Invention:

Steamship turbine

Exploration:

Cleopatra's mines

National:

Pan-American Exposition held at Buffalo, May 1st to October 1st. August 10th, 14,000 steel workers strike. September 6th, McKinley shot at Buffalo. September 14th, Roosevelt succeeds as our 26th President, at 42. He was of Dutch ancestry. "Teddy" the Rough-Rider - the magnetic governor, now became our "Big Stick" President.

State:

Governor Savidge, at Lincoln, designated July 29th as a special day or prayer of rain. Drawing for the great land lottery opened at El Reno, Oklahoma. 187,000 persons each with a 13 to 1 chance of winning a quarter section, witnessed the event.

At Pierce:

During vacation, Clyde, the teacher Walker's brother, served as printers devil at the "Call" office. The paper noted the town now had a population of almost 9000, counting the deputy.

According to the custom of office holders a look to the political future was deemed wise and so the deputy came to be a joiner. A Methodist, member of State Militia, Volunteer Fireman, Modern Woodman, Royal Highlander, a patron of the leading livery barn whereby the hire of team and buggy helped to carry on the serious business of courting Miss Walker.

June 7th, the Methodist Church was destroyed by fire. By December 29th, a new church was erected and dedicated. Father and Mother contributed, along with the deputy.

At the farm home - We feel that we are honoring Father in his high regard for art as attested by his keen interest in engraving, such as portrayed on postage stamps, by mentioning the new issues of postage stamps as they appear. On May 1st, Father's 51st birthday, a new issue came out commemorating the Exposition at Buffalo. Six stamps 1-cent to 10-cents, a cost of 30 cents at the post office at that time would be worth $18.00, if held unused to 1946. In our school books and upon many papers we find excellent specimens in his handiwork in fancy lettering with much minute curlicue embellishment.

The boys enlarge their literary radius by subscribing to Toledo Blade.

Father and Mother became grandparents the first time when Clarence came to live with Charles and Rose on November 30th. We boys at once cashed in on the title of Uncle while Ruth was Aunty.

Nettie Littell, the Sheriff's daughter, was Pleasant Valley teacher.

The "Jubilee" diamond found in South Africa weighs in the rough 971-3/4 caret.

Radium is discovered by Mme Curie at Paris.

Wireless message across the Atlantic by Marconi.

Scientist Walter Reed (Dr) of Spanish Bar fame, (yellow fever) passed away at 51. An Army hospital at Washington has been named in his honor.

Coal strikes break out in Pennsylvania.

A new stamp issue of 14 varieties at post office cost of $8.17. Forty four years later it is selling at $205.00.

The courtship of the deputy ran true to form or nearly so. Many things in a Nebraska of 1900-'02 were not greatly changed from the rural Illinois of 1870-72. The 30 years between brought little differences in marriage customs. His dad drove a work team hitched to an open buggy to call on the one to be his mother. The deputy drove a driving pair pulling a top buggy. The science of using but one hand to hold the reins was still in vogue. The preacher made solemn the same vows, even though one was a United Brethren and the other Methodist.

On New Years Day, on the far side of the RR tracks, at Pierce, the deputy and Miss Walker marched down the stair to the front parlor where Reverend Shick pronounced them Mr. and Mrs.

Father's long view faith in Pierce County real estate decide his resolve to invest in more land. On July 14th, he purchased the 320 acre farm cornering the home place on the NE at a cost of $3500, paying $800 down, borrowing the amount by a second mortgage loan on the home quarter. Income from the farmstead this year $939.75. The boys and Ruth were hustling.

Two grandchildren were added to the family roster, Ellis, October 10th at Pierce, and Marion at the farm on the rim of Pleasant Valley, December 18th.

The teacher continued to be Nettie Littell.

P.S. An article from the files of the "Call" of January 17th, 1902" "Chas. Lederer, Sr., was in from Blain precinct Tuesday to renew his allegiance to the "Call" for another year. Mr. Lederer recently had 22 acres of corn stalks worked up by a "shredder" and says it's the thing for the farmer".

Pacific cable completed July 4th. President "Teddy" sends a message round the world in 12 minutes.

Valuable deposit of mica discovered in Colorado.

A new 2-cent postage stamp issued, Washington pictured on a shield, November 12th.

One of the greatest American artists, James B. Whistler, passed away, age 69. His greatest work a painting of his mother. He was honored by a reproduction of this upon a postage stamp 37 years later.

With loyal backing of Father, Mother, the six brothers and sister Ruth, the deputy was encouraged to try for the nomination of County Clerk. He was also aided in this endeavor by the fact of his having some learning in German which factor was important in his dealings with many of the old-timers of German tongue. Throughout the entire County many early settlers were of that nationality. For this advantage over others contesting for the same position he must ever thank Father for a good tutelage in this language.

Come October, with nomination by County convention and after a stormy session, the deputy won out over fellow deputy Pilger and Democrat friend Durland in the running for the office. The campaign waxed hot with the County Clerk Staley and his junior deputy Pilger selling out their support to the opposition, resulting in the deputy losing out by 40 votes in the election. A hanging in effigy indicated the feeling of a majority in his home town for that manner in which defeat came to their deputy but the political die was cast, thus ending his venture in Pierce County politics.

Father, always a close observer of the weather, did more than just talk about it. Throughout his account books and diaries he noted the extremes as they occurred. April 29th entry: "This morning there is one inch of snow fall and about 1/8 inch ice on the apple tree bloom. Small grain about 2" high."

October 5th, Father receives word from Erie, Illinois that his sister, our Aunt "Rica" Pfundstein, had passed away, her age 66. The husband, our Uncle George, six sons, one daughter and eleven grandchildren mourn her loss along with a host of relatives and friends.

This was a good year, the last year on the old home place, the selling of which took place the next year. Gross income was $1,182.12.

Miss Anna Engel the teacher.

Tin is found in Alaska.

The German Emperor presents a statue of Frederick the Great to the Army Was College at Washington, DC. Father thought this gesture a tempting bait of their pretended friendship in exchange for our honest-to-goodness American favors.

The Panama Canal was started in May.

April 30th, a new set of stamps commemorating Louisiana Purchase was issued. Exposition held at St. Louis.

After a severe siege of small-pox, the deputy, now ex'ed, resorts back to his first love, the farm. To a 320 acre, 4 miles south of Pierce, he sets up rural life, aided by the good wife, her parents and Clyde the printer son. These steadied his hand in the new program of making the venture a success.

On August 23rd, Father and the boys decide to sell the old home place for $5,600 to D. H. Adkinson. There is still a tug at the heartstrings, now 42 years since the sale took place, as we memory the 15 wonderful years of homing at this refuge. NO matter what the age of each of us, this span was ever to be remembered as the outstanding epoch in our family life.

After harvesting a good crop of grain, the combination of Father, Mother, 5 sons and daughter commenced the improving of the new farm, to be known as Lakeview. Huge cottonwood trees were cut and sawed for dimension lumber to be used in the framing of house, barn and other buildings. A sale of 118 acres was made to Charles and Rose who at once builded a home of their own and the two growing sons.

In nomination time, the Republican machine politicians were snowed under by the Roosevelt forces. The Democrats also tried out an eastern man, Parker. Election results: Roosevelt majority of 2-1/2 million popular votes. The wave of reform renamed Progressive, seemed to fit will the Roosevelt personality.

At 64, Father votes on the same side of the fence as his four voting sons, for Roosevelt, who they all believed to be abreast of events. This was John's first vote for the big time.

Pleasant Valley teacher, Nettie Littell.

Luther Burbank originates new plant life, roots and flowers.

Roosevelt, the trust buster, hamstrings the beef trust.

Russia and Japan have a back alley scrap - our President inducing them to sign for peace in the U.S.

These and many more were the keenly read items as Father more and mor delved into the ever-growing list of current lore - maintaining the habit of studious reading, now that his hearing was becoming more of a handicap.

This was moving year. The Lederer tribe, now in three subdivision camps, hit the trail. Our parents, sons Noah, John, Cleo, George, and Walter, daughter Ruth manning Lakeview - Charles, Rose, and the boys on their own farm a slice off the half section, and deputy and family to a newly rented farm near the Pleasant Valley school site.

The moves were all exciting and took place in early spring before the snows had disappeared. No casualties except when the bob-sled moving a piano, tipped the instrument upon the deputy, molding his outline in the yielding snowbank without interfering in the tonal qualities of the squasher or the squashed.

Come Arbor Day period with tree planting in order, Father and the boys busied with setting out a good variety orchard at Lakeview. They also modernized practicality by buying a share in a telephone line.

July 3rd, the 4th grandchild, Lewis, is born near the school where his Dad schooled and later taught and which building his Grandad had built in 1887. Eighteen days later, Archie, grandson #5, is born 1-1/2 miles north.

Teaching this fall, Laura Crew.

Peary reaches the northernmost points of 87 deg - 6 min North Latitude.

Atmosphere of earth is calculated to be 131 miles in height.

April 18th, occurred the great Frisco earthquake and fire.

Roosevelt receives the Nobel Peace Prize.

The home family varied their reading to include the Christian Herald and Success magazines.

Father's tree planting this year consisted of a Cherry orchard west of the farm yard and a row of Jack Pine along the west border line. The Pine planting was a strong leaning on the faith of a true woodsman or enthusiastic tree lover. Father embodied both.

In addition to the numberless home operations, the boys lend a hand to neighbors Bell, Russell and Horash, while the 12 year old daughter had the home economics well in hand. Mother's patient surveillance of all made for a contentment that the good Lord provided.

Father's book-keeping, the following results:

A noteworthy accomplishment by Father in cooperation with a wonderful Mother and family.

Teacher of the Valley - Minnie Deuel.

December 26th, John married Grace Parsons at Madison and starts farming and stock raising on a farm north of Battle Creek.

The small-pox epidemic of 04 - 05 that had caused the death of a still-born baby to the ex-deputy and wife, had left the mother in condition unfit for the rigors of farm life. This together with a number of poor investments caused a too heavy indebtedness to carry on as a farmer, and selling out, this branch of the family moved to Norfolk.

Father, with the brothers, helped untangle the unfortunate financial affairs. To them all, the ex-deputy will always be indebted for having stood by when the going seemed almost too difficult.