Milder Family Story

The new farm near Greeley was rather rolling and hilly with the buildings on top of a hill. A country school with eight grades was located near the farm. A parochial school and the Immaculate Conception of the Visitation Catholic Church were also located about two and one-half miles from the farm. Some of the children attended the parochial school but later transferred to the country school because of the distance.

The Nebraska house during the remodeling process.

John kept busy with his farming and enlarging the little four room house to an eight room home with a large porch to accommodate his family. He actually built the new two-story house around the old one-story house and threw parts of the old house out the windows of the new house. John also built several farm buildings including a large hog shed.

The completed Nebraska house. Ed is in the foreground.

Gertrude kept very busy and raised large gardens, lots of flowers, and chickens with the help of the older children. She baked bread several times a week, churned butter, made cottage cheese, canned food, did laundry and also provided loving care for all of her children.

A son, Joseph, was born in 1919 and he passed away in 1920, stricken by a disease called "summer complaint". There were no hospitals located in the area. Three sons and a daughter were born over the next five years. They were Maurice, 1920, Bernard, 1922, Lawrence, 1923, and Gertrude, 1925.

The family endured many hardships and traveled by buggy or wagon. The family lived in what was an Irish settlement and disputes were common. The school district was changed and this forced the children to attend a school that was a long distance away, through meadows and over hills. It was a very uncomfortable trip on cold and snowy days, and without adequate clothing the children had to stay at home.

The flu epidemic hit during World War I and everyone except Edward became ill. The family was fortunate to get a nurse and a housekeeper to help and care for them. Gertrude (Mom) and Mary both had pneumonia. Several people in the area died of the disease but all of the Milder family was spared.

Visitors from Iowa included Grandmother Milder(Hendrina) and Grandmother and Grandfather Smith and other members of the two families. The visits were always welcome but they also brought turmoil and extra work for the family.

Gertrude made lots of clothes for the large family, especially for the girls. They were given used clothing throughout these growing-up years. Sometimes Gertrude made them over to fit or to update the style.

The children helped with many chores, bringing in fuel, filling the cook stove reservoir with water, emptying ashes from the stove, and other jobs around the house. There were also chores to do with the livestock, including feeding calves, hogs and horses; milking; patting down hay from the mow; bedding the horses and cows with straw; and brushing and currying the horses. The children also assisted with the farming as much as they could and helped care for their younger brothers and sisters.