CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - First Settler in Bow Valley is 78 ==================================================================== 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 12-6-1929 First Settler in Bow Valley is 78 Mrs. Theresa Burbach observes birthday at Home on Tuesday. Quietly, as was her wish, Mrs. Theresa Burbach, pioneer settler of Cedar County, celebrated her 78th birthday anniversary “at home” Tuesday with only members of her daughter, Mrs. John Stevens family, with whom she makes her home, present when the candle-decked cake was cut. Best wishes for many more birthdays as happy came from eight other children, 55 grandchildren, and 23 great grandchildren. Born December 3, 1851, in a small Westphalian village, Mrs. Burbach who was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Arens, Sr., came with her parents to the United States in 1869, settling in Bow Valley on the farm now occupied by Tony Arens. She recalls that, a young girl of 16 who left many friends behind in Germany she did not like the new country at first. “I would lie in the weeds on the creek and cry all I could,’ she confesses, smilingly. Later, however she found work, sewing for the women and helping them out. “They had no time to sew for the babies that kept coming,” she explains. “And I, who had learned sewing in the old country, could help them out. That way, there was no money in it, but sometimes I got a piece of cloth for a new dress. In the spring of 1871 the young Theresa Arens became the bride of L.H. Burbach. The ceremony taking place in the old St. Helena Chapel. Warner Marx and the girl who afterwards became Mrs. Mary Arens were attendants. Because the house was cramped for room, there could be just a small weddng breakfast, after which the newly married couple went to live on the home place where their son, Matt Burbach, now lives. That was the family home for nearly 50 years, or until December 9th, 1920, when Mr. Burbach died and his wife came to make her home with Mr. and Mrs. John Stevens. Other children of Mrs. Burbach are Mrs. Anton Pick, Mrs. Joseph Kathol, Matt Burbach, Jake Burbach, and Joe Burbach of Hartington; Louis Burbach of Wynot and William Burbach of Los Angeles, Calif.