AN EDITOR'S NOTE

I, Kaj Petersen (F. Clarey Nielsen great-grandson), am writing this introduction to Clarey’s writing to state changes I have made to the following pages.  I needed to retype the story because the copy I received was on onion skin paper and very hard to read.  I changed the typos and abbreviations such as Dec. is now December or ’70 is 1870.  I did this for clarity.   I did not change any facts of history or grammar problems.  My Dad, Paul Petersen, was happy to hear there were some grammar problems in this writing.  Clarey would write my dad back with grammar and spell errors in the letters he wrote to him.   I hope you enjoy the following pages.  They show us how tough pioneer life was and the facts of the Nielsen family history.  

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF LIFE OF NIELS NIELSEN AND HIS

WIFE (BODIL MARIA LAUSTEN), NYSTED, NEBRASKA.

INTRODUCTION

Economic conditions in Europe in the 19th century were not very favorable for "the little man, The cottager. The best the youth of could look forward to for the future in the years ahead was a hand to mouth existence. This condition held equally true for the youth of Denmark.

Social conditions and customs aided in the unfortunate economic condition. For generations it was practic­ally impossible to advance from that social group into which a child was born. Son followed in his father’s footsteps occupationally.

HUNSBY ON THE ISLAND OF LOLLAND

Nestled among the tree—clad hills and valleys on Lolland was the small village of Hunsby near Nysted. The houses were neat, well built and well kept, whitewashed and thatched roofs.  Sometimes a pair of’ storks nested on the rooftops. Many of these homes were possibly hundreds of years old. Here in one of’ these cottages lived Niels Nielsen and his good wife, Stine. This cottager managed to eke out a living for himself, his wife and their four children: Anna, Niels, Jr., Ole and Martin, which "Heaven had sent” to grace the lowly home. Niels, Sr. labored strenuously and long hours on the surrounding farms and what other work he was fortunate in picking up. The daughter might be fortunate enough to marry into another class but the sons would practically be compelled to follow in their dad’s footsteps.

The home life was good; the children were "reared in the admonition and fear of the Lard”. They attended school for a time and late were confirmed in the faith into which they were baptized in infancy.

A WORKMAN GOES FORTH

Niels, Jr., my father, at the mature age of eight, work called upon to help replenish the family larder in that he was hired by a nearby farmer to herd the geese. The old gender, the leader of the flock, gave the young herdsman a merry chase, as he seemingly desired to lead his flock in the grain fields where their was not supposed to graze.

At the age of twelve dad was employed by another farmer as "boy”, mostly to run errands for everyone on the fare. The young lad must have quite observing and quickly caught unto the tricks and schemes of the men designed to humiliate the youngster and have fun at his expense. In spring time after the accumulation of the winter's manure had been spread on the fields favorite sport was to send the "boy" to the neighboring farm to borrow the "manure pile scraper”, sack with brick, as many as the lad could carry, place the sack carefully on his beck with the serious amendment to carry the bag carefully lest he break the precious "tool”. Imagine the joy and hilarity of the men when the boy arrived puffing and exhausted to have the brick emptied poured on the ground midst the laughs and jeers of the older men!  But they did not catch father on that trick; he refused to go.

EDUCATION

Thus passed the years, work, school, if convenient, and confirmation class.  Father seemingly was very fortunate in that little schooling he did received. The master of the village school did not just "hear" the memorized lessons usually recited by rote, but he carefully explained the contents, thus dad not only knew the contents of Luther’s Small Catechism but be could give the meaning in his own words. Young Niels spoke very highly of the respect, admiration and esteem in which he held his teacher; so much was he attached to his teacher that be corresponded with him till his passing away in 1900 when dad and mother visited Denmark they visited the aged master at his home in Copenhagen.  My bother Willie also visited the fine old gentlemen when he toured Denmark in 1907.

Likewise father prized very highly the pastor by when he was confirmed. This reverend gentlemen did not require the members of the class to memorize Balling's "Laerebag" and the Bible History from cover to cover but he did require that the members of the class to understand what they read and explain it in their own words. Then again on confirmation Sunday the pastor did not line the class on the church aisle according to social rank or ability so no one of the audience would know which was the smartest, the dumbest or the richest in this world’s goods by the position of the confirmands in the line.

MILITARY SERVICE

As the years passed by there was a "fly in the ointment" for dad. Not only did the economic future look drab but now he had reached the age of military service when he was supposed to give four years to the life of a soldier.  He detested the idea and felt it would just be four years blotted out of his young life; my son felt the same way about the nearly four years service in World War II.  Once Dane Fortune was with him; the call was filled for that year also the next before the call came to him.  The following year his brother, Ole, was eligible for service; he felt similarly about army service.

AMERICA the BEAUTIFUL

Although I do not have any direct evidence to prove my point but many instances in the following years seem to bear out my conclusions.  Dad wanted to go the America to his cousin, Peter Rasmussen, at Hartland, Wisconsin. Peter wrote in glowing and picturesque terms of the pleasures, the happiness and the bright prospects for the future. It appears to me these strapping men made a bargain with their parents who objected to their immigrating to the wonderful U. S. They would earn money, send it home so the parents and the younger son could come over. However Peter Ebbesen in his writing the history of Howard County, Nebraska, states that Uncle Ole did not come to Hartland until a year later than dad did. In the diary which father kept from the time he left his home on Lolland he sometimes uses the pronoun “I” and sometimes “we” but does not distinguish if “we” means he and his brother or he refers to his fellow travelers. Aunt Anna was married so did not enter into the moving, to America; however she and her husband and family came later.

OFF FOR THE DREAMLAND

Whatever the arrangements, the parent’s consent was obtained and plans were made for the long and tedious journey over unknown seas and over unknown seas and distant lands to land of the young man's dreams and his future. The cousin bail sent money for the passageway so soon all was ready for the trip to the land of wealth and security.

All preparations - very likely not many - were completed; the afternoon of May 14, 1867 arrived, the last farewells were said and off for America and a brighter future. The first lap was to Copenhagen where tickets were purchased for the wonderland. The hope, for the future were high and those hopes never disappointed them. The Danish army would not train the twain!

After one rind one-half day sightseeing in Copenhagen - the first trip from home - other immigrants, America bound, were met. The next lap took them to Lybeck, Germany. Here spring unfolded itself in all its beauty in contrast to the snow and cold of their home isle, only three days away. Quite a revelation. During the night of May 17 the travelers boarded a steamer bound for Grimsby, England. After landing dad went up the street and purchased some breed. The non-experienced traveler reposed on the floor of the station.

Next morning the train carried them to busy Liverpool and now, to his great dismay, dad discovered someone had appropriated his pack of clothing at Grimsby. After & couple days sightseeing in interest­ing Liverpool the happy and expectant troupe boarded the steamship, North America, bound for Quebec. Most of the passengers were just like dad, venturing out into the great unknown with high hopes end keen interest. The scenery along the shore was so enticing and beautiful that father for­got to go below deck for the noon luncheon.

The voyage over the wide expanse of water was rather eventless aside from a few from a few storms which brought much sea sickness to most of the passengers, however during the entire trip dad did not feel any inclination to heave. Oh yes, they sighted a few whales spouting in the offing, numerous icebergs but none close, a few flecks of ducks and several other ships. These broke the monotony of sailing.

LAND AHEAD

At last to their great relief they sighted land; down the St. Lawrence the ship steamed majestically and on the morning of May 3 it drew up to the wharf in Quebec. What a relief to feel terra firma under foot again! Immediately the travelers strolled up the street to secure a cup of coffee. They could have gotten coffee on board the ship but evidently they longed for differently-brewed coffee than that of shipboard. The weather was inclement, not suitable for sight seeing; thus the immigrants remained at the building designed for new-corners except long enough to get needed provisions. The long and rather monotonous ocean voyage was history and now before the anxious men making up the arrivals on a new shore lay the hopes and, aspirations of each. It is doubtful that any two of them would experience the same difficulties, hazards 9 joy or happiness. Could the experience, of these young men going forth into a new land be gathered into e volume it would make very interesting reading, indeed!

A LONG TRAIN RIDE AHEAD

At 6:00 P. M. June 3 the immigrant train left Quebec, the last lap of the journey for dad, who was Hartland Wis. bound. Many long and short stops and frequent train changes was just a variety of the pleasures. Of the train ride. Up the St. Lawrence River, though Montreal, Kingston, Belleville, Port Hope, Toronto and many other quaint and picturesque towns and cities; possibly within shouting distance from Brantford where Graham Bell was developing the idea what people thought was crazy: The Bell telephone, to St. Mary where the train was delayed due to power troubles; then on to Sania, the last stop in Canada.

Next morning our travelers crossed the river between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron where the custom officials inspected their possessions. Nature appealed to father; several times in his diary he refers to the beauties of nature; the tree-clad slopes, the pleasant valleys, the winding streams, the rock-bound hills, the prosperous-looking farms, the picturesque villages nestling at the foot of the mountains, the bustling cities with their beautiful buildings and the many bridges over which they passed or saw in the distance. The journey from Quebec to the border of U. S. consumed four days.

From his diary we can conclude that dad was very happy to set foot on U. S. soil! At Fort Huron the emigrant train was waiting to take them closer to their destination. On to Milwaukee Junction where the folks bound for Chicago changed trains and these going west lost their interpreter, a men from the island, Fyn, who bed been in America eight years and had returned to Denmark for two years. He had been a great aid to the Danes who knew only Danish. Dad boarded the “Express” for Grand Haven; the “Express”  through Birmingham, Pontiac, Holly, to Grand Haven; where they boarded a steamer bound for Milwaukee where they arrived at 3:00 A. M. Traveling through Michigan father again speak of the beauties of the landscape.  He mentions the growing orchards, the waving wheat the well-plumed farmsteads, the prosperous village and cities, the changing terrain and the contented herds. Oh yea, there were not so enticing.

AT LAST THE DESTINATION REACHED

A German, Peter Hat, had been recommended to him and here dad staid till after dinner when Mr. Hat accompanied him to the train at 1:00 bound for Hartland, only a short distance from Milwaukee. Another Dane where later boarded the train informed father that the train had passed Hartland by two stations. Thus he did not arrived at his cousin’s home till Saturday June 10, the evening before Pentecost Sunday. Although his cousin had promised him work he was trying to make a farm and home out of the wilderness he had little income and a growing family. Father worked for his six months, evidently to repay the advance for the Journey hither. He then secured employment for another farmer where he remained eleven months.

WIDER FIELDS AND NEW ACTIVITIES

On January 7, 1869 Niels and Ole set out for Chicago. Many things about Chicago impressed them the large buildings, the great activity everywhere and the fact that they learned that Chicago was the world’s largest wheat market at that time. In February they set out, for other adventures: Keokuk, Nashville, Ft. Madison, Burlington, Keokuk, Burlington, Keokuk, Nashville, Burlington, Afton, Davenport, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, New Orleans. In these  various places they worked on railroads, bridge building, leading cotton on steamboats, on the levees, in the cypress forests.

Nothing noteworthy about the work in these varied place but it strikes me that something or someone must have him to Burlington so frequently. A Dane is Burlington seemingly made it his work to meet all Danes and made them feel at home and in many way helped them. I suspect - however I may be wrong - that father had met and become acquainted with mother on one of his stops in Burlington, hence, possibly, his frequent returns there.  Once he returned to Burlington to get his money, evidently from the bank and a friend (?) to whom he had loaned some of his hard-earned money, but, alas, he found the man had left his wife and family for parts unknown so dad never got that money back.

The two brothers had now been in American couple years. They had worked at almost anything that was offered them however menial.  But the two believed very staunchly in the dignity of labor and the dignity  of man. Many of their employers believed in neither, they treated their employees more like animals rather than humans. Their wages ranged from $40.00 per month to $2.50 per day. Sometime the food and lodging was part of the wages at times they had to look for themselves. The food was generally monotonous and poorly prepared; at times the menu consisted of corn bread and pork.  Black strap molasses was used for sugar in the black coffee.  Once the pay included a plug of tobacco or a small bottle of whiskey. The lodging was often not very luxurious – a blanket on the bare floor once the men slept in tents where they froze all night. Most of the work was hard and menial and the hours long but the  treatment meted out to the workmen was what galled the two brothers.

Father kept a diary from the day he left his childhood home, May 14, 1867,  till he stated to work on  the levee along the Mississippi, January 1, 1870. Thus there is a gap of over a year of which there is no record. None of the children now living recall that he told us of that year or so on the lavee and elsewhere.

MUNCHAUSEN STILL LIVES ON

Henrik Cavling, editor of a leading daily in Copenhagen, traveled extensively in the U. S. in the early 90’s to gather material for a book about the Danes in America.  I have not read the book although he promised to send father a copy when published at the time he interviewed him on our farm. However father did get an opportunity to read Mr. Cavling’s vivid description of  the first Danes into Howard County. To his surprise dad did not recognize himself nor any of his company of six. Editor Cavling writes that Niels Nielsen and his brother, Ole, returns to Hartland when quite a delegation were about to leave for Nebraska to take homestead.  King Niels (so he dubbed father) saw at once the need of leadership in the bunch so King Niels to get organized. The homesteaders left Hartland and  in due time arrived at Grand Island, Nebraska, the terminus of the U. P. R. R. (??). The writer had failed to check on the history.  The U. P. had been completed to the Pacific coast in May, 1869.

Upon arrival at Grand Island King Niels soon had collected wagons, buggies and saddle horses ready to set out for Howard County to the Northwest.  All went well until they arrived on the south bank of the Middle Loup River. Wide and no bridge, but worse yet, shades of desperation!! On yonder should was camped an Indian tribe!  Most of the men wanted to turn back but not so King Niels.  He called on two of his most courageous of his companions to accompany him. The three white “braves” rode into the river and to their relief and surprise the Indian chief and two of “braves” rode from the opposite side and the two groups met in midstream and the six smoked the peace pipe with waters of  the gentle Loup flowing quietly and majestically onward.

King Niels then motioned to the rest of his comrades to come on over.  King Niels and his fellow settlers lived in peace ever afterward and many were the times when the two leaders hunted buffalo and wolves together. So much for the versatile editor.  “99.44%” pure fiction. I have heard dad say the only buffalo he had seem on the prairies was dead one and the only Indians were the ones who came to beg a bite to eat.  Intricately written by the man from overseas, truthful, no!

THE HOMESTEADERS’ REAL TREK FROM HARTLAND

But back to our story. About 1869 or 1870 under the leadership of Lars Hannibal a land company had been formed to investigate the land in Howard County for homestead purposes. Dad, possibly accompanied by Uncle Ole, had evidently returned to Hartland , at least he and four, others set out on their investigation journey; they want joined by one man at Grand Island, May 1, 1870. When the party arrived at the Middle Loup they built a crude raft with which to ford the river. Seemingly all six picked out the parcel with each wanted, however not close together, and returned to Grand Island where they registered their parcel with tile U. S. land office. These registrations were later transferred to the county capital, St. Paul where dads homestead grant is on file; the grant was signed by Pres. Lincoln - evidently Mr. Lincoln had signed a number of blank grants to be filled in later. I once had the number and date but unfortunately I have lost that information. Nysted was later built on the homestead taken by Lerke Sorensen and Danneborg on that of Lare Hennibal. Of the additional homesteaders who came in 1871 are Fred Olson, Hans Nielsen (not a brother of dad), Jane Andreasen Hans Rasmussen, Niels Jensen, Frank Gertsen, and Carl F. Petersen. C. O. Sohlytern a Swede, should be mentioned because of his far-reaching influence on and for the settlers. 

GETTING A START

One news item states that father, when he heard of the new settlement in Howard County, he hastened to Burlington, Iowa, bought a wagon, a team, a cultivator and a plow. I do not recall that dad ever mentioned this, thus I believe that statement is erroneous.  My cousin wrote that Uncle Ole bought a steer and a horse in Burlington and drove overland to the new colony. This also was clipping she had found.

Dad must have started to “prove up” on his homestead at once. Turkey Creek makes a bend into his land on the east. Here in the creek bank he made one dugout for himself and one for his team. All went well until spring although the winter hours must have been long and very lonely; his nearest neighbor must have been at least a mile away. Lo, when spring arrived the warm sun melted the snow which caused Turkey Creek to rise so the water rose into his dugout and that of the horses.

Another experience like this? No! So he turned over the virgin soil and built a sod house for himself and another for the team.  Father was not an experienced shod house builder thus it is safe to surmise that the finished product was not perfect.  Thick walls, small and few windows, one door, low ceiling, on wood floor, a ridgepole, lengthwise though the center than shiplap covered with one layer of sod, possibly about 4 inches thick.  Inside warm in winter, cool in summer but often wet when it rained.

BATCHING

I know batching did not appeal to dad and I doubt if it was more appealing to Uncle Ole in his dugout about 1½ miles distant. The boys planned to have their parents and younger brother join them; grandmother could bake and wash for them.  Grandfather could stay with Uncle Ole for some days then they would change. 

Batching had its problems; one neighbor bachelor, Mr. Moses, had a this cook stove.  One day Mr. Moses put his bread into the oven, filled the stove with fuel and west about his work. In a short time he had neither hoses nor bread.

MOTHER ENTERS THE PICTURE

My mother, Bodil Maria (Laust Daughter) Lausten was born February 09, 1861 in Dahler, Schlesvig, that part of Denmark the Germans took in the war of 1848-1850.  (it was the custom to call the children as son or daughter of the father, hence mother Laust daughter; her father’s name was Laust Claus-son) Grandfather was blacksmith and a leader in this community; grandmother died quite early but Grandfather remarried later. Mother had great love for her father, but he disliked the Germans and did everything in his power to irritate the retired sergeants, seemingly stationed everywhere to maintain German order. Naturally German was taught in the schools and the local folks were not supposed to congregate in number, sing or speak anything but German. Mother very likely inherited from her father the attitude toward the Germans. She could speak German very fluently, we children often begged mother to sing some German songs for us, she sang well.

As I recall we were successful in our pleading only a couple times. Once a family drove into the yard, father went out to see what they strangers wanted but he returned  at once stating this was a case for  mother as they spoke only German. We wanted to hear her speak to them so out we want with her. That is the only time we heard her use the German language. The dislike for the Germans must have been intense in Schlesvig.

The blacksmith’s home was the gathering place for the folks of the community then the Danish songbooks were brought out of hiding and the group sang heartily, happily and melodiously, but soon a loud knock at the door and the detested words: “Verboten, verboten” (forbidden).  However often the singing continued.  Even when my parents visited Schlesvig in 1900 a favorite sport of the young chaps was to shuffle around the retired sergeants, get his cap pushed off, then run off with it,  Dad saw that happen more than once.

Louis Clausen, a distant “shirt-tail” relative, living in Burlington, Iowa, loaned passage money to Bodil Maria, so in due time she arrived in Burlington.  Her brothers and sisters when they come to America stopped at Burlington but settled in the Sacramento Valley in California.  Mother worked as maid for some time here. Possibly the reason for dad’s diary frequently stated he was in and out of Burlington. I assume the two had met possibly in the home of that Dane who gathered his fellow countrymen.  Later when father worked as section hand on the U. P. near Council Bluffs she secured work there, very likely after she had repaid her passage loan.  After dad filed on his homestead she secured work in Grand Island.

CONSTERNATION – AND A HASTY MARRIAGE

Grand Island was the trading point for the Howard County settlers; for some time they forded the river near Danneborg later was located.  However a crude bridge was constructed over the stream at what latter became St. Paul and this was replaced by a sore substantial bridge.  But it made the trip to Grand Island about 10 miles farther.   On August 16, 1872 when father came to the shopping center for provisions there was a letter from his second cousin,  Great grief! What a message to receive. She wrote she and her Niels had decided to get married and come to America; she would keep house for dad while her husband worked on the U. P. at Cheyenne, Wyoming, while they earned money enough to start farming!  She a bride, he a bachelor, living in a one-room sod house about 16 X 24!  What would people say!

What could the young man do?  Just what everybody else did with their insoluble and unsolvable problems: take it to his grocer.  “That is no problem” said the grocer, “Just get married, your lady friend is here.  You won’t need mother housekeeper”.  Soon Maria, Niels and Mrs. Lykke were in huddle.  Sure, that was all right;  Mrs. Lykke could easily get another maid. 

Back to the grocer, all was in order now – but how get married in America?  “Just come with me”  said the man.  Down the street, up a stairway and threw open a door.  “Judge, here is business for you, a young couple to be married”.  “Yes, but we need another witness” said the wise judge, so he opened a window looked out and called to a man on the street, “Come up here, we need you.”  Thus with the grocer and a total stranger the judge joined Niels Nielsen and Bodil Maria Lausten in holy matrimony tell death did them part 53 year later.

The judge’s supply of marriage certificates was exhausted so the judge wrote on a page of his journal the necessary words and had it properly signed; then he tore it out diagonally across the page. For many years mother kept that certificate with a few keepsakes from Denmark in a small drawer in her bureau.  I saw it several times there; the folks often talked of having it framed but when it was finally decided upon the certificate could not be found.  I doubt many couples had the honor of receiving from the officiating party a similar wedding certificate. 

THE WEDDING TRIP

Now they needed more supplies: groceries and other household supplies; and mother’s few personal possessions then off on their wedding trip,  then off toward the Middle Loup River, through the sandhills, across the rickety bridge and the last ten miles to their dream castle (?)!

What a wedding trip about 30 miles in a lumber wagon drawn by Rattie and Saksie!  Romantic, I suppose, yes; glamorous?  No.  Of their romance and courtship in Burlington, I do not recall that either ever told us very much.   I would like to have a photo of father carrying mother across the threshold of their lowly yet stately sod mansion, but I rather think mother was not carried.  

HARDSHIPS AND PLEASURES OF PIONEERING

Pioneering was not easy in the last quarter of the 19^th century in most parts of U. S.  But it also had its pleasures. Hard work, long hours, privations, often discouragement but the pioneer was not thinking solely of today;  he lived in the hopes and promises of tomorrow.  He could see a bright future before him.

Mrs. Larsen, father’s second cousin, lived with dad and mother for a few months after they arrived from Denmark while Mr. Larsen worked to earn money enough so they could start farming.  Mrs. Larsen’s daughter wrote me that her mother disliked to put fuel into the cook stove as it was not on common to find a snake in the wood box. 

One night mother thought she heard a rattle snake on the roof and dared not move in the bed.  Next morning dad searched the roof but the rattler was gone. 

Dad did not like the team he had as it was of the runaway type; so he purchased a span of mules and sold the team to his younger brother.  One evening in haying time when dad was driving home with a load of hay the mules stopped and would not proceed so the driver investigated the cause.  A huge rattler lay stretched across the road.  He killed it with his blacksnake, a whip, according to tradition, all mule drivers should have when driving mules.  He used the whip to drag the rattler home to be it was dead. 

One day Uncle Ole helped plow; a rattler bit one of the horses on the leg; the leg swelled badly but the animal recovered.  Later one of his cows died from a rattler bite.

What little produce the settler dad for sale he had to take to Grand Island; during the first years fording the river; however later a crude bridge was built at St. Paul and that replaced later by a more substantial one.  But than made the trip about 12 miles longer.  After selling his produce he would put the tired team up at Olson’s livery barn and then he himself would sleep in the hay mow and return home next day.  If he disposed of his small supply in time he would return toward home to Prairie Creek and stay over night with a Danish family Carl Petersen.  

One very pleasant fall day Niels Larsen and dad started for Wunson Creek, about 15 miles north, to get the winter’s supply of wood.  About he middle of the beautiful afternoon dark clouds appeared on the northwest horizon.  Soon they were engulfed by a raging blizzard. After driving a short distance they could not see to drive so they unhitched the horses, lead them a short distance from the load toward what they thought was home, each took hold of a tail and started the horses off.  In due time the team stepped in front of Larsen’s barn.  Later they brought home the load. 

A few days after the birth of my oldest brother the heavens opened and the rain descended, seemingly unceasingly.  The rain came through the sod roof.  Pots, pans and dishes were set on the bed, furniture and on the ground floor.  Dad moved the bed around to keep the child and mother dry.

My folks fared far better than a family near where Dannebrog was founded.  They had a daughter also recently born.  The rain poured rapidly both inside and out.  Finally Petersen gave up; he started a fire in the stove with ear corn.  If he could not keep the family dry he could at least keep them warm. 

For the pioneer many things could help out on the household larder. The tobacco addict dried the leaves of sumac and smoked in his pipe.  When the coffee supply ran out between trips to the grocery store, they ground and roasted wheat the dried leaves of the wild rose in the hay mow help out;  likewise also for tea.  There was no freezer nor ice box to take care of the meat for meals so much came from the hunt: the cotton tail and jack rabbit, the prairie chicken, the quail and others that might be available.

The sod house soon became too small, crowed and inconvenient for the growing family, so dad went about 80 rods up the sloping hillside and built a frame house for that age a very spacious building; the barn for the live stock was made from mud and clay.  Willie remembers that Chris rode a horse back and forth to mix the straw and mud.  I have a faint recollection of building somewhere not made of wood or brick, when the new brick barn was erected. 

A LARGE FAMILY

Christen was born late in April, 1893 (d. 1960); Willie followed in November, 1874.  Two years later Alfred (d. 1961) appeared, which gave dad quite a working force.  Then Valentine two year later in December of 1878 (d. 1961). Clara Alfredia was born two years later but died at the age of two. I was next to appear and then another sister, also called Clara, two years later to a day (d. 1956). Henry (d. 1954) and then Helene; Columbus filled the half score but died within a week. 

INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE

A blizzard, possibly in 1873 or 1874, raged for several days.  One farmer left his small house to find his way to the barn to feed his stock;  he never reached the barn, nor returned to the house.  Another started for the barn but returned to get a clothes line which he fasten to the door and the other end to the barn, thus he could reach the barn to care for his live stock.

A hail storm struck the area one summer, either 1873 or 1874, that left little of the growing crop.  One year little of the growing crop.  One year father had insured for hail, and hail did come but it was a blessing for dad’s crop.  He had planted corn in the new breaking, the virgin sod, and had planted it much to thick;  the hail left the proper stand so the farmer got his insurance for the damage and a crop in the fall.  

Mrs. Larsen liked to tease mother that she was the richer of the two.  Both had two boys, approximately the same age.  When Karen Larsen visited mother she took the smaller boy on her arm and the older by the hand.  But the little tot soon tired so she had to carry both till the older by exclaimed; “Now, mother, you are not tired”, so he could walk another part of the five miles.  But when mother visited Karen she placed Christian in the wheelbarrow with then Willie between Christian’s legs thus she wheeled her brood on a visit to her poorer friend.  Yes, mother was richer by a wheelbarrow!  They were both rich, rich in memories, often not too pleasant, rich in experiences that gave maturity, rich in the love of their families, rich in the respect of their friends, rich in their faith, a faith that carried them through many trying experiences. There greater riches and wealth than material things, however necessary they might be. 

Pastor C. Strandskov was called to serve the local congregation on $400.00 salary and feed for his team and a cow.  One year the trustees were able to collect only $200.00. Once on December 24 the pastor came into the parsonage with tears in his eyes, he had just fed the ponies and cow the last oats he had. That’s not so bad, his god wife assured him, she had just emptied the floor bin.  Yes, money was scarce on the prairies in these pioneer days.  My spouse relates that her mother (at Tyler, Minnesota) wrote a letter to her sister and placed it in a window sill to wait a week till they got two cents with which to buy stamp. 

In the late 1870’s the grasshoppers came so thick they darkened the sun in their flight.  One Farmer in Adams County was going to save his cabbage patch; he covered the patch with hay.  But, lo, when the pesky insects departed the farmer had nothing left of his garden “sass”. 

Prairie fires were feared by all settlers.  In the fall when the crops were harvested the farmer plowed 12-14 feet wide around the farmstead as a fire break to save his buildings and hay. 

One fall dad had been breaking and at eventide had turned the mules loose in the yard.  As he was about to enter the house he noticed the feared black-billowy smoke rising in the south.  He started up the hill and soon saw the fire coming.  He turned back to get the mules to plow some more furrows but the mules were in the pasture then.  There was no time to lose so off the hill he went, started another fire and started it westward.   Soon it had started its own draught  and was off.  In short time the two united and sped away to the northwest.  It was a common practice in the fall when one come out of the house to scan the horizon for smoke. 

One of father’s neighbors, Mr. Moses, yet a bachelor, and one day put his bread into the oven of his sheet iron stove to bake and went out to his work.  Shortly the shack was on fire.  It started east.  Another neighbor, Niels Steffensen, was in the path of the fire.  In order to save himself he ran over the steep bank of Turkey Creek and sat in the water till the fire burned itself out. 

Once another neighbor, Herman Hermansen, had his wife sick, like-child birth.  Mother walked the mile over there, washed, set the house in order, made some extra food.  Meanwhile night had fallen.  Oh no, she could easily find her way home.  After walking a goodly while she saw a light ahead of her.  Was she surprised?  You guessed it, she had walked in a circle and she was back at Hermansen’s house.  Yes, no she would accept his offer to see her home.  He lit the lantern and off they went into the darkness. 

The pioneer’s life was not always a “dance on roses” yet it had it many compensations.  Hardships were many, conveniences were few and the pleasures were not too many, but everybody was friendly and helpful.  Often on Sundays after the services small groups would continue to visit maybe half an hour.  Often mother would say, “Why don’t you come along home.”  It was not seldom that two or three families would accept the invitation.  It was a late dinner we would have that day and when time came for us youngsters to be served it was possibly 3:00 o’clock and were our stomachs screaming with hunger!

CHURCH AND SCHOOL

As the number of homesteaders increased the need for church services was felt greatly.  A few Danish “circuit riders” visited the community.  St. Peter’s Congregation was organized 187 . I recall attending services in a school house until the new church was built, which was dedicated Sunday, June 17, 1887, the first Danish church to be erected in Howard County.  I recall accompanying dad to the church while it was under construction; the many plane shavings on the floor intrigued me very much.  Father served as president and as treasurer at various times and mother was trustee for many years.  Pastor S. H Madsen was the first resident pastor.  According to scanty available records the Nysted Folk High school was started in the parsonage December 1, 1887. 

The homesteaders, although they often found it difficult to make a living, lived not for the present alone, they looked to the future, hence out of their meager income they could and did erect both church and Folk High-school to care for their spiritual needs. 

Folk High-school idea took so well that the school had to move out of the parsonage due to lack of space.  A larger building was erected; I recall there were at least four additions to that building.  Dad was on most of the building committees, if not all of them.  Mother took her good part in these building activities often on soliciting committee.  The farmers were very co-operative, many spent several days helping to erect the buildings.  Father was there often with his whole working force, three of us, not only one day but often more.   It seems Niels Nielsen and his good life mate were in all the various activities of the congregation. 

WIDER ACTIVITIES

A Grange Society was organized in Nysted in the late 1870’s;  father was door keeper. He had his costume of highly colored and large patterns.  A sash hung over his shoulder to which was fastened a large wooden key.  In June 1887 The farmers organized Nysted Co-operative Assurance Company.  A farmers’ creamery was built on the Herman Hermansen farm one mile west of our homestead;  it later burned and was not rebuilt.  The Farmers’ Alliance was organized in the early 1880’s, this was largely an educational movement no civic and political matters;  both men and women were members to start with.  Later the Alliance became largely a shipping association for live stock.  In all these dad held some official positions. 

From the membership of the Farmers’ Alliance grew the Peoples Independent Party. This in turn became the Populist Party which, in 1896 fused with the Democrats with the “silver-tongued orator of the Platte”,  W. J. Bryan as presidential candidate.  Dad was very active in these movements and was much dissatisfied with the “fusion” with the Democrats. 

Father had on integral part in all these organizations;  He was shipper for the shipping association possibly 20 years or more.  He wrote many articles for the county and state papers on the main issues of the Populist Party One fall he ran for representative of our district but he was defeated by 13 votes, due to some skullduggery similar to the charger in the campaign of 1960. 

EDUCATING THE CHILDREN

Christian and Willie started school in District 17, two miles south of the homestead, which was the south-east quarter of Section 20.  Some time in the early 1880’s a school was built on the north-east corner of Section 19.  Father was director of the district for many, many years.  Our neighbor, John Charles, a crusty bachelor, was treasurer also for a long time.  Imagine the unmarried teachers calling once a month for nine months on a bachelor for their pay check.  No, he never married.

All of us attended the Folk High School during one or more fall or winter terms before we left the home nest.  All of us were confirmed in the little white church in Nysted;  our parents insisted that we should attend confirmation classes two years except myself, mother insisted I should go three years.  Christian and Willie later attended Western Normal College at Lincoln but both had to discontinue due to sickness.  Willie attended Grand View College one fall but sickness again interfered.  I attended G. V. C. from Jan to June 1906.  Henry and I graduated from Nebraska State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska in June of 1910.  Henry took his Bachelor’s degree in Kansas and later completed this Master’s degree in Denver.  I completed the Bachelor’s course at Peru in 1921.  I started on the Master’s degree in absentia but never completed it. 

How did eight of us get along in the home?  Yes, we had our little fights and squabbles. But as each grew older we were assigned our duties and work and we were held to the responsibility of doing our assigned jobs. 

During the long winter evenings, when the chores were done and the evening dishes put away on the cupboards mother got her knitting – a stocking, a pair of mittens or a pair of wristlets – opened a book on the table, then the younger children gathered around her to hear her read to us.   Many a book she read during the winter months.  Dad and the older ones were reading the papers or something else, but often they lent a listening ear to the reading. 

No, no card playing, dad would not allow a deck of cards in the house,  He had seen so much card playing while working up and down the Mississippi River that he would have nothing to do with that pastime.  Checkers or other games were often played.

I thought father was quite severe with us and did not love us as mother did.  But I got that idea changed in the fall of 1894.  Our crop was almost a complete failure, the 100 acres of corn bore not an ear so we cut it for fodder.  The three older boys were completely storing the last shocks from one field but had to hurry in order to get it done that day.  Thus they became slightly careless with the gun they carried along to shoot a occasional prairie chicken.  In their hurry Chris jumped from the door to the wagon, the gun slipped, the charge caught him in his throat taking off a corner of the jaw bone, and Willie got the rest directly in his throat but only in the skin.  Next morning when dad arose from a couple hours sleep, I asked him how Chris was.  His voice choked with tears he said: “Not very well, my son”.  The only time I recall that father was moved to tears;  he kept his feeling to himself. 

ANNIVERSARIES

On August 16, 1897 father and mother celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary.  I have not been able find any very little about that happy occasion.  No local paper write-up of the festival seem to have been kept.  All that any of us seems to recall is that the mixed choir from our church came in the 70-rod read from the town road in torch light procession, singing as the group came toward the house.  There were evidently many other guests present that evening.  My oldest sister wrote me she recall lots of coffee was served that evening and many presents were left by the well-wishers.  I have a faint recollection on of the songs sung was written in honor of the bride and groom of 25 years.  

On the fiftieth anniversary all us children were home for the occasion.  We gathered for services in the new church that had replaced the old edifice.  There was communion service for the family.  After the services the crowd assembled in the assembly hall where a dinner was served and a short program given. 

During the afternoon and evening at home on the old farm relatives and friends from for and near – many hundred I firmly believe – came to wish the happy couple many more years of wedded bliss.

CLOSING YEARS

Both father and mother enjoyed fairly good health through the 53 years of wedded life.  Father had a few tussles some winters with attacks of rheumatism.  But nothing serious till the fall of 1924 when prostate trouble began but he said nothing about it till too late, dad finally consented to have Dr. Grothen called.  When the doctor arrived and had diagnosed the case he turned to father and in his rather gruff Norwegian way said: “Niels, why in ---- did you not send for me in September?  I could have done something for you.  Now you are filled with poison.”  He passed away on January 20, 1925 just as the sun slipped away behind the horizon. 

Mother’s memory began to fail her in the early 1920’s and grew gradually worse.  The last time my family and I visited her she could talk about the olden day but the present she forgot immediately.  She passed away without very much suffering on February 1928 and was laid to rest in the congregational cemetery at Nysted in the family lot beside her beloved husband and two greatly-missed children who passed to the Great Beyond in early childhood. 

Thus lived and passed away two common folks who possibly more than any other two of the pioneers, set their stamp of activity and interest indelibly on the community. 

I hope we, sons and daughters, of the doughty couple have inherited some of the pioneering spirit of our parents and that we again may have been successful in passing the some spirit on to our progeny.

F. Clarey Nielsen

Centuria, Wisconsin

March 2, 1962

The foregoing pages are a poor, rather desultory and, more or less, disorganized result of a rash of promise I made, in a moment of weakness, to my good boyhood friend, Alfred C. Nielsen, lovingly known to his friends as “A.C.”  When visiting us once in our Centuria home he lamented that much interesting history of our early pioneers and their struggle to “subdue the land” was lost due to the fact that no one recorded their activities. 

He asked me to write a sketch of my parents to be preserved in the archives at Grand View College, Des Moines.  I consented, not knowing what I “let myself in for”.

Father kept a diary from the time he left his home in Lolland, Denmark, till January 1, 1870. I gleaned some information from “Danske i Amerika” (Danes in America) published by C. Rasmussen Publishing Company Minneapolis, possibly with Rev. Anders Bovbjerg as  the “spark plug” for the publication.  Few other printed records were available that were usable.  I collected some material from Valentina and Willie, my older sister and brother.  Also through letters from my cousin, Mrs. Flors Feddersen, also the oldest daughter of dad’s second cousin, Mrs. Peter Krogh,  I am greatly indebted to them for their aid. 

I have drawn much from recollections as a boy and youth in hearing my parents relate their experience, also from others of the early settlers.  Along with the historic facts I have tried to include incidents from every day life, also civic, economic, political and spiritual life common to all pioneers.

F. Clarey Nielsen

Centuria, Wisconsin

March 2, 1962