A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

THE DITTRICK FAMILY

In the beautiful valley formed by the Wang and Danube Rivers, Wilhelm and Juliana Dietrich lived until they came to America. Both were born and raised at Friedstadt, Moravia, then a part of Austria.

Wilhelm was the son of Joseph Dietrich and Karoline Sauer; his father was Austrian and his mother French. He had one brother who settled near Spaulding, Nebraska, and one sister who never came to America. Wilhelm was a graduate of the University of Vienna and Juliana attended a school for young ladies in Bavaria. Her maiden name was Juliana Zimmermann. They were married October 21, 1862. Juliana had a half-brother living in Columbus, Nebraska, so when they came to America they went to Nebraska where they had relatives.

When they left for America they had five children. They arrived at Columbus on July 3, 1877. A week later they filed on a homestead near Humphrey, Nebraska where they built a sod house and lived for five years. In 1893 they moved to a farm near Battle Creek, Nebraska. Here they lived in a log cabin. The Elkhorn River was a great joy to them; wild fruit was plentiful, and never had they seen so much wild game. It took very little time to catch enough fish for a meal.

Juliana died December 19, 1918, and Wilhelm on January 19, 1926. L They were buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery near Battle Creek.

Christened Fridolin Dittrich, Fred was the sixth child of Wilhelm and Juliana Zimmermann Dittrich. He was born on June 23, 1873, in Friedland Moravia, Austria, and was four years old when they all came to America. He grew up and attended grade school in Humphrey. Besides English, Fred spoke high German. He was 19 in 1892 when he moved with his parents, brothers, and sisters to a farm between Meadow Grove and Battle Creek in Madison County, Nebraska. Around 1897 the spelling of Dietrich was changed to Dittrick because it was such a common name.

In 1903 Fred bought a farm near Verdigre from John Kocina. On February 21, 1905, Fred Dittrick and Rose Tikalsky, daughter of Tom Tikalsky and Anna Houzvicka Tikalsky were married in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church,

[pg 226 PHOTO Fred and Rose Dittrick and family, Louise and Fred, Jr.]

[pg227 PHOTO Mr. and Mrs. Fred [Margaret] Dittrick, Jr.

Verdigre, Nebraska. The children of Fred and Rose were: Louise and Fred, Jr.

Louise Antoinette, born December 22, 1905, married James C. Holan on June 15, 1926. He passed away in 1944. In January of 1946, she married Frank E. Herout. He died in 1973. He had one daughter, Beatrice Herout Rasil, who lives in Montana.

Frederick Edward was born October 27, 1914. At that time all the farming was done with horses. Fred and Rose raised many geese, ducks, chickens, pigs, milk cows, cattle, and horses. Rose baked delicious kolaches. In 1944 Fred, Rose, and his brother Frank retired in Verdigre.

On February 21, 1955, Fred and Rose celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Fred died November 22, 1955, at the age of 82. Rose died June 7, 1972, at the age of 85. Fred and Rose are buried in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, Verdigre, Nebraska.

Fred Dittrick, Jr., attended school at St. Ludger’s Academy in Creighton, Nebraska, and Verdigre Public School. He continued helping his parents on the farm until June 23, 1937, when Fred Dittrick and Margaret Sukup were married in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Verdigre, Nebraska. Margaret was a rural school teacher in Knox County.

Fred and Margaret continued to live with his parents until February of 1938 when they moved to a farm near Kennsett, Iowa, in Worth County. They lived on a farm vacated by Livingston and Elaine Stevens, formerly of Verdigre, who had brought back good reports of plenty of rain. Two years later Fred and Margaret moved to a farm near Manly, Iowa. It was there on living, that their daughter, Patricia Ann, was born in St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital, Mason City, Iowa.

In February of 1944 Fred’s father was ready to retire and wanted Fred to take over the farming operation. So a sale was held and the move back to Nebraska was made. Before the trip to Nebraska was completed, a blizzard was raging. Their dog and cat were left at a friend’s home in Jackson, Nebraska. About a mile from home the car became stuck in the deep snow. Fred had to walk home, hitch up a team of horses, and bring Margaret and baby Patty the rest of the way home.

[pg 227 PHOTO Bill and Patricia [Dittrick] Reichenborn and daughters, from left: Janet, Kathy, and Julie]

On living, son Paul Frederick was born at Orchard, Nebraska.

Due to health reasons, Fred had a sale on February 16, 1961, and moved to town where he worked for several years for Verdigre Sand and Gravel. Margaret worked at Marshall’s Store and at Alpine Village when it opened in Verdigre.

[pg 227 PHOTO Paul and Veronica Dittrick, Debi and Mitchell

On August 14, 1965, daughter Patricia married William J. Reichenborn, son of Walter Reichenborn and Marie Jaros Reichenborn. To this union three daughters were born. Janet Lynn on living; Julie Ann on living; Kathy on living. Their home is in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Bill is manager of System Software Support for Control Data Corporation.

On September 9, 1972, son Paul Dittrick married Veronica Sukup, daughter of Paul Sukup and Marcella Kotrous Sukup, in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Verdigre. Paul, “Skip” as he is called, graduated from Verdigre Public School in 1964. He attended Wayne State and Kearney State College. He served two years in the Army Signal Corps and was stationed in Heilbronn, Germany.

After Skip and Veronica were married, they moved to the family farm, the third generation to live there. Daughter Debi Jo was born on living, and a son, Mitchell Paul, was born living. Here they continue to live with pets Hollie, Dusty, and an array of cats.

Pages 226, 227, 228