CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - F. Reifenrath takes Cedar Co. Record. ==================================================================== 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 1-2-1930 F. Reifenrath takes Cedar Co. Record. Has lived on farm near Wynot nearly 53 years; old homestead. Nosing a year, a month and three days ahead of his neighbor Joe Wuebben, Fred P. Reifenrath living eight miles east of Wynot now holds the record for longest time residence of any Cedar County farm. Mr. Reifenrath has been the same place since his birth January 17, 1877. Mr. Wuebben whose record is also a lifetime one; falls short since his birthday was not until the following year, on February 20th. The old Reifenrath farm, located on East Bow Creek, was homesteaded by Gerlock Reifenrath and his wife the former Miss Mary Schmidt, in the early ‘70’s shortly after their coming to the United States from Germany. Fred, who later inherited the farm, recalls that there were many hardships to be borne by his parents, among them the flood which covered the whole farm. “I remember only that we children were taken in a boat over open water and left wrapped in quilts on the ice.” He says. It was the labor that came after in bringing the farm back to its best state, that has impressed him. And Gerlock Reifenrath was ambitious, hard-working, through. The original seen-room log cottage which he was built with the aid of his neighbors is the same house, except for outside siding and inside lathing and plastering, which houses three of his children after more than 50 years. The original homestead had grown to 160 acres before his death in 1896. Since Fred inherited the “homeplace” changes have come because of the river. Eight or nine years ago it went on a rampage and cut in badly, coming up to within only 30 rods of the house, and discouraging the erection of the more modern buildings. Floods in the spring and fall have made the land hard to work but the three remaining of their father’s homestead keep on, working much as he did during those pioneer days. With Fred and his brother August, and his sister, Miss Clara who keeps house for them. Another brother, John farms near St. James, while Frank is located at Fredericksburg, Texas, Miss Elizabeth Reifenrath is living in Omaha and Mrs. Joe Imoehl is in St. James.