Johann Jakob emigrated to Iowa at the age of six with his parents, brothers and sisters in 1853. He grew up near Lansing Ridge in Allamakee County, Iowa.
Jake and a man named Bock had a wagon and carriage building and repair business in New Albin, Iowa; "General Repairing and Blacksmithing done to order, and all work warranted."
In March 1877 he sold his share of the business to Sam Stevenson and moved with his wife and four children to a farm south of Scribner, Nebraska. According to "The New Albin Spectator" his team and household goods were shipped to Sioux City, Iowa. "Nebraska will gain a steady and reliable citizen when Jake settles there."
Jake raised livestock and made trips to the Chicago livestock shows. The Engelhorn family were members of the Scribner Congregational Church. Henry, the youngest of the family, remembered Rev. Harrison riding his bicycle out to visit the family.
When Regula died in 1897, Jakob sold the farm and placed his two young sons, Ed and Henry, with their married sisters and traveled around the country. When Ed and Henry were old enough they joined their father. Jake and Ed homesteaded in Alberta, Canada near Edmonton.
Jake spent the last years of his life with his daughter Anna and her family in California.
Jake married Regula DURST, daughter of Jost DURST and Rosina, after Jun 1870 in Lansing, Iowa. Regula was born 28 Jan 1845 in Geneva, Switzerland. She died 5 May 1897 in Scribner, Nebraska and was buried in Scribner.
The original spelling of her name was Duerst. "She was a kind and affectionate wife, a fond mother and a friend to all."
Johann Jakob Engelhorn, and youngest children
Emma (standing), Henry Walter, Edward Magdalena
They had the following children:
Died of diphtheria, age 21 years 10 mo. His death was a traumatic event for all his younger brothers and sisters. His youngest brother, Henry, had vivid memories of sleeping in the same room while his big brother was ill and dying. One of the few incidents of her childhood that Lena told to her children was the story of how Jacob's little dog walked under the wagon carrying the coffin all the way to the cemetery.
Lydia died at age 16 yrs, 6 months, of diphtheria. A newspaper item in the Fremont Weekly-Herald of 2 Dec 1892 reported that two children of Jacob Engelhorn, aged 17 and 22, had died the previous week of typhoid. Cemetery records indicate Lydia died in October 1892 and Jacob Jr died in December.
Edward never married. He spelled his name EngLEhorn simply because that's the way people insisted on spelling it and he got tired of arguing. One of the few letters sent to Henry from his brother Ed:
Pacific Grove, Cal Dec 11 - '48
"Dear Brother
"Got your letter but was about a month in getting it as I shift around quite a bit. This Monterey Peninsula is not a very big place as there are 5 or 6 suburbs in the small place. I'm working in Carmel at the present time and it is only 5 miles to go. This is a fishing bay and a navel line base also Fort Ord a big army base about 20000 soldiers here now and still coming. Its a nice climate here as one can work the year around without a coat. It rains some but mostly at night. I work at carpenter work. have been ever sense I've been here. Wages are good now and lots of work. I have been working for the same contractor here for two years am getting $11 seventeen a day but only five days a week. Am getting kinda stiff to himple around but can still cut the buck. I picked up the trade pretty good as do all kind of finish work. Put in a oak starway last week something hard to do. Well wishing you all a Happy Holidays.
"From Bro Ed"
Edward was in Arizona at one time according to the SS death index because that is where his number was issued. Edward lived in San Diego County, California for one year prior to his death. He was listed in the Omaha City directory in 1907, living at the Elsasser Hotel, employed as a helper by the Union Pacific Railroad. He took a homestead in Alberta, Canada, near Edmonton, in 1917, not far from his father’s.
Bertha married Louis F. BECHTOLD, son of S. A. BECHTOLD and Margaret DAHL, on 25 Oct 1892 in Scribner, Nebraska. Louis was born 25 Dec 1868 in Freeport, Illinois. He died 22 Mar 1948 in Amarillo, Texas.
Louis "Lou" was a farmer in Dodge County, Nebraska, and later in 1910 in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma. In 1920 they were in Canadian, Texas, where Louis was employed as a car carpenter at the railroad roundhouse. In his obituary he was described as retired from the railroad having been a long-time employee of the Rock Island Railroad. He moved to Amarillo, Texas in about 1928.
They had four children:
Roy told spellbinding stories of his varied adventures as a railroad engineer and locomotive fireman.
Roy married (1) Nancy Unknown. Nancy was born 9 Dec 1898.
Roy also married (2) Ruth PEACOCK on 15 Nov 1965. Ruth was born 12 May 1909.
Anna married (1) Charles W. SIEVERS, son of Henry SIEVERS and Ida KLEEMANN, on 11 Oct 1893 in Scribner, Nebraska. The marriage ended in divorce. Charles was born about 1860 in Nebraska.
After their marriage they moved to South Dakota where they farmed
They had five children:
Carl married Helen Jeanne GLEW on 14 Nov 1929.
He was an invalid from the time he was 11 years old and was confined to a wheelchair. The family blamed his problem on wading in cold water on a hot day.
Her little brother Henry lived with Emma and John from the time their father sold the home farm until he reached his mid-teens. Emma and John lived on a farm in the Irvington area of Omaha where John kept a truck garden and sold produce door-to-door in Omaha.
Emma worked very hard all her life and became very set in her ways, bigoted and had little pleasure from life. She was also unhappy about her son Jake's life. Gertrude, Henry's wife, said she remembered visiting the farm but does not remember them ever coming to Beemer. As the farm became surrounded by Omaha they sold it and moved to an apartment in Omaha.
Emma married Jonathon HEYWOOD, son of Thomas HEYWOOD and Katherine REIS, on 7 Mar 1900 in Scribner, Nebraska. Jonathon was born Sep 1876 in Nebraska. He died Apr 1969.
They had one child:
"Lena," as she was known, went to Omaha as a young girl to work as a "hired girl". Lena and her little brother Henry visited each other about once a year, keeping in closer touch than any of the other brothers and sisters.
Lena married Joe GLYNN in 1905 in Omaha, Nebraska. Joe was born 9 Apr 1883 in Omaha, Nebraska. He died 3 May 1936 in Omaha and was buried 5 May 1936 in Omaha.
Joe was a traveling salesman for Pike-Hansen, a clothing company in Chicago. He sold men's trousers and suits, traveling throughout a good portion of the country for about 10-12 years.
His obituary read, in part, "Joe Glynn, famed as a drink mixer, dies. The death ... marked the passing of another of Omaha's better known pre-prohibition mixed drink specialists. Before prohibition, Glynn had presided at some of the better bars in Denver, Minneapolis, Kansas City, as well as Omaha." Joe also did a little boxing in his younger years.
They had four children:
Henry grew to young manhood at the family home near Scribner, Nebraska. After his mother died when he was nine years old Henry lived with his married sisters in Oklahoma and at Scribner before joining his father and his brother who had homesteaded in Alberta, Canada, near Edmonton.
He returned to Scribner and worked at a farm implement firm until 1912 when he moved to Beemer, Nebraska and took up farming and later worked as a carpenter. He served in the U.S. Army during WWI. Upon his return from the war he married Gertrude Luella Theresa Munderloh in Beemer in 1919 and they resumed farming.
In 1926 the Engelhorns moved into the town of Beemer and Henry became associated with the E.L. Wendt Ford Garage. After Mr. Wendt died, Henry purchased the garage, a large concrete block structure where the First National Bank building now stands. In 1942 ill health forced Henry to sell the garage and he then went into carpentry, working on government projects at Scribner, Wahoo and Kearney. After the war Henry worked in Beemer and vicinity where he built six new homes including his own on 3rd Street in Beemer.
The Engelhorns were devout members of the First Congregational Church, having joined in 1934. They both held numerous offices in various capacities in their church.
Both Henry and Gertrude were instrumental in organizing the American Legion Post 159 in Beemer. He was its first commander. Henry was a member of the Beemer Volunteer Fire Department, a member of the Beemer School Board for 23 years, ten years as treasurer, the cemetery board and the Masonic Lodge of Beemer. He was a 50-year member of the American Legion and was made an admiral in the Nebraska Navy in October of 1931. Henry was a dedicated worker in civic organizations promoting the welfare of the Village of Beemer.
Henry married Gertrude Luella Theresa MUNDERLOH, daughter of George MUNDERLOH and Maria SASS, on 26 Mar 1919 in Beemer, Nebraska. Gertrude was born 2 Apr 1897 in Beemer, Nebraska. She died 14 Jan 1991 in Beemer and was buried 16 Jan 1991 in Beemer.
Gertrude attended District 7 school at Beemer and graduated from Beemer High School in 1915. She had been a member of the Congregational Church since 1934 where she was an active worker in the Sunday school and ladies aid. Gertrude was a member of Wisner Order of Eastern Star and celebrated 50 years of membership in 1977. She was a co-organizer of Beemer American Legion Auxiliary Post 159 and was the last charter member.
They had two children:
Fritz married Della unknown.
They had two children:
Genevieve married Robert O'BRIEN in Feb 1929 in Omaha, Nebraska. Robert was born 2 Jun 1904 in Omaha. He died 8 Jun 1969 in Omaha.
Robert was a mailman in Omaha.
They had eight children:
Beverly married Maurice MCCANN about 1955.
Robert married Patricia LEE on 26 Dec 1959. Patricia was born about 1938 - 1939.
Louise married Kenneth MILLER about 1956. Kenneth was born about 1932.
William married Janet GATES about 1962. Janet was born about 1936.
Mary married Daniel SIMS about 1958. Daniel was born about 1932.
Colleen married Henry MURRAY about 1961. Henry was born about 1938.
Catherine married Joseph CASEY about 1959. Joseph was born about 1938.
Margaret married William CURRIE in Jan 1939 in Papillion, Nebraska. William was born 14 Apr 1916 in Omaha, Nebraska. He died 18 Nov 1962 in Omaha and was buried 21 Nov 1962 in Omaha.
Known as Bud, William worked for the City of Omaha and later for the county surveyor. He was one of Omaha's best bowlers and was posthumously entered into the Bowling Hall of Fame.
They had three children:
William married (1) Connie CAWLWELL about 1960. Connie was born 1940. She died 6 Sep 1962.
William also married (2) Judy HAVEN about 1963.
She was the first child born in Omaha to have all her blood drained and replaced because of incompatible Rh blood factor.
Mary married John KNOTT.
Marian married Jerome ROSENBERG "Jerry" on 2 Sep 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. Jerry was born 14 Jun 1911 in Omaha, Nebraska. He died 15 Jan 1976 in Omaha.
Jerry worked for the Republican County Surveyor's office and also for the Burlington Northern Railroad. In his later years he owned and operated the Pacific Bar at 76th and Pacific Streets, Omaha. The building was demolished in a tornado in 1976. In his younger years Jerry played semi-professional golf.
They had six children:
Richard married Jeanette GRANGER.
Mary married Kenneth KRICHBAUM.
Gary married Deborah DIETZ.
Known to all by his nickname, "Bliss", Morlyn was born on the farm five miles north of Beemer, Nebraska. Bliss attended Midland College, the University of Nebraska and Norwich University, Vermont. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II in France and southern Germany and was discharged in May 1946.
While in high school from 1936 to 1940 he worked in grocery stores. After the war he worked at a farm implement company in Wisner, Nebraska, and later worked in the auto parts department for Contors Motor Company in Neligh, Nebraska. Bliss also worked as a salesman for the Wickes Company, manufacturer of motor homes. He returned to the grocery business as produce manager at Al's Thriftway and retired in 1987. Bliss and Jeanette were members of the First Congregational Church. He was a member of American Legion Post 172 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5287 in Neligh.
Bliss married Jeanette BAEHR, daughter of Paul Jacob BAEHR and Erma Leah SHIPPS, on 16 Jun 1949 in Wisner, Nebraska. Jeanette was born 3 Oct 1929 in Wisner, Nebraska.
Jeanette was dental assistant for 16 ½ years in Neleigh.
They had three children:
Sue Ellen attended Neligh High School where she was active in Girl Scouts and 4H. She played trumpet in the school band, was a member of Honor Society and editor of the year book. She graduated in 1969 and then attended Norfolk Northeastern College and Wayne State College, graduating in 1986. She is a first grade teacher in North Platte, Nebraska.
Her husband, Randy, is an appraiser for the Consolidated Farm Bureau in North Platte. They are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Sue married Richard Randel DARLING "Randy" on 18 Mar 1972 in Neligh, Nebraska.
Jana Lee was active in Girl Scouts, attended Neligh High School, played clarinet in the school band and also played piano and was on the volleyball team. She graduated in 1972, worked for one year and then entered Kearney State College. Since college Jana Lee has worked for Commercial Federal Bank and at the time of writing (1997) was manager of the book store at West Side High School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Rodney "Rod" W. Howe is an English and journalism teacher at West Side High School. He received his Masters degree in 1994. They are members of the Lutheran Church where Jana is in the bell choir.
Jana married Rodney W. HOWE on 28 Oct 1976 in Kearney, Nebraska. Rodney was born 19 Dec 1954 in Sioux City, Iowa.
Craig attended Missouri Institute of Technology and earned his masters degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He was an electronics engineer with AT&T in Leland, Illinois, until the spring of 1996 when he elected to take an early retirement. He moved his family to Lyons, Colorado in 1996 where Sandi worked for AT&T and Craig started his own cabinet and furniture making business with financial help from his former employer. For a time he was brew master at Oscar Blues craft brewery in Lyons, Colorado. Recently he has started a distillery in Lyons, Spirit Hound Distillery
Craig married Sandi La Vonne SCHRUNK, daughter of Roland LaVern SCHRUNK and Shirley Jeanne ROBERTS, on 25 Jun 1983 in Neligh, Nebraska. Sandi was born 18 Mar 1962 in Neligh, Nebraska.
Virginia was born "at home" in Beemer, Nebraska. Virginia's nickname, given to her by her brother, is "Woody".
She attended Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska and taught 3rd grade in Fremont before her marriage. After their children had grown she was invited to help as a volunteer teachers' aid in the local rural school, Zion St. John. This volunteer work turned into 14 years as a dedicated aid to education. Since Eldon's death, Virginia has been in the custom cattle and hog feeding business with her son David: Hatterman Farms, northwest of Dodge, Nebraska.
Virginia married Eldon John HATTERMAN, son of Friedrich HATTERMAN and Elsie SCHUTTE, on 28 Jul 1957 in Beemer, Nebraska. Eldon was born 4 Apr 1931 in Norfolk, Nebraska. He died 19 Oct 1991 in Omaha, Nebraska and was buried 22 Oct 1991 in Wisner, Nebraska.
Eldon attended rural district 64 schools in rural Wisner. He graduated from Wisner High School in 1949. He was drafted into the army in 1952 and served as an MP in Tokyo.
Eldon never had the least desire to do anything but farm and feed livestock. He was an avid reader and enjoyed photography as a hobby. He was a past member of the Zion School Board and a former secretary of Zion St. John Church, and a member of its men's club. He was also a member of the American Legion Post at Beemer.
They had two children:
Cathy married William Barton REED II on 28 May 1983 in Wisner, Nebraska. William was born 24 May 1948 in Omaha, Nebraska.
David married Sara Ann WILCOX on 15 Jul 1995 in Wisner, Nebraska. Sara was born 5 Dec 1973 in Fremont, Nebraska.