Heesacker, Lambert "Albert"

Other Events:

• Biography: HAY SPRINGS, NEBRASKA "THE FIRST 100 YEARS"
• 1900 Census: 1900, Hay Springs, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA
• News Mention: 1 Mar 1935; Hay Springs News

Notes:

Biography:
Additional information from the book: HAY SPRINGS, NEBRASKA "THE FIRST 100 YEARS"
By 1920 they (Albert and Ellen) had retired to Rushville, building a new h ouse, one with lots of windows like Ellen had always wanted. But she on ly enjoyed it a few year, dying June 9, 1924 from diabetes, just before in sulin was available. She was57 years old. Later, he (Albert) moved back to the farm operating it wi th the help of his sons, Matt and Bert. In the '30s he lost the farm to t he Modisett Brothers and the farm is now the property of the city of Rushv ille.Albert retired to Hay Springs and lived to, at that time, the very old a ge of 84. He loved dancing, going to the "Chicken Roost" every Sat. nigh t. He died Dec. 24, 1943.Albert and Ellen had 12 children: Martin (1889-1939), Elizabeth (1891-1962 ), Pete (1892-1976, Cornelius (1894-1906), Cornelia (1896-1898), twins: Ma ry (1898-1962), and Annie (1898-1973), Kate (1899-living at LaCrosse, Wisc onsin), Matt (1901-1980)Celia (1904-1991), Bert (1906-1985) and baby Albert (1907-1907).Martin Heesacker married the local school teacher, Theresa Lynch (1896-198 2) on Nov. 25, 1920. They farmed on the Flats a few years, then moved to R ushville operating a dairy til Martin's tragic death in 1939, when he w as dragged to death by ahorse. They had 7 Children: Bernard, Daytona Beach, FL; Rita, Mrs. Lela nd Pruden, Gordon, NE; Mark (1925-1987), Colleen, Mrs. Bill Murphy, Allian ce, NE; Norbert (1932-1946) died of polio at age 14; Florence, Mrs. Leon O swald, Carroll, IA; and MaryEllen, Mrs. Tom Johnson, Minneapolis, MN;. They have 19 grandchildren a nd 3 great grandchildren.Elizabeth "Liz" Heesacker married Frank Dieriex (1889-1963) on Nov. 6, 191 2. They ranched and farmed on the Niobrara river til they retired to Rushv ille. Their son, Dave, now operates the home place. They had five childre n: Francis, Mrs. NormaSheaff, Hillsboro, OR; Alberta (1914-1993) Mrs. Ralph Frederiksen, Victori a, TX; Marie, Mrs. Leonard "Bud" Clements (killed WW II) then Mrs. John Cl ements (died in 1962) then Mrs. Albert Brau, Dodge City, KA, now livi ng in Alliance, NE; Eileen, Mrs.Bob Sandman, Louisville, KY; and Dave, married to Gwen Jungck, Rushvill e, NE. They have 21 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren and 17 great-gre at grandchildren.Pete Heesacker married Genevieve Heiting (1899) on Feb. 22, 1922. They ha ve one adopted son, Rodney. They farmed on the Mirage Flats, then retir ed to Hay Springs. Genevieve now lives at the Pioneer Manor Nursing Ho me in Hay Springs.Cornelius was dragged to death by a horse while herding sheep. He was 12 y ears old.
Cornelia died from diphtheria at the age of 2.Mary Heesacker, one of the twins, married Ernest Blum. They had two childr en: Erneta, married to Robert "Bob" Roark, Cortez, Colorado; Betty, marri ed to Eugene "Gene" Kearns, Rushville, Nebraska. The other twin, Annie, and also the next daughter, Kate, became nuns.Matt Heesacker married Anna Vocu (Died 1973), then married Phyllis Kiemi tz of Chadron, NE. Both were killed in a tragic two car collision ea st of Chadron in February 1980.Celia Heesacker married Arthur Kriegshauser (1903-1973) on Oct. 10, 192 7. They lived in Rushville where he worked for the Musser-Mosler Cattle C o. til he retired. They have 3 children: Ila, Mrs. Lloyd "Buddy" Tiensvo ld (1927-1990) Rushville, NEBill married to Marilyn Qualls, Omaha, NE; Ann, Mrs. Ed Dietrich, Amarill o, Texas; They have 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.Bert Heesacker (1906-1985) married Kay Gaspers (1911-1980) on Oct. 4, 194 3. They lived at Rushville, NE; then Arvada, CO. Bert spent has last yea rs at a nursing home in Wheat Ridge, CO. They have 3 children: Judy, Mr s. Mike Howes, Los Vegas,Nevada; Luke married Karen Rhodes, Denver, CO; Tony married Bertha Gutfeld er. They have five grandchilden.
HAY SPRINGS, NEBRASKA "THE FIRST 100 YEARS"

1900 Census:
ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)Listed living with wife and 7 children age 40 born Nov 1859 in Wisconsi n, married 11 years occupation Farmer

News Mention:
Newspaper: Additional information in newspaper article in Hay Springs New dated March 1, 1935 and book "Hay Springs, Nebraska -- The First 100 Years "

OLD SETTLERS OF SHERIDAN COUNTY
From the HAY SPRINGS NEWS, HAY SPRINGS, NEBRASKA -- March 1, 1935
In searching about for another old settlers write-up, to present to the re aders of the News, it was not necessary to go far. Down on Mirage Fla ts we learned to know the man of this story, many years ago.All during our lifetime we have learned to judge a man by his honest y, as a citizen and neighbor.Over in Limberg, Holland, where the real "Dutch" live and thrive, Martin C ora Heesacker also lived and thrived until 1854, when they migrated to Gre en Bay, Wisconsin. Here Mr. Heesacker took up land at $1.25 per acre. The re was a large Dutch
settlement here the market place was called Holland Town.Mr. Heesacker's five brothers and three sisters also came to this countr y. They had among their things, when they arrived here, the legacy le ft to them by their father in the old country. Upon arriving here, they de cided to divide the cash intoequal parts among themselves. Each persons share was $.29 each, in Americ an money.The land which Martin Heesacker bought was mostly timber and consisted lar gely of pine, oak, beech, basswood and elm. Much of it was good timber f or sawing. As the years passed, four boys and four girls were born to th is couple, among them our
present neighbor, Albert Heesacker, born November 21, 1859.The Heesacker children did not only attend the local school, but help ed in the timber and in the field and household duties. Boys and girls ali ke were taught to bind grain, and help with the general duties connected w ith farming. By these metho
the Heesackers lived and prospered in this country.As more land was cleared and the farm acreage increased, better and quick er methods were necessary to assist in the production of crops. Realizi ng this the Heesacker boys cut 75 cords of wood, one season and haul ed it four miles to a charcoal kiand sold it for $2.00 per cord. The proceeds of this effort, were invest ed in their first harvesting mower and reaper. This was a great improveme nt over the old hand cradle.Albert worked at home until he was 21, and having a desire to follow the t hrashing trade, he managed to get a job of this nature for eight falls.The first thrashing machine he remembers was a Kaiser which had no siev es like many of the farmers will remember.In the winter time Mr. Heesacker worked in the lumber camps his chief j ob being "swamping". This is clearing the way for those who drags the lo gs out of the woods after the trees have been felled, trimmed and cut in p roper lengths. This was heawork, but it was also a method of earning three meals a day and a little c hange besides, not to mention the invaluable experience of taking ca re of ones self.In 1884 Mr. Heesacker made a trip west to look over some land in Platte co unty, Nebraska. What he saw convinced him that there was a chance to get g ood land cheap and build up a home of his own. He returned to Wisconsin a nd at a place calledWrightown, met a young lady named Ellen Onkels. Friendship grew to love a nd while Ellen was quite willing to share her life with his, she would n ot consent to go out into a strange new land where there were so few wom en and comforts. After argumenshe finally consented, and on November 7th, 1888, there was a big weddi ng at Holland Town. The entire community joined in the celebration, and Al bert says that at least 100 gallons of beer were consumed.With his bride, Mr. Heesacker arrived in Sheridan County, December 31, 188 8. At once the newcomers began to look around for a suitable location up on a good piece of land. They chose the N. W. 1 of secti on 32 T 30 N, R 45W.This was a claim that had been filed on by one Geo. Brookhouse who liv ed in Chadron. The deal was made Jan. 12, 1889. Later on he bought more la nd of some bachelor neighbors in Sec. 32-5 the first thing most necessa ry to do was to build a house
and dig a well.Even to begin this a team and wagon were necessary so he went over to Fra nk Wassenburgs a neighbor about 3 miles east and bought a pair of 3 year o ld steers for which he paid $70.00 cash. These steers out of which he plan ned to make an ox team wwild on the range and used to neither rope nor yolk. These steers in quest ion happened to be out on the range on the south fork of Spring Creek whe re Andrew Scheenan lived. Albert borrowed a yoke here and with the he lp of several neighbors includitheir former owner Frank Wassenburg they managed to catch them and a re al amusing time they had. They asked Albert if he knew how to break oxen a nd he answered in the negative. So with ropes and halters on them these m en about 3 to each steerprepared to yoke them to the wagon while Albert watched the fun. The stee rs bucked and bawled and turned over coming up wrong side to, finally he s aid to the 12 year old Wassenburg boy, "go to the barn and get me a bund le fork". With fork in handAlbert gets on the wagon and yells, "thats no way to break oxen take th em ropes off and turn em loose.How are you going to keep them from running into the breaks with you and s mashing the wagon and maybe you too? Never mined just turn em loose he ans wered. And turn em loose they did and the oxen promptly started for the ro ugh ground and so he jjabed one with the fork crowding it ahead so as to keep them on level grou nd and he ran them around on the prairie until their tongues hung out a nd there being no fences he headed them for a near by cornfield thinki ng he would teach them to eat cornwhen they reached the field he permitted them to stop being about played o ut. He jumped off and pulled an ear of corn and offered it to the oxen b ut with a snort they bolted. Albert jumped on the wagon and chased them ar ound the prairie some morebrought them back and this time got them to eat a little corn.In this way he worked with them for a couple of hours teaching them to st op at the word whoa, finally driving them back to Scheenans where the m en were still lolling about. He drove up and laughed at their surprise wh en the now thoroughly subdueoxen stopped at the word. Where have you been all the time they want ed to know. Oh just to Hay Springs and got a glass of beer. From then on t hese range steers soon became a useful pair of oxen. He got a breaking pl ow broke sod and with the help
a couple of neighbors laid up a sod house 16x30 in 3 days.Next he broke 10 acres and put it into wheat harrowing it 4 times. His nei ghbor John R. Kelly hired him to do some breaking for him and he took po rk in payment for the work.Some of the neighbors said, you can't do much with a green pair of Oxen li ke that. But Albert says beginning March 6th the day he bought the stee rs up to July 4th he had broken sod for his house and 36 more acres for fa rming and made three 50 miltrips to Clarks saw mill in the timber for wood and lumber besides mo re or less work around home. They were exceptionally good walkers and wh en he was on his way home from the timber and saw some one threshing clo se to the road he would run over tohis favorite job of hand feeding the machine awhile and then trot off do wn the road to overtake his oxen.There was a fair harvest that first year and Albert cut his wheat with a c radle and his faithful Ellen bound it by hand. In the fall Pat Moran th at loguacious Irishman so well known here in an early day came with his n ew Maseline machine to threthe crop. Albert put his oxen on the power and Pat declared they can't ke ep up with the horses, but they did just the same and that evening Albe rt says to Pat if you had all teams like that you could just send your dri ver home and save $2.00 per daLater however the dry years came and they were completely dried out raisi ng neither crops nor feed. Just 2 miles east and a half north on the nor th branch of spring creek was the Ira Willis place which grew hay on the c reek bottoms and theHeesackers leased this on a 50-50 basis some cattle going with the plac e. Here they stayed during 96-97 and then returned to their own home. Ma ny of the settlers were leaving those days and one day their nearest neigh bor to the west John Brown withis family and everything else possible loaded on the wagon drove up and c alled to Albert as they went by come on lets go back east this country wi ll never amount to anything. Albert apparently was ready to go but he we nt into the house and spoke this wife about it. She thought a moment and then said firmly "no! we'll st ay. And stay they did though at times it seemed almost a heart breaking st ruggle yet by the better years that followed their patience was finally re warded.Little by little more improvements and horses and other livestock and mach inery were added to the farm.As the years passed 12 children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Heesacker and mo st of them grew up to help their parents work the land and build up the ho me which seemed permanently and happily established. But it is never all s unshine in any mans likand sorrow entered here also that their hearts might be tried.Two of the children died from dyptheria. In 1906 while heading the farm fl ock of sheep their son Cornelius was found dead on the prairie. His pony h ad fallen. And the boys foot had caught in the stirrup and he was dragg ed to death. It was a h
blow but bravely born.People of Christian faith as they were always feel keenly the chastiseme nt of Gods hand, but their faith is likewise sufficient to carry them thro ugh.Later on also the loving wife and mother who had labored so patiently by h is side was called away, but again he knew that the Master who gives so ab undantly may also take away and so bowed in submission.At the present time most of children have married and established hom es of their own or are following other occupations.Mr. Heesacker is still at home on the old farm in Grant precinct with h is two youngest sons, a much respected citizen and neighbor.

Lambert married Onkels, Petronella 7 Nov 1888, Holland, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. Petronella (daughter of Onkels, Peter Frans and Berterams, Elizabeth) was born 1 May 1866, Venray, , Limburg, Netherlands; died 9 Jun 1924, Rushville, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Rushville, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Grant, sheridan, Nebraska

Notes:

1900 Census:
ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 10

Martin married Lynch, Theresa 25 Nov 1920. Theresa was born 2 Oct 1896, Fairmont, Fillmore, Nebraska, USA; died 14 Feb 1982, Alliance, Box Butte, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Rushville, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA

Notes:

1900 Census:
Grant Precinct, Sheridan, Nebraska ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 9

Elizabeth married Dieriex, Frank 6 Nov 1912. Frank was born 2 Dec 1889, Hay Springs, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA; died 8 May 1963, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Grant Precinct, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA; ED 170 pages 5A and B
• 1940 Census: 1940, Mirage Flats, Sheridan , Nebraska, USA

Notes:

1900 Census:
Listed living with parents age 7
(near the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)

1940 Census:
Peter J Heesacker 47
Genevene Heesacker 40
Rodney Heesacker 11

Peter married Heiting, Genevieve Frances 22 Feb 1922. Genevieve (daughter of Heiting, Joseph Gerard and Peters, Wilhelmina Henrietta) was born 19 Nov 1899, Woodville, Calumet, Wisconsin, USA; died 16 Dec 1996; was buried , St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Hay Springs, Nebraska. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Mirage Flats, Sheridan , Nebraska, USA
• Obituary: Aft 20 Nov 1906; Unknown Newspeper

Notes:

1900 Census:
Grant Precinct, Sheridan, Nebraska ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 6

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Grant, sheridan, Nebraska

Notes:

1900 Census:
ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 2

Mary married Blum, Ernest Aft 1916. Ernest was born Bef 1898; died Bef 1998. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1900 Census: 1900, Grant, sheridan, Nebraska
• Religious Vows: Aft 1916

Notes:

1900 Census:
ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 2

Religious Vows:
Sister Mary Andrew - Ursuline nun

Other Events:

• Residence: LaCrosse, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
• 1900 Census: 1900, Grant, sheridan, Nebraska
• Religious Vows: Aft 1917

Notes:

1900 Census:
ED 170 pages 5A and B (ne ar the Frank Wassenberg and Mary Heesakers family)
Listed living with parents age 0.

Religious Vows:
Sister Kate

Matthew married Vocu, Anna 20 Feb 1936, Hay Springs, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA. Anna was born 19 Jul 1899; died 18 Jan 1973, Hay Springs, Sheridan, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet]

Matthew married Kiemitz, Phyllis 5 Jan 1979. Phyllis was born 5 Mar 1910; died Abt Feb 1980. [Group Sheet]

Celia married Krieghauser, Arthur 10 Oct 1927. Arthur was born Abt 1903; died Abt 1973. [Group Sheet]

Lambert married Gaspars, Katharine 4 Oct 1943. Katharine was born 17 Jul 1911; died 18 Nov 1980. [Group Sheet]

Rita married Pruden, Leland [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Military Service: Between 10 Jun 1943 and 16 Jun 1946; WWII, US Army
• Death Record - Civil: 8 Nov 1987

Notes:

Military Service:
Name:Mark Heesacker
Gender:Male
Birth Date:16 Jun 1925
Death Date:8 Nov 1987
SSN:507249301
Branch 1:ARMY
Enlistment Date 1:10 Jun 1943
Release Date 1:16 Jun 1946

Death Record - Civil:
Name:Mark Heesacker
Gender:Male
Birth Date:16 Jun 1925
Death Date:8 Nov 1987
SSN:507249301
Branch 1:ARMY
Enlistment Date 1:10 Jun 1943
Release Date 1:16 Jun 1946

Colleen married Murphy, Bill [Group Sheet]

Florence married Oswald, Leon [Group Sheet]

Mary married Johnson, Tom [Group Sheet]

Alberta married Frederiksen, Ralph Aft 1932. Ralph was born Bef 1914; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Angela — Brau, Albert. [Group Sheet]

Angela married Clements, Leonard "Bud" [Group Sheet]

Angela married Clements, John [Group Sheet]

Eileen — Sandman, Robert. [Group Sheet]

David married Jungck, Gwen [Group Sheet]

Erneta married Roark, Robert [Group Sheet]

Betty married Kearns, Eugene [Group Sheet]

Ila married Tiensvold, Lloyd Aft 1945. Lloyd was born 6 Jul 1927; died 9 Jul 1990. [Group Sheet]

William married Quails, Marilyn [Group Sheet]

Ann married Dietrich, Ed [Group Sheet]

Judy married Howes, Mike [Group Sheet]

Luke married Rhodes, Karen [Group Sheet]

Tony married Gutfelder, Bertha [Group Sheet]