Stories     

Remembering Frank Nieland (1879 - 1962)

— as told by Lorraine Nieland Starman, October 2001

"I remember one time going over to Uncle Frank's place and seeing a groundhog they had caught and had in a metal barrel. It is the first and only time I ever saw such a critter. Frank was known as "Foxy" and I cannot tell you why. He was not a tall man, none of the children from grandpa's first wife were. The height came from the Koesters.Our grandfather bought into equipment to do the threshing of oats and since my dad and mom moved onto the home place in August of 1926, we were part of the "threshing ring". Uncle Herman [Nieland] who married later and lived on another of grandpa's farms was part of the ring as was Uncle Ben [Nieland]. I remember Uncle Louis [Nieland] before he and Martha [Braun] were married and taking a nap on his bed when Dad was helping him with some farm task. I was very young. Uncle Louis was still a bachelor and lived on the 3rd of the farms grandpa owned. I think there was a house built on that land shortly before he and Martha were married. We used to go to Grandpa's house and all take food to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. That was the house in Breda where Anna [Nieland] and Jake Wittry moved with their family later on. Grandpa had a player piano and we used to play it. I remember singing "My Little Margie" and cousin Walter [Nieland] was there. He was still single and I thought so handsome."

 

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