CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - Mrs. Agnes Schiefer has lived in the county ever since 1861 ==================================================================== NEGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the NEGenWeb Archives by Carol Tramp. Permission granted by: Rob Dump, Editor, Cedar County News ====================================================================== CEDAR COUNTY NEWS July 16, 1925 Mrs. Agnes Schiefer has lived in the county ever since 1861 Another milestone in the life of one of Cedar County’s most respected pioneers was passed last Sunday when Mrs. Agnes Schieffer, who has lived here for 64 years, celebrated her 88th birthday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Clem Meirose. Mrs. Schieffer was born at Brochtaditz, Austria in 1837. She came to America in 1852 making the trip on a sailing vessel. Four weeks were required to cross the ocean in this boat. Mrs. Schieffer landed at New York City, which was then a comparatively small place compared with its present magnificience. The family located first in Wisconsin and made their home there for nine years. Then in 1861 they came to Menominee in Cedar county being among the first families to settle there. Mrs. Schieffer says she was afraid to drive the team, the first pair of horses ever brought to Cedar county so she walked the entire distance here from Wisconsin, driving the herd of cattle they brought with them. Mrs. Meirose, her daughter, was then three years old; and made the trip in the wagon. There were no roads, and five weeks were required to make the trip. For the first year they lived in the cave which later became the basement of a crude home. The original farm which Mr. Schieffer homesteaded is still owned in the family, and has been for six years. It was never owned by anyone outside the family from the time the government issued the patent for it. The farm is now oocupied by Mrs. Schieffer’s son Phillip and family, was Mrs. Schieffers home for 59 years. Among the pioneer expeiernces which Mrs. Shieffer can relate are many of much interest to the whole county as well. The Shieffer family helped build the first church at Menominee, and years later helped build the second one of chalk rock. This building was later partially destroyed by fire. Casper Schieffer, the head of the family died in 1907, and is buried at Menominee. The children living are Jacob of Constance, Peter of Carroll, Iowa, Phillip, who is on the home place at Menominee, Mrs. Clem Meirose of Hartington, Mrs. Barney Jueden who lives west of Hartington, and Mrs. John Mauch of Menominee. One son John is dead. Despite of her advanced age, Mrs. Shieffer is remarkably active, both mentally and physically. She attributes her good health to the hard work which she performed as a young woman in the pioneer days, when she performed a mans work much of the year on the farm and the woman’s work in the home, which lacked many of the modern conveniences.