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Dairy Cows

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Dairy Cows Respond to Call of Auto Horn

Recalling the welcome ding-ding of the old dinner bell of his boyhood’s happy days down on the farm (Missouri), and remembering the alacrity with which he could get his feet braced against the center table leg for a long, strong pull at the kartoffel und kraut, Fred Tegeler, Battle Creek’s philosophic vendor of pure standard test milk and cream, pondered long weeks, it is said, to devise a method by which he could similarly induce his dairy herd to come a-runnin. when he reached the pasture gate with milk pails and fodder. Then an idea struck him and like Euclid he must have exclaimed .Eureka!..or maybe it was just .Ich hab es!. Anyway, he forthwith reconditioned the old horn on the fresh-air Hudson and with patient tutoring the milkers in time learned there was something else than noise and driver in the gas cart. Now, early or late, Fred may sound klaxon as he approaches within three blocks of the pasture and every dam and her pedigreed progeny are at the gate to meet him and give down as they eat up. And southsiders claim they may set their clocks at 5:17 every morning when the siren calls the kine. Source: Battle Creek Enterprise, Thursday, September 3, 1936, page 1. (Kartoffel=potato, .Ich hab es!.= I have it! {German})

Charlie Giblin

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Charlie Giblin—Song Writer

Many of the older Battle Creek residents will no doubt remember Charlie Giblin, who made Battle Creek his home in the early ’90s. He was a carpenter by trade and a local peace officer by choice. Feeling that better things awaited him elsewhere, he left for the east in the late years on one has heard from him or of him. That he is alive and apparently well and happy, is evidenced by a letter to the Enterprise written from Ossain, Indiana, in which he declares he has become a song writer in his old age. He enclosed this clipping taken from his local paper: Chas. R. Giblin, of the county line road, left Sunday for a trip to New York city to attend a meeting of the Song Writers Protective association of which he is a member. While in the city he will look after the publication of nine songs which he states he has written, and which he expects to have published..

Source: Battle Creek Enterprise, Thursday, October 2, 1947, page 1.

Madison County Cars

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WHO HAS OLDEST CAR IN MADISON COUNTY 

Frank L. White, near Madison, owns “Flivver” born in 1910

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Who owns the oldest automobile now in use in Madison county?

Automobile registrations in the county this year indicate that Frank L. White, farmer living near Madison, who owns a “flivver” of the vintage of 1910, possesses the most ancient car.  This 17-year-old bus still willingly wheezes its way over the highways, up and down hills and around corners, without protesting about its duties although many of its contemporaries have been junked. Occasionally it murmurs when cranked, but it gets there just the same. Among those who drive cars that were born in 1912 are: Charles H. Witzel, Madison, and employes of the Madison Telephone company, Madison.

Those who possess veteran machines that came into existence in 1913 are as follows: John E. Munsterman, Norfolk, who owns a pair of the ancient “flivvers”; Theodore Rethwisch, Tilden; J. H. Stolle, Meadow Grove; Mrs. John Gentry, Battle Creek; E. W. Rowland, Norfolk; Charles Dittrick, Meadow Grove; Farmers Cooperative Mercantile company, Tilden: Oscar Moritz, Norfolk; L. C. Peterson, Norfolk.

The following still drive cars that were produced n 1914: Edward G. Reeves, Madison; George Gollinghorst, Madison; Wiliam Weachman, Norfolk; R. A. Boysen, Madison;          T. L. Osborn, Battle Creek; Jack Kuntz, Meadow Grove; Fred Z. Cornick; Madison; Alice E. Johnson, Newman Grove; Johnson brothers; Newman Grove; H. A. Pasewalk, Norfolk;     D. F. Lefavor, Madison; Bruce Moore, Meadow Grove; Gustave Kollath, Stanton: Walter W. Schultz, Norfolk; William Schwager, Newman Grove; Frank Steiner, Madison; Fred Miller, Norfolk; Jacob Studts, Madison; R. G. Swoboda, Newman Grove; Adolph Pospisil, Newman Grove; Charles Dittrick, Meadow Grove; Oscar Plummer, Meadow Grove; J. A. Ballantyne, Norfolk; Roy Ryan, Norfolk; Simon R. Johnson, Newman Grove; Carl O. Nelson, Meadow Grove; Woren Hayes, Norfolk.

Automobiles that are twelve years old are owned by A. E. Kernick, Madison; C. E. Plass, Madison; Leonard Eucker, Lindsay; G. D. Sessler, Battle Creek; A. T. Williams, Norfolk; Ketel Christianson, Madison; Frank P. Holy, Madison; P. E. Barrett, Norfolk; W. F. F. Winter, Norfolk; Richard Wachter, Norfolk; Frans Hedell, Newman Grove; Mrs. E. J. Rix, Norfolk;  F. O. Roberts, Meadow Grove; Richard Sommerfield, Norfolk; Julius Kell, Norfolk; Jacob Studts, Madison; John T. Dinkel, Norfolk; Nelson Harness and Shoe shop, Newman Grove; William Freeman, Norfolk; George Wachter, Norfolk; Randall Kerner, Madison; Herman Bernstrauch, Norfolk; William Mellinger, Norfolk; Charles Hanna, Newman Grove; Harry Buttler, Madison; W. J. Spercher, Meadow, Mrs. A. J. Colwell, Norfolk; John H. Felger, Norfolk; Casper H. Johnson, Newman Grove; Herman B. Beckman, Battle Creek; Joe Redler, Norfolk; William Raschke, Norfolk; C. J. Schmidt, Newman Grove.

Source: Norfolk Daily News, Friday, Dec. 2, 1927, page 4.

Norfolk Mill Company

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The Norfolk Mill Company has decided to put the new roller machinery into their mill. Mr. Cotton informs us that it will consist of four sets of rollers. They will also put in new purifiers, new bolting arrangements, new elevators and make it the best mill in Northern Nebraska. They will begin the work about the middle of July and expect to have it completed by the 1st of September. The probable cost of the improvements will be in the neighborhood of $7,000.

Source: Norfolk Journal, Friday June 8, 1883, page 3.

William Evans

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Williams Evans, of the banking firm of Matheson and Evens, Oakdale, was drowned on Saturday last in the Cedar Creek at that place. It seems that he was fording the creek on horseback for the purpose of looking after some cattle, and that his horse slipped or stumbled while in the stream, and threw Mr. Evans into the water where he was drowned immediately. His body was taken to Wisconsin on Monday.   Source: Norfolk Journal, Friday June 8, 1883, page 3.

German Lutheran Church

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The German Church Society have sold their three lots on the corner of Main and Third Streets, to Burrows and Egbert, for the sum of eighteen hundred and fifteen dollars. The church building will be moved onto their new lot on Fourth street.

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Sealed bids for moving the German Lutheran Church about four blocks south and one west from where it now stands will be received by the trustees and building committee of the said church society on or before the 20th of June, 1883. For further particulars call at Koenigstein’s drug store.   By order of the Building Committee.

Source: Norfolk Journal, Friday June 8, 1883, page 3.

Wilkinson family

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TWO BEDS FOR NINE PEOPLE

Half of the Wilkinson Family Ill.  One Cripple, One Blind

Two small, illy covered beds for the accommodation of a family of nine people, seven sick children, a father and a blind, feeble mother, is the picture which greets the visitor at the Wilkinson home, a little house at the corner of Eighth street and Norfolk avenue. Surrounded by the most sickening destitution, their breath freezing up inside the home because of the cold, no carpets to take away the chill of the cold, damp floors, and but one tiny stove to heat the building that is the situation mildly told.

Young Wilkinson, a youth of eighteen and a cripple, who had been employed in a livery stable, was yesterday taken sick along with the other children of the family and is today flat on his back. A little 15-year-old girl does, or tries to do, all of the housework, while the blind, helpless mother is ill on one of the beds. Some of the children sleep on the floor. The family is in sore need of bedding. Blankets, quilts or comforters would find a warm welcome these cold nights, as would also an old rug or so, for the floors. “I have worked every day that I could get work,” said the father, Wilkinson, today.                               Source: The Norfolk Weekly News.Journal, Fri. Feb. 10, 1905, page 2.

REFUSE TO GO TO POOR FARM

Wilkinson Family Intend to Remain a Charge Upon the Public

An effort has been made on the part of Mayor Hazen and others to induce members of the Wilkinson family, corner Eighth street and Norfolk avenue, to become inmates of the county poor farm at Battle Creek. And the Wilkinsons, despite their admitted destitution, have refused to go over the hills to the poor house for a single minute. Not they. The family has been a charge upon the public for some time. During the cold snap, when the children were suffering through no fault of their own, the inability of the father to provide for them was overlooked in the one aim to prevent their suffering. But this does not end their poverty, there is no charitable society in Norfolk and there is a poor farm where they might go and be taken care of. They refuse to either take care of themselves or to take advantage of the latter alternative.                                                                                 Source: The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Fri. Feb. 10, 1905, page 3.

PITIABLE CONDITION OF A FAMILY

Mother Blind and Little Children Suffering From the Cold

A pitiable condition of poverty and suffering was reported yesterday to the police from the Wilkinson home, corner Eighth street and Norfolk avenue, and in response coal and food were ordered sent to the place. The reports came from neighbors and others who had noted the exceedingly destitute condition of the place. Upon investigation it was found that the mother, Mrs. Wilkinson, was blind and was suffering from the cold. A large number of small children, with scarcely enough to keep them warm, huddled near a little stove in an attempt to keep warm. This case has been repeatedly reported to societies, charitably inclined and on a number of occasions assistance has been granted. The father lives in the city and one son is employed in a livery stable.       Source: The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Fri. Feb. 10, 1905, page 3.

Editors notes: In the same issue of the paper as the above items an article about the family was found that carried no headlines. The item was found within all the other items in that column of news.

The Wilkinson family, housed at the corner of Eighth street and Norfolk avenue, have for the past three days been “at home” to an unusual number of visitors. In fact a regular reception, somewhat informal in its nature and to which those came who had not received engraved invitations, has been held. The Wilkinson family is the household whose destitution attracted attention last week and as a result of that attention dozens of kind hearted and charitably inclined Norfolk people have seen to it that the suffering in that home was relieved. Beds, and bedspreads, quilts and comforters, rugs and clothing, flour and bread have been among the list of articles ordered sent to the place, and great joy has been brought into the home as a result.       Source: The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Fri. Feb. 10, 1905, page 7

Battle Creek Inventor

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John W. Kovalek gets patent for machine

Is to adjust wagon Axles

Hubs and Axles of Wagons and Buggies can be Rigidly tightened by the new device of the Madison county Blacksmith Has Another

Battle Creek has an inventor.  John W. Kovalek is that same.  He has just received notice from Washington from his attorneys, C. A. Snow & Co., that his patent on a device for adjusting hubs and axles on buggies and wagons, was granted a week ago today, January 10, 1905.  Mr. Kovalek was in Norfolk yesterday. The machine which has been reeled out of the brain of the Madison county man at Battle Creek is so arranged that, by tightening up screws that adjust the axles, any loosed hubs are immediately pulled rigidly together, saving rattling and unnecessary wear and tear.

Mr. Kovalek invented the machine last year and applied for his patent on August 20, 1904. Since that time is has been going through the course of events in officedom at Washington. The machine will either be sold by Mr. Kovalek or it will be manufactured by himself and sold. He is pleased with the success of the device and his friends in the county are glad for him. He has another patent pending, which will likely be ready before long. Mr. Kovalek is a blacksmith at Battle Creek and has lived there for years. On the patent sheet the names of T. M. Morris and Herman Hogrefe appear as witnesses.

Source: The Norfolk Daily News, Tuesday January 17, 1905 on page 3.

Madison County townships and cemeteries

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Madison County, Nebraska Townships

 

Jefferson           Deer Creek                Valley                     Norfolk              T 24 N

 

Grove                Highland                     Battle Creek           Warnerville      T 23 N

 

Emerick             Schoolcraft            Fairview                  Union                   T 22 N

 

Shell Creek         Kalamazoo         Green Garden         Madison               T 21 N

 

R 4 W                R 3 W                  R 2 W                      R 1 W

In the above R = Range, W = West, T = Township, and N = North.

 

How the sections are numbered for each of the townships

Each section is 1 square mile.  The top is north in both the listing for the townships and for the sections listed below.

6         5       4        3      2       1

7         8       9      10     11     12

18     17     16     15     14     13

19     20     21     22     23     24

30     29     28     27     26     25

31     32     33     34     35     36

Cemeteries located in each of the townships in Madison County.  The township is in enlarged print and then the cemetery name with the section number it is located in. If there are other names the cemetery is known by it follows in {    }. 

Jefferson…….Warren, Sec. 9 {Terry, Howard, or Northside cemetery} ; Tilden City, Sec. 19 { I. O. O. F., or Odd Fellows cemetery} ; Immanuel Lutheran, Sec. 19; McCoy, Sec. 33 {Dry Creek cemetery} ; St. Matthew Lutheran, Sec. 35

Deer Creek…..Jackson, Sec. 15 {Buffington-Jackson cemetery}

Valley……..Best, Sec. 23; St. Patrick, Sec. 31

Norfolk……Hillcrest, Sec. 16 {Hillcrest Memorial Park cemetery} ; Regional Center, Sec. 13; St. Paul’s Lutheran, Sec. 22; Prospect Hill, Sec. 21; New Lutheran, Sec. 22 {New Christ Lutheran, or Christ Evangelical Lutheran cemetery}

Grove…… Hutchins, Sec. 12; Williams’, Sec. 18 { Pleasant View cemetery} ; Buffalo Creek, Sec. 28 {St. Paul Lutheran/Buffalo Creek cemetery}

Highland…..Deer Creek, Sec. 6; St. John’s Lutheran, Sec. 12 { St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran cemetery} ; Union, Sec. 12

Battle Creek…..Alberry, Sec. 15 {Allberry cemetery}

Warnerville

Emerick…..Emerick, Sec. 2; Rosehill, Sec. 19, Trinity #2, Sec. 28 {St. Paul’s Lutheran–Newman Grove, Ne., or German Evangelical Lutheran cemetery–Newman Grove, Ne.} ; Morgan, Sec. 27

Schoolcraft…..Osborn, Sec. 15

 Fairview…..Fairview, Sec. 8 { Fairview Precinct Methodist cemetery}

Union…..Pleasant Valley, Sec. 14 {German Lutheran cemetery, or Besk cemetery}

Shell Creek…..Shell Creek Lutheran, Sec. 22; Trinity #1, Sec. 29 {Trinity Lutheran #1 cemetery}

Kalamazoo…..Iowa Valley, Sec. 4; Kohl, Sec. 24 {German Methodist Episcopal Zion, or Kalamazoo cemetery} ; Zion Lutheran, Sec. 28 {Wedekind, or Evangelical Lutheran Zion cemetery of Kalamazoo, or Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church of Kalamazoo cemetery}

Green Garden…..Green Garden, Sec. 8 {St. John’s Lutheran / Green Garden cemetery} ; Zion Evangelical, Sec. 8 {Schmitt / Rottler cemetery}

Madison……Barnes, Sec. 5 {Barnes Reserve cemetery} ; St. Leonard’s Catholic,  Sec. 5; Crown Hill, Sec. 4 {Clausen cemetery}

Addition Jan. 2013

The following website contains information originally done by a member of the Madison County Genealogical Society.  It has been changed and added on by others so accuracy is only as good as the person who submitted the additional information.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nemadiso/madcem.htm

Notice: The rootsweb website is not fully working so the link above is not working at the  current time.  June 12, 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other items of interest

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The following items were found in the Norfolk Daily News, Norfolk, Nebraska

Richard J. “Diamond Dick” Tanner, Norfolk, NE., Dec. 10, 2008, page 2

Eleanor (Wrede) Nielsen, Jan. 27, 2010, page 1, 8  marks 107th birthday

Community Bible Church, Norfolk, NE., Aug. 7, 2009, page 11

1950 murder in Columbus, NE., Aug. 10, 2009,page 1, 10

Bonnie Lou Merrill, Silver Creek, NE. Aug. 10, 2009, page 1,10

Roland Dean Sundahl, Norfolk, NE., Aug. 10, 2009, page 1, 10