NEGenWeb Project
Boone County, Nebraska
Ludwig Justus Submitted by
Randy R. Stevens
Ludwig Justus was born in Germany October 5, 1846 to Dr. Christian Justus and Teresa (Grull) Justus. At the age of 19 in the year 1865 he came to America and settled in Lanark, Illinois.
In 1867 he joined in marriage with Mary Ellen Sellers who was born in 1847 in Pennsylvania. They made their home in Illinois for fifteen years, where Ludwig worked as a farm laborer and here six of their children were born. Those children were: Amelia born July 18, 1867; Clara born May 24, 1870; Charles born April 29, 1872; Laura born June 17, 1873; John born April 17, 1877 and Henry born May 17, 1879. Records indicate another son (Richard born 1868) may have been born while the family was in Illinois.
In 1882 they left Illinois for Nebraska by immigrant train arriving in Nebraska and settling in the St. Edward Community in the winter of 1882. They lived east of town until 1884 when they purchased a section of land from the U.P.R.R. Company in the Woodville township east of St. Edward. Here the remainder of their children were born and they were: Kate born January 21, 1883; Cora born October 25, 1885; Anna born July 11, 1890; Lewis born December 3, 1892 and Louis born December 1894.
Here they engaged in farming and raising cattle. It was in this community they stayed raising their family of eleven children. Most of their children remained in the community after marriage and many of their grandchildren and great grandchildren, are still living in the St. Edward Community area.
Mary Ellen Justus died September 25, 1918 at the age of 71 years, after her death Ludwig, due to ill health moved into town, and remained until his death on November 29, 1919.
The children of Ludwig and Mary Ellen that remained in the Boone County area were Amelia (Justus) Fritzges, Clara (Justus) Stevens, Charles Justus, Laura (Justus) Lindaur, John Justus, Henry Justus, Kate (Justus) Bennett, Cora (Justus) Potter, Anna (Justus) Newton, and Lewis Justus.