So as you read along, watch for the part that talks about the school and tornado and then at the end of the story I have a picture of that school and more information about it.
Then there is one more story about another one of Rick's relatives.
Please read everything and note the hardships and tough life they led which was so typical
of our Pioneers of the area.
Again, as I usually write about, some of my Ehrichs family is related to a branch of the Lohrmann & Segebart families. So many connections in a community, if you
know enough about your own ancestry and the history of the area.
Living at home during their youth, they both gained practical knowledge of the best methods of farming and agricultural prospects for their parents were farmers. With this background, they started their married life with somewhat of a know-how and. proceeded from there. They have materially assisted in the development and progress of agriculture in this community with hard work, thrift and self-sacrifice.
Little do we realize how much we rightfully owe the pioneers of our county, who were reared in a typical pioneer way and by their untiring efforts have made our present locality the bread-basket of the United States. They have witnessed the transition of acres of unfenced prairie lands to the present modern farms, fully equipped with the latest machinery in place of crude implements used in early farming. For their labor and efforts, they deserve recognition as progressive builders of our community.
Their parents instilled into their children the lessons of industry, frugality and perseverance so necessary in laying a permanent foundation for worthy objects in life. The habits of industry and application acquired in youth have continued with them through the years as is evidenced by their many accomplishments.
Clara (Jochimsen) Lohrmann was born in Clinton County, Iowa on August 16, 1878, the daughter of John Jochimsen and Hannah (Sievertsen) Jochimsen. Her father's birthplace was Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and here in the common schools he received his education. Because of military duty he came to America at the age of 17 years so as to avoid serving in the army. He came to the States alone and came direct to Clinton County, Iowa, later coming on to Crawford County and settling on a farm in Hayes Township. He stayed on this farm until he retired and moved to Manning.
Hannah (Sievertsen) Lohrmann, her mother, was also born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Her education was procured in the German schools. At the age of 24 years she came to America and worked as a housekeeper for two years, when she was married.
Mrs. Lohrmann was two years old when she came to Crawford County with her parents and she recalls her parents telling how she cried and cried when they got to Westside for there was so much snow.
The rural school she attended was three-fourths of a mile from her home and she went to school each day with the neighbor children, which proved to be quite an ordeal for she spoke and understood only German and the other children spoke English and they couldn't understand each other.
After her schooling she worked in homes in Vail and Manning until her marriage to Fred P. Lohrmann on February 9, 1900. They were married at the home of her parents, with Rev. Williams Martens as officiating minister.
They are the parents of five children, Mrs. Otto (Elma) Massman, Westside; Mrs. Ada Frahm, Lake Okoboji; Mrs. Louie (Laura) Sander, Lake Okoboji; Mrs. William (Arla) Dammann, Manning; and Francis "Frenz" Lohrmann, Manning. They have 18 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Fred P. Lohrmann, the son of Bernardt Lohrmann and Maggie (Woolworth) Lohrmann, was born November 10, 1877, in Germany. His father was born in Schleswig - Holstein, Germany. He attended the German schools and was married in Germany. Believing he could provide a better living for his family he decided to come to America, leaving his wife and eight children in Germany. He located in Westside and then sent for his family, it took three weeks for them to make the trip. After doing carpenter work for some time, they moved to a farm, 12 miles south of Westside. He only farmed for one year and then passed away, his wife stayed on this farm for eight more years.
Maggie (Woolworth) Lohrmann, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, was reared there and received her education there and married Bernhardt Lohrmann. After coming to America and the death of her husband, she married Peter Jurgensen. They stayed on the farm for the rest of their lives.
After Mr. and Mrs. Lohrmann were married, he worked out for one dollar a day helping farmers before they began farming on their own on the home place. They purchased the farm and lived there for 40 years or until they retired in 1943 and came to Westside to live. Their son, Francis, now lives on the farm.
He attended the same rural school as his wife. One time a bad windstorm blew the school house away and school was held for two months in his parents' home.
Raising and feeding of hogs, coupled with general farming practices constituted their farm life. Each year he raised and marketed 100 head of hogs, during this time he hit all the markets, good, bad, and in between.
"One year," Mr. Lohrmann says, "we were ready to cut the barley and planned to start at noon, a storm came up and we lost the entire crop."
The Easter Sunday tornado in 1913 struck their farm, tipped over the windmill and blew the school-house 80 rods and tore it all to pieces, blowing the pieces onto their land.
For 10 years he owned a threshing machine, he did his own as well as his neighbors' threshing.
Most of their entertainment was attending dances at the Five Mile House and at Aspinwall, and attending birthday parties in the neighborhood.
As a rule they milked 12 cows a year, selling the cream. A flock of 300 chickens was raised each year for table needs and for market. They always had a big garden, Mrs. Lohrmann filled a great number of jars with the surplus vegetables and still cans vegetables from their garden.
She has used two machines for her sewing needs, a Davis and now a Singer, she did all the sewing for her family.
"I saw men dig ditches with oxen when I was a little girl," says Mrs. Lohrmann. "There were so many covered wagons going through, if we saw them while we were coming home from school we would get off the road and go through the ditch and that way we would get our shoes wet. The neighbor girl and I often got a licking when we came home from school with wet shoes."
After Mr. Lohrmann retired from the farm, he was night-watchman in Westside for 11 years. Of this he says, " there was no break-ins, no robberies or violence all those 11 years, but right after I quit there was three break-ins."
Her hobby is flowers, she has many varieties in her garden and a number of house- plants. He likes to fish and when they visit their daughters in Lake Okoboji, he spends his time fishing but like all fishermen he says the biggest ones always get away. During the summer he has a large garden and this year he had a large crop of raspberries.
Last February they observed their 61st wedding anniversary. Maybe their explanation for their advanced age and peace of mind is: When I walks, I walks easy; When I sets, I rock easy; When I worries, I goes to sleep.
A Record?
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lohrmann of Westside have laid claim to a title of the
longest continuous subscribers to the Denison Bulletin. On February 1, 1962,
they will have completed their 62nd straight year as subscribers to the Bulletin.
Can anyone top that mark?
Information I transcribed from one of the directors' books...
Hayes Township, Crawford Co., School No. 8
March 9, 1931, Director Meeting
Motion made by Fred Lohrmann that Emil Ewoldt act as chairman. Second by Detlef Vinke. Motion made by Emil Ewoldt that Louis Stammer act as Secretary. Second by Fred Lohrmann. Motion made by Henry Anthony that we vote by ballot and Second by Claus Strosahl.
Names of voters: Emil Ewoldt, Louis Stammer, Claus Strosahl, Henry Anthony, Detlef Vinke, Fred Lohrmann, Herman Ehlers, William Wiese, Harlan Phillips, Edward Mordhorst, Julius Hass.
Fred Lohrmann 4
William Wiese 6
Emil Ewoldt 1
William Wiese Received the most votes so is elected. Meeting is adjourned.
Louis Stammer
Emil C. Ewoldt
March 12, 1951 - Director's Meeting
Motion made by Hugo P.G. Jahn that Freddie Ehlers act as Chairman. Motion was
seconded by Frenz Lohrmann. Motion made by Freddie Ehlers that Delbert Vinke
act as secretary. Motion was seconded by Hugo P.G. Jahn. Freddie
Ehlers and Frenz Lohrmann were nominated as candidates for director for coming
year beginning Monday March 19, 1951.
Freddie Ehlers 3 votes
Frenz Lohrmann 1 vote
Freddie Ehlers was elected by 3/4 majority vote. Persons present at the meeting
were Frenz Lohrmann, Freddie Ehlers, Hugo P.G. John and Delbert Vinke. Meeting adjourned.
Delbert Vinke, Secretary
Freddie Ehlers, Chairman
During this span of years she has been an interested spectator of events and has seen the transition of farming methods, from crude implements to the modern up-to-date line of machinery. Her early memories are of farms with no fences, no roads just trails, which could not be traversed in winter, you just started out across country in the direction you wanted to go and went ahead until you reached your destination. Farmers in those days didn't go to town every day.
A greater portion of the land had to be cleared before you could cultivate it, much of the land had be plowed twice before it was ready for cultivation. All the plowing was done with horses so the work progressed slowly from sunrise to sunset.
Mrs. Segebart didn't need a radio or television to take up her time, her days were long and full for as a mother of 12 children there was always washing, ironing, sewing, cooking or baking to do. Often she wished the days were twice as long as they were.
During the day, she was too busy to think she was tired and at night she was so tired she went to sleep. Now in her reminiscing, she wonders, "how did she do all the work she accomplished in a day."
Along with other people in the earlier days she had very little to do with and found that life was sown with thorns and many disappointments. However, she realized there was no other remedy but to pass quick-through them and carry on. She met her troubles one at a time, believing one kind was enough and wasn't like people who had three kinds at once; all they have now, all they have had and all they expect to have.
Mrs. Augusta Segebart was born July 30, 1875, in Gretswoldt, Germany, the daughter of Tador Krauel and Reka (Krumstrom) Krauel.
Both her parents were born near Gretswoldt, Germany. Her father attended the grade schools in Germany, after which he remained at home, helping his father and working out as a laborer. After his marriage to Reka Krauel, they lived in Germany until they immigrated to America, when Mrs. Segebart was nine weeks old.
Her two older brothers accompanied them as did a number of other relatives. The voyage was long and rough, many became quite sea-sick, one of them passing away and was buried at sea.
Reka (Krumstrom) Krauel, her mother was also educated in the German schools and remained at home and worked out as a housemaid until she was married. When Mr. and Mrs. Krauel came to America they located at Gottenberg in Clinton County. Mr. Krauel was employed by a farmer, receiving 50 cents a day. Five years later they came to Crawford County and rented a farm from two of his uncles, this farm was in Denison Township. When they retired they went to Manilla to live and later they went to a Nursing home there that their daughter, Mrs. George Foderberg, operated. Both of them died there.
Mrs. Segebart attended very little school, the school house was situated two miles from her home so much of the winter she stayed at home because of the snow. She only finished the second reader, most of her writing and reading she accomplished by herself. When she was old enough she worked out as a hired girl.
On October 9, 1893, she was married to Ernest Segebart. They began farming on the Flint farm north of Manilla and stayed there seven years. After a brief stay on the E.C. Baker farm they moved to a house on the Allen Barber farm. For six years he worked as a farm laborer, receiving $1 a day. From here they moved to the John Miller farm, working for John Miller and Henry Lochmiller. In 1910, he, his brother, Henry Segebart, and John Buck started farming for themselves on the Jerry Murphy farm, staying there three years. In 1914 they moved to the Otto Kruse farm near Vail and remained there for 23 years. When they left the farm, they came to Manilla to live in 1936. He worked for the coal dealers in Manilla for several years. After Mr. Segebart died she continued to make her home in Manilla. On July 6, 1963, she suffered a broken hip and was admitted to the Crawford County hospital, before she was moved to the Saunders Nursing home.
Mrs. Segebart was the mother of 12 children, Mrs. John (Emma) Buck, Carroll; Mrs. Art (Freda) Natzel, Manilla; Mrs. Sears (Anna) Poleske, Westside; Ben, deceased, Matilda deceased; Mrs. William (Elsie) Ladehof, Vail; Ernest, Denison; Hilda, deceased; Mrs. Henry (Ella) Ladehoff, Manilla; Herman, Coronado, California; Mrs. John (Lena) Ladehoff, Denison and Marie, deceased. There are 42 grandchildren and 84 great-grandchildren.
Besides the raising and feeding of cattle and hogs, a number of cows were milked each year. Several years they received only two cents per pound for their hogs. Cattle were low, sometimes at four and five cents per pound.
A large flock of chickens were raised each year to supplement the family's income, she sold eggs for five cents a dozen. During the earlier years of farming, she churned all the cream, selling butter, often as low as six cents a pound. The later years, the cream was sold but she still churned enough butter for the family's needs.
One year, a rain storm accompanied by hail partially ruined their corn and grain crops, the abundant rain washed away a number of their spring pigs, at least they were never found.
Because it was a necessity, a large garden was planted each year to supply vegetables for the table, and many jars were filled with fruit, vegetables, pickles and preserves for use throughout the winter. Potatoes, together with many other root vegetables were stored in the cave, often corn and apples were dried to use in the winter.
"What a heap of sewing, I have done," commented Mrs. Segebart. "I made shirts, pants and suits for my sons, underwear, dresses and coats for my daughters, with that large a family, one of them was in need of something, all the time." Ready-made clothing was not on the market until her family was grown.
To make the best of everything and her determination has carried through all her life. Undaunted by the misfortune of having a fractured hip, she made up her mind she would walk again. "I had a broken hip on July 6, on August 9, I was able to take a few steps with a walker and have continued to so," related Mrs. Segebart.
Difficult times and things have crossed her path but she faced every task with the thought of conquering her difficulties and never let them conquer her, she kept her fears to herself while she shared her courage with others.
The inward satisfaction of doing her best has helped her to
perform her daily tasks. In spite of all of life's pros and cons, life has
given her many things, winter beauty, fragrant springs, childhood memories,
songs to sing and friends who care when clouds hang low. The frequent visits of
her children and grandchildren brighten many hours for her.
Fortunately, Ruth Burnside and the Denison Bulletin took the time to interview these 2 families.
The generations living now would have no clue about much of this story about their ancestors.
This is also an example of why I am constantly begging for old family and Manning pictures to scan.
Someday they will be thrown away and the only way to guarantee their existence
in the future is to get them preserved in my Manning Historical digital database.
