Henry and Helen Kleespies

In 1911, Henry H. Kleespies (1891-1958) of Arcadia, and Helen L. Ries (1889-1961) were married in her hometown, Carroll. They settled in Arcadia where Henry learned the grocery trade. They then moved to Manilla where he worked in the same capacity for several years.

In 1920, they became residents of Manning where Henry and his brother, Leo, opened a general store located between Frahm's tavern and Ohde's Furniture Store on Main Street. Business flourished until the depression years when hundreds of unpaid grocery bills forced Henry to abandon the store and seek employment elsewhere. He worked for the Manning Creamery Co. until their move to Omaha, Nebraska in 1943.

They had four children: Clarence, who was employed at Alcoa in California for 30 years until his death in 1970; DeNage Lowe, R.N., who served in World War II as a Navy Nurse in the Mariana Islands, and who now is a resident of San Antonio, Texas; Marie VanScoy, a secretary for The Las Vegas Young Audiences, Inc.; and Louise O'Donnell, also an R.N., who is Director of Nursing Services for the Medical Personnel Office in Omaha.

During his years in Manning, Henry played Santa Claus for the town, as well as for many families. Each Christmas he brought joy to youngsters of all ages.

Do you remember when as a child you dressed in your best on Memorial Day and went to the Hod Free Home at 105 Ann Street? There Mrs. Free had some 50 or 60 grape baskets that she had painted white. The ladies of the Relief Corps filled them with flowers. Each child was given a basket of flowers to carry in the parade. Mr. and Mrs. Free died many years ago. The Free house was torn down a few years ago and in the attic were some 50 white baskets covered with dust and filled with memories.

Back: Larry, Karen, Joleen, Diane; front: Alvina and Albert Klocke

Albert Klocke was born in 1912 near Templeton. His father Anton and mother Lena were of German descent. Alvina was born in 1915 near Dedham, and passed away in Feb., 1978. Her parents, George and Mary Grossman, were also of German descent.

Albert and Alvina were married Feb. 18, 1936, at Willey. They farmed in surrounding communities until 1947, when they moved to a farm six miles north of Manning.

Alvina was a member of the Sacred Heart Altar Society and the Catholic Daughters of America. She was active in community affairs, served as 4-H leader for the Manning Cadets for 17 years, and was a past president of the Homemakers Club.

In 1959 Albert received the Carroll County State Bank Conservation Award for his outstanding conservation practices. While farming he also had a dairy herd for 20 years.

In 1976 Albert and Alvina retired and moved to Manning, after 40 years of farming. Their son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Linda, are presently residing at the farm.

Albert and Alvina are the parents of four children, Joleen Heath of Los Angeles, Calif., Larry of Manning, Diane Kauten of Omaha, Neb., Karen Cunningham of Omaha, and 12 grandchildren.

Dr. Phil Myer & Staff

Linda and Larry Klocke

Larry Klocke, son of Albert and Alvina (Grossman) Klocke, was born December 1, 1939, in Carroll County. He has one older sister, Mrs. Milan Heath (Joleen) of Culver City, California, who has one son. He also has two younger sisters, Mrs. Wayne Kauten (Diane), who has three boys and one girl; and Mrs. Ray Cumminghan (Karen), who has one girl and one boy. They all live in Omaha, Neb.

Larry married Linda Siepker, daughter of Ed and Marie (Behrens) Siepker of Templeton May 19, 1962, at Sacred Heart Church. She was the oldest of four children. She has one brother, Wayne, of Templeton; he married Audrey Neppl of Carroll, and they have three girls. She also has two sisters, Mrs. Dwayne Fester (Janet), who has three boys and one girl and live at Defiance; and Mrs. Mike Schmidt (Joyce), of Omaha, Neb., who has two boys.

Larry and Linda and family made their home two miles west of Halbur until 1976, when they moved to the Klocke home place five miles north and one mile east of Manning. They have five children. Kevin, born in 1963, is a junior, Keith, born in 1964, is a freshman, Kathy, born in 1965, is in the 8th grade, Kenneth, born in 1966, is in 7th grade, and Kris, born in 1971, is in the second grade. They all attend Manning Community School. The family attends St. Augustine Church in Halbur.

Schroeder Feed & Seed

Friedrick Knaack was born June 6, 1882, in Brunsbuttlekoog, Germany, near the North Sea. He came to America in 1906 at age 24. He located at Manning and was a carpenter by trade. He built many homes in the Manning area.

Christina Ploog from Friedricksburg, Holstein, Germany, came to New York in 1902 and did housework. Several years later she came to Manning, and was married to Friedrick Knaack in 1906. They had four children, Edward, William, Helen and Hildagard.

Edward worked at Dultmeier Manufacturing Co., Manning Light Plant, and was assistant buyer for Martens Variety until he retired. Edward was married to Marcella Martens. She was a clerk in the Martens Mercantile Co. and Martens Variety Store. Their children are Jerry, Barbara and Philip. Jerry retired from U.S. Air Force after 26 years of service. He is married to Toshiko Obha and they live in Milpitas, California, with sons Edward and Paul.

Barbara Knaack is married to Roger Nielsen. Both are teachers in the Denison Public School. They have two sons, Jeffrey and Scott.

Philip, who is in the U.S. Air Force, married Brenda Dimmitt of Fairfield and is stationed at Okinawa the past three years. They have two daughters, Robin and Nina.

William (Beano) Knaack married Alice Barrow of Manilla. They live in North Hollywood, California. They are both retired from Lockheed Air Craft. Their children are William Jr., Donald and Gene Arthur, who died in infancy.

William, Jr., a college professor in Los Angeles, married Julian Johnston. Their children are Charles, Christine Ann, and Paul. Donald works at the U.S. Post Office.

Helen Knaack married Nile Foxworthy of Coon Rapids. He was a mechanic for Garst and Thomas Co.

Hildagard Knaack is married to Joe King, a hardware salesman, and lives in Knoxville. They have one daughter, Christine, who is married to William Thomas, an attorney at Pocahontas. They have two sons, Jason and Bradley.

Mr. and Mrs. Mayer Knudsen, children Linda, Lyle and Larry

Henry Mayer Knudson, son of Hans and Bertha Hodnefield Knudson, was born March 6, 1906. His parents were natives of Norway. Their other children were Matilda (Mrs. Carl Brue), Malinda (Mrs. Louis Johnson), Kalmer, and Louisa (Mrs. Chris Wiig).

After attending rural and Irwin schools, Mayer worked as a hired farm hand in the Irwin community and harvest fields in the Dakotas and Minnesota. He married Velma Georgia Andreson on December 6, 1936.

Velma's parents were John and Marie Witt Andreson of German ancestry. She was born Feb. 6, 1911. Others in her family were Lester, Leona (Mrs. Carl Wiese) and Maurine (Mrs. Clarence Barten). Velma attended rural school, graduated from Irwin High School, spent two years at Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, and taught school until her marriage.

Mayer and Velma farmed north of Manning until 1950, near Vail for four years, and near Irwin until 1972, when they retired and moved to Irwin. While living near Manning, they attended night schools and Zion Lutheran Church. Velma belonged to Homemakers Club, and they are still active in Homemakers Past presidents.

Their children are: Larry (Oct. 13, 1938), married to Judith Benoit of Harlan, whose family includes Bradley, Brenda and Brian, and they farm near Irwin; Lyle (Oct. 23, 1941), married to Wendy Koenig of Estes Park; Colorado, and who is ladies track coach and Athletic Information director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah; and Linda (Mrs. Jerald Wigness), Harlan, (March 21, 1944), who is Blood Service Donor Consultant of Midwest Red Cross, and whose family includes Craig, Cindy and Denise.

Purchasing my first car, an Overland, for $800 in 1912. Only Ted Hansen, Gord Sutherland, Tom Parkhouse, O.W. Emmons, my brother Ed, and a few others had cars in Manning at the time. You could only get 4,000 miles on a tire in those days, and gas was 8c a gallon.

I drove to Minnesota one time and ran into mud. When I got to Mason City I bought another set of chains to put on the front tires, too. This was before the roads were paved.

---Ed Stuhr

Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Knueven

Franciscus Albert Knueven (Frank) was born at Emsburen, Germany on March 13, 1846, the son of Heinrich and Josephine (Caffier) Knueven.

Marie Gertrude Goedken (Mary) was born on March 13, 1847, the daughter of Gerard Herman and Christina (Hermsen) Goedken.

Frank and Mary were married at St. Boniface Church in New Vienna, Iowa on May 23, 1871, by the Rev. C. L. Schultz.

Five children, Heinrich, Anna Christina, Joseph, Maria Teresia, and John Bernard, were born to this family while they lived in eastern Iowa.

In 1881 the family moved to a farm near Arcadia. In late 1881 or early 1882 Mary and John bought land four miles east of Manning, built a home and farm buildings, and moved to their home. Lumber and limerocks were hauled from Arcadia by horse and wagon for their buildings.

That same spring the Knueven family was saddened by the death of their four older children. Anna Christina, age eight, died on March 21, 1882. Maria Teresia, age three, died on March 28, 1882. Heinrich, age ten, died on March 30, 1882, and Joseph, age four and one-half years, died on May 4, 1882. They all died of the dreaded disease Diptheria.

Frank, Mary and their only remaining child, baby John, continued to live on and work their land.

When John and Mary Sporrer were married in 1911, Frank and Mary moved to Templeton. They continued to live there until the time of their deaths. Frank's occurred on August 8, 1920, and Mary's on May 30, 1929. They are buried in the Sacred Heart Cemetery at Templeton

Manning Food Market -- Gen & Ron Baker

Joe Knueven, son of John and Mary Sporrer Knueven, was married to Marian Arp Oct. 3, 1940. Marian is the daughter of Henry and Catherine Arp. They lived on a farm near Manning for nine years before moving to Manning. They had five children, Robert, deceased, Karen, Janice, Gary and Deb.

Karen is married to Jim Amsden and their eight children are Steven, David, Theresa, Rick, Rob, Jon, Virginia and Jim Jr. They live in Churdan.

Janice married Bill Lahndorf. They have two children, Kevin and Cory. They live at Manilla.

Gary served in the U.S. Army, serving in Viet Nam one year. He married Linda Turner and they spent the next eight years traveling with the army. They returned to Manning, where Gary is in the insurance business with John Hornberger. Gary and Linda have three children, Renee, Jenny and Jason.

Deb is attending Manning High School. She is active in sports and works part time.

Joe worked at the Manning Creamery for 21 years. When the creamery closed, he worked for M.J.M. until beginning at Nelson Manufacturing. He has worked there for seven years and Marian for 14 years.

Frank and Claudia Knueven and children Pat and Patricia

John Bernard Knueven, the son of Frank and Mary (Goedken) Knueven, was born May 21, 1881, at Dubuque. He and his family came to the Manning area in late 1881 or early 1882.

Mary Sporrer, the daughter of Joseph and Cresentia (Hartl) Sporrer, was born March 31, 1884 at Bavaria, Germany. She and her family came to America in 1887.

John and Mary were married at the Sacred Heart Church in Templeton October 3, 1911. The Rev. B. A. Schulte officiated. Wedding attendants were Mary Lohaus, niece of the bride, and a friend, Joseph Fangman.

John's parents moved to Templeton and John and Mary made their home on the Knueven farm. John had bought the land from his parents three weeks before his wedding.

After several years without children, John and Mary took a child, Edward Foley, into their home. Edward's parents had died while he was a small lad. Edward has one brother, Malick, and two sisters, Louise and Mary Alice, who also lived with other families.

The Knuevens became parents of twin sons, Joseph and Frank, on October 22, 1920. Daughter Anne arrived on June 22, 1923, and son Louis on May 16, 1929.

John and Mary lived on the farm until March 1947, when they moved to Templeton. Mary passed away on December 14, 1952, at age 68. John's death occurred on December 4, 1967, at age 86. They were both laid to rest in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Templeton.

Their son, Frank, his wife Claudia (Stewart) and family moved to the farm and are still residing there.

The other Knueven children and their spouses all reside in Carroll County. They are: Joseph and wife Marian (Arp), Manning; Anne and husband Harold Walsh (now deceased), Templeton; Louis and wife Arlyne (Folkerson), Carroll; and Edward Foley and wife Marcella (Goetzinger), Carroll.

1936, the year we got "dried out". Hard times were with us from the Depression, and the drought didn't help matters.

We had 200 acres of corn north of Aspinwall, which my two brothers and I picked by ourselves. The crop that year was so poor that we could work all morning and not fill the bottom of the wagon.

---Amanda Koester Lamp

Heinrick Kruse, Jr., was born in Germany in 1856 and came to America in 1866. He married Madyeline Lemster, also a native of Germany, in 1882. They farmed five miles northwest of Manning, where eight children were born before he died in 1898, Harry, Herman, Lena, Laura, William, Henry, Johann, and Amanda. Two of their children, William and Henry, settled around Manning.

Henry married Helma Strathman, daughter of John and Christina Hagge Strathman, on February 18, 1920. They farmed near Manning and Westside and retired to Manning in 1958. Henry passed away i n June 1971.

Henry and Helma have three daughters.

Virgene, Mrs. Orville Kroeger, lives on a farm west of Manning.

Neva, Mrs. Robert Hinners, lives south of Manning. She and her husband Bob have five children: Deborah lives in Carroll; Cynthia lives in Manning; Kathleen, Mrs. David Rohe, lives in Manning, and they have two sons, Nathan and Bryan; Susan is attending business school in Spencer; and James is at home.

Genelle, Mrs. Leland Kienast, lives on a farm south of Manning. She and her husband Leland have two sons: Tim, who is married to the former Joni Siepker, attends Iowa State and will live on a farm south of Manning; Bary lives in Ames and attends Iowa State University.

Harm and Hermine Kruse and four children emigrated from Ostfriesland, Germany in 1871 and homesteaded 160 acres east of Westside in Crawford County. Six more children were born there in a four-room frame house built with lumber hauled from the railroad in Arcadia. There were no trees for miles and the prairie grass "stood as high as a horse's chin."

John was the youngest child, born in 1882. He graduated from Westside High School in 1899, and later studied civil engineering at Iowa State. In 1903 he took over farming the land while becoming a familiar musician by playing for dances and celebrations in the area. Music was his lifetime avocation, and in his later years he was still gathering fellow musicians for local celebrations. He was also a familiar auctioneer through the years.

After the birth of his daughter, Ione Emma, and the death of his wife, Emma Schweke, in 1912, he remarried in 1913 to Beryl Olive of Scranton. They built a new house on the homestead in 1920, and restored the old, original homestead. Together they started the first chick hatchery in Iowa in the basement of their farm home. It grew in size until in 1930 they owned four hatcheries in the surrounding towns, and it was necessary to purchase a large brick building on Main Street in Manning to move their main operation there. A 10-room hotel was also established in the same building.

John was active in the Manning community, and for several years was chairman of the annual Children's Day. He enjoyed working with the 4-H, and encouraging young people. He'll be remembered by many for his help in their time of need, providing a home, job or encouragement when needed. In 1941 the Kruses moved to Carroll, and leased the Manning Hatchery.

John was the father of four children: Ione, Allen Wendell (died in infancy), Joan Olive and Wallace David. The family farm was sold in the 1940's, Beryl and Wallace (Bill) died in 1943, and Ione (Mrs. Verdis Hansen) died in 1968. One daughter, Joan, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren survive.

The programs and box socials in the country schools. The ladies would bring a tasty lunch for two, often in a crepe paper decorated shoe box. These were auctioned to the men, and lunch partners were determined in this way. The auctioneer often was my father, Emil Wiese. The evening entertainment would begin with a program by the school pupils in grades one through eight. The money from the Box Social Auction was used to purchase various supplies for the school.

---Alta Hansen

Jim Ramsey Transfer

Harry and Laura Kruse, daughters Willetta Sander, Florence Ramsey and Delores Brockman

William Kruse was born Oct. 6, 1860, in Stokendorf, Germany. He came to America at the age of five, and was raised on a farm in Crawford County. In 1884, he was married to Elise (Lizzy) Kuhl, the daughter of John H. Kuhl and Abel Asmus Kuhl. She was born in Burg, Germany Aug. 5, 1865, and immigrated to America in 1873 at the age of seven. They farmed in Crawford County until 1910, when they retired and moved to Manning. They were the parents of three children, Harry Kruse, Emma Puck, and Clara Schroeder. William died in 1922, and Lizzy in 1945.

Harry Kruse was born Dec. 1, 1885. In 1910, he was married to Laura Joens and they farmed the home place until 1945, when they retired to Manning. He had purchased the farm from his parents in 1912. They were the parents of three daughters: Willetta Sander, Florence Ramsey, and Dolores Brockman.

Willetta and her husband, William Sander, farmed the home place from 1945 to 1952. They were the parents of four daughters: Corrine Jahn, Marlys Groth, Judith Brookbank, and Susan Siefken.

Florence and her husband, William Ramsey, farmed the home place from 1952 to 1962. They have one daughter, Donna Maasen. Florence graduated from Manning High School in 1933, William in 1932, and Donna in 1966.

Corrine and her husband, Wayne Jahn, farmed the home place from 1968 to 1971. The farm was sold in 1970. Corrine also graduated from Manning High School, in 1953. They have five children: Randy, Rick, Jeffrey, Brenda, and Gina, and a granddaughter, Rachel Jahn, daughter of Randy and Linda Jahn; this makes a six generation family, with the family farm owned for at least 86 years.

William John Kruse was born in 1892 in Crawford County. He was the son of Heinrick Kruse, Jr. and Magdeline Lemster. Heinrick was born in Stokendorf, Germany, in 1856, and came to America with his parents, Heinrick Kruse, Sr. and Helena Lamp Kruse, when he was 10. He married Magdeline Lemster in 1882. She was also a native of Germany, born in Rommels in 1863. William's father died when he was six years old. After his mother married William Hagedorn, the family moved to South Dakota. William and his brother Henry returned to Manning in 1911, and bought a farm northwest of Manning in 1914.

William married Wilhelmina Schrum in 1916 and they continued to live on the farm until they retired in 1959. They moved to Manning where they still live. They have two sons, Roy and Robert.

Roy was born in 1917. He married Pauline Elias in 1942 and farmed near Carroll until 1959, when they moved to his father's farm. They had three children, Douglas, Bette and Bonnie.

Douglas married Maralee McKibben and they have three children, Michele, David, and Angela. They now reside in Grinnell. Bette married Donovan Peterson and they have four children, Michael, John, Ann and Mary. They live in Ogallala, Nebraska. Bonnie married Ray Buffington and they have twin sons, Jason and Chad. They live on a ranch near Arther, Nebraska.

Pauline passed away in 1961. Roy married Lorraine Knop in 1969, and they continue to live on the family farm.

Robert was born in 1922. He married Velma Steen in 1945. In 1948 they moved to a farm southwest of Manning, where they still reside. They have three children, Lynn, Shary and Luanne.

Lynn married Nancy Owen and they live near Coon Rapids. Shary married Allan Arkfeld and they have three children, Aaron, Andy, and Laura. They live on a farm near Buck Grove. Luanne married Arlan Sandvik and they live in Story City.

I hardly remember my mother when she wasn't wearing an apron. It was the handiest garment to chase the chickens out of the house yard or carry fluffy yellow chicks to the brooder house. Her apron made a basket to carry eggs in when choring, a flip of the apron chased the pesky flies from the screen door, and it was always handy as a pot holder. Vegetables and fruit from the garden all found their way to the kitchen via Mom's carry-all apron, and it was used countless times to wipe a perspiring brow as she bent over the hot wood stove or hoed the garden under a hot summer sun. It even served as a quick dust cloth when company was seen coming in the lane. Its uses were limitless.

---Florence Genzen

H. E. Kuhl Family

Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Kuhl, better known as Ed and Lena, were married March 23, 1904. In 1906 they moved onto a farm in Iowa Township 6 1/2 miles northwest of Manning. He was born in Iowa Township northwest of town on February 14, 1878, and she in Hayes Township northwest of town March 1, 1881.

They were parents of six children, Elsie, Herbert, Melvina, Marvin, Marcus and Kathryn. The family affiliated with the Lutheran Church. Mr. Kuhl was confirmed with the first class at Zion Lutheran in Manning in 1894. They resided on the farm until Mr. Kuhl's death in 1960. Mrs. Kuhl remained there with son Marcus and family until 1965, when she moved to the Plaza.

In 1967 Melvina, husband Ray, and son Paul moved on the farm and remained there until the farm was sold by the estate in 1979.

Mr. Kuhl's father, Marcus, was one of the first settlers in Iowa Township. He purchased 160 acres of prairie on March 23, 1875, and later added 640 acres from the surrounding area. His first home was a cave in the side of a hill; several years later a small house was built when Anna Kuhl came from Germany to be married. This farm is still owned by a granddaughter, Norma Lamaack.

Mrs. Kuhl's parents were the William Jahns. They both were emigrants from Germany and they located in Hayes Township in about 1879, first on 80 acres of prairie, later adding nearly 360 acres. They lived on the farm their entire life.

Herbert, Melvina, and Marvin are now deceased while Marcus and wife live near Denison.

Kathryn Vollstedt and Elsie Wilhelm and husband Hugo are now Manning residents.

NAPA -- Richard Dammann

Jacob Kuhl Family

Marx Jacob Kuhl was born July 15, 1857, in Denmark. His father, Johann, left for Germany in 1872. In 1873, Johann's wife, Abel Asmus, and their children followed. The family settled in Sueder Ditmarschen, Holstein, Germany.

Later in 1873, Marx and his father came to America, leaving the rest of the family in Germany until they could bring them to the States. Marx and his father arrived in New York, where they remained for several months. Then the family followed and they came to Iowa; they settled near Davenport. They lived there for three years, then moved to a farm south of Westside.

Marx was married to Amelia Kruse October 6, 1882. She came from Stakendorf in the Probstei of Holstein, Germany. They purchased 80 acres north of Manning, where they lived for nine years. Their first three children, John, Antonia (Mrs. William Wiese), and Bertha (Mrs. George Wegner), were born here.

In 1891, they sold the 80 acres and bought the 240 acre farm of his parents west of Aspinwall. He and his family lived there for 23 years, and their last child, Alma (Mrs. George Lee), was born there.

In 1914, Marx purchased 160 acres four miles south of Manning, where he lived for several years before retiring to a home at Second and Center Street in Manning.

The couple had seven grandchildren, Hugo Wilhelm, Alma (Mrs. Louie Jahn), Alice (Mrs. Herbert Kuhl), Selma (Mrs. Kenneth Olson), Edwin, Carl and George Wegner.

Peter Kuhl came from Germany at age 18, settling in the Arcadia-Westside area. In 1884 he married Louisa Lohmeier, a daughter of a family from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Eight children were born to this union, four sons and four daughters. Two of the daughters, Emma and Annamarie, died in infancy. The first three children were Henry Wilhelm, Rosa Christina, and Peter Herman. By now Peter was a loyal Democrat so the next three were named Robert Grover (Cleveland), Emil Jennings (Bryan) and Della Bonita (Bryan).

The Kuhls bought the farm they were living on and established the Sunset Dairy, delivering milk to town in a special cart and a team of Shetland ponies.

Peter and Louisa celebrated their 25th anniversary in 1909 with a dance held at the Schuetzen Hall. In 1912 Peter died of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 50. Mrs. Kuhl continued farming until sons Peter and Emil enlisted in the army in 1917.

Henry left this area and was in the restaurant business. Rosa was a school teacher until her marriage. Peter had a dance band which was very popular. Robert, Emil and Bonita were in the restaurant business locally. All three were active in civic affairs. Bonita, the last living member of the family, has also participated in musical activities since age 15. Presently, at age 82, she has a class of piano students.

Peter and Louisa had 11 grandchildren, two of whom are deceased. Only two of the remaining nine live in this area.

Kiddie Korner -- Arlene Kusel

Amos Kusel, son of August and Ida Grau Kusel, was born March 27, 1920, in Carroll County. He graduated from Manning High School in 1938. He was married May 28, 1944, to Dorothy Ehrichs, who was born August 27, 1923, in Crawford County. They owned and operated a farm 1 1/2 miles north of Manning, with Amos farming until his death September 1, 1970.

After her graduation from Manning High School in 1941, Dorothy attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls; she taught school before her marriage. She has also been active in 4-H, the Lutheran Church, wrote a Cooking Column for over 20 years, and has been Director of Housing in Manning for the past nine years.

The couple has four children. Barry Ray, born Nov. 4, 1945, was married to Phyllis Jean Graner June 11, 1967; their children are Bradley Christopher, born May 18, 1968, and Teri Jill, born .June 8, 1971. Angela Rae, born January 18, 1947, was married to Dan Pratt Feb. 25, 1968; they have two children, Nina Michelle, born Oct. 20, 1970, and Sean Wesley, born August 3, 1973. Douglas Gene, born August 26, 1948, married Brenda Sutton June 17, 1978. David August was born August 1, 1956. Barry and David live in Manning, Angela lives in Wichita, Kansas, and Doug is in Richardsen, Texas.

When Mom washed, Dad used a drag to haul barrels of water up to the wash house where it was heated on an old cob and wood stove. When the water was finally hot, the homemade lye soap was cut into the water and it was dipped into the wash machine. Dad was called to start the engine on the machine and then he would go to the field or start at his own work. It never failed that when Dad got to the back of the field, the motor would stop and we would have to walk out and get Dad home to start the motor again.

---Luella Gruhn

Barry and Jean Kusel and children Brad and Teri

Barry Kusel is the eldest son of Amos and Dorothy Ehrichs Kusel. He was born in Carroll County in 1945. He attended a country school and later went to the Manning Community school, graduating in 1964. He then attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, and graduated in 1968.

In June, 1967, he married Jean Graner, daughter of Ross and Darlene Graner, also of Manning. Jean was born in Carroll County and also attended the Manning Community School, graduating in 1965. After living a year in South Dakota, they moved back to Manning where Barry joined the family farming business.

After the death of his father in 1970, the family formed the A. R. Kusel Ltd. corporation with Barry becoming the manager and working with his youngest brother David. They do several hundred acres of custom farming and have a custom combining operation with their uncle Melvin Kusel.

Barry and Jean have a son Brad, born in 1968, and a daughter Teri, born in 1971. They are both students in the Manning Community School.

Sal Grundmeier Garage -- Aspinwall, IA
Started in 1915 by Emil Ehrichs

McMahon's Feed and Seed -- Wade Mohr

Otto Schroeder was one of 10 children born to August and Caroline (Tank) Schroeder. He was born in Carroll County in 1896 and spent his lifetime in the Crawford and Carroll County area. He married Elsie Kusel in 1930. They made their home in the Westside area, where Otto's work centered around agriculture. Together they raised one son, Glen Kusel. In 1952 they moved to Manning where their son had located, and have made their home here.

Glen married Arlene Subbert in 1946. He worked with the hatchery business for 21 years. Eleven of those years were spent with Priebe & Son, and in 1959 he opened his own hatchery. In 1961, a partnership was formed and he operated G & R Hatchery as a co-owner until 1971. At that time, Glen began operation of Kusel Dozer Service and has been serving the community in that capacity ever since. His wife, Arlene, began operation of Kiddie Korner Day Care in Manning in 1978.

Glen and Arlene have four daughters. Pamela married Alan Kusel and they have two daughters, Amy Jo and Beth Ann. They reside in Manning, where Alan has served on the Police Dept. since 1972. Connie settled in Denver, Colorado. Jerilyn married Terry Buzzard; they and their son, David Ryan, live in Washington, D.C. Carlys married Allen Stribe; they have farmed north of Manning since 1978.

William Kusel came to America from Prussia as a child in 1851. He and his young bride, Sophia Grube, settled in Crawford County in 1874, and seven years later purchased a farm five miles north of Manning.

One of their 10 children, August, went to Nebraska as a young man, where he married Maggie Martens. After her death, he returned to Manning in 1918 with his two children, Elsie (Mrs. Otto Schroeder) and Herman. Her August established a new family which also included his wife, Ida Grau, her daughter Eunice (Mrs. Hugo Ahrendsen), and later two sons, Amos and Melvin, completed this family.

After his marriage to Marjorie Kuhn in 1943, Melvin began farming the Parker land one mile north of Manning and since 1948 "Parker's corner" has been their home. Since this farm was located adjacent to both his family home and his brother Amos' farm, it enabled the brothers to work together in farming and cattle raising, while Melvin was also engaged for 20 years in a trucking operation. The men were also partners in a custom combining service, which still continues through Melvin and Barry Kusel; Barry is the oldest son of Amos, now deceased, and his wife, Dorothy (Ehrichs).

Melvin and Marge are the parents of two children. Their son Alan married Pamela Kusel, and they have two daughters, Amy Jo and Beth Ann. They reside in Manning where Alan has served on the Police Department since 1972. Their daughter Karla, now Mrs. Dan Richmond of Colorado, has two sons, Rick and Phillip.

My great-grandfather left Germany in 1840 and settled near Davenport. His son Detlef Wiese came to Westside by horseback in 1860 to stake out land for three of his brothers and himself. The land was recorded and Detlef rode back to Davenport to report to his family. They loaded a prairie schooner and left for the new land they had claimed. It took them three months to get here, because there were no roads or bridges, and they had to chop down trees and make rafts to cross the rivers. They settled two miles north of the Five Mile House, choosing this area because there were trees already growing there while further south there was nothing but prairie grass.

Detlef's son Ed came to Manning in 1904 and settled on the farm that has been our home place all these years. They had to go to Denison to "Chapman's Grove" to get seedling trees and haul them home in their wagons to plant on the farm. Since there was no wood to burn, they cut waist-tall grass or gathered buffalo chips for fuel.

The sixth generation of our family is now living in this area.

Meadow Gold -- Wolterman Dist. Co.