EILERT LUDWIG THADEN FAMILY STORY
Sources include Eilert’s own biography, his childrens’ stories and information gleaned from research done by various relatives – including H. Gene Straatmeyer, whose wife is Eilert’s granddaughter.
I was born May 27, 1870 in Peoria, IL. Died December 19, 1962 at Willow Lake, SD.
Father: Gerd Luken Thaden, Born 1836 in Willen, Germany. Died September 14, 1910 in Tacoma, WA
Married October 27, 1859 in Esens, Hannover, Germany to:
Mother: Johanna Christiana Amalia Wilken – Born March 9, 1839 in Aurich, Germany.
Died August 17, 1924 in Tacoma, WA.
“My brothers and sisters in sequence of birth, place of birth and year of birth:
Theodore (Germany, 1860), Johanne Catherine (Germany, 1862), George (Germany, 1864), Martin (Germany, 1866), Ella (? 1868), Christine (Luverne, MN, 1872), Maria or Mae (Luverne, MN 1875), Ernest (Luverne, MN 1877?) William (Luverne, MN 1879).
“My father was born in 1836 and died at 74 in 1910. He taught school in Aurich, Germany. My mother was a music teacher. She came from Germany. They were married Oct. 22, 1869 in Germany.”
In her autobiography, Dena Thaden Plucker writes:
“My grandparents came from Aurich, Osfriesland. We lived first at Peoria, IL, where my father farmed, then Grundy Center, IA, and then we moved southwest of Luverne, MN in 1870 where we lived in a sod house and farmed.”
Rock County, IA records show Geerd L. Thaden was given patent to section 2 of Martin Township. The northeast corner of this section is four miles south of Luverne, MN and five miles west. It is not certain whether Geerd received the whole section or just one quarter of it. If he was given a quarter, he probably received the southeast quarter of this section because of other information given in E. L.’s biography. There was a good sized creek at this location, which would have provided both water and small timber to construct a sod home. If this were so, they would have lived five miles south of Luverne and five miles west. The county record say sod houses were usually 9 x 16. Poles for the side of the home were taken from a river (where the trees were located) where they were put upright and grass was woven through them to close the openings. Poles from cut trees also composed the roof. Once this was in place, the outside walls and the roof were covered with brush, sod and loose dirt.
In 1871, a year after the Thadens arrived, many people came to settle in Rock County, most of them coming by prairie schooner. A Mr. Loose, who was a member of the same church as the Thadens, wrote that they were heading towards Sioux Falls when they were encouraged to look at southern Rock County and he said, “It was the most beautiful land we had ever seen and so we settled there.”
From the Rock County Courthouse records:
The building of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad to southwest MN late in 1871 and the opening of the line the following spring had a decided effect upon Rock County, although the line was quite a distance from the county. Immigrants poured in and took claims in every precinct, and sod shanties and little frame shacks dotted the prairies in theretofore unsettled portions.
“Settler” (in the Jackson republic, writing on May 29, 1871, told of the conditions: “There is a very heavy immigrations to the county this spring, far exceeding what we have had any previous season. Within the last ten days there have seen no less that 52 prairie schooners cast their anchor in this lovely county and there are very few to leave it to look elsewhere for homes after they once behold our lovely prairies.”
The Rock county historical records indicate there were three natural forces these early settlers had to encounter, and any one of them could prove fatal. In the summer, it was prairie fires and grasshoppers. In the winter, there were the blizzards. Two major blizzards occurred while the Thadens lived here, in 1873 and 1888. “The most severe of these awful storms was the blizzard of January 7-9, 1873. The second was the terrible blizzard of January 12, 1888 when scores of people perished. In Rock County three lives were sacrificed – all men.” The 1888 blizzard is described later in this history.
The Thaden kids had to walk three miles to school, unless the creek would be too high and they couldn’t get across. Eilert attended school eight years, got a third grade certificate and then taught school. In the supper, all the kids twisted hay to burn in the winter to keep warm. Later on they twisted flax on a homemade roller and burned that. They plowed with a walking plow and received $2.00 an acre to break sod.
“We ate a lot of salt pork and mother made big pancakes. Also Specken Dicken. Corn meal was eaten with sorghum or black strap. When Eilert was married, barley was 11 cents a bushel. They sometimes roasted it, added coffee and used the mixture as coffee.
“There were no wells, just deep holes. I fell in and my sister, Christina (Tena), saved me.”
The death of sister Johanne Catherine (Hannah) on January 18, 1876 at 13 years, eight months and 22 days of age was tragic. It was said that she died of “consumption.” A local carpenter made the coffin. When the pall bearers picked up the coffin, the handles fell off and they dropped the coffin. Following the church service, the coffin was opened and Hannah was lying face down and much of her hair was pulled out. A carrier was dispatched by horseback to a doctor in Luverne. He listened through his stethoscope, but could hear no heart action. The doctor slashed her wrist and no blood came, so he declared her dead. Her tombstone remains in the Pleasant View church cemetery today, easily read and in good shape. It is a beautiful country cemetery.
One warm day in January, for some unknown reason the Thaden children did not go to school. “Call it God’s providence.” About 3:00 p.m. the big blizzard came without warning. Many people were lost and died in the suffocating blindness of the find snow. Many were not found until spring. The Thaden’s neighbors lost four daughters who were found only after the snow melted. The men had great difficulty in feeding the livestock. Snow banks were high. “I remember walking over the granary. The front door was drifted shut so we used another door” (to the house).
Oxen were used a lot. Once when Eilert was helping a neighbor with hay, he had a runaway with the oxen. A lumber wagon was used for visiting and going to church. They played many games of horse shoe and catch; they also went to barn dances.
Eilert’s mother taught his sisters how to play the organ. She tried to teach Eilert, but he learned only a few notes. “I always sang tenor when mother played. We always took the organ when we had our church picnics and the people sang. My mother composed and wrote music – “Tacoma March and the “Funeral March” and many more. My brother, George, gave her an Estes organ from the first money he earned. My mother could also speak French.”
The family attended the Ebenezer Evangelical Church, located just a mile east of section two, on which they lived and farmed. Depending where they lived on this section, it would have been one to three miles from their homestead. They were not among those who organized the church in 1870, but joined shortly thereafter. The first church was called the Sod Church. A new wood frame church was built in 1884 at a cost of $1,500. As an Evangelical Church, they were noted for their annual camp meetings and for summer revivals held in a tent in a large grove east of the church.
The history of the church says that the Pleasant View Church was started as a German Church of the Evangelical denomination. In 1946, the Evangelical Church joined with the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) and in 1968, the EUB church merged with the United Methodist Church. In 1954, the Pleasant View Church was moved to Luverne. Today, only the cemetery remains where the church once stood.
“My parents moved to Tacoma, WA in 1891. I moved with them. While there, Martin and I helped a man put up 300 tons of wild hay. We also dug potatoes, and milked cows in a dairy. We had to drive the cows across the Lewis River, which was full of whirlpools, and once I got caught in one when I was in a boat. I went round and round. Someone from shore came and helped me. I didn’t like tri there, so I came back to South Dakota.”
It is unknown why this Thaden family left Rock County after 23 years, but historical records from Rock County give us a possible answer. “(There was a) severe wind and hail storm six miles NW of Hills, MN on June 20, 1892.”
The tempest began its work in Rock County at the village of Manley where nearly every building was wrecked. From that point, the storm passed to the southeast through portions of Martin, Clinton and Knaranzi townships. Prosperous times ended in 1893. Then came a memorable panic and a few years of hard times. Several farms failed, business was for a time paralyzed, and a period of dull times set in, which was not entirely broken until the late 1890’s.
“I had a horse and a buggy. I went to the Fourth of July celebration at Davis, SD and met a girl named Minnie Buus. She had a boyfriend named John Geiken, but I won out. Had some other girls, too, but not steady. Some girls got so angry that when they fought, they pulled out one another’s hair. Wow!
“I was 27 years old when I married Minnie Buus on March 11, 1897.” They were married at the bride’s home and immediately afterwards had a wedding party. “We lived at Chancellor, SD until 1902.” Dena Thaden Plucker was born at Chancellor. “We attended the Presbyterian Church in Lennox. “ (This was probably Turner County Presbyterian Church south of Lennox, since the Buus family were members there.) “Then we moved to Bryant, SD in 1903.
“Later, we bought a farm at Willow Lake, where we lived until we retired to Willow Lake in 1943. Son Art and his wife, Hannah, moved on to the home place.
“We joined the Presbyterian Church in Willow Lake when we moved there. I was elected Trustee to fill out John Mundhenke’s term because he had a stroke. After three years I was elected an elder. Then trouble broke out in church on account of the German language. Half of the congregation left and started a new congregation known as Immanuel Reformed Church. Again (in the Reformed Church), I was elected an elder. Once I w as chosen as a delegate to New York. Minnie and I went. Les & Johannah (my daughter) lived at New Bruswick, NJ.”
(Page Missing Here)
Several of Eilert’s grandchildren report that many in the Presbyterian Church wanted to switch from German to English for the worship services at the time of World War II. Opa Thaden and others believed the German language should be kept so they broke away and formed the Reformed Church. These churches each had buildings and were reunited in the 1970’s when neither church could afford a full time pastor.
“We had eleven children. Their names are George (farmer), Harm(farmer) and Jerry (Presbyterian minister and a twin of Harm), William (farmer), Arthur (farmer), Dena (married a farmer), Benjamin (Reformed minister), Clifford (Presbyterian minister), Clarence (Presbyterian minister), Johannah (married to Lester Alberts, a Reformed minister) and Robert (Presbyterian minister).”
SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA HISTORY – 1976
EILERT LUDWIG THADEN FAMILY 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 and moved to Nepoma, California.
Twins were born on August 13, 1899. Harm Daniel married Bertha Bauer. They have two daughters and live at Huron. Jerry Herman married Irma Twait. They had three daughters and one son. Jerry passed away in April 1969 but Irma is presently living at Pardeeville, WI.
Another son, Wiliam LeRoy, was born October 14, 1900. He married Grace Hassebroeck, daughter of Fred and Fannie Hassebreock. They had one daughter and two sons. 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. 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 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. 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. Louisa was killed in a train crash in 1946 and Clifford then married Millie Parsons. This union brought one daughter and five sons. 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 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. 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 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.Eilert and Minnie observed their golden wedding anniversary on March 11, 1947 at Willow Lake. Minnie died September 8, 1949. When Minnie died, Eilert expressed a desire to go to Washington State to see his brothers and sisters. William, his oldest son, drove him west.
Eilert was known to his 34 grandchildren and 60 great grandchildren as Opa (to his friends: “Louie”). His birthday was always observed every year. He looked forward to that day. He drove a 1935 Chevrolet for 25 years until he was 91. He did not heed glasses to read and walked up town every day for his mail. He had a stroke September 17, 1962 and could not talk to anyone. He was a very patient man and never complained.”
At the sale, after his death, his 1935 Chevrolet sold as an antique for $120. Many other items were also sold as antiques such as a sad iron and Edison phonograph.
E. L. THADEN OBITUARY
DECEMBER 24, 1962
IMMANUEL REFORMED CHURCH
WILLOW LAKE, SOUTH DAKOTA
E. L. Thaden was born May 25, 1870 in Peoria, Illinois. On March 11, 1897 he was united in marriage to Minnie Buus of Lennox, S. Dak.
To This union eleven children were born nine boys and two girls. They are: George of Arlington; Harm of Huron; Jerry of Pardeeville, Wis.; William of Bancroft; Dena Plucker of Lennox; Arthur of Willow Lake, Ben of Huron; Clifford of Savannah, Mo.; Clarence of Allison Park, Pa.; Johannah Alberts of Warwick, New York and Robert of Wilmot.
Mr. Thaden, with his wife, lived on a farm near Lennox until 1903. They then moved to Clark County residing on a farm near Willow Lake until 1942, when they moved into the city of Willow Lake.
His wife preceded him in death, passing away September 8, 1949. The deceased continued living in Willow Lake until September of this year when he became ill and was confined to the Eventide Nursing Home at 1152 Utah S.E. Huron, S.D.
On Wednesday December 19, 1962, at 11 o’clock the deceased peacefully passed away, attaining the age of 92 years, 6 months and 24 days.
He was one of the charter members of the Reformed Church in Willow Lake. He leaves to mourn his loss, 11 children and 36 grandchildren, plus a host of relatives and friends.
Casket bearers:Jim Thaden, Donald Thaden, Kenneth Thaden, Edgar Spieker, Kenneth Anderson, Edward DeVries
Organist: Mrs. Arba Johnson
Vocalists: Henry Johnson, Jr., Tebbo Harms, John Symens, Marvin Johnson (Aunt Joe’s nephew)
Clergyman: Rev. Marti Gruneich
Mortician: Ralph H. Maltby
At Rest: Collins Cemetery
NOTE FROM GENE STRAATMEYER:
Perhaps his last great grandchild, Cynthia Jean Straatmeyer, born April 25, 1959, visited Opa Thaden sometime in the late summer or fall of 1959 or 1960. He was in his 90’s and a picture was taken of Cindee sitting on his lap at his Willow Lake home. Shortly thereafter, he died, and Gene & Jean (Dena’s daughter) Straatmeyer attended his funeral in Willow Lake. They were living at the State Line Presbyterian Church manse located in Minnesota just north of Rock Rapids, IA. Gene was a 1959 graduate of the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and State Line was his first parish.
NOTES FROM THE BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM LEROY THADEN,
fourth child of Eilert & Minnie Thaden:
“We only talked German at home and learned to speak English when we went to school.
“We had a large table with a bench against the wall for the older ones. Lots of food was prepared on an old cook stove. On Sunday morning, she (Minnie) filled the big iron kettle full of milk and put it on the stove to heat. After it was hot, she put it on the back side of the stove, adding rice and raisins and when we came home from church it was ready to eat.
“Everyone had a nickname: George (Stach); Harm (Smoik); Jerry (Buss); William (Rud); Hendina Margret (Dena); Arthur (Pete); Johanna (Sis); Robert (Stubid Rupe; Benjamin (Wack); Clifford (Cliff); Clarence (Kelly).
“The boys slept in the big bedroom upstairs in five beds. After thrashing (oats) every fall, the bed mattresses were filled with new straw. A chimney from downstairs came through the room – that was the only heat we had during the winter. The two girls slept in the smaller room. Later, a piece was built on which was the kitchen and the pantry. A wash house was also nearby. There was also a small porch big enough for the many baskets of cobs and wood, which we had to keep filled. A hole under the house was the cellar with outside steps going down to it.
“Our school was a mile and a half away and we always walked. If it was too cold or stormy, we could catch a ride with a neighbor, Mr. Edlemann. He would always ask, “Why doesn’t your dad take you?” I was janitor at the school. I had to go early and have the fire started and get the school warm before the teacher and pupils came.
“We went to church and town by sled in winter and buggy in summer. We had a two-seated buggy and on Sundays when all the children went along, not all could sit down, so the older ones had to stand in the back. When going by sled and we got cold, dad would say, “Get out and walk.” It was a big job to get us all ready for church and drive five miles in a sled or buggy.
“The groceries were bought in bulk, like 100 pounds of flour, sugar, tea, coffee, and raisins. We butchered our own meat and had a big garden. Our mother canned vegetables and meat. We had chickens and raised little chicks with cluck hens.
“We farmed with horses. We walked behind the plow and drag, picked corn by hand and used horses to cut grain. How the flies would bite the horses!
“At mealtime, dad would always say, “Don’t put any more on your plate than you can eat – no waste. They didn’t ask us what we wanted for breakfast. We ate what mother put on the table. The minister came one day for dinner. He prayed so long, all in German, that some of us got the giggles and had to leave the table.
“We were all strong, husky kids. We could wrestle anyone. We had lots of practice at home. As the boys got older, they began to leave for jobs.
“In the 1930’s the dust blew a lot. The most memorable was November 11, 1933. Some days it would be so dark all day we had to keep the kerosene lamps lit. Everything had to be covered. Dust got into everything. It was as fine as flour. All the fences were covered with drifting dust. You had to see it to believe it. Many of the farmers lost their farms at this time.
“The minister brothers and their families would all take their vacations in the summer and come back to SD to visit, so we had lots of company in the summer. Those brothers and sisters who lived nearby would come for dinner and sometimes it took three settings around one table to feed them all. After dinner, the men would all sit in the front room smoking cigars and arguing politics or religion until mother would step in and say, “That’s enough, boys.”
“A tradition in the Thaden family was specken dicken on old year’s eve. We all tried to see who could eat the most.”
The church records say there were “many successful revival meetings with large numbers finding the Savior. They held yearly camp meetings in the summer in a grove of trees 1.5 miles east of the church. In already known history, after Martin purchased the portable organ for his mother, she often played for church outings away from the church and no doubt played for these yearly revivals held at the grove east of the church. The church was located a mile north and a mile east of the Thaden homestead. They undoubtedly became a part of this denomination because it was a ministry to German people and it was close to their homestead.
Next to the church was the cemetery where we found the grave marker of Hannah Thaden who died at the age of 13 years and 8 months (her death was attributed to consumption of the lungs). It is a beautiful cemetery, with only a few markers on it, and hers is still very readable. No one knew for sure where she was buried until we saw the records of the cemeteries in Luverne and drove out to check it out. Poor girl! But those were pioneer days. No doctor down the street, no hospital up the road, no antibiotics to fight disease. In the two letters found written by my Great Grandmother Thaden, she remembers that she “lost my second child Hannah too, and she was 14 years old and I could (not) let her go either! But God gives us strength that we can overcome it, and obey His will meekly without murmur! God be with you is the prayer of your Grandma. And in a follow-up letter of June 2, 1924, she ended her letter with, “My dear children, trust in God. He will help you overcome your sorrow.”
