Claus Nielsen Sr., Harness Shop
BILLIE NELSON
Bill, son of Oliver and Bernice Olsen Nelson, grew up in Harlan and moved to Manning in 1949 after graduating from Harlan High School where he was active in athletics throughout his high school years.
Marilyn, daughter of Otto and Esther Jensen Popp, graduated from Manning High School and attended Iowa State College. While there, she enjoyed theatrics, participating in stage and T.V. productions.
Later, after their marriage in 1953, Marilyn served as President and co-director of Ladies Nite School and also gave many lessons. She was a charter member of the Manning Toastmistress Club, has been an officer of the A.F.S. chapter and has been active in the A.F.S. Town and Country Festival as a performer and as co-ordinator.
Bill, a veteran of the Korean Conflict, is a member of the American Legion (Commander in 1970), V.F.W. (Commander in 1980), and is a member of the Manning Fire Department.
Bill currently is Water and Wastewater Superintendent for the Town of Manning, and Marilyn is employed at the Manning Plaza. The Nelsons also farm the Popp family property two and onehalf miles south of Manning in partnership with Larry and Kathy Popp.
The Nelsons are the parents of six children. David, Todd, Scott and Jane (Mrs. Mark Wanninger) have graduated from Manning High School. Sara and Barbara are in High School and Junior High. The family home is at 104 Center Street in Manning.
L. J. (SI) NICKUM
L. J. (Si) Nickum, brother Joe, and his parents, Jacob and Lucind Ellen Hayes, came to Manning from Missouri in a covered wagon. Lucind was the niece of President Rutherford Hayes. Jacob, who had come from Pennsylvania, was a carpenter and helped build the first church in Manning. Cecelia, Winford, Fern and Elsie (Rogers) Addison, family of W. D. Addison, D.V.S., came to Manning in 1909. Dr. Addison established his Animal Hospital in a cement building where the city library now is. He was a loyal vet until his death in 1936.
Si and Cecelia were married in 1915. In 1922 they purchased the Rendering plant and operated it for thirty years. Si was on the draft board during World War I, was Manning Fire Chief for many years, and had a commercial license to fly his own airplane. Cecelia taught arts and crafts at home and had a Master's Certificate as a flower show judge. She was the first woman Park Commissioner; she designed the shelter house and made many improvements to our city park. After retiring from his business in 1952, Si built their Reptile Garden and Gift Shop in Colorado. He passed away i n 1967.
They had two daughters, June and Myna. Both received their education in the Manning schools and graduated from Manning High School.
June received her degree from Simpson at Indianola and taught art in the schools where her husband, Earl Spicer, was superintendent, teacher and athletic coach. They have three children (Sandra, Cicily and Sonnt), six grandchildren and a great grandchild.
Myna received her degree from Morningside at Sioux City and taught English in the high school at Brownsville, Texas. She also served as counselor at the college at Brownsville where she lives. She was married to Jack Loff and they had three sons. Mr. Loff was killed in an automobile accident. Myra is now married to George Stahl. They have three grandchildren.
Cecilia is living at Lee's Summit, Missouri.
WE CAN REMEMBER---
Donald Rix won the baby contest in April, 1934. Total votes polled for all contestants was two million. Jackie Vollmer was second with 113 babies entered. Iris Kuhl was 3rd, Lloyd Barnes, 4th, Virginia Swank, 5th, Lila Lee Mohr, 6th.
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NIELSEN
Claus and Maria (Strosahl) Nielsen, Sr., came from Holstein, Germany, to Davenport in their younger years. They arrived in Manning in 1906, and operated the Nielsen Hotel on the east side of Main Street. They then had a harness shop in the building where Chub's Tavern is now located; Claus both made harnesses and repaired them.
They had two children, Claus, Jr., who lives in Manning, and Marie, deceased. Claus, Jr., has three children: Roger lives in Denison, Beverly (Mrs. Gary Smith) is in Manning, and Larry is in Fountain Valley, California.
Marie (Mrs. Fred Nulle) had four children: Joyce (Mrs. George Eschenbacher), Lincoln, Nebraska; Catherine (Mrs. George Dieber), Denison; Fred Nulle, Jr., Webster City; and Janet (Mrs. Leo Dowlin), St. George, Kansas.
DIETRICH NULLE
Dietrich Nulle and wife Karoline (Bolte) Nulle immigrated to America in 1883 from SchleswigHolstein, Germany. They also sponsored Mr. Nulle's cousin William Brombeck and family. They all settled in Mills County.
The Nulle family came to farm near Manning in 1885. In 1902 they retired to Manning and in 1913 celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
Dietrich and Karoline had seven children.
Dietrich married Dora Hoffman and lived in Montana. They had one child, Rosa Karch. All are deceased. After Dora died, Dietrich later married Tilla Petersen; they had four children.
William and his wife Anna Hass lived in Manning, and had two children, Alfred and Melinda Steen. All are deceased.
Henry and his wife Anna Kusel lived in Milbank, South Dakota; they are deceased, in addition to twins at birth. Other children were Randolph, Leona, Hilda, Edna and Melvin.
Mary and her husband Gus Mundt lived in Glidden; they are deceased, in addition to twins at birth. Daughter Milda Steaher lives at Lincoln, Nebraska.
Sophia married Emil Meggers of Manning. Both are deceased, in addition to twins at birth. Daughter Wilhelmina and son Edward are also deceased. Living at Westside is William; Anna Fries is at Ida Grove; and Edna, her husband Herbert Rowedder, and Wilhelmina's husband Carl Gruhn live at Manning.
Caroline married John Hammer; both are deceased. They spent their late years in Manning. Also deceased are their children Rosa Gluesing and twin Edwin; William, Denison; Adolph, Henry, Edward and Dorothy Wolfram of Davenport. Her husband Richard resides there. Louie died in 1958 and his widow Hilda (Volquartsen) is in Manning. Marie Zorn resides at Manilla Manor and Anita Freml lives near Denison.
August, his wife Kate Musfeldt, and son Harry, all of Manning, are deceased. A son Fred and wife Marie live in Manning.
Many descendants live in the Manning area and in neighboring communities.
I CAN REMEMBER---
We opened the Sportsman Club in April, 1946. At first, we raised all our own broilers and dressed them, with Bonnie Lacy helping with the dressing. Chickens were $1.75 a half, large T-bone steaks were $3.00, and club steaks were $1.75. Laverne Dominise was our first bartender, and Bill Mergle was our dishwasher and custodian all the while we had the Club.
The Club was closed in 1952, and in September, 1953, we bought the drive-in cafe which is now Saunders Steak House. We had the first ice cream machine in town.
---Frank & Lorine Sextro
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WILLIAM NULLE
William, son of Dietrich and Caroline Bolte Nulle, was married to Anna Hass, February 18, 1895, the birthday of her father, Marx Hass. On this date, the family was celebrating his birthday when Anna and William quietly slipped away and were married at Gray, and came back to surprise the folks. They celebrated their golden wedding in 1945, as did his parents in 1913.
Two children were born to this union, Alfred and Mrs. Emil Steen (Malinda), both of Manning.
Alfred Nulle was married to Anita, daughter of Jasper and Alvena Sievers Schroeder, December 22, 1920. To them were born two children, Donna, who died in infancy, and Wesley.
They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1970, which made three generations able to have this privilege.
Wesley was born September, 1930; he attended school in this area until moving to Charter Oak, where he graduated from high school. Shortly afterward, he joined the U.S. Air Force and spent his overseas duty in Greenland.
He was married to Rose Anne, daughter of Charles and Mary Stoberl Muhlbauer, September 10, 1956. Four children were born to this union: Duane, who died in infancy; Mark, Theresa and Lynn. The farm on which they live has been in the Nulle family since 1893.
Mark Nulle was married to Lou Ann Wurr August 11, 1979. They live near Moorcroft, Wyoming, where he is employed by Union Oil Company.
Theresa and Lynn are students in Manning High School.
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GEORGE OAKLEY
George Dewey Oakley was born November 15, 1898, to Henry J. Oakley and Elizabeth Victoria McCall, at Audubon. George's wife Clara was born March 18, 1907, to Rasmus Rasmussen and Cristina Petersen, at Audubon.
George and Clara moved to Manning in 1944, where George employed himself as a carpenter and mason. He passed away August 17, 1956. They have four children.
Mrs. Howard Oakley (Carol Jean Petersen, adopted), lives in Woodbridge, Va. Their children are Gregory, Texas, and Mrs. Paul Lynk (Robin), who has a daughter Cristina, Highland Springs, Va.
Mrs. Robert Zimmerman (Patricia); their children, Scott, Cory, Tina, and Michael reside in Maple River.
Mrs. John LaRue Ramsey, Jr. (Lois), and their children Todd and Renee, live in Manning.
Mrs. James Odendahl (Elizabeth) and their children Kristie, Jodie and Jamie live in Carroll.
Clara now makes her home at the Terrace Apartments, Manning.
LOUIS ODENDAHL
Louis P. Odendahl was born on a farm north of Carroll. His father, A. E., was born one and onehalf miles north of Carroll, and homesteaded in Pierre, South Dakota. He returned to Carroll in 1910, and January 12, 1912, was married to Emma Wieland, who was also born north of Carroll. Lou has two older brothers, Edward and Arnold, a younger brother Donald, and a younger sister, Marie, who is a nun at Spencer. A. E. died Nov. 23, 1977, at the age of 94, and Emma died March 30, 1979, at the age of 92.
In 1942, Lou was married to Deloris Bluml, a daughter of Frances and Joe Bluml. She was born on a farm south of Manning, and the family later moved to a farm south of Halbur. Delores is the oldest of 12 children; others are Jerry, Ardell Irlbeck, Elmer, Ardith Sturm, Charlene Stork, Ester Rohe, Larry, Glenn, Don, Jim, and Margaret Hinners. Their mother died April 28, 1966, and their father died April 13, 1978.
Lou and Deloris farmed seven miles south of Manning for 13 years, then moved to their present farm five miles north of Manning which they purchased in 1959. They have four sons, all graduates of Manning High.
Ronald was married to Edna Fahn, Harlan, in 1967. He served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1970, and spent three and one-half years in England. They have two daughters, Michelle and Stacie. In addition to farming north of Manning, Ron is a postman, and Edna is a graduate of beauty school.
Gary and Karen Wegner, Manilla, were married in 1974. Gary was in the Navy from 1967 to 1971 and spent two years in Japan. They have two daughters, Angie and Laurie, and farm 320 acres near Westside.
Joe was married to Sharon Reischl, Manilla, in 1978, and they have a daughter, Heather Marie, born in 1979. He farms north and west of Manning, and they live north of town in a home built in 1979.
Lynn is at home with his parents, helping with farming and driving trucks.
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GEORGE J. OHDE
George J. Ohde was born June 28, 1879, in Scott County, Iowa, the son of John and Margaretta Ohde. As a small boy he moved to Crawford County where he was reared and educated. Later he attended Commercial College at Des Moines.
In 1903 he married Anna Georgius at Des Moines. She was born August 2, 1880 in Iowa Township, Crawford County, the daughter of Dennis and Wilhemine Georgius.
They made their home in Manning where George worked as a carpenter and contractor. In 1919, they moved to a farm in Carroll County. They later purchased a farm in Crawford County where they lived till 1946 when they retired and moved to Manning. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in 1958. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church of Manning.
His wife died May 19, 1961. He continued living alone until he died January 6, 1968.
George and Anna were the parents of Oliver, Viola, Raymond, Melvin, Wesley, Lester, and Jean. A son Oscar died in infancy.
Oliver married Mabel Guth, and they had one daughter, Loralee.
Viola married Gilbert Martens; their children are James, Janet, and Judith.
Raymond married Margaret Gruhn, and they had one son, Roger.
Melvin married Evelyn Kracht; their children are Sharon, Jo Ann, David, Douglas, Maureen, and Roxanne.
Wesley married Delores Bellinghausen; their children are Betty Ann, Linda, Larry, Barbara, Susan, Robert, and Cheryl.
Lester married Ann Sturm; their children are Dennis, Darrell, Beverly, and Mark.
Jean married George Pfoltner; their children are David, Patricia, and Brian.
JURGEN (GEORGE) OHDE
Jurgen, born January 30, 1846, came to the United States in 1864 at the age of eighteen with fifteen cents in his pocket. His plans were to be a carpenter in Chicago. His brothers and sisters were Jacob, John, Henry, Vivian (Vietgen), and Gretchen (Maggie). He later moved to Clinton, where he married Anna Marie Everhart, born January 5, 1849. She had come to the U.S. at the age of eight years and later recalled the biscuit that the captain of the ship had given her on the long trip across the ocean.
Jurgen and Anna had eight children. The first four, Lena, Anna, Jacob Jr., and Henry John, were born in Clinton. By 1878 they moved to a farm northwest of Manning where George Jr., Emma Mary, Mary Emma and William were born. They later moved to a farm closer to Manning and in the 1890s moved into town.
Lena and Anna died young and had no children. Jacob had one son; Henry John had eight children, four of whom survived infancy. George Jr., had a daughter; Emma Mary married John Schelldorf and they had nine children. Mary Emma married Hans Wilken and they had one daughter. William married Frances Brunnier and had one son.
Jurgen died October 25, 1919, and Anna died January 15, 1925.
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WILLIAM OHDE
William was born September 1, 1889, son of Jurgen and Anna Everhardt Ohde, on a farm northwest of Manning. He moved into town with his parents where he attended the Manning schools. He was united in marriage with Frances Brunnier on June 18, 1905. William had worked for Henry Mueller in his furniture store and helped with the funeral directing. He formed a partnership with his brother Jacob in 1905 and established the Ohde Brothers Furniture and Undertaking business. A year later Jacob sold his partnership interest to his brother George. William and George continued the partnership until the death of George in 1929. William continued to operate the business, and built a new funeral home in 1931.
Frances and William had one son, William F., born in 1916. He received his embalmer's license in 1938. He was married to Bernice Dethlefs in 1939. William F. worked for his father until they sold the furniture business in 1951 when they became partners in the Ohde Funeral Home.
William F. and Bernice had four children: Ruth, Mrs. Ron Niemann, mother of two children, Ronald Douglas Beaver and Alison Anne Beaver; Linda, Mrs. George Farley, mother of two children, Julie E. Bachman and John W. Bachman; William G. Ohde, and John Robert Ohde. John is married to Helen Wiese.
Following the death of Wm. Ohde, Sr., in 1969, William F. continued to operate the funeral home. A funeral home in Manilla was purchased in the early 1960s. William G. Ohde joined his father as a licensed embalmer and funeral director in 1971 and the business was incorporated. Ruth Niemann joined the firm in 1978 after having taught high school science in the Atlantic and Ames school systems.
William F., along with his son and daughter, now operate funeral homes in Manning, Manilla, Coon Rapids and Bayard.
Frances Ohde is a resident of the Manning Plaza.
EMIL J. OPPERMAN
Emil J. Opperman was born June 21, 1895, on a farm northwest of Manning. His father Wilhelm (William) Opperman was born in Kiel, Germany, July 28, 1867. He came to this country at the age of 14. Emil's mother was Margaretha (Margaret) Karstens, born near Hamburg, Germany August 21, 1868. Her father, Wilken Karsten, was a sailor in Germany. Her mother was Lena Moeller. The Karstens settled on a farm in the northwest corner of Section 7, Ewoldt Township.
Emil married Mabel Dietz December 23, 1919, shortly after his army discharge from service in WWI. They moved to the Dietz home farm in the center of Section 6, Ewoldt Township, in the spring of 1920 and lived there for 31 years. They raised a family of four children, all of whom attended the Manning school system and graduated from Iowa State University.
George William, born August 23, 1922, married May Ellen Thomas, Coon Rapids, June 17, 1944. They live on a farm in Section 7, Ewoldt Township, which was the home farm of his great grandfather, Wilken Karsten. They have six children: Mary, Thomas (who married Michelle Akers, Manilla); Donald, David and Douglas (triplets), and Michael.
Ivan Leon, born May 31, 1925, married Elizabeth Harding, Grimes, March 24, 1951. They live on the "home" Dietz farm. They have six children: Susann (married to Stanley Siebke, Walcott), John, Emily, James, Valerie and Rhonda.
William Robert, born April 6, 1932, married Phyllis Musfeldt, September 7, 1952. They live on a farm in Section 23, Washington Township. They have five children: Debra (married Ronald Determan, Goose Lake), Janis, Robert, Beth and Paul.
Jane Agnes, born August 7, 1937, married Dee W. Kimberly, Bettendorf, June 24, 1961. They live in Boca Raton, Florida, where Dee is a senior Program Technical Support Representative for IBM Corporation. They have three children: Nancy, Judy and Daniel.
A history book customer from Condon, Oregon, stated: "I was born in Manning in 1913 and my mother, Ella (Hansen) Walker was also born and raised in Manning. She was the daughter of Jens N. and Caroline Hansen who was a sister of Sofia Reinhold. Her brothers were Henry and Charles Hansen, and sisters were Julia Feddersen, Anne Sandberg, and Hilda Hope. None are living now. I will be very interested in your history book".
-- Lorene C. Maley