died when the youngest was just four. Sofia, the oldest daughter's name also, helped her dad raise the younger children. Later in life, Robert went back to the old country and stayed for a while. Then spent some time in New York. His later years until he died, he stayed with his oldest daughter Sofia, who then lived in Columbus, until his death in 1940 at 88 years of age.
   His oldest son, Rudolph, took over the homestead after his father. It is his son who farms it now. He also has two other sons who farm near Bellwood, Wayne, the old Steiner place and Robert 2nd, the old Delahamet place. Rudolph married Agnes Schrier. Sophia married John Vetter.
   The first Robert's son, Emil, farmed next door to the homestead. His son, Ronald, is on the place now. Emil married Rose Shields. They had two other children, Marjorie and Elmo. Robert's youngest son, Frank, farmed at Dix, Nebr. He married Emma Janicek. They had two daughters, Laverne and Maxine.
   Talley married Ferdinand Alt and farmed in the Bellwood area. They had four daughters, Ella, Gertrude, Marie and Valarie. Robert's daughter Valarie married George Nicolas and farmed in the Bellwood area. They had one daughter, Viola. And the baby of the family, Minnie, married Adolph Kosch, who had a garage and sold Dodge cars in Bellwood. Minnie played the organ in the Catholic church here for more than 50 years. They had one daughter, Verleen.

   Cornelius Jacob Schmit was born on June 10, 1880 in Wahoo and came to Butler County at the age of three. He passed away June 23, 1949. Cornelius and Martha had four children, Elsie, Viola, Leo and Josephine.
   Elsie married Leo Comelius Schmit (1894 to 1954) on September 30, 1940. Leo was one of ten children born to Elizabeth Agnes Steiner (1869 - 1957) who was born in

Cascade, Iowa and Nicholas Schmit (1862-1937) who was born in Conach, Luxembourg. Ehzabeth's parents were Helena Kramer and Nicolas Steiner. Nicolas' parents were Nicholas and Katherine Schmit who moved to Butler County in 1882 and farmed east of Bellwood until moving to David City on March 1, 1928. Nicholas and Elizabeth's children were Elizabeth, Peter, John, Ann Eleanor, George, Frank, Lena, Laura, Leo.
   Leo married Susan Sand at Spencer Grove, Iowa in November, 1919. To this union two children, LaVerne, (who was killed in a plane crash during a training flight on January 10, 1943 at Bermuda) and Delores were born. Delores married Audrey Kreizinger. They have two sons James, and Joe. James married Marlene Shotkoski from Ord and they have one son, Michael. Susan passed away in 1931. In 1940 Leo married Elsie. To this union six children were born. Robert. the oldest, married Betty Janovy of David City. Their children are Kim, Jeanne, Lee and Lynn. Edward, who isn't married, lives west of Bellwood. Carol married Gary Danaher of David City. Their children are Kelly and Shannon. Wilma married Oscar Heng of Dunbar. Their children are Ann, Mary, Charlie, Beth and Sara. David married Constance Kula of Bellwood and their children are Nichole, Jacquee and Stephanie. Keith, the youngest, married Beth Wieseman of Osceola. Their children are Carrie and Christina.
   Viola married Chris Kamenske. Their children are Carolyn and Judy. Carolyn married Ken Rech. Their children are Chris, Troy and Susan. Judy married Dave Kriz. Their children are Lee and Dean.
   Josephine married Harold Klein. Their children are Donnie, Raymond, Roger, Arthur, Norman and Sandy. Norman and Kathy have two children, Sam and Sara. Sandy married Russell Brandenburgh. Their children are Travis and Trevor. Leo married Wilomine Brochtrup. Their children are James, who isn't married andlives in Milwaukee, Wis., Gerald and Richard. Gerald married Barbara McKee. Their children are Susan and Daniel and they live in Alaska. Richard married Janet Tilletson. They have two children, Vicki and Mike.

The Nicolas Schmit Family

     Back row, left to right: Ann (husband-Edward M. Michael), John (wife-Gertrude Michael), Peter (wife-Gertrude Sims and Rose Husak Kozicek), Leo C. (wife-Susan Sand and Elsie Schmit), and George (wife-Agnes Phillips).
     Front row: Laura (husband-Leo Janicek), Nicholas Schmit, Eleanor (husband-Don Decker), Elizabeth Steiner Schmit, Elizabeth (husband- Nicholas Puetz).

   Nicholas Schmit was born in Conach, Luxembourg on October 23, 1862, a son of Nicholas and Katherine Schmit. His brothers and sisters were Niel, John, Peter, Elizabeth (Morbach), Susan (Ronkar) and two sisters who became nuns.
   He came to Butler County in 1882 and farmed east of Bellwood. He married Elizabeth Steiner (daughter of Nicholas and Lena Kramer Steiner) at St. Mary's Church in the valley.
   To them were born ten children: Elizabeth (Puetz), Laura (Janicek), Ann (Michael), Eleanor (Decker), John, Leo, Peter, a son and daughter who died in infancy, and George who died in 1936.
   He and his wife moved to David City in 1928 when Mr. and Mrs. Nick Puetz (daughter Elizabeth) and family moved to the farm.
   During his lifetime he made many close friends by his devotion to his church, family and willingness to lend a helping hand when needed.

   Marlin was born on September 19, 1916 in Duncan, Nebraska. Mary was born January 6, 1916 in Bellwood, Nebraska. They were married on May 3, 1938 in Bellwood. To this union were born six children: Rita, Frances, Joseph, Patricia, Kenneth and Gregory.
   Rita married Alfred Hanus on August 18, 1959 at Bellwood, Nebraska. Seven children were born to this union: Richard, Michael, Patrick, William, Diane, Daniel and Brian.
   Frances married Jim Mick on February 23, 1963 at Bellwood. Two children were born to them: Pamela and Joseph.
   Joseph married Betty Reichmuth on November 19, 1966 at Humphrey, Nebraska. Two children were born to this union: Bradley and Craig.
   Patricia married William McCafferty on November 6, 1965 at Bellwood, Nebraska. They also have two children: Colleen and Michael.
   Kenneth married Christine Nekl on June 27, 1970 at

Shelby, Nebraska. Four children were born to this union: Dustin, Kyle, Keri and Timothy.
   Gregory is engaged to be married to Sharon Niedbalski.
   Marlin is the son of Frank and Emma (Engel) Scholz. Three other children were born to them: Milton, Clarence and Harold.
   Frank Scholz was the son of Anthony and Anna (Ohlbrich) Scholz. He was the brother of Charles, John, Joe, Anna (Gragert), Amelia (Karges), Walburga Scholz, Frances (Moschenross) and Laura (Koester). Frank was born on September 20, 1879 on a farm north of Duncan, Nebraska in Platte County. He married Emma Engel on May 9, 1905.
   Emma was the daughter of John and Wilhemina (Ernst) Engle. She was born October 9, 1880. She was the sister of Arthur, Oscar, John, Fred, Lester, Clara (Zybach), Laura (Boss), Lillie (Holliday) and Minnie (Dambrosky).
   Frank started in the hardware business in 1913 in Duncan, Nebraska. In the fall of 1933, he started another store in Bellwood. Clarence and Marlin ran the store in Bellwood for a few years and then Clarence moved to Lincoln. Marlin moved to Bellevue, Nebraska in 1943, worked in the bomber plant for 2 1/2 years and then was drafted into the Army in 1946. He served in the Army for six months when the war ended. He returned to Bellwood to manage the hardware store. He owned and operated the store until 1959 when it was sold to Glenn Forre. The hardware store building is presently known as Didier's Grocery.
   Marlin's father, Frank, passed away on January 18, 1959 at the age of 79. His mother, Emma, passed away on July 5, 1976 at the age of 95.
   Mary is the daughter of Peter and Rose (Hilger) Hiller. They were also the parents of ten other chidlren: Harry, Eva, Florence, Francis, Edward, Veronica, Anthony, Chris, Paul and Rose Ann.
   Peter Hiller was the son of Jacob and Anna (Reisdorf) Hiller. They were also the parents of eight other children: William, Margaret (Sister Monica), John, Joe, Nicolas, Anna, Jacob and Mary (Sister Aloysia). Peter was born December 17, 1882. He married Rose (Hilger) on November 23, 1902. Peter passed away on February 10, 1932 at the age of 49.
   Rose was the daughter of Henry and Anna (Victor) Hilger. She was born September 9, 1885. They were also the parents of seven other children: Joe, Leo, Victor, Harry, Albert, Julia and Theodore. Rose passed away May 10, 1964 at the age of 78.

The Ludwig Schrier Family

     Back row, left to right: Annie, Agnes, Amelia and Ludwig. Front row: Louis, Rose, Lizzie and Emil.

   Ludwig Schrier was born August 12, 1868 in Hungary and came to America and later naturalized on Dec. 10, 1920. He died in 1940.
   Amelia Schram was born on July 19, 1868 in Mauevria, Austria and came to America with her uncle at the age of 11. Her parents died when she was four years old. She died in 1950.
   On February 17,1896, Ludwig and Amelia were married at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, Columbus, NE. To this union were born four daughters: Mrs. Hubert Jaax (Anna), David City, NE, Mrs. Rudolph Schmid (Agnes), David City, NE, Mrs. Henry Smith (Rose), Shelby, NE, Mrs. Joe Klein (Elizabeth, Bellwood, NE, (deceased) and two sons: Louis of Bellwood, and Emil of Columbus, NE (both deceased).
   They lived in Platte, Colfax and Butler counties. They farmed in Butler County.
   Their parents: Ludwig - Severin Schrier became a citizen on Jan. 15, 1878. They lived and owned a farm which is now the Leoanrd [sic] Kracman farm. It was sold to him in 1953. The Severin Schrier farm was acquired as such: W1/2 of NE quarter of Sec. 9 T-16-RI east of the 6th Prime Meridian in 1886 from Ira Davenport, N.Y. (80 acres). Also S1/2 of SE quarter of Sec. 4, T-16, N Range 1, east of the 6th Prime Meridian in 1880 from Mary Griffis. (82 acres).
   Amelia's father, John Schlesinger, became a citizen on Dec. 21, 1874, and lived on and owned what is now the Bill Morgan farm.

   Edward was born in Mahran, Germany in the county of Romer. While in Germany he was a brick mason by trade. His father's name was Josel and his mother was Margaret Dalinia. Edward married Caroline Schrier, daughter of Benedict and Zirzilia Schrier. Caroline was born on Aug. 28, 1836 and died on April 15, 1891. They homesteaded in Butler County on the northeast corner of Section 16 in Alexis Township on April 21, 1888. Farming was their livelihood. The farm is now owned by Edward Selzer, Jr. and Marjorie Selzer Slyvia. Six sons were born to Edward and Caroline. They were: Joe, Ed, Frank, John, Fred and Gustave.

   Three daughters survived him, Miss Camilla, who cared for him throughout his declining years; Mrs. Susan Lombard of Ventura, California and Mrs. Harry Nantkes of Bellevue, Nebraska. He also had eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. John Blahak, Sr. of Columbus.
   Mr. Selzer had been a resident of Bellwood for 58 years. He opened a tailor shop in 1888, and in 1905, he entered the employ of the Telephone Company of Surprise, Nebraska. When that company merged with the Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Co., Mr. Selzer was given the position as operator until he retired in 1932, after 28 years of service.
   Mr. Frank Selzer was bom June 9, 1858 in Austria. He was married to the former Margaret Eva Meister on September 29, 1890, in Columbus, Nebraska. She passed away in December, 1925. He was preceded in death by a son in 1917. Mr. Selzer died on January 20, 1947.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Selzer.