesses in 1971 and Dennis became a manufacturers' representative, traveling the states of Nebraska and Kansas.

   We have three children: Devin Eugene, born June 2, 1963 in Grand Island; Kendra Ann, born October 12, 1965 in Wahoo; and Bryn Travis, born December 23, 1968 in Wahoo.

   The Tejrals belong to Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Beverly Tejral

   John Stevens Templeton was one of the early pioneers of Saunders County. He was born at Worcester, Vermont, on December 18, 1843, the son of Horatio and Rhoda Stevens Folsom Templeton. When 19 years of age, he answered the call of President Lincoln, and enlisted on August 29, 1862, as a 9-month volunteer for service in the Civil War. He was mustered into service at Brattleboro, Vermont, October 10, 1862, as a private in Company C, 13th Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged July 21, 1863, and re-enlisted September 19, 1864, at Fayston, Vermont. This time he was in Company H of the 6th Regiment of the Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out at Arlington Heights, Virginia, on June 19, 1865.

   On November 18, 1865, he married Francenah Hodgdon. She was born in Haverhill, New Hampshire, December 3, 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Templeton came to Saunders County March 1, 1869, and took a homestead 3½ miles south of Ithaca, on land which later was to be known as the Snyder place. A short time after they established their residence there, the government opened the Milton postoffice in their home, and Mrs. Templeton served the community as postmaster for several years. For some time Mr. Templeton also drove the stage coach from Ashland to Wahoo. In the early days he plowed with oxen, barefoot, and has told of plowing up dens of rattlesnakes while barefoot.

   Mr. Templeton was very patriotic and never missed the Memorial Day Parade. He instilled in his children and grandchildren a sincere reverence for the flag and patriotism for our country. One of the

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