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The purpose of this section is to collect those interesting
stories and happenings that have occurred in the Kuhlmann family. We are
especially looking for odd and funny things that happened. A lot of it
will have to do with the "Good old days" -- the things that the younger
generation will find hard to believe. Please submit them, and we will add
them to this page. -----Rolly
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Their place also had apple and cherry trees. The trees were so large
that a ladder was needed to reach the first limb (possibly a small boy's
prospective).
Pictured with the church's baptizimal font is Pastor Larry Meyer and his daughter, Rebekka. |
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Henry's father, Christian, was a shoe maker. He didn't have a shop. He would go from house to house with his material and tools and repair or make the shoes that were needed. He made leather shoes, also made some wooden shoes. He would stay at one location until all shoes were made or repaired, then move on to another home. Wooden shoes could also be obtained at a store where there was a pile of them. A person would simply try on shoes until they found two that fit.
The reason for moving to the United States was that each boy was required to serve 3 years in the military when he turned 17. If they would have waited one more year Chris would have been old enough to be drafted and they would have had a son in the military for 15 years. In addition, military conditions were very poor, and family members would have to send food to supplement their sons.
When the family came to United States they sailed on a ship named Tarfe
along with about 200 passengers. They stopped at England before sailing
for New York. They were 9 days on the water and 3 days by train from New
York to Humboldt, Nebr. With two wagons, pulled by horses through the mud
the family and all their possessions were transported 15 miles to the Eggers
residence. Henry farmed in Johnson and Nemaha counties for 6 years, then
the family, except Fred, moved to Smith County Kansas, near Athol where
they continued to farm. ---Rolly
Ellen Ryan -- about her Grand Pa, Fred L.
When Fred L. was just a small boy of 5 or 6 living in Germany, it was his job to take care of his aunt's little baby. Well it seems he rocked the cradle so hard that it tipped over and the baby fell out. His aunt was so mad that she pulled his ears so hard that she tore them away from his head a bit. And that's the reason he had such big ears!!!
When Grandpa was a young man he enjoyed the times spent with the other young men racing with the wagons or wrestling, I can't remember which caused him to break his leg. Anyway, the friends were taking him back to where he lived at the time, but in route his leg hurt so much that they had to stop off at the Volker home and that is where he recuperated. I don't remember if he and Grandma had been "keeping company" before then but I'm sure they got to know one another quite well during his convalescent time!
Grandpa was a hired man for a Stutheit family. Since it was some distance from home he lived with them during the time of his employment. Grandpa came home late one night to find the front door locked. Since there was a tree close to his bedroom window he decided to just climb up rather than wake the family. When he got into his room he found this old man with a big beard in his bed. Guess both were quite startled. Anyway he climbed out in a hurry and went to the granary where he found the other hired men. They told him the family had visitors to which he replied "I know!" The next morning the old man told them if only he'd had a (knipple?) club he sure would have hit the intruder in the head.
The following photo was taken at the Hebron Kuhlmann reunion in
1940.