This information
comes from a rough draft in possession of John H
Harms, which was written (unknown date) by a
daughter [must be Florence Harms Entz as she is
the only daughter older than the Martha mentioned
in the story] of Henry R and Margaret Thiessen
Harms and who is a granddaughter of John L. Harms
(1867-1924) and Elizabeth Rempel Harms
(1870-1934). A few grammar and spelling changes
have been made. Kathy Penner Sperling edited
and retyped this story on 1/11/2006.
Story of John L and Elizabeth
Rempel Harms
By Florence Harms Entz
Valley Grove Livestock Farm
Come join me for a visit to a
very special farm in Jefferson County,
Nebraska. The people who lived
here were my own, and very dear grandparents,
John L. and Elizabeth Harms.
They were part of a group of
German speaking Mennonites who immigrated from
Russia in 1878 and settled north west of the
little hamlet of Jansen. It was
in this little town where they went to do some
of their "trading"--eggs and cream--for
coffee, flour, and salt. Their
little clapboard meetinghouse was located on
the west edge of Jansen with the cemetery
located across the road and just a little to
the west.
This small group of farmer named
their little settlement "Heubodeh" [referring
to the grassy meadows in the valley) or
bottomlands. Another group of
Mennonites settled northeast of Jansen, and
they named their settlement "Rosenort"
(perhaps Rosegarden.") Both of these groups
were friendly, many of them relatives, and all
attended the same church. Those in
Grandfather's neighborhood, however, had
Fairbury, Nebraska as their mailing address,
instead of Jansen.
The first
house our grandparents occupied, was a house
built in the manner of the buildings used by
their ancestors, before they emigrated from
the cold regions of Russia. This
was a dual-purpose structure, a house with the
addition of a barn for the livestock. These
Mennonite folk built their houses of sod for
warmth and economy, or perhaps of wood in
regions where trees were plentiful.
It was in one of these housebarns
[also]
that my own Dad was born. He
used to raise some eyebrows when he
volunteered the information to people not
familiar with this type of living quarters,
that he had been born in a barn.
The next
family home was a frame building on a little
knoll not far from the first home. This
home was later the place where my parents set
up housekeeping, and still later, his younger
brother and his bride lived there.
Grandfather
was a hard worker, a quiet, friendly, and a
helpful neighbor. He was also a
very meticulous manager.
He became well known for his
purebred livestock, and the care of his
animals. His Red-polled milking
shorthorns were not only fed and watered, but
also well groomed. There was the
huge Percheron
Draft horse--beautiful matched teams.
The hogs were the Poland China Breed,
and, as the rest of the animals, were pedigree
stock. There was one animal that
had neither 'blue blood" nor papers, and that
was the old Billy goat, I never gave it much
thought that Grandpa had no nannies to milk,
and why have a goat? Years
later, I asked my Aunt Marie about it. She
gave me that strange look; reserved for those
who should know better that ask such a
question. Guess everybody should
know that a Billy was to keep the hogs from
getting cholera. Well, I never
had the nerve to ask anybody how that worked.
Perhaps someday I'll find out.
Oh, there was that big, gentle,
black and white dog they called Nip. He
was everybody's friend and always following
some member of the family around. About
the only time he wasn't on the move was when
he curled up in the corner for a nap, and the
one time he sat on the porch to pose for a
picture with my little sister Martha.
Perhaps Grandpa was best known
for his Silver laced Wyandotte poultry.
One of those regal looking roosters was
pictured on his calling cards, giving
pertinent information concerning the farm, its
location, and the name of the owner.
All of
this work on the big farm could not have been
accomplished without the consistent; faithful
help of the five sons, who in their turn
learned to shoulder their part of the work.
Each was given his job, and prompt,
careful attention to their duties was
expected. No, Grandpa was not a
harsh ruler, by any means, but by lovingly and
firm instruction and hard work the farm
prospered.
It seems
that Grandpa was always on the look out for
projects that would help to provide for the
large family. So he had his own
sorghum mill. This involved
raising the sugar cane as well as harvesting
it. The cane was cut using house
power. The process I cannot
explain, except that it involved not only all
of the immediate family who were able to help
but some of the relatives were enlisted.
The cut cane was put into the press
which I concluded from the picture went round
and round in circles squeezing out the juice.
As the juice dripped into the
containers it was pored into long pans to cook
slowly, so as not to burn it and was stirred
consistently in the process. Someone
needed to be right there to keep the fir going
enough wood to keep the syrup gently bubbling,
but not too much so that it would scorch.
Little one were allowed, in restricted
areas, to watch. Just to be
there to inhale that delicious aroma and
perhaps to be permitted to get a section of
the sugar cane to extract some of its juices
from the piece in you hand--just the thought
of it makes my mouth water and brings back
memories of the large sweet sorghum cookies
that later were baked in Grandma's kitchen.
When the syrup was ready, Aunt
Lena Rempel ladled it into waiting gallon
pails, for future use on cornbread, in
cookies, and surely it had many other uses.
Our grandparents' generosity would
certainly make some available to others.
Other
farmers who raised cane brought their crop to
Valley Grove Stock Farm to be processed for
their own use, since sugar, as we use was not
routinely available in the store at that time.
Grandpa had a bout with rheumatic
fever earlier in life, though just when in not
clear. Was this why he learned
to delegate responsibility? And
was this why his stallion 'Pride of the West"
was hitched to the 2 wheeled cart as he was
coming toward the syrup mill to check on the
progress of the work the day the picture was
made? How many question come to
my mind things that seem so important, but
there is nobody to answer them or explain.
Grandma
was a great flower lover, her yard was covered
with many different kinds of them. She
had trained the girls well, so they did a good
job on their own, thus relieving her of much
of the hard work. Large beds of
petunias pervaded the yard with their
fragrance; four o'clock in many colors added
their beauty and perfume. By the
time their blossoms opened in the afternoon
the grandchildren were ready with their
foxtail grass to walk down the long row of
four-o'clocks and start stringing the flowers.
There were zinnias, phlox in several
colors, but the real showplace was the big
canna bed right in the middle of the big
circle drive in front of the remodeled 2-story
house.
Grandma's kitchen always had some
goodies cooking or baking. It
took a lot of food to take care of "the home
folks" so you can just imagine what it was
like when the Kansas Children and their family
came to visit.
(Of all the great things
that can be said about our dear grandparents
is the fact that they were Christians.)
But the greatest legacy our
grandparents left us was their godly
life-style. Church services were
faithfully attended, and to them it was a
privilege. Grandpa's big Buick
touring car with its square brass carbide
lights near each side of the windshield, and
the brass radiator shell, was sitting at the
door ready for its passengers to alight for
the drive to the little white clapboard
church, is firmly imbedded in my memory.
Regular reading of the
Scriptures, and prayers, and singing of the
great hymns of faith like "My hope is built on
Nothing less than Jesus' Blood and
Righteousness" were a part of daily living.
Today,
Grandpa and Grandma are enjoying the glories
of Heaven. A number of the
uncles and aunts, as well as my dear parents,
my Dad , Henry -the oldest son in the family),
have joined the saints who are viewing the
face of the Savior. Those who
are still living are all believers
and serving the Lord with the special talents
God has entrusted to them.
Now that you have been introduced
to my grandparents, let's proceed to the
places that were home to the Henry R Harms
family. page
2
son Peter R Harms
and his work horses
Obit of
Elizabeth Harms Rempel
Taken
from www.radiocarbon.pa.qub.ac.uk/~ron/ged/D0006/I160.html but no longer available.
It pleased our Heavenly Father
to call our dear Mother to her Home above on
November 1, 1934 at 1:40 p.m. at the age of 64
years, 3 months, 20 days. She was born in
Mariawohl, South Russia, July 12, 1870. At the
age of 5 years, she with her parents,
immigrated to America, making their home at
Fairbury, NE. In her 18th year she accepted
Christ as her personal Savior, was baptized on
confession of her Faith and taken into the
Mennonite church. Later in 1905, our parents
joined the Ebenezer church.
On September
23, 1888 she was united in marriage to our
father, John L. Harms, who preceded her in
death on November 25, 1924. To this union were
born 14 children, two of which preceded her in
death, namely Anna in 1900 at the age of 11
months and 11 days; and Elizabeth, Mrs. Dave
Thiessen in 1920 at the age of 27 years. She
leaves to mourn her loss 5 sons, Henry Harms,
Meade; John Harms, Dalhart, TX; Pete Harms,
Kanorado; Isaac Harms, Meade; and Jonas Harms
of Culbertson, NE. Seven daughters, Mrs. Isaac
T. Brandt; Miss Margaret, Mrs. Henry E.
Loewen, Mrs. Pete Cornelsen, Marie, Hilda, and
Alma all of Meade. Four sons-in-law, 4
daughters-in-law; 26 grandchildren, 6
deceased; 2 sisters, Mrs. John M. Classen and
Mrs. G. J. Classen; 3 brothers, Mr. A. F.
Rempel and Mr. H. F. Rempel of Jansen, NE, and
Mr. P. F. Rempel, Meade, and many friends.
Since the
death of her daughter, Mrs. Dave Thiessen, 2
grandchildren, Pete Thiessen, 6 years and
Harvey Thiessen, 1 year, 7 months, made their
home with her.
In 1932 she
with 5 children and grandson Harvey Thiessen,
moved to Meade, KS. Since then she has been in
poor health, failing gradually. The Doctors
diagnosed her case as cancer and
complications. She was bedfast since the 12th
of July, 1934. The last 2 months suffering
intense pain.
She had a
great longing to go Home and often prayed
that the Lord would relieve her of her
suffering. She was a devoted, praying mother
and will be missed by all, but we all hope
to meet her in the Great Beyond.
2nd
obituary:
