The 15th amendment. All southern states readmitted to the Union, were some of the after-war activities. In Europe, France and the Germans were at each others throats once more.

Out Illinois way the US census of this year created news of interest for the figures showed the state was on the gain in many ways. Population of Whiteside County, 27,503, indicated a grain of 8,766 in ten years. There were now living in the state 98,614 people who were born in Pennsylvania. The trek westward was ever on.

Following this are figures giving the picture of how the Wurtemburgers were chasing the Indian toward the Pacific. In Pennsylvania, there were 28,838 from Wurtemburg and but 133 Indians. In Illinois, 8,872 Swopes and 32 Indians. However out in Nebraska prairies there were only 338 from Swopeland with 6,416 red men for company. This ratio of 19 to one meant that each Schwope had to lick 19 Indians or get out of their way.

This was the year father's younger sister, Lizzie (23) met and married Joshua Seidel (25) both of Sterling, Ill. At their wedding a toast of rare wine was partaken of. This was fashioned from raspberries by grandfather Lederer and it was regarded as 100% or better. Uncle Louis Oltmann cautioned the attendants not to drink as freely as he would have liked to do.

Uncle Joshua came from a large family and drew the name that suited him. He was a commanding figure, of money earning and saving ability - a farmer and a good one. On December 22nd, their daughter Katie was born.

Near Erie, son Albert was born to Uncle John and Aunt Abby, on September 24th.

Christmas and a grandparents blessing upon their three daughters, two sons, their in-laws, and ten grandchildren.

Western civilization filters into Japan. Ku Klux Klan in the South and the Great Chicago Fire were the headlines.

Grandfather and Uncle John sold their farm holdings to Uncle George. Pfundstein. We recall this uncle as having a mighty beard with a good humor twinkle in his eye.

Father, now of age, rented an 80 acre farm north of Erie - his parents fitting him out with a team of horses and one cow. In semi-retirement, they continued to co-operate with Father.

Uncle John and Aunt Abby, with their four children, move to Kansas for homesteading near Abilene.

Born to the Oltmanns of Sterling, on December 22nd, a daughter, Anne Katherine. Also to Pfundsteins on September 18th, a boy, Charles.

Grandfathers family celebrated Christmas in separate homesites, viz - 6 Lederers in Kansas. 4 Oltmanns and 3 Seidels in Sterling. 6 Pfundsteins at Erie. 3 Lederers at Fathers farm home.

France, a republic in her third try, bows to German might, headed Emperor William 1st.

In the U.S., inventor Samuel B. Morse passes away at 81. His inventive brain gave birth to the Morse system of telegraphing which Father believed to be one of the greatest of all inventions.

While General Grant was the soul of honesty himself, the tone of public morality was not high. The Republican politicians, intoxicated with power, were ruling the South when aiding them would have been more diplomatic. Grant was first of all a soldier, a General, which came near being all that had made him famous. However the honor was due him and so be became re-elected President. This was Father's first vote for President.

Father was a live wire farmer - could plow a finer furrow or mark out straighter rows for hand corn planting than any in the neighborhood.

Miss Mary Brubaker was 19 on the 19th of August, when she was house-choring for a family by the name of Bolinger. Here Father first met her and a romance such as was allowed in those days, called "courting", began to shape.

Grandparents were happy in the thought that their children were marrying well and that they were joyfully received upon a visit to any of them. Father alone was single at 22 but there were signs that his bachelorhood might end soon.

Their world was a good place to be in this Christmas.

France lives up to her honor and pays Germany while Napoleon dies.

Money panic in the U.S., largely due to the demonetization of silver as a necessary part of our money standard.

It looked like a good crop year to father and as he harvested, his hopes of winning the hand of Miss Brubaker in marriage was heartening.

Come August - corn laid by - small grain in stack as father in his Sunday best drove to see Mary Ann. He was nerved to propose, whatever her answer. 19th her birthday and 20 her age when she answered him, yes. They planned the wedding for Thanksgiving Day.

Twelve inches of snow and 23 below was no obstacle in their hardy lives nor could the 80 mile sleigh ride behind the good team Prince and Frank, daunt their determination to have Reverend Lichty clinch the vows this very day. After a hasty roundabout honeymoon trip to Sterling, Morrison and Erie, the happy couple began housekeeping on the farm father had rented, known as the McCall place.

November 8th, the second daughter of the Seidels, Anna Mary, was born.

Christmas and happiness came to the young Lederer couple who with his parents joyed together this holiday even and day.

The Seidels had moved to Kansas, in the Abilene territory and not far away as neighbors of Uncle John and family.

At Sterling, another daughter, Louise Anna, came to bless the home of Oltmanns September 14th, while at the Pfundsteins of Erie, a son, William, was born March 23rd.

At the Lederer home, Sunday, September 13th, and early morn, the wife Mary lay pain stricken - braving the long night through. She had suffered a fall the previous day and now the young husband Charles, who had anxiously looked for the doctors coming, now nervously awaited the doctors report.

The realization that he was to become a father, some two months ahead of natures own good time, was startling, however the doctor assured him that with a constitution such as his good mate possessed, all would be well with rest and care. The babe, though underweight, got a doctors spank blessing and cried his handicapped beginning. Grandmother thought that his ears were too large for the remainder of him, but hoped he would develop room between those fixtures for the proper amount of knowledge.

By Christmas, the boy was named after the printer Uncle, Louis, and Henry after the mother's brother. This pleased all concerned and as she grew well again she repeated with father and the grandparents, "Bless this home O! Lord! We pray!"

During this year another ex-President, Williard Fillmore, passes away at 74. He was born in 1800 and became President the year of Father's birth, 1850.

The United States could now face the nations of the world with human slavery abolished and with the Union more permanent than ever.

Ex-President Johnson dies at the age of 86.

Another territory, Colorado, becomes a state.

Grandmother Lederer passed away February 22nd, aged 62. Her descendants and families, numbering 22 and the host of friends in Pennsylvania and Illinois mourned her demise. She had lived kindly, helpful - occupying her days with the cares of her household - oft laboring in the field by the side of grandpa. It was most an obsession with her - the admonishing her children to so order their span of living that it might be long and profitable, according to the precepts of her Lord.

That they were faithfully mindful of her wishes, let us note there that her 5 children lived to the average of 89 years, each one of a God loving and honor existence.

Her life had been shortened by a goiter growth. Bearing the handicap bravely, her calendar of 62 years had been crowded with four-score or more of earnest Christian living. To the last she expressed her thankfulness in leaving to the able hand of her new daughter in law, Mary, the care of grandpa Gottleib, her son Charles and the baby grandson.

Centennial Exposition held at Philadelphia, the telephone and Portland Cement, Sioux War and Custer massacre were topics of interest.

From Ohio came the man Hayes, to snatch the Republican nomination from James B. Blaine and to become the doubtfully elected President. Father voted for Hayes the same year he moved to the Reed farm, about 4 miles to the north. Kingsbury, now the post-office, was served by a star route carrier from Garden Plain, on the Mendota RR. Father arranged to have this carrier deposit our mail in a box along the highway routes - becoming an early patron of such service 31 years before RFD.

On Monday, April 10th, the stork paid another visit to our Lederer household, leaving another boy Charles Marion.

We will continue to fathom, as it were, how we boys came by our names or whom were named for or after as the case might be. Louis Henry, as we have already mentioned, were the names of two uncles, one of each side of the parental lines, Louis in history finding 10 French and a number of German rulers. Charles or Karl being Father's name and who no doubt was named for his grandfather Lederer, also a Karl Gottlieb. No other Charles on either side of the family but the name applies to the following Kings and Emperors - 11 English, 6 Swedish, 5 Spanish, 4 German, 1 Italian, 1 Austrian, and 1 Romanian. The only Marion of note (no relative) was an American General, 1782.

To the Seidels of Kansas came another girl, Lydia Barbara, April 12th.

Twas a Merry Christmas with grandpa, the parents and two small Lederer's. Louis was having difficulty in the art of walking at 2-1/2 years.

Hayes, the 19th President, taking office March 4th, was 54, of Scotch ancestry, a Methodist, served in Civil War. Married and had 7 sons and 1 daughter.

Sad news from the Seidels of Kansas - the passing of their eldest daughter, Katie, aged 6. Commemorated verse was printed, entitled "Katies Vision", a framed copy of which had an honored place upon the wall of our Lederer home.

Word from the Kansas Lederers, that a daughter Katie, had arrived June 8th. At the Pfundstein home the daughter Mary was born December 10th.

Father was making the business of farming pay while planning with mother to eventually call this place their very own. The land was of the best upland and suited for any crop or pasture.

Mother was practicing the art of home doctoring; honey for a cold and a bag of asafedtida hung from a string about the neck to ward off small pox or similar diseases that became prevalent from time to time.

Famous American Scientist Dr. C. W. Long, passed away at 63 after a life of medical research and accomplishment.

Between farming operations Father busied with his inventive turn of mind. One, a perpetual motion idea, was a water wheel which ran until the operator tired of pouring more water from above into the revolving cups. The business of the rotating wheel being to furnish power to lift its own water for more power. However Father's inventiveness resulted in many a labor saving shortcut, both about the farm as well as in Mother's department.

Grandfather Lederer was kept busy marking down his increasing number of grand children and remembering them at Christmas time.

During the year, at the Oltmanns of Sterling, Marie was born January 31st. At Seidels of Kansas, Bertha, born June 20th. And last, but not least, in our Lederer domicile, on Monday December 2nd, came the third sone of Charles and Mary, just 20 shopping days before Christmas and his name was Noah. Noah (Webster) had two sources that might have been in the minds of our parents at naming time. The flood Noah - 33??BC, and dictionary Noah - 1758AD. Since each Noah used his head to good advantage, it was thought a good name for a Lederer. The bible enrollment says Noah only, and of course stands as correct, though at a later date we sometimes find added the initial "W".

The Seidel family of 5 moved back to a farm near Sterling, after experiencing very dry years in Kansas.

A boy, Bert, arrived at the Pfundstein home, July 23rd.

Father introduced the two row style of corn planting by team and two men - one to time the check lever so as to drop the hill of corn in each cross mark. Father became quite accurate at this job and many neighbors sought his services. He also was the first to use the tooth harrow for the first time cultivation of growing corn.

Another native son from Ohio was selected to defeat the Blainites for the Republican nomination, after the 35th ballot. Election result - Garfield and Arthur 214, Hancock and English 155.

Grandfather, Father and Uncle John Brubaker voting for Garfield.

The March harvester was eclipsing the grain binding style of binding bundles on the ground, two men doing this task as they rode the machine. Father perfected a style of his own and was able to bind with the best.

Father began his school days by a 1-1/2 mile walk to the little school west of home. He was a shy lad - fear lest the teacher find him unobedient filled his young being - yet not too shy to walk a strict space apart homeward with a school-mate, Bertha Thomas, his girl friend number one.

June brought word of another member to the Seidels, Jennie Amelia, on the 19th.

About Christmas time, Mother received a letter from her brother Mart, in Nebraska, telling of the wide open spots of prairie land yet to be had for the living upon and urging Father to come and have a look.

This Christmas the question - what of the opportunity?