ALFRED H. AND ANNIE [WILLATS] MARSHALL
Ignac H. and Kristine (Krause) Marshall, with their family of five
sons and two daughters, came to America from Bohemia in 1866. They
landed in Baltimore, spent the next four years there and in Chicago,
and finally settled in Pischelville, Nebraska, in 1870.
Their sixth child, Louis, was born on January 1, 1861, and was
married to Frances Bartak (also born in Bohemia) on January 1, 1882,
at Pischelville. To this union were born nine children. The fourth
was named Benjamin Charles, and he was born August 15, 1888.
Herman Block came from Germany to America in 1883, and after working
a year for Herman Groeling, he sent for his wife Augusta (nee Belka)
and infant daughter. They remained in the Walnut community all their
lives, raising a family of ten children - five sons and five
daughters.
Louise Bertha, the seventh child of the Blocks, and Benjamin Charles
Marshall were married November 5, 1913. Shortly after the wedding,
Ben and Louise purchased the Walnut store from Herman Groeling. They
bought 80 acres of land from Walter and Lillie Bramon. This was
one-half mile west of the old store, so they built a new store and
enlarged the house.
Before the buildings were completed, Ben got the “flu,” as did
countless others at that time, and died December 22, 1918. He left
one son, Alfred Herman, who was born September 4, 1914, and another
son, Benjamin Charles, who was born May 4, 1919, four months after
his father’s death.
After Ben’s untimely passing, Louise continued to operate the
business and also became Postmaster of Walnut. She was aided during
this time by both the Marshall and Block families -- all concerned
with her efforts to run a business and raise two boys.
Seven years later, Louise and Orval Anthony Cook were married in
Lincoln, Nebraska, on June 15, 1926. They were blessed with three
children: Ronald LaVerne, Richard Eugene, and Merleen Louise. The
Cooks remained at Walnut for the rest of their lives.
[pg 320 PHOTO Alfred Marshall family - back from left: John, Alfred,
and Robert. Front: Jill, Mrs. Alfred [Annie Willats] Marshall, Pam,
and Mrs. Robert [Kay Koch] Marshall]
Robert Albert Willats and Florence Ada Moore were married in Essex
County, England, in 1913. Robert had been in the States seven years
prior to the wedding, saving his money so that he could go back to
England and claim his bride. They left for Nebraska immediately
after the ceremony, settling on a farm in Thurston County. In 1924
they traded their farm for one in Antelope County which was owned by
Mr. and Mrs. George Albrecht. It was located a few miles north of
Orchard and was where they spent their remaining active years.
They were the parents of six children - one daughter and five sons:
Annie Mary Elizabeth, Earl Robert Samuel, Dale Frederick, David
Lloyd George, and Donald Gladstone. One son died at birth.
The eldest child, Annie, after graduating from Orchard High School
in 1931, attended Wayne College and then secured a teaching position
in Knox County School District No. 63, known as the Boelter School.
She taught there for three years and boarded with Willie G. and May
Cook who lived in the Walnut vicinity. It was here that she met her
future husband.
Alfred H. Marshall graduated from Verdigre High School in 1931. He
met Annie Willats in the fall of that year and they were married in
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Venus, Nebraska, by Rev.
Clarence Peters on December 23, 1934.
The Marshalls are the parents of two sons, John Louis, single, at
present an assistant manager of a shopping mall store in Maryland,
and Robert Paul. Robert married Kay Kristine Koch at Shickley,
Nebraska on June 30, 1975. Two daughters bless this union: Jill
Kristine was born living, and Pamela Kay was born living. Both Robert and Kay are in professional fields - he has a
Doctorate in Pharmacy and at present is Marketing Manager of Life
Services for Harris Laboratories in Lincoln and Kay is a Registered
Nurse-Enterology Specialist on the staff at Lincoln General
Hospital.
Alfred Marshall spent 38 years carrying the U. S. Mail as a rural
letter carrier, first out of Walnut, then after route consolidation
in 1953, out of Verdigre. He was also a farmer, electrician, motion
picture projectionist, and musician. He played piano for the
Original Rhythm Ramblers for many years. He served as a member and
also chairman of the Verdigre School Board. He served a term as
secretary of the Verdigre Improvement Club and of the Verdigre Fire
Department, and was an active member of that organization for 23
years. Alfred, Anne, and their sons owned and operated the Empress
Theater and the Verdigre Electric for many years. They moved a house
from Oak View Park, remodeled it and another house in Verdigre, and
built their own home after being transferred to town.
The Marshalls were active members of the Nebraska Rural Carrier
Association, serving the chain of offices in that organization for
14 years, concluding with each being president of their respective
group (Association and Auxiliary) for two terms. Both are still
Political Action Chairmen of their union in Nebraska since their
retirement.
The Marshall family belongs to the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.
Both Alfred and Anne were confirmed at St. Paul’s of Venus by the
first resident pastor there, the Rev. Clarence Peters. They still
attend regularly when at home in Nebraska. Their two sons were
confirmed in Bethlehem Lutheran in Verdigre. Anne and Alfred taught
Sunday School and were officers in church and Sunday School for many
years.
Annie Marshall taught rural schools three different times in her
life; it was her first job. Then during the war years she went back
to help alleviate the teacher shortage, teaching for six more years
in the Mott and Boelter schools.
After her sons left for college, she decided to go back to school,
this time as a student. After 12 months of study at Northeastern
Community College in Norfolk, she received the Nebraska Licensed
Practical Nurse Associate Degree, and that at the age of 57! Using
this knowledge, she worked at nursing homes in Creighton and
Niobrara.
For the past 12 years they have spent their summers in Verdigre and
their winters in Brownsville, Texas. After 38 years on a Nebraska
rural route, they would rather not shovel any more snow!
Pages
320, 321
