CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - COMBINED AGE of 8 WOMEN IN WYNOT... ==================================================================== 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 Kristi Bergman Lam. Permission granted by: Rob Dump, Editor, Cedar County News ====================================================================== Combined Age of Eight Women in Wynot Community Totals 668 YEars WYNOT - Three score years and ten and then over ten more additional years have been given to eight women of this community. Their combined ages total 668 years. The eight women are Mrs. Annie Lemon and Mrs. Theresa Harder, both 87, Mrs. Frank Arens, 85, Miss Emma Strenzke, 84, Mrs. Nora Knight and Mrs. Theresa Schurman, both 82, Mrs. Ida Gowery, 81, and Mrs. Elizabeth Kohls, 80. Mrs. Annie Lemon is the oldest one of the group by several months. She was born April 28, 1855. She lived in Wisconsin and in Dakota before coming to Nebraska and to Cedar county. She was one of the early settlers of the St. James community, where she still resides. Mrs. Theresa Harder was born in Germany October 12, 1855 and came to Cedar county in May 1871. She was married the following year to Fred Harder and they farmed a few miles northwest of here for over 30 years. Old Fort Jackson, a fortification used in the early days to protect settlers against Indian attacks, was located near their home. Next May Mrs. Harder will have been a resident of the county for 72 years. She has lived in Wynot about 30 years. Mrs. Frank Arens was also born in Germany on May 21, 1857 and came to Cedar county in May 1871 being a resident of the county for the same length of time as has Mrs. Harder. She and her huusband farmed at Bow Valley until they retired in 1909 and built a home in Wynot, where Mrs. Arens continued to reside until a few months ago when, owing to failing health, she went to stay with her daughter, Mrs. Will Heimes, several miles southwest of here. Miss Emma Strenzke was born in Prairie du Chien, Wis., June 16, 1858. She came to St. James in Cedar county in 1876 and has been a resident here 66 years and has lived in the same home 65 years, which should be some kind of record for continuous residence in one home. Miss Strenzke has a remarkable memory in relating stories of people and incidents of early days. Mrs. Nora Knight was born in Wisconsin in June 1860. During her earlier life she was interested in various business enterprises and for many years operated a dressmaking and millinery store at Elk Point, S.D. She has also lived in Missouri and Kansas and about 14 years ago she came here to make her home with her brother and sisters at the Merritt Smith home. She likes to read and has also spent much time this winter knitting for the Red Cross. Mrs. Theresa Schurman was born in Germany, October 10, 1860. She came to the United States and to Cedar county when about 16 years of age. She made her home at St. Helena until her marriage in 1882 and since that time, the past 60 years, she has made her home on the same farm a few miles northwest of here, where she still resides with her sons. She has been a resident of the county over 65 years. Mrs. Ida Gowery was born at Rockford, Ill., January 23, 1862. After coming to Cedar county she lived on a farm east of St. James until about 1936 when she moved to Wynot. She has been visiting relatives part of the winter. Her hobby is piecing quilts. She has made many double wedding ring quilts. Mrs. Elizabeth Kohls is the youngest member of the group. She was born in Germany in September about 80 years ago. When she was about 12 years of age she with her parents and several other children left Germany and started for the land of America. Sadness overtook the family, when only three days out, the father took ill and died and was buried at sea. After arriving in the United STates the family lived in Iowa for a few years. After her marriage Mrs. Kohls came to Cedar county and lived on a farm for many years at Bow Valley and then moved to Wynot. She has been a resident of the county for over 60 years. These eight ladies in the 80's are all widows with the exception of Miss Strenzke, who never married. All of them have experienced the hardships and joys and sorrows of the pioneer. JUNE 25, 1944 CEDAR COUNTY NEWS