Easter blizzard of 1873

In the spring of 1871 we sold our spare horses and other belongings; and loaded a Car for

Lincoln Nebraska ----

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{In the summer our Son Christian was born but died a few month later} here at Lincoln I worked my two teams, excavating cellars and hauling freight, from  [   ] City and other places:,,  In the fall of 1872., I drove my Mule team, to The Republican Valley; where I homesteaded my farm in Section 35 – town 3 –Rang[r] 20 west 6^th Principal Meridian -- -- -- during the colder weather, I drove back to Lincoln, and in The spring, took my wife and Baby’s along and arrived on our homestead, on the 12^th day April 1873. -- -- On the 13^th day of April, just after unloading our belongings, a most fearfull rain and snowstorm set in; which lasted over Three days; and we had neither food nor shelter for our poor teams – and fed them the husk out of our strawticks;,,  We ourselves found a little protection, in an open Log [shant] without any roof on the same:” -- -- What your dear Mother, and Myself suffered, to keep our little Baby’s warm and dry, you can not imagine – and my pen is too poor, to describe the same!! -- -- -- -- -- Our horses and mules, broke loose from cold and hunger, the second night – and it was on the, 3^rd day after the storm, that I Tracked

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Them to the mouth of the Sappa:”-- -- Soon after this, I found a couple of homesteaders, hired them to help, put up our first Log Cabin in which our daughter Elizabeth was born July 25^th 1873. -- -- Now we went to work with a good free will; digging a well, putting up a shed for the teams, breaking a little of the Prairie sod, and put in a few acre of Corn, and the rest of the time, I used the Armstrong machine; and put up as much Prairie hay as possible. – Of course our harvest didn’t amount to much; for we planted so little – but the pesky Grasshoppers, came along, anyhow; -- and looked over the location; so as to be able to find it the following Year:” -- -- --

The next year, we broke out about 15 Acres and would have had a nice bit of Corn; but The hoppers Came, and saved me the trouble of husking it:,, -- -- -- -- Then came the Year 1875. and with it our Son Adolph, on April 21^st. -- -- -- Now we had on hand five hungry little ones ==  a   part   of   our   happy   lives!! But they had to be fed, and Clothed; and the measly hoppers took ever thing,

That we Expected to harvest:,,

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So There were many heartaches, of what to do in The future!!:”  We kept on a planting and sowing; but even The Uear 1876; our entire crops were distroyed[sic], when we almost had a big Corn Crop in our reach == at times we were much discouraged; but Yet we held on and struggled for our little Band:,, -- -- --

The Year 1877. was a blessed one for all of us, besides an abundant Corn and Wheat Crop;; we harvested a bouncing Baby girl, for on May 2^nd our Cathariene was born, -- to help us, to chase the hoppers = but she came to late; for the Bugs must have got scared and They never bothered us afterwards! -- -- --

From now on, Time passed somewhat easier for The Children grew up like Sunflowers; and were soon able to help a little here and there; {In the Year 1879, our daughter Maggie was born but died a few mont later;,,} 

{The Year 1881 brought us our Son Henry who also died when but a few month old:}

     So time passed with Sorrow – Grief --; and happiness; for all of us:,, -- -- -- Excepting The Year 1880, we raised fair to good Crops, and with The Childrens help; we got along pretty well:,, but yet we needed

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Help, for if one on the top of the list got married; it was nessessary [sic], that another took her place == == == == == So on The 11^th day of October 1882. our Son Nicolai was born; and promised to take The burden off The old mans shoulders = but that still left your Mother, to carry her big and heavy load: -- -- -- -- -- Therefore kind providence was with us; and on The 15^th day of August 1884 our daughter Dorothy was born;,, --

This made it an even dozen; That the good Lord had given to us;,, and as we now look back over the past; we must say:,, Father in Heaven we Thank Thee:, Amen!!

In the Year 1885, we sold off, our stock on hand; for I was too sickly; to do the farm work any longer – we rented a house in Orleans, where we lived until The fall 1889, when we moved to our farm 12 ½ miles west of Orleans; and which I had prepared while living in The City. -- -- -- During our residence in Orleans of four years;,, I worked in a store – and one winter I taught German, to a Class of Eleven;, all grown Men & women. ==

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While here I was thrown down, on my sick bed, for a couple of month, suffering from Neuralgia of The heart, and at the same time of Erysipelas over the whole head:’- What I suffered, when near death door; nobody Knows but me – and  The  almighty  father  in  Heaven

From The fall of 1889 untill the spring of 1910, we lived on our farm, west of town; then we moved into one of our houses; which we had built in 1909. and where we now live happy and contended[sic]== spending our old age, in peacefull retirement, and will not go forth, to any other home, until The good Lord says;,, Come!! -- --

Now in conclusion, of This short;; and Yet long life == of your old parents == let me say to you, our dear Children; That at all times, we never looked for trouble in The future!!  We always took the bright side, of happenings, as They came to us; and were always trying to face The Sun:  So That we could’nt[sic] see any shadow!= And to you each and every one we would say:

Always  try  and  face  the  Sun!!

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Don’t hunt for trouble!

But look for success –-

You will find what you look for –-

Don’t look for distress -- --

If you see but your shadow

Remember I pray

That The sun is still shining –

But you are in the way. –

Don’t grumble, don’t bluster

Don’t dream and don’t shirk –

Don’t Think of your worries;,,

But Think of your work;” –

The worries, wil vanish –

The work will be done -- -- --

For no one, sees his shadow –

Who faces the Sun !!!—

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Yours with Eternal Love;,, your

Mother and Father

Dorothy and August Sasse

October 15, 1911.

Orleans Harlan County

Nebr

 © 2012 Nancy L. Ruder