While I generally have to remain concentrated on direct Manning history, there are many overlaps and interconnections that pop up with families who lived in nearby towns.
Our Kusel family did a lot of custom combining and windrowing and baling for decades starting in the late 1930s, and the Erb family years ago was one of them.
I also have a "distant cousin" connection to Myrna (Guth) which goes way back into Germany.
Sometimes I think the reason so many citizens of the US are very angry and vengeful is they claim to know US history but I would guess most of them know little if anything about their own family history - which they need to concentrate on first before they try to understand a national history.
Way too many people today don't even pay attention to 1st cousin connections, let alone 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on, cousins.

Brian Erb

Brian Allyn Erb was born on December 5, 1968, in Harlan, Iowa, the son of Gary and Myrna (Guth) Erb-Gundel. He was baptized and later confirmed at the United Methodist Church in Irwin. Brian attended Irwin-Kirkman Schools and graduated with the Class of 1988.

Following graduation, Brian purchased an acreage and began farming. He worked alongside his grandfather, father, and brother raising crops, cattle, and hogs. A dedicated farmer with a strong work ethic, Brian was always tinkering and enjoyed buying old tractors and restoring them. He was a talented carpenter and could fix just about anything that needed attention.

Above all, Brian cherished time spent with his family, especially his nieces and nephews. His hardworking nature, mechanical talents, and quiet dedication to those he loved will be deeply missed by all.

Brian passed away on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at his home near Irwin at the age of 57 years, 7 months, and 27 days. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Allyn and Thelma and later, Leona; maternal grandparents: Julius and Elva Guth; father, Gary Erb; step-father, Bernie Gundel; sister-in-law, Jennifer Erb; and nephew, Bryland Erb.

He survived by his mother, Myrna Erb-Gundel of Fontanelle and her partner (Emmert Andersen); siblings: Rhonda Erb of Greenfield and Kevin Erb of Manning; nephews and niece: Jonathan Greazel, Joseph Greazel, Rachel Erb, Jesse Erb, Remiel Erb, and McKeyan Erb; great-nephews: Hayden and Jude; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members and friends.

His wishes were to be cremated and his family is currently planning his celebration of life and it will be updated here soon.

I never know what I'll find when I search my database for someone.
In 2013, I heard that Logeland Studio was closing its doors forever.
I drove down to visit with that owner and worked out a deal to purchase as much of the "Manning" connected photos as I could.
Unfortunately, at the time, I did not think that some of the names would be filed under other towns, so if someone from Manning was married or was connected to Manning, some pictures would have been filed under the spouse's file in another town, so I did not grab them.
MOST of the Logeland pictures/negatives were thrown into the garbage truck.
A few people who heard about the closing came to purchase their own pictures but for the most part all of that pictorial history was buried in the dump.

I wish now I would have tried to save all of that history but I have enough difficulty in finding and preserving what little is left for Manning's history.
For the most part I have to concentrate on Manning's connected history but as would be expected there is a lot of overlap and indirect connections for families who live in nearby towns, and to find time to locate and document those connections then interferes with the direct connected Manning history I need to try to find and document.

Here are some scans of the Erb wedding that I was able to find and purchase from the Logeland Studio.
Unfortunately, like so many wedding collections, I have not found time to find/contact relatives to get the pictures identified, and I hate to guess which then can create errors with names.

Gary and Myrna (Guth) Erb's wedding

More Erb connections

Brian's uncle, Dennis Erb 1974-75 Manning Legion Commander

Brian's aunt, Judy (Werner) Erb 1984-85 Manning Legion Auxiliary President

Brian's cousin, Major Jason "Tank" Erb

Jason Erb

Guth connections from the Clara Ehrichs collection...

Guth farm - today Denny Kasperbauer farm

Guth farm

Clara Ehrichs was Dave Kusel's grandmother and where the Behrens/Guth connections are found.

1917 Clara Ehrichs (holding puppy in lap) -- adult on right side of Dora Guth
The rest of the kids are Guth children
Bill Schultz also in this picture
Mabel (Guth) Ohde was born in January 1910 and she was the youngest of the Guth kids.
It is unknown who the baby Dora is holding.

Not to take away from the immediate family and their loss, but here is my connection to this Erb family that goes way back in Germany.
Emilie and Wilhelmina Behrens were sisters

1 Count Hoffer von Roden
Rebecca von Roden

2 George Julias Behrens Gladebeck, Germany
Marie Sophia von Roden Gladebeck, Germany

3 Emilie Anna Friederica Caroline Behrens January 21, 1862 came to US in 1867
Deitrich Richard Eickelkamp Holstein Germany July 23, 1862

4 Clara Eickelkamp
Louie Ehrichs

5 Dorothy Ehrichs
Amos Kusel

6 David Kusel

1 Count Hoffer von Roden
Rebecca von Roden

2 George Julias Behrens Gladebeck, Germany
Marie Sophia von Roden Gladebeck, Germany

3 Wilhelmina Behrens Gladebeck, Germany September 1, 1846
Henry J. Guth Hannover, Denmark January 5, 1836

4 Henry Guth, Jr. April 17, 1868
Dorothea Wieck August 7, 1875

5 Julius Guth
Elva Axland

6 Myrna Guth
Gary Erb