Historical Times

Published by the Historical Society of Stanton County, Inc.

One who has pride in the past will soon

have a future of which to be proud

Volume 2, Number 1 – June 2003

Letter from the Editor

It has been six months since the Society printed our last news letter. Once again we want to let our members and contributors know that your support is greatly appreciated. At our last meeting on June 3rd it was decided that every contributor be put on our Historical Times newsletter mailing list, which now exceeds 450. Progress has continued to be made over the past few months including 1. A thorough cleaning of the Pilger Museum, 2. Addition of many new displays in the Stanton Heritage Museum, 3. New sidewalks laid around the rural school, 4. Restoration of the school building begun, and 5. Bids are coming in to pave an agriculture equipment display area between the buildings at the Pilger Museum.

Generous contributions as a result of our last newsletter and other fund raising efforts have brought in over $5,000, over half of which has been designated for the rural school restoration project. Your help is still needed. Much is left to be done. Fill out the contribution form (link to form) and send it with a check to Historical Society of Stanton County, PO Box 213, Pilger NE 68768.

Roland Jensen, Editor

Museum Hours Listed

The Society’s Museum in Pilger is open on Memorial Day, Pilger Days (last full weekend in July), and on Labor Day. Occasionally it will be open when a member of the Society is there working on a display or project - the “Museum Open” sign will be posted outside. Otherwise the Museum can be open by appointment throughout the year as it has both air conditioning and heat. To make an appointment call Jim Duncan - (402) 396-3396, Roland Jensen - (402) 396-3422, Don Sprieck - (402) 396-3574 or Irene Wolverton - (402) 396-3274. If you happen to be in Pilger and have forgotten who to call, a new sign is being made which will display this information.

The Stanton Heritage Museum in Stanton is open every Saturday 2-4 PM from May to October. It will also be open on Stanton Heritage Day and the Fourth of July. Otherwise the Museum can be opened by appointment (if the weather is warm enough as there is no heat or air conditioning). Call Loren Fuller - (402) 439-2208, Marguerite Marshall - (402) 439-2052 or Milford Koch (402) 439-2671. As the Museum and rural school restoration project are still in the developmental phases, you may find the buildings open when members of the Society are working.

Rural Teachers and County

Superintendents Remembered

As of June 4, 2003, well over 100 Stanton County rural school teachers and (all of the) county superintendents have been remembered through our “Remember a teacher” fund raiser campaign. If your favorite teacher is not listed below you can still honor him or her by returning the attached form (link to form) along with a $25 contribution. Their names will be engraved on a plaque that will be placed inside the restored schoolhouse next to the Stanton Heritage Museum.

The following is the current listing of remembered rural school teachers and superintendents: Mary Alderman, Ruth (Benson) Anderson, Arlene Asch, Rita Bartha, Marian (Wolverton) Beckman, Eleanor (Colbert) Beckwith, Evelyn (Moore) Bohacek, Nora Brandt, Doris (Kreuger) Broekemeier, Allen Burkhardt, Lillie Burkhardt, Archer L. Burnham, Emily (Hunt) Byrd, J.A. Campbell, Esther (Schneider) Carson, Margaret (Mewis) Christensen, Arlene (Davidson) Cisler, Charles S. Coney, Shirley (Weichenthal) Connery, Sandra Dahlkoetter, Rose (Vollbrecht) Daniel, Ruth Daniel, Bella (Moritz) Daniell, Lillie (McFarland) Daniell, John A. Darling, Esther Dauskin, Lillian (Kingsley) Davidson, Frances (Kilchenmann) Dean, Irene (Fickler) Dohren, Verna Dohren, Geneva (Voelker) Dubsky, John Eberly, Lola Eberly, S.E. Eddy, Vida Fechner, Adeline (Sperl) Fisher, Gladys (Koza) Frank, Lenice (Koza) Frank, Dorothy (Wegner) Frank, F.A. Frost, Charlene Geyer, Flavian (Goeller) Gilster, J.S. Hancock, Arllys (Johnson) Hansen, Gabriel Hartl, Joyce (Frerichs) Heller, Reba Hill, Helen (Porter) Hilliges, Leona (Mewis) Holtman, Emma (Bruns) Hunt, Ruth (Daniell) Johnson, Irene (Vogel) Johnson, Lillian (Burris) Jones, Pearl Kander, Ann Karel, Lois (Henrichs) Kilchenmann, Anita Kilchenmann, Lois (Tietjen) Koch, Dorothy (Keenan) Kohler, LaRene (Stone) Konopasek, Marie (Severa) Koza, Yvonne (Heers) Kutach, Georgia Lambert, Lorraine (Raabe) Lineberry, Sandra Locke, Margaret (Petersen) Lorensen, Lois (Scherer) Loeninghoener, Pauline (Pohlman) Luttman, Minnie M. McKinsey, Inez (Barr) Melcher, Jean (Hill) Moehnert, Katherine (Frank) Molacek, Gusta Moritz, S.B. Muchmore, Jonas Nye, Ilah B. Ohlson, Joann (Chace) Olson, Loretta (Vollbrecht) Perske, Esther (Shocker) Peterson, Ruth (Kilchenmann) Pfeiffer, Helen (Cisler) Pospichal, Elsa Raabe, Anna (Johnson) Ringer, Juanita (Daniel) Roberts, Darlene (Brooks) Robinson, LaVonne (Davidson) Schellpeper, Evelyn (Perkins) Schellpeper, Charles F. Sharp, H.C. Sharp, W.T. Sharp, Bonny (Roberts) Smelser, Dorothy (Pugh) Smithberger, Audrey (Heermann) Sokol, Lenice (Harsh) Sorenson, A.C.T. Stephens, Mary Ann (Dillon) Svec, Leona (Harsch) Swoboda, Marjorie (Bos) Talmadge, Mary Lee (Bartman) Timperly, Dorothy (Fechner) Travnicek, Alice (Hakle) Vahle, Myrna Vollbrecht, Beverly Von Seggern, Bess (Johnson) Waring, Ethel (Barr) Weatherholt, Doris (Muhs) Wilson, Patricia (Busch) Witte, Barbara (Whitehurst) Wittgow, Floyce (Kingston) Woeppel, Emiley (Daniell) Wolverton, Helen (Childrey) Wolverton, Irene Wolverton, and W.H. Wyland.

Services Held At EUB Church

On Sunday, June 1, morning worship services were held at the Historical Society’s historic EUB church (link to photo) in Stanton with the Pastor Cindi Stewart, of the United Methodist Church, officiating.

The structure, built in 1878, was the Salem Evangical United Church. It was the first church building in Stanton and the only church until 1882. Several denominations took turns worshipping there until they could build churches of their own.

In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren church joined with the Methodist Church nationwide. That union is now called the United Methodist Church.

On the first Sunday in June each year, a service is held in the historic church by the parishioners of the United Methodist Church, when former members can take their seats where their family members always sat and shared songs from their hymnals.

To visit is a step into the past, for the church has been kept just as it was for decades. Members of the Historical Society led by Elaine Fuller have maintained the refinished benches and floors having recently cleaned in perparation for this annual event. Gail Axen led a group of members in replacing the front steps, threshold and porch railings.

Johanna Muhs recently donated a pump organ she had acquired from St. John’s Lutheran Church several years ago.

Flour Mill Has A Connection to Pilger

For those who settled in Stanton County, Pilger had one of the first flour mills in operation in the county. It was built in 1885, a water powered mill nested in a bend of the Humbug Creek, northwest of the present Village of Pilger. It was reported that the first mill was working day and night. It was first a burr mill, but in 1892 was changed to a roller mill. According to information from “Pilger, Nebraska, Century Edition, 1887-1987,” in the early 1900s another mill was situated along the railroad tracks on the east edge of town, near where St. John’s Luthern Church now stands.

In Pilger one of those early mills which once provided flour for making bread for the early settlers has come to rest in the town once again. A roller mill, once used to mill flour, and more recently used to crack corn for cattle, was donated to the Historical Society of Stanton County’s Pilger Museum. A picture of the machine printed in the a December issue of the Pilger Herald-Enterprise” section of the “Wisner News-Chronicle,” prompted interest in flour mills once again.

The mill (link to photo) left at the Pilger Museum originated from the Neligh-Oakdale area, according to Dick Alexander of Pilger. In the early 1950s, Bob Cooper of Omaha and Harold Chace of Pilger were partners in a farming/cattle feeding operation in the area. They also owned and ran a lumber yard and implement dealership in Pilger from the middle 1930s to early 1940s. Cooper was Marge Alexander’s uncle and Chace was her father.

Cooper purchased three flour mills from the Neligh/Oakdale area and installed one of them in the corn crib at the JDR Farms North Place. Instead of grinding wheat for flour, the mill found a new use: rolling corn for cattle feed. The shelled corn was fed from an overhead bin through the mill’s rollers and elevated back overhead.

Alexander believes the mill left at the museum originally could have been powered with a steam tractor or water power due to the series of belts which connect the machine to its power source. The mill’s design allowed the rollers to be set close together for finely ground flour, or farther apart for coarsely cracked corn,

Current plans are to display the mill along with other agriculture implements on a paved area between the main museum and the annex. J.D. Alexander has agreed to finance half the cost of the concrete, with the Historical Society to raise the money for the labor and other half.

You can help. Fill out the contribution form (link to form) and check the box to Upgrade Pilger Museum Annex for display of Agriculture Artifacts.

Tailoring in the Early 1900s

The Stanton Heritage Museum has recently received and completed a comprehensive display of the tailoring operations of William Raduenz and his wife (link to photo), who were in business from 1893 to 1935. The display was developed from artifacts submitted by Lucille Raduenz Eckert, formerly of Stanton, and her daughter Loueen Harsch of Visalia, California. The details of tailoring a suit are presented. From the cloth samples to the measured pattern, the designing and making of buttons to the sewing and meticulous fitting, all steps are described with the actual tools and pictures beside them. He came from Germany carrying his black felted beaver hat in its special box (part of the display) after a lengthy apprenticeship and mandatory three-year military commitment. Come in and see this and other mementos of Stantonites.

Fifth Graders Tour the Pilger Museum

On May 9, 2003 more than 40 fifth graders from the Wisner-Pilger Middle School (old Pilger High School) toured the Museum. Loren Fuller, Milford Koch, Irene Wolverton, Becky Frerichs, Mary Lea Lage and Virgine and Roland Jensen were docents providing answers to questions from the eager and inquisitive minds of the young students. This tour is an annual event for the students.

Buy A Brick Fund Raiser

The following school districts still need contributions for their bricks: 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18 (need $20) 26, 27, 31, 33, 35, 38, 40, 50 (need $50), 54 and 56. If you attended one of these rural school districts in Stanton County please contact others that may have attended and try to gather enough contributions ($100) to buy your brick.

Rural School Restoration

Warren Jensen Construction has made considerable progress on restoring the interior of the rural school building. New handicap access from the rear has been completed. New steps and authentic wainscoting have been replaced in the entry way.

Stanton Heritage Day Given Support From The Historical Society

Stanton Heritage Day was observed April 16, 2003, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Stanton High School. Myrna Vollbrecht represented the Historical Society and the Stanton Community Club as Co-chairperson.

There were exhibit rooms of five ethnic groups: German, Irish, Czechs, Swedish and Finnish who left their native land and settled in Stanton County. There was also a veteran’s room, antique toys, antique farm equipment, rock and Indian display, antique railroad equipment, a pioneer apron display (link to photo) and a slide show of native wild flowers.

Special guests included State Senator Matt Conneally and State Treasurer Loralee Bryd.

Informational packets were handed out to attendees including stories of Journey to America by the ethnic groups, stories and pictures of the railroad era, Conoco Gas, Eberly Bank, REA - The Day the Lights Came On, history of the First National Bank, a history of the first schools, wild flowers, remodeling the Stanton Library, Indian battles in Stanton County, and copies of the State Seal and State Song.

Remembering the Historical Society Is Easy Using a Codicil - Plan Now to Benefit the Future

A codicil is simply an addition or change to your current Will. You may choose to do a codicil because rewriting your will in its entirety can be time consuming and costly. The codicil is a simple, easy document that is helpful for the addition of a bequest to the Historical Society of Stanton County.

As a legal document, a codicil must adhere to the formalities of a regular Will. Many states have different stipulations for a valid codicil, so be sure to check the requirements of your state. Any attorney can write a codicil for you; it does not have to be the person who prepared your original Will. Always be sure to sign, date, and make copies of the codicil and attach it to your original Will and all copies. Also send a copy to the Historical Society of Stanton County, PO Box 213, Pilger NE 68768.

Remembering the Historical Society Is Easy Using a Codicil - Plan Now to Benefit the Future

Sample Wording:

CODICIL TO LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF

John A. Doe

I, John A. Doe , of Stanton , Nebraska, declare this to be my Codicil to my Last Will and Testament.

My Last Will and Testament is to be amended to add the following provision:

I bequeath the sum of $ to the Historical Society of Stanton County, Incorporated

to be used for _____specify purpose or use .

Except as modified by this Codicil, I republish my Last Will and Testament dated: September 22, 1998 .

I have signed this Codicil this 1st Day of August , 2003 .

JohnA.Doe

Witnessed by:

In our presence, John A. Doe , Testator, declared this instrument to be the Codicil to his Last Will and Testament.
At his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribe our names as witnesses this 1st day of August , 2003 .

Adam Henry of Stanton, Nebraska

Signature

John Henry of Pilger, Nebraska

Signature