Family history and ancestors
January 21, 2023
JERRY'S FAMILY
Jerry's parents -- Martin Alvin Gilbert Ludwig (1923-2006) and Elveria Leona Frieda Abendroth (1922-2000) both buried in the Beemer cemetery
Martin dropped out of school in the 8th grade to help on the family farm. Elveria quit high school to help support the family. She worked at a grocery store in West Point. She returned to high school and graduated from West Point Public School at age 20.
Martin and Elveria met at a dance in Dodge, NE. After marriage Martin and Elveria lived on the Ludwig family farm north of Beemer, NE. The was no bathroom in the house, they had an outdoor toilet. Elveria loved to cook and always made plenty of food.
Martin and Elveria had four children - Gerald born 1947, Marlene born 1952, David born 161, Lori born 1963.
After the sale of their farm, Martin and Elveria moved to Wisner, NE where Martin worked for Otto Schultz hog farm. Elveria did in-home babysitting, worked at the Dairy Keen in Wisner and worked in the Wisner Manor nursing home as a housekeeper.
Elveria’s favorite song was “You Are My Sunshine” because that was the song Martin sang to her.
In later years Martin and Elveria moved to senior housing in Beemer. Elveria died of a stroke. Martin died later at the Colonial Haven Nursing Home in Beemer.
Jerry's paternal grandparents -- Theodore John Henry Ludwig (1883-1956) and Catharine Lulu Louise Borgelt (1884-1956)After the sale of their farm, Martin and Elveria moved to Wisner, NE where Martin worked for Otto Schultz hog farm. Elveria did in-home babysitting, worked at the Dairy Keen in Wisner and worked in the Wisner Manor nursing home as a housekeeper.
Elveria’s favorite song was “You Are My Sunshine” because that was the song Martin sang to her.
In later years Martin and Elveria moved to senior housing in Beemer. Elveria died of a stroke. Martin died later at the Colonial Haven Nursing Home in Beemer.
Theodore and Catharine (Lulu) were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church, a rural church south of Beemer, NE. Theodore was confirmed at St John’s Lutheran Church in Beemer. Lulu was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church near Wisner, NE.
Theodore and Lulu were married at Zion Lutheran Church near Wisner. They lived near Beemer, Ne and later moved to West Point, NE.
Both died after car wreck. It was thought that Theodore had a heart attack. Lulu had severe injuries and died a few days after her husband. They are buried at Mt Hope Cemetery in West Point.
Jerry's maternal grandparents -- Ernest Friedrich August Abendroth (1895-1964) and Selma Ida Bertha Krueger (1900-1974)
Ernest and Selma went to one room country schools. Selma went to District 22. She took lunch in a syrup bucket; her lunch was homemade bread and butter. Ernest and Selma met at a barn dance. For a wedding present Selma’s father gave them a team of white horses named Birdie and Nellie. Ernest and Selma lived on a farm north of West Point. Ernest had a hired hand to help with the farming. Field work was done with horses. Selma had a hired girl to help with housework. Children were born at home with a midwife. Selma had an appendix operation that was done on the kitchen table.
The traditional 5-year anniversary gift is wood. For their 5th anniversary, Ernest’s sister made a cake he could not cut. The cake was made out of wood. There was no indoor plumbing in the house. Water was pumped from a well outside and carried in the house. Toilets were an outhouse. Milking cows was done by hand. If you wanted a quick drink of milk, the milk was put directly in a cup and you drank it straight from the cow.
Ernest and Selma retired in West Point. Ernest died of leukemia. Selma was a diabetic and lost her leg due to complications from diabetes. Selma died in the West Point Hospital.
Ancestors - Jerry
Theodore John Henry Ludwig
Father: Henry William Ludwig
b: 8 Oct 1852 Allentown, Pennsylvania
d: 16 Jun 1923 West Point, Nebraska
Mother: Mary C Amelia Fenstermaker
b: 27 Oct 1853 Pennsylvania
d: 20 Dec 1930 West Point, Nebraska
Catherine Lulu Louise Borgelt
Father: Fredrich Heinrich Johann Borgelt
b: 24 Feb 1844 Hanover, Germany
d: 5 Dec 1925 Wisner, Nebraska
Mother: Anna Frederike Kortmeier
b: 30 May 1850 Prussia
d: 30 Apr 1885 Wisner, Nebraska (may have died after the birth of her daughter)
Ernest Friedrich August Abendroth
Father: Friederich Wilhelm Abendroth
b: 10 Sep 1865 West Prussia
d: 18 Dec 1944 West Point Nebraska
Mother: Augusta Albertine Emilie Gust
b: 2 Nov 1873 Germany
d: 27 Feb 1964 Pender Nebraska
Selma Ida Bertha Krueger
Father: William Ernst Friedrich Wilhelm Krueger
b: 26 Jun 1864 Brandenburg, Germany
d: 27 Jan 1943 Bancroft, Nebraska
Mother: Anna Augusta Friedericke Leiffert
b: 10 Apr 1871 Wisconsin
d: 9 Jun 1956 West Point, Nebraska
MARDELLE'S FAMILY
Merlin was raised on a farm south of Wisner, NE. He attended a rural county grade school and Wisner Public High School. Merlin dropped out of high school his senior year to help on the farm.
Marcella (Marcy) was born on the Borgelt farm in rural Wisner, NE. Marcella was baptized at St Matthew Lutheran Church south of Wisner/Pilger, NE. Marcella donated her baptism certificate to the church when it became a museum and was moved to the West Point, NE fair grounds. It is on display at the museum. Marcella attended rural District 56 for grades 1-6. Wisner Public School for grade 7 and a parochial school for grade 8. She attended High School in Stanton, NE. The United States became involved in World War II before her graduation. After High School Marcella moved to Norfolk, NE and worked at Hesteds Dime Store at the lunch counter.
Merlin and Marcella met at a dance at Kings Ballroom in Norfolk, NE. Merlin was 17 years old; Marcella was 18 years old. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Mineral Wells, TX while Merlin was serving in the Army Air Corps. Merlin served in the Army from December 1944 – December 1946.
After Merlin was discharged from the Army, Merlin and Marcella moved to Wisner, NE. Merlin worked for Marcella’s uncle in Marx Well Drilling. After a few years they moved to Beemer, NE where Merlin started, owned and operated a well repair business. Merlin was an avid fisherman. He was a volunteer fireman for the Beemer Fire Department for over 15 years. Marcella was a stay-at-home mom and did secretarial work for Merlin’s business. In later years Marcella worked as a waitress in a café and a cook in a nursing home.
Merlin and Marcella had five children - Marjorie born 1947, Mardelle born 1948, Merlin Loy born 1950, Marie born 1952, Monica born 1965.
Merlin developed an alcohol drinking problem. Merlin and Marcella divorced in 1976. Merlin died of a stroke at age 62. Marcella died of a heart attack at age 79.
Mardelle's paternal grandparents -- Hugo Frank Krueger (1901-1978) and Leona Amelia Kind 1897-1969)
Hugo was born on the same farm place as his father in rural Wisner, Cuming County, NE. Hugo and Leona farmed south of Wisner, NE on the farm place where Hugo was born. Their family farm had dairy cows, hogs, chickens, ducks, row crops, pasture, and a big garden with vegetables and flowers. Milking and gathering eggs was done by hand. Hugo made and repaired many things in his shop. He welded and he made useful things out of discards. Leona helped with farming chores. They butchered their own meat, made their own sausage, sold eggs for extra money. Hugo had a smoke house shed and smoked meat. There was a candy drawer that the grandkids dug into.
Hugo’s father Frank gave each of his children 120 acres of farm land. Later Hugo purchased another 80 acres from his father. That purchase was not documented and when Frank died that land became part of Frank’s will. Hugo went to court with his dispute but lost the court case.
Leona died of colon cancer and Hugo died years later in the Wisner Nursing Home.
Mardelle's maternal grandparents -- William (Willie) John Broekemeier (1905-1968) and Anona Ida Borgelt (1906-1990) both buried in the Beemer cemetery
William (Willie) and Anona were married in Shenandoah, IA when Willie was 20 years old and Anona was 19. They went to Iowa to get married because the waiting time for a marriage license was shorter than Nebraska. The marriage was rushed because Anona was pregnant. Anona’s mother wanted her to marry a Lutheran.
Willie and Anona lived on a farm south of Pilger, NE. Water for washing clothes and bathing was heated on a cook stove using corn cobs and wood. One time the cob box in the kitchen caught on fire. Food was kept cold in the cellar. Electricity came later.
Sometimes they talked German in the home so the children would not know what they were saying. Some church services were in German. Family affairs included going to mission-fest, an all-day event at the church. Playing cards with family and friends was a common pass time. There was no television. Traveling salesmen with horses and covered buggy sold clothes, dishes and other things.
In 1937 they moved to Stanton, NE where Willie had jobs as farm laborer, painter, and caretaker of the fair grounds. Willie and Anona had a troublesome marriage with fighting and financial problems.
In 1951 Anona had a “nervous breakdown” and was committed to the Regional Mental Health Hospital in Norfolk, NE where she lived for many years. Willie moved to Beemer, NE where Anona joined him when released from Norfolk. Willie worked in the alfalfa dehydration mill.
Willie had a stroke and moved to a nursing home and died years later. Anona was in a nursing home many years before she died. Willie had three brothers who were deaf.
Ancestors - Mardelle
Hugo Frank Krueger
Father: Frank August Krueger
b: 21 Jul 1871 Wisner, Nebraska
d: 28 Jan 1957 Wisner, Nebraska
Mother: Emile Ottile Henrietta Glaubius
b: 9 Jan 1874 Wisner, Nebraska
d: 13 Jul 1933 Wisner, Nebraska
Leona Amelia Kind
Father: Wilhelm Kind
b: 11 Apr 1854 Germany
d: 8 Aug 1948 Cuming County, Nebraska
Mother: Wilhelmina Sophia Christine Beerbohm
b: 25 Feb 1863 Germany
d: 1 Dec 1948 West Point, Nebraska
William (Willie) John Broekemeier
Father: Franz (Frank) Broekemeier
b: 22 Mar 1859 Germany
d: 26 Jan 1924 Stanton, Nebraska
Mother: Catherine Marie (Mary) Ilsabein Heermann
b: 10 Sep 1867 Bieren, Germany
d: 7 Aug 1931 Pilger, Nebraska
Anona Ida Borgelt
Father: John Fred Borgelt
b: 31 Mar 1877 Missouri
d: 27 Sep 1929 Wisner, Nebraska
Mother: Theresa Johanna Piper (Pieper)
b: 3 Feb 1878 Cuming County Nebraska
d: May 1977 West Point, Nebraska