HERMAN BLOCK
Herman Block was born in Frienvalda, Pommern, Germany, on February
18, 1861. Here he spent his childhood and grew to be a young man. At
an early age, he was confirmed in the Lutheran religion and adhered
to this faith until his eternal reward. He married Augusta Belka who
was born in Alstotka, near Nerringbark, Germany, on December 15,
1856, where she spent her childhood and grew to womanhood. They were
married in 1883.
Herman Block arrived here from Germany in 1883. Their own records
were destroyed in a fire when their home was burned and at New York
the U. S. customs records of arrivals were also destroyed by fire.
William came later, in 1885, according to the atlas. He came with
his sister and family, John and Tina Boelter, who had four children:
Anna, August, Martha, and Carl. Tina passed away early in life as
did two of their youngsters.
They came here when it was sparsely settled and the country was
covered with timber. The nearby creeks supplied their water. Herman
obtained employment from H. Groeling who had arrived here in 1872.
He worked there and saved his money so he could send for Augusta and
Anna. They arrived in Norfolk in July of 1883 and he went there to
meet them. The train arrived at night. Augusta said she was so glad
the voyage was coming to an end because of slow transportation and a
rough ocean. She said, however, her greatest worry was arriving at
the end of the railroad at night and she didn’t know where to go or
what to do. She said a Negro, who was on the train playing a violin,
promised he would help, but before they arrived at Norfolk he had
dropped off to sleep. She needed and wanted him to help her with the
baggage so badly that instead of preparing to take care of it
herself, she spent much time trying to wake him. When she did
succeed and he discovered that the train had stopped, he grabbed his
violin and was gone, leaving her to take care of her own belongings.
One can imagine what great joy she experienced when she got to the
car door and there was her husband to meet them. He took her to the
H. Groeling home where she, too, worked for a year or more, doing
housework and caring for their small children. Then Mr. Groeling
built a log house a short distance from the place and the Blocks
lived here. August was born there on September 30, 1885, and
baptized at Bazile Mills on November 15, 1885. Sponsors were Carl
Belka and John Boelter. Carl was Augusta’s brother who arrived here
with Will Block.
As soon as possible, Herman homesteaded the place where they lived.
They were also permitted to take government timber claims, thus they
got their first land and experienced plenty of hardships. Niobrara
was the county seat, and getting legal action on matters meant a
trip to the county seat, usually afoot or with a team of oxen;
either way required much time. Yankton, South Dakota, was the other
nearest railroad point. Lumber and provisions were hauled from
there. Herman said they thought little about going to these places
and even carrying a sack of flour home on their backs was not
unusual for them. Their first homes were dugouts and sod houses, but
they were as happy as anyone in a mansion; they were in the land of
freedom and they would get along somehow.
The dwelling place was west of the present house since the old house
burned down and all documents of importance were destroyed. In 1888,
the time of the blizzard, they were still living there and it has
been said that after that storm subsided, Will came to see how they
were getting along and could not find the buildings. He was walking
over the top, they were completely covered. Carl and Herman were
born there and the rest of the children were all born where the
buildings are now. This is the place they called “home.”
Home, a place where memories are made, containing all the joys of
childhood, as well as the ones of growing up to become young men and
women, where marriages took place, festivals and anniversaries were
observed, where father and mother passed away and where their last
rites were held. They were never called upon by their God to see one
of their children depart from this world as all ten grew to maturity
and succeeded them.
Herman Block died July 13, 1927; his wife had preceded him the month
before.
The children of Herman and Augusta Belka Block were: Anna, August,
Carl, Herman A., Augusta, Fritz, Louise, Mary, Emma, and Albert.
Anna was born February 2, 1884, and married Gus Bennar. Their
children are David, Sophia, Floyd, Alvin, and Florence. She died May
29, 1967.
August was born October 23, 1885, and married Emma Mudra. They are
the parents of Joseph, Mathilda, and Julia. He died April 2, 1936.
Carl, birth date in question, married Pearl Jefferson, and their
children were Mabel, Martha, Carl, Emmaline, Ruby, triplets Thelma,
Mary, and Elmer, Joan, Nadine, Norman, Pearl, and Phillip. Carl died
September 8, 1958.
Herman A. was born January 22, 1889, and died in March of 1974. He
married Georgia Hrbek and their children are Frank, Ralph, Arlene,
Beatrice, Lydia, and Marvin.
Augusta, born May 16, 1890, married Joe John Somer. They had five
children: Iola, Bernard, Benjamin, Irene, and Dorothy. She died
August 25, 1963.
Fritz, born in 1892 or 1893, married Mary Lindquist and their
children are George, Louise, Fritz, Martha, Mildred, Irene, Evelyn,
and Raymond. He died April 26, 1971.
Louise, born February 18, 1894, married Benjamin Charles Marshall.
They are the parents of Alfred and Benjamin Charles. She married
Orval A. Cook and three children were born: Ronald, Richard, and
Merleen. Louise died December 3, 1957.
Mary was born May 28, 1895, and married Bennett Christensen. Their
children are Geraldine, Elmer, Alta, Bernice, twins Lauraine and
Lauretta, Bennett, and Leland. She died July 25, 1979.
Emma was born in 1898 and married Soren Chris Sorensen. Their
children are Vivian, Vernon, Garnettt, and Marilyn.
Albert was born July 13, 1890, and married Julia Konopasek. Their
children are Delbert, Leonard, Leona, Gordon, Walter, Laura, Joann,
and Sharon. He died April 4, 1962.
Pages
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