The Hooper Sentinel
January 9, 1936
Herman Monnich Taken by Death
Herman Monnich, a pioneer resident of this community since 1857, and one of the best known and highly respected men of this place, passed away shortly after 10 o'clock Monday forenoon, January, 6, 1936, at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer. Heart trouble combined with ailments incidental to old age are attributed to the cause of death. Tho having been in failing health for the past few years, he had been able to be up and around and continued to reside on the farm 2 miles northwest of Hooper. For the past month he had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer.
Mr. Monnich, who had attained the age of 80 years, 2
months and 3 days was born November 3, 1855, in Iowa county, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard Monnich. As a small child he came with his parents to Nebraska in the fall of 1856, spending the winter at Blair. In the spring of 1857 the family came to this region and located on the homestead northwest of the present site of Hooper. Since then this place had remained Mr. Monnich's home, about 79 years of continous residence, a record not achieved by very many people. In all these years Mr. Monnich saw this region grow from a land of wilderness to one of extensive cultivation and progress, endured every trial,
tribulation and joy and happiness that came to the pioneers. Also during this time he gained the very high regard of everyone and enjoyed a very extensive acquaintanceship among the people of this locality. In his resi - - - - - - -
- - - - - -cember 24, 1934, with her death, affairs of his
community, holding various offices of trust, among these being that of county supervisor from his district.
He was united in marriage on December 27, 1881, to Miss Maggie Parkert, this union being broken on December 24, 1934, with her death, after practically 53 years of wedded life.
Surviving him are five sons and two daughters, George W. of Springview, John N. of Fremont, Bernard H. of Hooper, Edward J. of Oakland, Cal., Clarence W., of Sand Springs, Okla., Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer of Hooper, and Mrs. W. Patrick of Tucson, Ariz. Surviving him also are 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, one brother, Bernard Monnich, and a sister, Mrs. Dora Heller, both of Hooper.
Funeral arrangements under direction of Wollmer & Warne, are for services to be held this Thursday afternoon. Brief services will first be held at the farm home northwest of town at 1:30, followed by services at 2 o'clock from Grace Lutheran church of which he was a member, Rev. W. H. Moeller officiating. Interment will be made in Hooper cemetery, the services at the grave being conducted by the Hooper Masonic lodge of which he had been a member nearly 50 years.
In connection with our brief obituary of Mr. Monnich, we are giving for its historical interest the following story given by him and written by Rev. Peter Jacobs a few years ago. Mr. Monnich desired it not to be published at that time but condescended to its publication after his death:
Do you know that one of the first group of white settlers to locate in Everett township of Dodge county still lives in that township? His home is in the same community where the family settled 75 years ago. Since he came to this section, Hooper, Scribner, Fremont and other places have all come into existence. What a contrast, the Dodge county that he first knew and the Dodge county of today? He is the only one of that first group of white settlers who still lives within the borders of the township. Three quarters of a century in one county, three quarters of a century in the same township! Are
there any others in Dodge county who can claim such a record? Are there many in the state of Nebraska? Who is the man? Whom would you guess it to be? It is none other than our well known citizen Mr. Herman Monnich, who resides 2 miles northwest of Hooper. His home is on the brow of the hill facing the south and overlooking the Elkhorn valley. When Mr. Monnich came to this county he was too young to know what it was all about.
Mr. Monnich was born November 3, 1855, and came to Everett Township in May, 1857. You see he was only a year and a half old. His father, Gerhard Monnich, took a squatter's claim where the Monnich "springs" and lake are. They were the first white folk to settle in that township. It was in the month of May when the family left Blair to determine where they would take up a government claim. Our citizen's first home in this township was in a covered wagon. The entire family lived in this wagon until they could build a log cabin. This new structure was 12x16 and covered with a thatched roof. A larger
house became necessary in a few years and the next one was of hewn logs. This was Herman Monnich's home, a log cabin until he married Miss Margareet Parkert on December 27, 1881. The first home was a brick house. The second covered with siding. 75 years is a long time to have lived in the same rural community.
Mr. Monnich's parents, Gerd and Anna (Osterloh) Monnich, came from Germany in 1854. His father took up a government claim in Iowa county, Iowa, in the section which since has been owned by the Amanna colon. He was not in sympathy with the doctrines and principles of this religious sect and so decided to move father west, coming to Nebraska. It was on this homestead in Iowa that Herman was born. In the fall of 1856 the family began their west ward trek with an ox team and covered wagon. The Gerd. Munderloh family came with them. They stopped in Blair and wintered there. That winter of 1856-57 was the most terrible that the white settlers of Nebraska ever experienced. Snow began to fall in December and continued
up into the month of May. They had made no provisions for hay for they understood that the prairies would furnish an
abundance of grass. The snows were so deep, the weather so
severe, the blizzards so terrific that nearly all the stock in Blair died for want of feed and exposure. By taking their yoke of oxen and their milk cow to the timber along the Missouri river and feeding them tender twigs from trees they managed to pull their stock through the winter. On the 12th of May they crossed Battle Creek over the snow. Just think of that! During that awful winter thousands of birds and animal perished. The deep snow made travel slow for deer and antelope, the hard crust cut the feet of the animal so that they bled to death. They became an easy prey of coyotes and timber wolfs. In selecting a site for a homestead, Mr. Monnich's father looked for timber and found an unusual number of large trees where Monnich's lake is. The high bluffs to the
north had protected this spot from prairie fires. When they came to this place the entire section around Hooper was a vast prairie expanse. Dense tall grass grew everywhere. You probably thought of streams as being regions of dense timber. This was not the case. Practically all the timber you now see has grown since the first white men came. Mr. Monnich explained why this was so when he told that each fall Indians would set the prairie on fire and thus destroy whatever timber attempted to grow, save in the few places where it was protected from the terrific heat. If an unusually strong wind
was blowing it would carry the flames across the Elkhorn river and the fire would race madly on the other side. The Indians did this in order to make travel easier in the fall when they wanted to move to the streams for trapping. Every early settler protected his buildings from danger of such a prairie fire by plowing a furrow around his place, then some distance further on another furrow and burning the grass between, making the distance great enough to avoid all danger.
Mr. Monnich's father broke up some of the sod the first spring and planted corn and potatoes. If they wanted some ground feed they had to go to the Robinson mill on Maple creek. This mill did not last long because the water was too low. A mill was set up on Logan creek which later became known as Briggs' mill. If they wanted some lumber they had to go to West Point, their nearest sawmill at that time. In order to secure provisions they had to go to Omaha. It took a full week to make the round trip with an ox team. Now one can make it in a car in a little over an hour. When they made the trip with
horses it required three days. At first all streams had to be forded. Sometimes they had to wait until swollen streams subsided. The spring floods made going very treacherous.
The Indians living in this part of the state were the
Omahas. They were a peaceful friendly tribe. The settlers had no fear of them and never lost any of their grain, provisions or livestock because of raids. Occasionally the Pawnee came through the region on their way to their hunting grounds. They were unfriendly and spread terror among the pioneers. In June of 1858 about 5,000 Pawnees went thru, threatened the whites took stock and provisions and created a reign of terror. The settlers rushed to the stockade at Fontanelle and organized for protection and awaited the arrival of government troops.
During the winters the Omahas camped along the streams for
shelter, fuel and trapping Beaver, Otter, coyote, wolves, mink, coon, muskrat, fox were plentiful. In addition to the timber red fox there was a smaller red one of the prairie. The only herd of buffalo that Mr. Monnich's folks saw was in the year they took up their claim in 1857. On the bluff across the Elkhorn river, just west of where Hooper now is, they saw a big drove. With advancing civilization the American bison moved westward. Those first settlers never had to worry about fresh meat. And such a variety as they had. Game of all kinds was in abundance. Some of it is now extinct. Mr. Monnich call
tell of seeing herds of deer and antelope numbering as many as 25 in a single group. Prairie chickens could be shot from the cabin door. Ducks and geese came in countless numbers. Wild turkey were always a choice autumn and winter delicacy. Mr. Monnich says that his uncle, John Osterloh, shot a turkey gobbler that weighed 20 pounds when dressed.
When Mr. Monnich came to Nebraska it was a territory. He was almost 12 when it became a state. He was old enough to have most vivid recollections of its territorial days. We can hardly realize that this fair state of ours was not admitted to the Union until he was a young lad and that more than a decade.
Mr. Monnich was less than 16 when Hooper was platted on
February 15, 1871. He knew this his citizenship here antedated it by- - valley when it was only a prairie as far as man could see. He has observed the development of our town from its beginning. Mr. Monnich did not go to school until he was 12 years old. There was no school within reach until then. His first school was a private one taught by Rocky Stork, who late became Mrs. Chris Henneman. The second was held in the house of Joachim Roggensack. In order to attend a public school Mr.
Monnich had to go to Logan, a distance of 4 miles. Mr. Monnich was less than 14 when the Union Pacific railroad was completed. He was a young man of 18 when the first grasshopper plague devastated the country in 1874.
January 9, 1936
Herman Monnich Taken by Death
Herman Monnich, a pioneer resident of this community since 1857, and one of the best known and highly respected men of this place, passed away shortly after 10 o'clock Monday forenoon, January, 6, 1936, at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer. Heart trouble combined with ailments incidental to old age are attributed to the cause of death. Tho having been in failing health for the past few years, he had been able to be up and around and continued to reside on the farm 2 miles northwest of Hooper. For the past month he had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer.
Mr. Monnich, who had attained the age of 80 years, 2
months and 3 days was born November 3, 1855, in Iowa county, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard Monnich. As a small child he came with his parents to Nebraska in the fall of 1856, spending the winter at Blair. In the spring of 1857 the family came to this region and located on the homestead northwest of the present site of Hooper. Since then this place had remained Mr. Monnich's home, about 79 years of continous residence, a record not achieved by very many people. In all these years Mr. Monnich saw this region grow from a land of wilderness to one of extensive cultivation and progress, endured every trial,
tribulation and joy and happiness that came to the pioneers. Also during this time he gained the very high regard of everyone and enjoyed a very extensive acquaintanceship among the people of this locality. In his resi - - - - - - -
- - - - - -cember 24, 1934, with her death, affairs of his
community, holding various offices of trust, among these being that of county supervisor from his district.
He was united in marriage on December 27, 1881, to Miss Maggie Parkert, this union being broken on December 24, 1934, with her death, after practically 53 years of wedded life.
Surviving him are five sons and two daughters, George W. of Springview, John N. of Fremont, Bernard H. of Hooper, Edward J. of Oakland, Cal., Clarence W., of Sand Springs, Okla., Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer of Hooper, and Mrs. W. Patrick of Tucson, Ariz. Surviving him also are 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, one brother, Bernard Monnich, and a sister, Mrs. Dora Heller, both of Hooper.
Funeral arrangements under direction of Wollmer & Warne, are for services to be held this Thursday afternoon. Brief services will first be held at the farm home northwest of town at 1:30, followed by services at 2 o'clock from Grace Lutheran church of which he was a member, Rev. W. H. Moeller officiating. Interment will be made in Hooper cemetery, the services at the grave being conducted by the Hooper Masonic lodge of which he had been a member nearly 50 years.
In connection with our brief obituary of Mr. Monnich, we are giving for its historical interest the following story given by him and written by Rev. Peter Jacobs a few years ago. Mr. Monnich desired it not to be published at that time but condescended to its publication after his death:
Do you know that one of the first group of white settlers to locate in Everett township of Dodge county still lives in that township? His home is in the same community where the family settled 75 years ago. Since he came to this section, Hooper, Scribner, Fremont and other places have all come into existence. What a contrast, the Dodge county that he first knew and the Dodge county of today? He is the only one of that first group of white settlers who still lives within the borders of the township. Three quarters of a century in one county, three quarters of a century in the same township! Are
there any others in Dodge county who can claim such a record? Are there many in the state of Nebraska? Who is the man? Whom would you guess it to be? It is none other than our well known citizen Mr. Herman Monnich, who resides 2 miles northwest of Hooper. His home is on the brow of the hill facing the south and overlooking the Elkhorn valley. When Mr. Monnich came to this county he was too young to know what it was all about.
Mr. Monnich was born November 3, 1855, and came to Everett Township in May, 1857. You see he was only a year and a half old. His father, Gerhard Monnich, took a squatter's claim where the Monnich "springs" and lake are. They were the first white folk to settle in that township. It was in the month of May when the family left Blair to determine where they would take up a government claim. Our citizen's first home in this township was in a covered wagon. The entire family lived in this wagon until they could build a log cabin. This new structure was 12x16 and covered with a thatched roof. A larger
house became necessary in a few years and the next one was of hewn logs. This was Herman Monnich's home, a log cabin until he married Miss Margareet Parkert on December 27, 1881. The first home was a brick house. The second covered with siding. 75 years is a long time to have lived in the same rural community.
Mr. Monnich's parents, Gerd and Anna (Osterloh) Monnich, came from Germany in 1854. His father took up a government claim in Iowa county, Iowa, in the section which since has been owned by the Amanna colon. He was not in sympathy with the doctrines and principles of this religious sect and so decided to move father west, coming to Nebraska. It was on this homestead in Iowa that Herman was born. In the fall of 1856 the family began their west ward trek with an ox team and covered wagon. The Gerd. Munderloh family came with them. They stopped in Blair and wintered there. That winter of 1856-57 was the most terrible that the white settlers of Nebraska ever experienced. Snow began to fall in December and continued
up into the month of May. They had made no provisions for hay for they understood that the prairies would furnish an
abundance of grass. The snows were so deep, the weather so
severe, the blizzards so terrific that nearly all the stock in Blair died for want of feed and exposure. By taking their yoke of oxen and their milk cow to the timber along the Missouri river and feeding them tender twigs from trees they managed to pull their stock through the winter. On the 12th of May they crossed Battle Creek over the snow. Just think of that! During that awful winter thousands of birds and animal perished. The deep snow made travel slow for deer and antelope, the hard crust cut the feet of the animal so that they bled to death. They became an easy prey of coyotes and timber wolfs. In selecting a site for a homestead, Mr. Monnich's father looked for timber and found an unusual number of large trees where Monnich's lake is. The high bluffs to the
north had protected this spot from prairie fires. When they came to this place the entire section around Hooper was a vast prairie expanse. Dense tall grass grew everywhere. You probably thought of streams as being regions of dense timber. This was not the case. Practically all the timber you now see has grown since the first white men came. Mr. Monnich explained why this was so when he told that each fall Indians would set the prairie on fire and thus destroy whatever timber attempted to grow, save in the few places where it was protected from the terrific heat. If an unusually strong wind
was blowing it would carry the flames across the Elkhorn river and the fire would race madly on the other side. The Indians did this in order to make travel easier in the fall when they wanted to move to the streams for trapping. Every early settler protected his buildings from danger of such a prairie fire by plowing a furrow around his place, then some distance further on another furrow and burning the grass between, making the distance great enough to avoid all danger.
Mr. Monnich's father broke up some of the sod the first spring and planted corn and potatoes. If they wanted some ground feed they had to go to the Robinson mill on Maple creek. This mill did not last long because the water was too low. A mill was set up on Logan creek which later became known as Briggs' mill. If they wanted some lumber they had to go to West Point, their nearest sawmill at that time. In order to secure provisions they had to go to Omaha. It took a full week to make the round trip with an ox team. Now one can make it in a car in a little over an hour. When they made the trip with
horses it required three days. At first all streams had to be forded. Sometimes they had to wait until swollen streams subsided. The spring floods made going very treacherous.
The Indians living in this part of the state were the
Omahas. They were a peaceful friendly tribe. The settlers had no fear of them and never lost any of their grain, provisions or livestock because of raids. Occasionally the Pawnee came through the region on their way to their hunting grounds. They were unfriendly and spread terror among the pioneers. In June of 1858 about 5,000 Pawnees went thru, threatened the whites took stock and provisions and created a reign of terror. The settlers rushed to the stockade at Fontanelle and organized for protection and awaited the arrival of government troops.
During the winters the Omahas camped along the streams for
shelter, fuel and trapping Beaver, Otter, coyote, wolves, mink, coon, muskrat, fox were plentiful. In addition to the timber red fox there was a smaller red one of the prairie. The only herd of buffalo that Mr. Monnich's folks saw was in the year they took up their claim in 1857. On the bluff across the Elkhorn river, just west of where Hooper now is, they saw a big drove. With advancing civilization the American bison moved westward. Those first settlers never had to worry about fresh meat. And such a variety as they had. Game of all kinds was in abundance. Some of it is now extinct. Mr. Monnich call
tell of seeing herds of deer and antelope numbering as many as 25 in a single group. Prairie chickens could be shot from the cabin door. Ducks and geese came in countless numbers. Wild turkey were always a choice autumn and winter delicacy. Mr. Monnich says that his uncle, John Osterloh, shot a turkey gobbler that weighed 20 pounds when dressed.
When Mr. Monnich came to Nebraska it was a territory. He was almost 12 when it became a state. He was old enough to have most vivid recollections of its territorial days. We can hardly realize that this fair state of ours was not admitted to the Union until he was a young lad and that more than a decade.
Mr. Monnich was less than 16 when Hooper was platted on
February 15, 1871. He knew this his citizenship here antedated it by- - valley when it was only a prairie as far as man could see. He has observed the development of our town from its beginning. Mr. Monnich did not go to school until he was 12 years old. There was no school within reach until then. His first school was a private one taught by Rocky Stork, who late became Mrs. Chris Henneman. The second was held in the house of Joachim Roggensack. In order to attend a public school Mr.
Monnich had to go to Logan, a distance of 4 miles. Mr. Monnich was less than 14 when the Union Pacific railroad was completed. He was a young man of 18 when the first grasshopper plague devastated the country in 1874.
The Hooper Sentinel
January 9, 1936
Herman Monnich Taken by Death
Herman Monnich, a pioneer resident of this community since 1857, and one of the best known and highly respected men of this place, passed away shortly after 10 o'clock Monday forenoon, January, 6, 1936, at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer. Heart trouble combined with ailments incidental to old age are attributed to the cause of death. Tho having been in failing health for the past few years, he had been able to be up and around and continued to reside on the farm 2 miles northwest of Hooper. For the past month he had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer.
Mr. Monnich, who had attained the age of 80 years, 2
months and 3 days was born November 3, 1855, in Iowa county, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard Monnich. As a small child he came with his parents to Nebraska in the fall of 1856, spending the winter at Blair. In the spring of 1857 the family came to this region and located on the homestead northwest of the present site of Hooper. Since then this place had remained Mr. Monnich's home, about 79 years of continous residence, a record not achieved by very many people. In all these years Mr. Monnich saw this region grow from a land of wilderness to one of extensive cultivation and progress, endured every trial,
tribulation and joy and happiness that came to the pioneers. Also during this time he gained the very high regard of everyone and enjoyed a very extensive acquaintanceship among the people of this locality. In his resi - - - - - - -
- - - - - -cember 24, 1934, with her death, affairs of his
community, holding various offices of trust, among these being that of county supervisor from his district.
He was united in marriage on December 27, 1881, to Miss Maggie Parkert, this union being broken on December 24, 1934, with her death, after practically 53 years of wedded life.
Surviving him are five sons and two daughters, George W. of Springview, John N. of Fremont, Bernard H. of Hooper, Edward J. of Oakland, Cal., Clarence W., of Sand Springs, Okla., Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer of Hooper, and Mrs. W. Patrick of Tucson, Ariz. Surviving him also are 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, one brother, Bernard Monnich, and a sister, Mrs. Dora Heller, both of Hooper.
Funeral arrangements under direction of Wollmer & Warne, are for services to be held this Thursday afternoon. Brief services will first be held at the farm home northwest of town at 1:30, followed by services at 2 o'clock from Grace Lutheran church of which he was a member, Rev. W. H. Moeller officiating. Interment will be made in Hooper cemetery, the services at the grave being conducted by the Hooper Masonic lodge of which he had been a member nearly 50 years.
In connection with our brief obituary of Mr. Monnich, we are giving for its historical interest the following story given by him and written by Rev. Peter Jacobs a few years ago. Mr. Monnich desired it not to be published at that time but condescended to its publication after his death:
Do you know that one of the first group of white settlers to locate in Everett township of Dodge county still lives in that township? His home is in the same community where the family settled 75 years ago. Since he came to this section, Hooper, Scribner, Fremont and other places have all come into existence. What a contrast, the Dodge county that he first knew and the Dodge county of today? He is the only one of that first group of white settlers who still lives within the borders of the township. Three quarters of a century in one county, three quarters of a century in the same township! Are
there any others in Dodge county who can claim such a record? Are there many in the state of Nebraska? Who is the man? Whom would you guess it to be? It is none other than our well known citizen Mr. Herman Monnich, who resides 2 miles northwest of Hooper. His home is on the brow of the hill facing the south and overlooking the Elkhorn valley. When Mr. Monnich came to this county he was too young to know what it was all about.
Mr. Monnich was born November 3, 1855, and came to Everett Township in May, 1857. You see he was only a year and a half old. His father, Gerhard Monnich, took a squatter's claim where the Monnich "springs" and lake are. They were the first white folk to settle in that township. It was in the month of May when the family left Blair to determine where they would take up a government claim. Our citizen's first home in this township was in a covered wagon. The entire family lived in this wagon until they could build a log cabin. This new structure was 12x16 and covered with a thatched roof. A larger
house became necessary in a few years and the next one was of hewn logs. This was Herman Monnich's home, a log cabin until he married Miss Margareet Parkert on December 27, 1881. The first home was a brick house. The second covered with siding. 75 years is a long time to have lived in the same rural community.
Mr. Monnich's parents, Gerd and Anna (Osterloh) Monnich, came from Germany in 1854. His father took up a government claim in Iowa county, Iowa, in the section which since has been owned by the Amanna colon. He was not in sympathy with the doctrines and principles of this religious sect and so decided to move father west, coming to Nebraska. It was on this homestead in Iowa that Herman was born. In the fall of 1856 the family began their west ward trek with an ox team and covered wagon. The Gerd. Munderloh family came with them. They stopped in Blair and wintered there. That winter of 1856-57 was the most terrible that the white settlers of Nebraska ever experienced. Snow began to fall in December and continued
up into the month of May. They had made no provisions for hay for they understood that the prairies would furnish an
abundance of grass. The snows were so deep, the weather so
severe, the blizzards so terrific that nearly all the stock in Blair died for want of feed and exposure. By taking their yoke of oxen and their milk cow to the timber along the Missouri river and feeding them tender twigs from trees they managed to pull their stock through the winter. On the 12th of May they crossed Battle Creek over the snow. Just think of that! During that awful winter thousands of birds and animal perished. The deep snow made travel slow for deer and antelope, the hard crust cut the feet of the animal so that they bled to death. They became an easy prey of coyotes and timber wolfs. In selecting a site for a homestead, Mr. Monnich's father looked for timber and found an unusual number of large trees where Monnich's lake is. The high bluffs to the
north had protected this spot from prairie fires. When they came to this place the entire section around Hooper was a vast prairie expanse. Dense tall grass grew everywhere. You probably thought of streams as being regions of dense timber. This was not the case. Practically all the timber you now see has grown since the first white men came. Mr. Monnich explained why this was so when he told that each fall Indians would set the prairie on fire and thus destroy whatever timber attempted to grow, save in the few places where it was protected from the terrific heat. If an unusually strong wind
was blowing it would carry the flames across the Elkhorn river and the fire would race madly on the other side. The Indians did this in order to make travel easier in the fall when they wanted to move to the streams for trapping. Every early settler protected his buildings from danger of such a prairie fire by plowing a furrow around his place, then some distance further on another furrow and burning the grass between, making the distance great enough to avoid all danger.
Mr. Monnich's father broke up some of the sod the first spring and planted corn and potatoes. If they wanted some ground feed they had to go to the Robinson mill on Maple creek. This mill did not last long because the water was too low. A mill was set up on Logan creek which later became known as Briggs' mill. If they wanted some lumber they had to go to West Point, their nearest sawmill at that time. In order to secure provisions they had to go to Omaha. It took a full week to make the round trip with an ox team. Now one can make it in a car in a little over an hour. When they made the trip with
horses it required three days. At first all streams had to be forded. Sometimes they had to wait until swollen streams subsided. The spring floods made going very treacherous.
The Indians living in this part of the state were the
Omahas. They were a peaceful friendly tribe. The settlers had no fear of them and never lost any of their grain, provisions or livestock because of raids. Occasionally the Pawnee came through the region on their way to their hunting grounds. They were unfriendly and spread terror among the pioneers. In June of 1858 about 5,000 Pawnees went thru, threatened the whites took stock and provisions and created a reign of terror. The settlers rushed to the stockade at Fontanelle and organized for protection and awaited the arrival of government troops.
During the winters the Omahas camped along the streams for
shelter, fuel and trapping Beaver, Otter, coyote, wolves, mink, coon, muskrat, fox were plentiful. In addition to the timber red fox there was a smaller red one of the prairie. The only herd of buffalo that Mr. Monnich's folks saw was in the year they took up their claim in 1857. On the bluff across the Elkhorn river, just west of where Hooper now is, they saw a big drove. With advancing civilization the American bison moved westward. Those first settlers never had to worry about fresh meat. And such a variety as they had. Game of all kinds was in abundance. Some of it is now extinct. Mr. Monnich call
tell of seeing herds of deer and antelope numbering as many as 25 in a single group. Prairie chickens could be shot from the cabin door. Ducks and geese came in countless numbers. Wild turkey were always a choice autumn and winter delicacy. Mr. Monnich says that his uncle, John Osterloh, shot a turkey gobbler that weighed 20 pounds when dressed.
When Mr. Monnich came to Nebraska it was a territory. He was almost 12 when it became a state. He was old enough to have most vivid recollections of its territorial days. We can hardly realize that this fair state of ours was not admitted to the Union until he was a young lad and that more than a decade.
Mr. Monnich was less than 16 when Hooper was platted on
February 15, 1871. He knew this his citizenship here antedated it by- - valley when it was only a prairie as far as man could see. He has observed the development of our town from its beginning. Mr. Monnich did not go to school until he was 12 years old. There was no school within reach until then. His first school was a private one taught by Rocky Stork, who late became Mrs. Chris Henneman. The second was held in the house of Joachim Roggensack. In order to attend a public school Mr.
Monnich had to go to Logan, a distance of 4 miles. Mr. Monnich was less than 14 when the Union Pacific railroad was completed. He was a young man of 18 when the first grasshopper plague devastated the country in 1874.
January 9, 1936
Herman Monnich Taken by Death
Herman Monnich, a pioneer resident of this community since 1857, and one of the best known and highly respected men of this place, passed away shortly after 10 o'clock Monday forenoon, January, 6, 1936, at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer. Heart trouble combined with ailments incidental to old age are attributed to the cause of death. Tho having been in failing health for the past few years, he had been able to be up and around and continued to reside on the farm 2 miles northwest of Hooper. For the past month he had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer.
Mr. Monnich, who had attained the age of 80 years, 2
months and 3 days was born November 3, 1855, in Iowa county, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard Monnich. As a small child he came with his parents to Nebraska in the fall of 1856, spending the winter at Blair. In the spring of 1857 the family came to this region and located on the homestead northwest of the present site of Hooper. Since then this place had remained Mr. Monnich's home, about 79 years of continous residence, a record not achieved by very many people. In all these years Mr. Monnich saw this region grow from a land of wilderness to one of extensive cultivation and progress, endured every trial,
tribulation and joy and happiness that came to the pioneers. Also during this time he gained the very high regard of everyone and enjoyed a very extensive acquaintanceship among the people of this locality. In his resi - - - - - - -
- - - - - -cember 24, 1934, with her death, affairs of his
community, holding various offices of trust, among these being that of county supervisor from his district.
He was united in marriage on December 27, 1881, to Miss Maggie Parkert, this union being broken on December 24, 1934, with her death, after practically 53 years of wedded life.
Surviving him are five sons and two daughters, George W. of Springview, John N. of Fremont, Bernard H. of Hooper, Edward J. of Oakland, Cal., Clarence W., of Sand Springs, Okla., Mrs. Norman E. Shaffer of Hooper, and Mrs. W. Patrick of Tucson, Ariz. Surviving him also are 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, one brother, Bernard Monnich, and a sister, Mrs. Dora Heller, both of Hooper.
Funeral arrangements under direction of Wollmer & Warne, are for services to be held this Thursday afternoon. Brief services will first be held at the farm home northwest of town at 1:30, followed by services at 2 o'clock from Grace Lutheran church of which he was a member, Rev. W. H. Moeller officiating. Interment will be made in Hooper cemetery, the services at the grave being conducted by the Hooper Masonic lodge of which he had been a member nearly 50 years.
In connection with our brief obituary of Mr. Monnich, we are giving for its historical interest the following story given by him and written by Rev. Peter Jacobs a few years ago. Mr. Monnich desired it not to be published at that time but condescended to its publication after his death:
Do you know that one of the first group of white settlers to locate in Everett township of Dodge county still lives in that township? His home is in the same community where the family settled 75 years ago. Since he came to this section, Hooper, Scribner, Fremont and other places have all come into existence. What a contrast, the Dodge county that he first knew and the Dodge county of today? He is the only one of that first group of white settlers who still lives within the borders of the township. Three quarters of a century in one county, three quarters of a century in the same township! Are
there any others in Dodge county who can claim such a record? Are there many in the state of Nebraska? Who is the man? Whom would you guess it to be? It is none other than our well known citizen Mr. Herman Monnich, who resides 2 miles northwest of Hooper. His home is on the brow of the hill facing the south and overlooking the Elkhorn valley. When Mr. Monnich came to this county he was too young to know what it was all about.
Mr. Monnich was born November 3, 1855, and came to Everett Township in May, 1857. You see he was only a year and a half old. His father, Gerhard Monnich, took a squatter's claim where the Monnich "springs" and lake are. They were the first white folk to settle in that township. It was in the month of May when the family left Blair to determine where they would take up a government claim. Our citizen's first home in this township was in a covered wagon. The entire family lived in this wagon until they could build a log cabin. This new structure was 12x16 and covered with a thatched roof. A larger
house became necessary in a few years and the next one was of hewn logs. This was Herman Monnich's home, a log cabin until he married Miss Margareet Parkert on December 27, 1881. The first home was a brick house. The second covered with siding. 75 years is a long time to have lived in the same rural community.
Mr. Monnich's parents, Gerd and Anna (Osterloh) Monnich, came from Germany in 1854. His father took up a government claim in Iowa county, Iowa, in the section which since has been owned by the Amanna colon. He was not in sympathy with the doctrines and principles of this religious sect and so decided to move father west, coming to Nebraska. It was on this homestead in Iowa that Herman was born. In the fall of 1856 the family began their west ward trek with an ox team and covered wagon. The Gerd. Munderloh family came with them. They stopped in Blair and wintered there. That winter of 1856-57 was the most terrible that the white settlers of Nebraska ever experienced. Snow began to fall in December and continued
up into the month of May. They had made no provisions for hay for they understood that the prairies would furnish an
abundance of grass. The snows were so deep, the weather so
severe, the blizzards so terrific that nearly all the stock in Blair died for want of feed and exposure. By taking their yoke of oxen and their milk cow to the timber along the Missouri river and feeding them tender twigs from trees they managed to pull their stock through the winter. On the 12th of May they crossed Battle Creek over the snow. Just think of that! During that awful winter thousands of birds and animal perished. The deep snow made travel slow for deer and antelope, the hard crust cut the feet of the animal so that they bled to death. They became an easy prey of coyotes and timber wolfs. In selecting a site for a homestead, Mr. Monnich's father looked for timber and found an unusual number of large trees where Monnich's lake is. The high bluffs to the
north had protected this spot from prairie fires. When they came to this place the entire section around Hooper was a vast prairie expanse. Dense tall grass grew everywhere. You probably thought of streams as being regions of dense timber. This was not the case. Practically all the timber you now see has grown since the first white men came. Mr. Monnich explained why this was so when he told that each fall Indians would set the prairie on fire and thus destroy whatever timber attempted to grow, save in the few places where it was protected from the terrific heat. If an unusually strong wind
was blowing it would carry the flames across the Elkhorn river and the fire would race madly on the other side. The Indians did this in order to make travel easier in the fall when they wanted to move to the streams for trapping. Every early settler protected his buildings from danger of such a prairie fire by plowing a furrow around his place, then some distance further on another furrow and burning the grass between, making the distance great enough to avoid all danger.
Mr. Monnich's father broke up some of the sod the first spring and planted corn and potatoes. If they wanted some ground feed they had to go to the Robinson mill on Maple creek. This mill did not last long because the water was too low. A mill was set up on Logan creek which later became known as Briggs' mill. If they wanted some lumber they had to go to West Point, their nearest sawmill at that time. In order to secure provisions they had to go to Omaha. It took a full week to make the round trip with an ox team. Now one can make it in a car in a little over an hour. When they made the trip with
horses it required three days. At first all streams had to be forded. Sometimes they had to wait until swollen streams subsided. The spring floods made going very treacherous.
The Indians living in this part of the state were the
Omahas. They were a peaceful friendly tribe. The settlers had no fear of them and never lost any of their grain, provisions or livestock because of raids. Occasionally the Pawnee came through the region on their way to their hunting grounds. They were unfriendly and spread terror among the pioneers. In June of 1858 about 5,000 Pawnees went thru, threatened the whites took stock and provisions and created a reign of terror. The settlers rushed to the stockade at Fontanelle and organized for protection and awaited the arrival of government troops.
During the winters the Omahas camped along the streams for
shelter, fuel and trapping Beaver, Otter, coyote, wolves, mink, coon, muskrat, fox were plentiful. In addition to the timber red fox there was a smaller red one of the prairie. The only herd of buffalo that Mr. Monnich's folks saw was in the year they took up their claim in 1857. On the bluff across the Elkhorn river, just west of where Hooper now is, they saw a big drove. With advancing civilization the American bison moved westward. Those first settlers never had to worry about fresh meat. And such a variety as they had. Game of all kinds was in abundance. Some of it is now extinct. Mr. Monnich call
tell of seeing herds of deer and antelope numbering as many as 25 in a single group. Prairie chickens could be shot from the cabin door. Ducks and geese came in countless numbers. Wild turkey were always a choice autumn and winter delicacy. Mr. Monnich says that his uncle, John Osterloh, shot a turkey gobbler that weighed 20 pounds when dressed.
When Mr. Monnich came to Nebraska it was a territory. He was almost 12 when it became a state. He was old enough to have most vivid recollections of its territorial days. We can hardly realize that this fair state of ours was not admitted to the Union until he was a young lad and that more than a decade.
Mr. Monnich was less than 16 when Hooper was platted on
February 15, 1871. He knew this his citizenship here antedated it by- - valley when it was only a prairie as far as man could see. He has observed the development of our town from its beginning. Mr. Monnich did not go to school until he was 12 years old. There was no school within reach until then. His first school was a private one taught by Rocky Stork, who late became Mrs. Chris Henneman. The second was held in the house of Joachim Roggensack. In order to attend a public school Mr.
Monnich had to go to Logan, a distance of 4 miles. Mr. Monnich was less than 14 when the Union Pacific railroad was completed. He was a young man of 18 when the first grasshopper plague devastated the country in 1874.
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