EMIL AND MARY [NOVACEK] SCHREIER
Emil Schreier was born April 25, 1862, and died March 13, 1924. In
1888 he married Mary Novacek (August 30, 1864 or 1866-July 1, 1951),
daughter of Albert and Anna Divoky Novacek.
The week of December 8, 1890, he with his wife and first child left
their farm in Western Township and moved to Verdigre. He first
worked for Horton Brothers Lumber Company, one of two lumberyards in
the town. In 1892 during Niobrara’s livery stable fire, Emil
Schreier lost a team and wagon and harness valued at $350. Since he
was not a local man, a subscription on his behalf was taken up in
Niobrara. It netted $138. In 1895 he bought out Horton. Emil
continued to be in this business until October 14, 1915, when he
sold his lumberyard to Walrath and Sherwood, a company which owned a
number of yards in Nebraska. By 1917 he was back in the lumber
business as local manager of the competition, Crowell Lumber and
Grain Company. The Citizen of October 17, 1917, reported that
Crowell had agreed to sell to him and in the issue of October 24, it
was stated that he and Joseph Klappal had formed a partnership. In
August of 1919 Klappal sold his interest in the lumberyard to Emil
Schreier. Thereafter, it was a family business. First Oscar and then
Clifford C. Schreier became associated in the firm which was known
as Schreier Brothers after Emil’s death.
In the early days of the century, Emil Schreier became a stockholder
of the Knox County Bank, which came to Verdigre in October of 1902,
as a competitor of the second Bank of Verdigre. The competition did
not last long, however, for early in 1903 the Bank of Verdigre was
closed. The Knox County Bank did business in the building long known
as Bates’ Drug Store and currently housing Sonder’s Sundries.
In 1908 the principal stockholders of the Knox County Bank bought
Emil Schreier’s shares, an act perhaps not entirely pleasing to him,
for in 1911 he and his brothers, Vincent and John, built the
building which now houses the Verdigre Public Library. This was the
Nebraska State Bank, thereafter a competitor for the Knox County
Bank until the early years of the Depression. The Schreiers sold
their interest in this bank in January of 1917.
Emil Schreier was involved in various civic activities. As early as
1896 he was a member of the town board and it was not the last time
he served on it or as an officer of the Commercial Club or its
successors. In June of 1918 he was appointed labor manager in the
civilian war effort in Verdigre.
Five children were born to the Emil Schreiers. The eldest, Eugene,
was born in Western Township on September 9, 1889. After attending
high school at Verdigre, he attended a business college in Fremont.
By trade he was a bookkeeper. Though once married to Mary Margaret
Gilson (September 21, 1910), he was divorced. He died in a truck
accident on a farm near Hermitage, Missouri, on October 19, 1950.
Emil P. was born June 16, 1891, and died October 16, 1941.
Libbie was born in Verdigre July 6, 1893, and died on December 6,
1978. Much interested in music, she studied the subject at various
places, including Chicago. On October 13, 1917, she married Emil E.
(Sam) Sandoz (September 7, 1887-March 10, 1967). The couple had four
children. A boy and girl died in infancy. Of the two surviving
daughters, Ione married Ray Tharnish (they are now divorced), and
Beulah married Jerome Lowrey. Ione’s children are Bill, born in
living, Dick in living, Dan in living, and Rayma in
living. Beulah’s
children are Jay, born in living, and Valerie, living.
Oscar P. was born on August 1, 1895, and died April 7, 1958. After
graduating from Verdigre High School, he attended Wayne Normal and
the University of Nebraska. Serving with Company H of the 355
Infantry, he was wounded in 1917 in the St. Mihiel Drive and was
awarded a Purple Heart. After the war, he was one of the founding
members of American Legion Post No. 259 at Verdigre. On September 1,
1926, he married May R. Merritt (January 4, 1894-March 2, 1969) at
Yankton. Associated with his father in the lumberyard, he became
manager following the latter’s death. On April 7, 1958, he suffered
a fatal heart attack. Like his parents, brothers, and sister, he is
buried in the Riverside Cemetery.
Clifford C. Schreier was born in 1897.
Pages
387, 388
