GLADYS married SELVY OLEN on 7 Jul 1942. OLEN was born on 8 Dec 1915; died on 4 Aug 1982. [Group Sheet]

1. Living
2. Living

JOHN married KROEGER EMILIE LOUISE in 1906. EMILIE (daughter of KROEGER KARL FREDRICH LUDWIG and DUEKER KAROLINE (CHARLOTTE) LUISE JUSTINE) was born on 22 Mar 1882 in North Prairie, Illinois.; died on 26 Jan 1969 in Buried in Wakeeney Cemetery, Wakeeney, KS.. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Carl Henry Kroeger was born 7-24-1846 in Stockhausen, Westfalen (now Westphalia), Germany, son of Henry Carl Otto and Louisa Charlotte (Helmich) Kroeger. Records at the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Blasheim, Germany, show that Karl Fredrich Ludwig Kroger was born on 7-24-1846 to Karl Otto and Anna Marie Charlotte Helmich and was baptized on 7-25-1846; confirmed 3-24-1861. We know of one brother, Henry Frederick Wilhelm (Fred)
B. 5-26-1859, D. 1-8-1943, and a half-brother William.

In 1867, Carl immigrated to America and settled in North Prairie, Illinois, and worked as a farm hand. North Prairie is located in Washington County whose county seat is Nashville, which is about 50 miles east of St. Louis, MO. North Prairie is south of Hoyleton or about 5 miles east of New Minden which located north of Nashville about 7 miles on Hwy 127 or 3 miles north of Hwy 64 or south on Hwy 177 and named after Minden, Westphalia, Germany, the locale from where the settlers came. The Methodist Church at North Prairie has been torn down but the cemetery remains. I'm not sure about a Lutheran Church at North Prairie.

On 6-18-1873, Carl married Karoline, Luise (Louise), Justine Dueker, daughter of Ernest Henry and Friederieke (Rodekopf) Dueker. Louise was born 4-20-1852 in Minden, Germany. She immigrated to America in 1868 with 3 sisters--Friederieke, Wilhemmia, Anne-Marie, and brother, Henry. Fred Gerling, who traveled with them, later married the daughter Friederieke. Their father, Ernest Henry Dueker, died just prior to setting sail in 1868. For some reason, Friederieke (the mother), and children Maria and William (Kroeger) (who may have been adopted so that he could come to America) didn't get to
come over until the next year (1869). They all lived with Karoline, an older sibling who had come to America earlier and had settled in North Prairie. The Washington County, Illinois, 1870 census lists Louise (age 19) as a servant for the Charles and Louisa Vogt family; they had three children and farmed.

Carl and Louise came to Kansas in 1885 with three of their children (Emma, Emilie, and Louis) in a covered wagon. They first settled 12 miles north of Ellis. Later he bought a homestead 9 miles north of Ellis (3 miles north, 1 east, then 6 north again). Here they built a sod house in a bank northwest of the stone house they later built in 1902 or 1903. The house was still standing in 1991, although on 8-31-1991 the house caught on fire while brush and weeds were being burned in the area, only the rock walls remained standing, and those during the summer of 1992 were completely razed. (It is disheartening to drive by and not see the familiar symbol of our family ties. Another landmark gone forever!) The walls were made of an inside and an outside wall of stone with a dead space between which was filled with rock chips. Grandson, Henry Kroeger said the rock was quarried 2 miles east of the homestead. The farmstead is known as the "Kroeger Farm." They owned a 3/4 section of land. The 80 acres, where the house stands, ran the mile north and south. The other half section laid across the road to the west. The land description is Sec. 1/4 of 22-11-20 Ellis Co. Land records in Hays, KS, lists Chas H. Krueger--Carl Henry Krueger--Chas H. Krueger as owner. The house had 5 rooms upstairs and 5 rooms downstairs and a screened in porch on the north side. They had an orchard to the west of the house. It had apricot, approximately 12, and mulberry trees. Locust trees were west of these. The garden area was to the southwest of the house. Louise would hoe the vegetables and take the bugs off the potatoes, dropping them into a can with kerosene. Later when the grandchildren were older, they were responsible for the upkeep of the garden. The barn was to the north. On both sides of the barn were sheds; cattle were kept in the north one and cars in the south side. They milked 12 or 13 cows. The couple lived here until death came to each of them.

Grandson, Oscar Armbruster, remembered Carl to be a quiet man with a stocky build and of medium height. He had a full beard. In the later years, Carl would sit in his rocker and ask his sons, Lou and Henry (Hank), about the farming, then mull it over quietly. Cataracts caused him to have very, very poor eyesight during his last years. Louise was a tall, thin woman, who wore her hair pulled back into bun. When she became angry, she would not talk for days. Although her daughter-in-law Minnie cooked all the meals, Louise would help with the dishes.

Carl was a farmer and farmed with his sons, Louis (Lou) and Hank. Lou, his wife Minnie, and family lived with them. (Lou's family moved to Ellis in 1941). During one period of time, the house was very crowded, as Caroline Armbruster, Minnie's mother, lived with them also, as did Bill and Oscar Armbruster, Sopie (Emma's daughter), and Hank.

The Kroeger's had a whiskey still and a few local people would come over and get their booze before going out on Saturday night. The still was made out of cream cans with copper tubing soldered onto the lid. The whiskey went through the copper coil line cooled with water into charcoal in a funnel, then into a bottle. Minnie would somehow carmelize sugar to color the liquid. They would also make a good beer in the Summertime.

Their family was one of the first members of St. John's Lutheran congregation, rural Ellis (6 miles north of Ellis), where they were faithful followers and workers.

Carl and Louise celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home on the farm June 19, 1923, with the Rev. Pastor Bruegel officiating.

Carl died 11-6-1929 at the age of 83 after being ill for a long time. Church records list cause of death as "influenza and old age" and was buried 11-9-1929. Louise died 7-9-1933 at the age of 81 after having been ill about 2 months, the last 7 weeks being bedridden; she was buried 7-11-1933. Church records list cause of death as "mitral insufficiency." Both are buried at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Ellis, KS, which is located to the south of the church. They gravesite is located just inside of the north fence, the first gravesite in the east half.

According to Halberts Company, 3687 Ira Road, Bath, Ohio 44210, "The Documentation for the Kroeger Coat of Arms design can be found in RIETSTAP ARMORIAL GENERAL. Translated the Arms description is: Divided diagonally: red and blue, a silver diagonal band in top three silver vases, 2 and 1." Above the shield and helmet is the Crest which is described as: "Three ostrich plumes gold." The surname Kroeger appears to be occupational in origin, and is believed to be associated with the German's, meaning, "One who was an innkeeper." Prominent variations of Kroeger are Kroger, Krogers, Krager, Kragers, Kroegers, and Krueger.

Carl could neither read nor write English, therefore the farm was a victim of foreclosure. Could this have been the result of unscrupulous actions of a bank taking advantage of this man? Henry L. Kroeger remembers hauling wagonload after wagonload of grain into Ellis, but the farm loan principal was never reduced. It was bought by A. I. Crum, the banker, and is now owned by his son. The land is now rented by Keith and Janice (Kroeger) Hadley (She is the great-granddaughter of Carl & Louise) and farmed together with Jim and Karen (Hadley) Howland (Karen is the great-great granddaughter of Carl & Louise). Other families to live here were: Elzie Shubert and Jim Armetrout.

Henry L. Kroeger (grandson) and his daughter Carole (Kroeger) Hasenkamp (great-granddaughter) began to compile this information early in 1990.

KARL married DUEKER KAROLINE (CHARLOTTE) LUISE JUSTINE on 18 Jun 1873 in Washington County, Illinois. KAROLINE (daughter of DUEKER ERNST DIEDRICH AUGUST HEINRICH (HENRY) and RODEKOPF FRIEDERIEKE JUSTINE WILHELMINE) was born on 20 Apr 1852 in Wulferdinsen Sundern 28, Kries Minden, Germany; came to North Prairie, IL 1868.; died on 9 Jul 1933 in Ellis County, KS; Mitial insufficiency & old age. [Group Sheet]

HENRY married HELMICH MARIE LOUISA CHARLOTTE on 19 Jun 1846 in Slasheim, Westfalen, Germany. MARIE (daughter of UNKNOWN and UNKNOWN) was born on 12 Nov 1819 in Twin - dob? - Twin. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Baptized: April 9, 1820 Evangelisch, Bergkirchen, Lippe, Germany. (Not sure Lippe is correct.)

Ernst Heinrich Dueker: Lutheran - attended Bergkirchen, by Bad Geynhausen, Germany.

Born in Sunnern, Westfalen, Kreis Minden, Germany.

Intended coming to Illinois with his family in 1868 but died just before they were to sail. He was buried there and only 5 children sailed for America. Their mother, her youngest child Mary, and adopted son William remained a year coming in 1869. Fred Gerling came with the 5 children. Their oldest sister Caroline came over in 1860 at age 16.

Five children sailed with Fred Gerling on ship "Weser" from Bremen, Germany to New York arriving July 25, 1868.

Griedr. Gerling, age 25, male, farmer (GRM44 - PRV/VIL0

Friedrike Dueker, age 20, female
Wilhelmine Dueker, age 18, female
Louise Dueker, age 16, female
Justine Dueker, age 9, female
Heinrich Dueker, age 7, male

Dueker article from 1979 Washington County History book
Ernest Henry Dueker was born sometimes around 1820, in Preus-Minden, Westphalia, Deutschland. He was a stone mason by trade. His wife, Frederika Rodekopf, was born February 2, 1820, at Unterlube, Regierungs Bezirkt, Minden, Germany.
To this union nince children were born, two dying in infancy. the seven who grew to adulthood were: Caroline (Mrs. Fred Bartelsmeyer); Frederika (Mrs. Fred Gerling); Wilhemmia (Mrs. Ernest Quern, 2nd marriage. Mrs. August Schmale);Charlotte (Mrs. Karl Krueger); Henry; maria (Mrs. William Brink); and William (adopted son), Mrs. Uphoff.
In 1858 the Duekers were to set sail for America. Just before they were to set sail Ernest Henry, the father, died and was buried in the old country. Then, for some reason, his wife, was told she had to remain in Germany for one year. She kept the youngest children, Maria and William in Germany, and the other five children came to America with Fred Gerling, where they joined their sister Caroline, who came earlier to North Prairie.
The following year Frederika and her two children arrived. "Mother Dueker" made her home with the Gerlings until she died on February 28, 1880.
I was unable to find out if they came by way of New Orleans, or by way of Philadelphis, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Mattoon and Centralia. The latter was a route used by many in the 1860's. We do know that they came by train to Centralia. Incidentally, Centralia was just seven years old at that time.
Henry, brother of Caroline, was nine years old when he arrived in this country. From the time of his arrival until he was sixteen he lived in the home of his sister, Caroline. William settled in Kansas. The family has lost trace of this branch of family.
Soon after his sixteenth birthday, Henry went to Kansas City, Missouri to learn the trade of a butcher, which he was, until his marriage to Elizabeth Huck, after which he purchased land for farming. It was to be known as the Dueker home place in North Prairie and today his grandson Warren Dueker is still farming there. To this union were born six children. Walter, born March 9, 1886, married Ida Bierman, died 1950; Dorathea, born August 27, 1888, married Elmer Hake, died January 13, 1942; Agnes, born June 30, 1891, married Rev. Carl Opp; Lillian, born January 13, 1894, married Arthur Rixmann; Arthur, born May 26, 1897, married Louise Garnholz, died January 5, 1966; and George, born January 24, 1903, married Lucella Hake, died April 31, 1967.
After their marriage, Arthur and Louise resided on the home place where Arthur cont9inued with his chosen occupation. To the union was born three children. Warren, born April 5, 1923, married Arlene Hagebusch; Bertram, born April 4, 1925, married Doris Bedel; Mary Louise, born August 10, 1927, married Dean Haege.
Bertram and Doris were married at North Prairie Church by Rev. Gerald Weiss. After their marriage, Bertram became a carpenter and they took up residency in Nashville. To their union were born two children: Douglas, born April 11, 1949, married Arlene Brune; Barbara, born May 14, 1953, married Thomas Reel.
Douglas and Arlene were married at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Nashville. Douglas is a professional mechanical engineer. Douglas and Arlene reside in Powell, Tennessee. To this union was born a son Chadwick. Barbara and Thomas have two sons Ryan and Sean.
May this family history be a small memorial to those ancestors and dear relatives who have gone before us. By the example of their noble lives, may we in turn be worthy.
By: Mrs. Bertram Dueker
From 1979 Washington County History book

ERNST married RODEKOPF FRIEDERIEKE JUSTINE WILHELMINE on 5 Dec 1841 in Bergkirchen, Germany. FRIEDERIEKE (daughter of RODEKOPF CHRISTIAN MORITZ and HUCK ANNA SOPHIE LOUISE) was born on 2 Feb 1820 in Unterlubbe, Number 8, Kries Minden, Germany; date may be 2/11/1820.; died on 28 Feb 1880 in Irvington Twp., Washington County, Ilinois; Fred Gerling's, Stephen Farm, Buried North Prairie Cemetery, Washington Co., IL.. [Group Sheet]