Walter William Theodore Lenius

LENIUS

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 7/31/2006 at 22:08:23

Walter William Theodore Lenius was born to Adolph and Auguste Lenius on June 25, 1884, in Independence, Iowa. Adolph and Auguste passed away when Walter was about 10. Walter, his brothers and sis­ters were raised in a Lutheran orphanag e in Waverly, Iowa.

Walter came to Marshall County when in his teens and worke d on the Ringler, Wallace, and Roehr farms. He started farming for himself on the O.J. Reints farm, section 24-128-59 . On October 10, 1912, he married Anna Flora Engelkes in Aberdeen. They started their married life farming on the Henr y Borcher farm, section 6-127-57, now the Wendell Lewis farm.

On March 29, 1914, their first child, Byron Ernest, was born. On September 22, 1917, Bertha Georgetta joined her brother. On January 22, 1922, Elnora Engeline was born during a blizzard. On August 22, 1922, Adeline Lorraine was added to the family.
Late in August, 1922, the family moved to the K.P. Moore farm, section 25-128-59. Byron, Bertha, and Elnora attended and graduated from the Dayton # School.

Walter and Anna were active in the Dayton Community Club and school affairs. Walter served on the township board and helped build many of the township roads with horses and a scraper.

On November 10, 1933, Florrann LaVere was born.
Early in 1936, they moved to a farm owned by Max Stokes in Miller Township, section 5. During their seven years on that farm, they were hit by tornadoes twice.

In October, 1943, they moved to Claremont, South Dakota. Walter worked on the Great Northern Railroad until he retired in 1961. Dur­ing his years on the railroad, he worked o n section gangs and repaired tracks in several towns in North Dakota.
In 1962, Walter and Anna celebrated their 50th wedding anni ver­sary. At that time they had 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

On July 8, 1963, Anna passed away at the Marshall County Me mo­rial Hospital. Just six weeks later, on August 19, 1963, Walter passed away of a stroke at the home of his son, Byron. Both Wafter and Anna are bur­ied in the Britton Cemetery. (From book Mars hall County South Dakota History published 1979)

Note: There are five Lenius children listed as inmates of Lutheran Orphanage in Perry township in 1900 ... Martha age 14, Richard age 12, Theodor age 11, Wilhelmina age 9 and Annie age 8.