The eleven children of E. L. and Minnie Thaden:
(Information circa 1976)
Their first child was born July 16, 1898 and named Gerhard Ludwig after his grandfather. Nicknamed George, he later married Ann Meister, daughter of Levi Meister. They have one son, Kenneth.
Twins were born on August 13, 1899. Harm Daniel married Bertha Bauer. They have two daughters (Lucille and Doris) and live at Huron. Jerry Herman married Irma Twait. They had three daughters and one son (Marianne, Jerry Allen, Ellen, Marcia). Jerry passed away in April 1969 but Irma is presently living at Pardeeville, WI.
Another son, William LeRoy, was born October 14, 1900. He married Grace Hassebroeck, daughter of Fred and Fannie Hassebreock. They had one daughter and two sons, Donald, Lois and Leslie James. Bill passed away October of 1967. Grace is presently living at Bancroft.
A daughter, Dena Margareta was born October 29, 1902. She married M.E.J. Plucker and had two daughters and one son, Dorothy, Robert and Jean. M.E.J. passed away October 1968. Dena is presently living at Lennox.
Eilert relocated his family to a farm three miles west of Bryant, (where Lyle Haug lives now) in 1903.
Another son, Arthur Floyd, was born October 17, 1904. He married Hannah Johnson, daughter of Ailt Johnson. They have one daughter and two sons (Eileen, James and Eugene) and are presently living on the home farm by Willow Lake.
Benjamin Harry was born December 13, 1906. He married Angeline Board and they had two daughters, Sharon and Bonnie. He later remarried Irene Jacobsen. They presently live in Huron.
Once more Eilert relocated his family. He bought the farm east of Willow Lake in Washington Township on October 10, 1908. The house on the farm was unique in its own way because it was a round house. Although it has been remodeled now, the attic still tells of its original shape.
Another son, Clifford Adelbert was born on April 20, 1910. He married Louisa Bartell. They had three daughters and one son, Carolyn, Claudia, Ruth and John. Louisa was killed in a train crash in 1946 and Clifford then married Millie Parsons. This union brought one daughter and five sons, Michael, Patricia, Larry, Gene, Daniel and Steven. They are presently living at Orleans, NE.
Clarence Henry was born January 10, 1913. He married Thelma Reemtsma, daughter of John Reemtsma. They have one daughter and one son (Janice and John) and are presently living at Encino, CA.
Johnanna Christina Amelia was born October 2, 1915. She married Lester Alberts, son of Sam Alberts. Three daughters and one son who died in infancy were born to this union (Elaine, Shirley and Linda). Les passed away November 1973. Jo is presently living in Warwick, NY.
The baby of the family was born on August 8, 1917 and named Robert Lawrence. He married Judith Ride of Australia. They have one daughter and three sons (Pamela, Robert Junior, Ronald and Randall) and presently live at Bloomington, MN.
Like many families of German descent, German was always spoken in the home so E. L. and his wife were known as Opa and Oma to their grandchildren, which means grandpa and grandma in German. Eilert’s children had learned to speak English by the time they went to school but many families clung to old traditions.
It is interesting to note that of eleven children, there are only two different occupations among them. Four brothers became farmers and the oldest sister became a farmer’s wife. The other five boys became ministers and the last sister became a minister’s wife.
Harm & Bertha: Lucille and Dorie
Jerry and Irma: Mariann, Jerry Allen, Ellen and Marcia
Bill & Grace: Bud, Lois and Leslie James
Al & Dena: Dots, Bobby and Jean
Art & Hannah: Eileen, Jimmy and Gene
Ben & Irene: Sharon and Bonnie
Clifford & Millie: Carolyn, Claudia, Ruth, John, Michael, Patricia, Larry, Gene, Daniel and Steven
Jo & Les: Elaine, Shirley and Linda
Bob & Judy: Pam, Robert, Ronald and Randall
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