Mike and Nettie lived on the Scheidel farm until the spring of 1911 when they moved to the Henry Schwinefus farm of 160 acres six miles north of Ossian in Springfield Twp. The farm cost $100.00 per acre and it took Mike a long time to pay for it. He so liked the spring season on the farm and often praised the sweet pure water. He also told of his clearing about 40 acres of land, trees and stumps, for planting of crops. He was one of the few around who knew how to use dynamite. He and his uncle, Peter Klemmer and Joe Broghamer and some other neighbors, built a new barn in 1914. They were hailed out once and they lost their cattle because of a disease. Later he was to go to Wisconsin and buy a whole new herd of Holstiens, replacing the Short Horns.

They were the parents of 6 children: Nicholas, Mayme, Gregory, Hildegard, Clarence and Florence.

Nicholas was born 20 Oct 1906 and left home at an early age. He was in the Army in the 1930’s and later a policeman in Butte, MT Then he went back into the Army during WWII and served in the Middle-East in the Military Police. He retired after 27 and 1/2 years as a Lieutenant Colonel, to his farm in West Virginia. Nicholas and his wife Pauline had 3 children: Elizabeth, Ralph and Tony. He died in Oct of 1992. Mayme was born 8 Dec 1907. She helped on the family farm and worked as a housekeeper and also did catering. She married Edwin Klee in 1933 and they had 2 children: Lois and Ronald. They are both deceased. Ed was a hotel cook and died about 1977. Mayme still lives in her home in Rochester, MN. Gregory was born in Nov 1909. He worked at home on the farm and for neighbors and rented a farm near Nordness, IA in Springfield Twp. during the late thirties. Farming alone did not seem to enchant him and he was glad when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served for four years as a PFC. in the Infantry in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. He married Velma Henry in Waterloo during the war and they had 7 children: Judy, Mike, Roselle, Nancy, Robert, Greg Jr. and Peggy. He died of a stroke in Dec of 1989 at Waterloo where Velma lives today. Hildegard was born 26 Feb 1911. She worked on the family farm and also was a housekeeper. She married Roy Sundry, a Norwegian farmer, in Wanamingo, MN. They later lived in Rochester, MN. They had 2 children: Lyle and Thomas. Hilda was the last of the children born on the Scheidel farm. She lives today in the Bethany Nursing Home in Rochester. Roy died some years ago. Clarence was born 3 Mar 1914. He helped on the family farm and also worked for neighboring farmers and drove a cream truck for his father. He was inducted into the Army in 1941 and served for four years as a PF.C. He participated in the American invasion of the Philippines, Leyte and Luzon, in a Mortar Co. He married Harriet Hunter in Cresco, IA in 1950. They had one child: Delores. Harriet died a few years ago but Clarence is still living in his home in Cresco. Florence was born 12 May 1916. She worked on the family farm and also as a housekeeper in Cedar Rapids where she met and married Carl Hawkins in 1940. They farmed and had 2 children: Carl Jr. and Barbara. They are both living in Cedar Rapids today.

On 21 Feb 1917 a terrible tragedy struck the Hedges family. The mother, Nettie, was pregnant with her seventh child and she took sick and her kidneys stopped working. The doctor and Priest were called but nothing could be done. She suffered hemorrhages and died later that evening. A good, hardworking wife and mother was lost leaving her husband, Mike, with six small children in terrible grief and shock.

Later Mike married her younger sister, Anna. (See Michael and Anna Hedges story.)

Hertges, Michael and Anna (Zweibohmer)

(Gladys Hertges Wolfe)

The wedding of Michael Hedges and Anna C. Zweibohmer
taken at Oyloe’s Studio, Ossian, IA, February 11,1918.

Anna Catherine Zweibohmer was born 11 Apr 1898 on the family farm two miles south of Ossian, IA to Fred and Anna (Hageman) Zweibohmer. She was baptized and confirmed in St. Francis Catholic Church in Ossian. She received her education at DeSales School in Ossian finishing the sixth grade in five years.

Anna’s mother Anna was born 15 Aug 1864 and died of a stroke on 31 Aug 1927. Her father Fred was born 5 Mar 1856 and died of complications of old age and rheumatism on 19 May 1939.

Anna liked to go to school and especially liked the sewing and ad classes. The school was taught by Roman Catholic Nuns. She remarked once how if someone in the class was “bad" Art class was denied them. Anna felt bad because she couldn’t finish 8th grade like her sister did, because her mother needed her at home. She worked on the family farm helping with the grain "shocking” and hay stacking. She said that the cows had to be milked outside in the spring and summer so that the barn didn’t get dirty. Anna also did gardening and crocheting and this hobby lasted almost to the day she died. She made hundreds of doilies for her children, grandchildren and others.

Anna was the seventh child in a family of ten. Her brothers and sisters were: Antonetta, Johanna, Fred, Mary, Joseph, John, Edward, Anthony and Catherine. Edward died as an infant.

When Anna was nineteen years old, Anna’s oldest sister, Antonetta (Nettie) died, leaving behind her husband, Mike Hertges and six young children. The family was devastated and much in need of help. The oldest child was only