-Lincoln-

Memories of bygone days of Charles Lederer Sr.

I was born May 1st, 1850 at Geradstetten, Wurtemberg, Germany. Emigrated with my parents, Gottlieb Lederer, born December 12th 1809, and Catherina Bader Lederer, Born August 22, 1813, and two sisters Christina, Born January 19, 1845, and Louisa, (Lizzie) born Aug. 15 1847. One sister, Catherina Fredricka, born July 8th 1837 and one brother John Fredrich, born July 10th 1839, emigrated one year previous on August 22 1854. Our parents left Geradstetten Feb. 27th 1855 by wagon to Kehl, then by rail to Paris, France, where we had to wait two weeks for our ship's return. We embarked at Havera, France. The name of our chip was Confederation, a French vessel.

Our voyage was a very stormy one. All the passengers had to do all their own cooking and brought their own provisions. I distinctly remember a kind of cracker, called Zweeback, which was well adapted to stand the moist air. There wasn't much cooking done, or eating, as most of us felt "upsidedown"!!!

I also remember our captain, as a redheaded Frenchman. He was very handy with his rope-switch which he used in the morning to drive the stubborn ones out of their bunks and to the upper decks to get them in the fresh air. I used to be terribly afraid of him when I saw him coming. I would tell mother, "There comes the devil, let's get away!!". Most always the ship was rocking over the waves, and most of us had to hang onto something to avoid falling. At last when land come in sight, everybody felt like shouting. When we had landed in New York, there were so many hotel runners, each trying to get some of the passengers to a hotel. One picked me up and ran off with me, but father ran after him. Father made him give me up and brought me back to mother. That was my first experience of getting kidnapped in New York!!!

My parents settled at Philadelphia, Pa, for about 2 years. Well do I remember them two years, as I and another boy of about my own age used to run and raise a terrible dust and laughing. At that time there wasn't much danger in getting run over either, not by AUTO'S. What interested me most that time was the Pennsylvania railroad shops and switchyards. They were just a few blocks from our house and I used to stray over there and see the mechanics working. Mother would be hunting for me and find me over there. On the way home she would give me some LASTING REMINDERS!!!

About 1857, father made up his mind to leave the city, and move to the country. One day he started out on foot and traveled about 30 miles. He found a good location in the vicinity of Tylersport to look for work. He took some work of a farmer named Obediah Barnes. He made arrangements to move his whole family to the new location and all got work near by.

My brother John, he was apprenticed to a wagon maker, named Koffel. He had to work for two years for his board and clothes but no wages. My sisters were employed at some of the neighbors to assist in the housework, also for their board and clothes. The board was very good and plenty of it. All of these people were nice Christian folks, which left many pleasant memories for life. Most people, in them days, were more contented with their home occupations. In haymaking and harvesting, most of the women would work in the field happy and healthy.

In 1858 Father had earned some money and bought a small place of timber land of 18 acres. He had an auction, and staked it out in lots of 50 by 100 feet. It was all valuable timber; oak and hickory. The proceeds of the sale nearly paid for the land.

There was also a stone quarry on the place which furnished the material to build our house and barn. The walls of the house were 18 inches thick throughout. The house was 16 by 30 feet, two stories and attic. The barn was 30 by 40 feet. The lower 7 feet was also of stone and 18 inches thick, the upper part of 16 feet was of white oak framed, morticed and pinned with oak pins. The frame was of 8 by 8 timbers and there was not a spike in the whole frame. The mechanics wages were cheap at that time; the masons got 75 cents a day, carpenters the same with board and 10 hours work. This little farm was our pleasant home 25 miles north of Philadelphia, Pa. in Montgomery County.

Here is where I got most of my education. The winter terms were four months, and in summer the schools were private. There was a seminary about four miles distance which I attended. I walked the four miles daily except Sundays. I used to start early in the morning, and on my way I studied my arithmetic lesson, which was my hardest lesson to get. This school was in a brick building, two stories and a basement. It was mostly used for Community Services and it was called Kulpsville Hall. Some times in the winter, there were revival meeting held there for several weeks at a time which were largely attended. In my school days there, I spent many happy hours especially with some of the "good looking girls" !

One day we were playing hide and seek and as I was running to get away from the girls. I saw an opening in the wall of a shop nearby, where I aimed to pop through. I failed to see a studding about four feet from the ground which hit me on my forehead and knocked me backwards to the ground. A few of them lively girls were laughing at me!! I also missed several words in my next spelling class. I have often thought about that. Some people, some times, will make just such a rush into an undesirable opening or a wildcat scheme without any warning or precaution, then experience the usual calamity.

About Dec 15th, 1864, my parents sold out in Pa. and moved west to Sterling, Illinois. Then in March 1865, my father and my brother John, bought a farm near Erie, Whiteside County, Ill. It was a well improved farm at that time, but the soil was of a very poor quality (they bought it when it was covered with a deep snow). There was a school house about 20 rods distance in which I had to finish my education and then began to blossom out as a farmer. At 15 years of age, my first work was plowing corn with a two shovel cultivator and one horse, and in making one round to finish a row of corn. What a contrast since that time. Now a man can finish two rows complete at the same time and ride also. It seems that the farmers at the present time should get rich quickly, but they don't! Finally my father and my brother John sold this farm to my brother in law, George Pfundstein, who stayed on this farm for 26 years and prospered quite well too.

My father then bought a small place of 40 acres, and brother John moved to Sterling, Ill. and started in the wagon maker business. I came to be part manager of father's place, working for my parents till I was 22 years old. Then father gave me a team of horses, wagon, harness and a cow for my wages. My parents retired from farming and sold their small farm and I rented a farm of 80 acres near by.

As I didn't like batching, I got acquainted with a young lady from Greencastle, Franklin County, Pa; Miss Mary Ann Brubaker. After several months of the customary pleasure of courting, I pop't the QUESTION!! On Nov 27th, 1873, on Thanksgiving Day, we got married. As we didn't have much wealth, we dispensed with the customary "wedding tour", and we went right to work keeping house. My mother died on Feb 22 1874, and my father had his home with us a while. After farming for several years we concluded to follow Greely's advice and go west where land was plenty and cheap.

In Feb. 1882, we had a sale and disposed of our personal property. On Feb 10th we arrived at Norfolk, Neb., a small village at that time. Here we built a house and I found employment for two years, but we concluded to move to the country as we had four small but thrifty boys who could soon help work; Louis H., Charles M., Noah W., and John M.

We came to Pierce County, Nebraska and located 6 miles south of Pierce, and bought a tree claim of 80 acres. Two of our neighbors helped to build a sod house and stables. This bungalow was finished in two days. As we were in a hurry, we moved in to it the third day. We covered the roof with tar paper but no shingles and no floor board. The dimensions were about 16 by 22 feet and one story. It was quite comfortable also and cost about $25. But in June a storm came up and lifted our roof off to one side but it didn't break it. It rained and we got showered with rain and hail, and we moved double quick with our boys and some of our bed clothes into the cave which we had dug and finished two days before. We lived there for 2 days. Then two or our good neighbors came and helped to relocate our roof and I got some wire and stakes and fastened the roof on to stay. That was our first experience of HOMESTEADING!!!

But in another month, another storm came up but not much wind, and punctured the roof full of holes, and gave us another shower bath. I and mother held the umbrella open to turn some of the surplus moisture to one side, but the boys thought it was rather wet. In the autumn, I bought shingles and I made a good roof. Early in the spring we planted about 1,000 cottonwood cuttings. We had plenty of rain that year so they made a fine growth. The next year we had an offer to sell at a profit of $300 and we sold. We took this gain and bought some cattle, we then rented a farm near by for two years. We had 2 good crops of wheat which made us some cash. But on Jan 12th, 1888 we passed through a severe blizzard, in which we lost some cattle. I got lost on the prairie for a while trying to get to the schoolhouse to bring our boys home from school. I could not find the school house, but all the scholars were finally taken home by Mr. George Littel, near by. Next morning, the storm cleared up and the boys came home safely.

In 1889 we bought another farm for $1600, which we improved with fair frame buildings. We planted a fine grove of trees of different kinds, also many fruit trees which furnished us with plenty of fruit a few years later. We lived on this farm for 16 years and now our family had increased to four more members, Cleo A., George W., Walter S., and Ruth M. All of our family gave us very able assistance in our work. As we had more means, we bought more horses and farm tools to work with. There was plenty of land to rent on shares of one third of the crop. We managed to keep three teams busy during the summer, but the prices for farm products were to low to make much profit them days. We sold corn for 8 cents, wheat for 35 cents and hogs for $2.50 per hundred weight. Wouldn't that scare some of our present day farmers of the nest!! But taxes were low. I paid about $12 to $15 on our 160 acres. But there were to many loansharks them days. They would charge 15 to 20% interest on short time loans, and gilt edge security too. One winter school for $25 per month and I paid $10 a month for board, it didn't leave much profit, but half a loaf was better than none them days. We managed to make some headway anyhow.

In 1902, we bought another farm near by for $3500 for 320 acres. In 1912 we also sold this farm, the remaining 240 acres for $16,000 and we retired from farm life as our family had all become of age. On Jan 18, 1912, we moved to Pierce, Neb. Since then our family has all got married and settled to their chosen homes and each have a happy family of their own.

In taking a review of our nearly seventy seven years of life, we barely realize what a wonderful path of experience the good Lord has given us. His mercies and an all wise guiding and protective hand and spirit, for our welfare and now remaineth:

Father and Mother Lederer

[retyped in 1997 by Kathy Winter]

A Lederer page.

Updated May 11,1997