Ludwig Karl Klain was born at
Niederland, Germany on Oct. 7, 1864. Jacobina Bohnet was born at
Kalztock, South Russia on July 28, 1867. They were married on Dec. 4,
1887 at Taraverde, Romania. Ludwig was living in Taraverde at the time
of their marriage. He had been in military service and had traveled in
most of the European countries. He could speak seven languages.
When Ludwig came to ask for Jacobina's
hand in marriage she was washing clothes and wearing a sack for an
apron when she went to meet him. Her mother wanted her to put on an
apron but she went the way she was and asked "Do you want me like
this?" He answered, "Yes, I take you like this."
The Bohnet family originate in France
where Grandfather Bohnet was a General in the French Army. They were a
very well-to-do family, but as they fled from one country to another
they lost their wealth. During the time they fled to the Black Forest
in Germany they had no water for the children to drink so the Mother
spread her white linens on the grass overnight and squeezed the dew
out for water. Mr and Mrs Ludwig Klain made their home in Taraverde,
Romania. While living there, four children were born. From there they
moved to Cherklscai, Romania where a son was born. They then moved to
Mamusle, Romania where Mrs Klain's mother and family lived.
Grandmother Bohnet, with three young
children, came to America in 1901 [this should be 1902]. Her husband
had died in Romania. In October 1907 when the youngest child was six
months old, the Klain family took passage to America. They traveled by
train to Antwerp, Belgium. When they got there the boat they had
passage for was filled so they had to wait until another boat was
available. All were given health checkups and were vaccinated. What an
undertaking with ten children from age 6 months to 19 years old.
The next boat they got passage on was
the Freimund [This should be the Cambroman. Verifiable at Ellis
Island.] which was a very old boat and consequently, they had lots of
engine trouble. During the trip Mrs Klain was very sea sick. Mr. Klain
worked in the kitchen to help feed his family as the food also was
very poor. Two other families from Mamusle traveled with them. They
were the Jacob Mehrer and Frederick Schalo Families. The Klain family
was on the sea eighteen days [Departed Antwerp 9 Nov and arrived at
Ellis Island 20 Nov.] in traveling from Antwerp, Belgium to New York
where they checked through the custom office of entry.
Mrs. Klain had brought with her a
number of treasured feather beds and brown crocks filled with seeds.
The family took the train to Martin, N. Dak. and by mistake were left
at Mandan, N. Dak. so they had to wait for another train. It was a
happy reunion with relatives when they arrived in Martin, N. Dak. Mrs
Klain's sister and family, the Frank Putz's, and the Christ
Bloomhagen's were well established as farmers in that area.
Grandmother Bohnet was living with her son, Henry Bohnet, at Dogden
which is now Butte, N. Dak. Mr. Klain rented a home from his family
and started looking for a more permanent home.
In 1908, he bought 320 acres of land
from Fredrick Smith 12 miles northwest of Turtle Lake, N. Dak. In
October of the same year the Klain's moved to their new home which was
a very small house for the parents and eight children. The two oldest
girls had found employment at Martin, N. Dak. the family had a wagon,
two horses, ten head of cattle and the household goods they had
accumulated. The older children drove the cattle by walking. It was a
two day trip from Martin to the home of Mrs Klain's brother, the Henry
Bohnets, south of Dogden (now Butte). After a few days of rest they
had another days drive to the farm Mr Klain had bought from Mr and Mrs
Smith.
The Klain's first winter on their farm
was a very cold winter and there was much snow. In the spring more
land had to be cleared of rocks and put into crop. It seemed the thing
Mrs Klain missed the most were the beautiful flowers and fruit they
had in Romania. It was hard work digging more rocks and turning the
grass wrong side up. The small youngsters had to walk in back of the
plow to be sure the sod stayed turned down. Mr. Klain bought another
160 acres of land. Another son joined the family that spring.
The prairies were infested with gophers
and the country started a bounty of 2 cents per gopher tail. We kids
were really busy setting traps to catch the gophers. We earned our own
spending money and bought Cracker Jack, stick candy with a ring on it,
and many a pair of shoes. It seemed we always needed shoes. The crops
were good on the new land, but we had hail storms and a tornado that
took most of our outbuildings.
Mr and Mrs Klain were members of the
Turtle Lake Baptist Church. Rev. Samuel Bloomhagen was the pastor at
that time. The family seldom missed Sunday at Sunday School and church
services. They drove the twelve miles with horse and buggy. Hard times
came again in the 30's with drought and dust storms.
In 1935 Mr. Klain built a home in
Turtle Lake and the youngest son took over the farm. Mr and Mrs Klain
went to the Baptist Old Folks Home in Bismarck in October 1940. They
were among the first residents coming just after the home had been
opened by Rev. and Mrs Karl Geiser. Mrs Klain passed away on Oct. 26,
1940 at the Baptist Home. Mr Klain continued to make his home there
until he passed way on March 18, 1941.
