Family/Spouse: Leon Halstead. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Halstead
2. Halstead
3. Halstead

Notes:

BIOGRAPHY:
http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/r/David-Alan-Christianson/FILE/0004text.txt
JACOB AND CHRISTINA KNAPP

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Knapp

Jacob, son of John and Philippina Koerner Knapp (page 43-Jubilee Book) was born
April 3, 1897 on a farm 15 miles northeast of Eureka. Jacob's brothers were:
John and Fred; sisters were: Christina, Carolina, Paulina, Philippina,
Magdalina all deceased, and Kathrina, Portland, Oregon. Jacob and Christina Opp
were married May 5, 1921. Christina, born July 9, 1901 was the daughter of
Jacob and Katherina Neuharth Opp (page 41-Jubilee Book). Christina's brothers
were Jacob (deceased), August and Eugene. Sisters were Kathrina, Elizabeth
(deceased), Rosina, Ada (deceased), Martha, Erna, and three died in infancy.
After their marriage they rented his fathers farm until they bought it in 1924.
The following is a descriptive narrative in Christina's words about their life
on the farm.

"Farming was not easy at that time as everything was short after World War I
and everything we bought was very high compared with what little we had to
sell. We started out with five milk cows and sixteen laying hens, a few horses
and a few pieces of farm machines. Yes, we started the horse and buggy style,
there were tractors and automobiles but we could not afford these luxuries at
that time.

We sold cream for ten cents a pound, butterfat and eggs eight to ten cents a
dozen. Our rules were made right from the beginning to only buy what you can
pay cash for, so anyone can imagine how much we could do with the little cream
and egg money. We found out that we can live with very little if you have to,
we never did go hungry and always had a roof over our heads and never had to go
through the hardships our forelders had to.

The crops were meager most of the twenties and we sold wheat for 29 cents a
bushel. In 1930 we could have had a fairly good crop but then were completely
hailed out. Then came the dusty thirties with no crops, no feed for cattle; had
to get rid of everything alive but a few milk cows and laying hens.

Hay making was the toughest as all our hayland was five miles from home and
that meant get up before daylight to get the cows milked and get going by horse
and wagon in order to get back again. Many times the sun was set before we got
back then the cows had to be milked and other chores done. Then, after supper
the two loads had to be pitched on the stacks. When there was no moonshine the
unloading had to wait until the next morning. That meant getting up at least an
hour earlier.

I can remember one Saturday evening the hired man and Jacob got done haying and
Jacob said at the supper table, "Oh! what a good feeling it is that this is
done". The next day we had visitors and the boys were down the pasture checking
gopher traps. All at once we noticed a black cloud coming up in the west, we
called the boys in and they were barely in the house when it got pitch dark
that we couldn't see each other in the house and in a few seconds it had all
happened. The windows were blown in on the west of the house and rain, dirt,
hay, straw and debris from the neighbors buildings came into our house. It was
so dirty, not only the floors but walls, ceiling, dishes, bedding and
everything had to be cleaned. Most of the buildings were damaged, some were
completely demolished. The two long hay stacks were blown away all over the
pasture, only about three or four feet high was left. We were only glad that
not one of us was hurt but you can imagine how we felt. We both cried ourselves
to sleep that night to think of all the hard work we had to face the next
morning. This was August 1, 1937 and five days later our youngest daughter was
born. One thing surprised us--a turkey was brooding in an oil barrel in the
middle of the yard, was undisturbed and about a week later had a nest full of
turkeys.

Later in the forties things got better, we had fairly good crops, prices got
better and we finally had a chance to make headways. Then again in the fifties
we went to Aberdeen to a wedding and when we came back later that evening we
found another tornado went through the place, one of our barns was gone and
scattered all over the pasture to the east. The separator house was torn from
the other barn and smashed to pieces. The separator was scattered all over the
yard but we found each little piece, cleaned it and it still worked.

I must mention when we were first married, the next day Jacob had to plant corn
and I started our own housework and milked cows, that was our honeymoon.

When I walked through the pasture to round up the cows I made sure to take
along a large gunny sack to fill with dry cow chips which was all the fuel we
had to cook our meals on the kitchen range. We also made our own fuel to heat
the house during the winter that was made out of manure except when it was real
cold then we mixed it with coal. The making of fuel out of manure was a long
process and hard work, I do not want to go into that.

This is how we did our laundry. First we filled the washtub half full with
soapsuds then soaked some of the clothes in there while we scrubbed on the
washboard with a bar of homemade soap. On the kitchen range was the washboiler
about half full of homemade soapsuds. After the white wash was scrubbed clean
it was put in the boiler and boiled for a while, then back into the washtub
into clean water to rinse thoroughly; then put through a hand-cranked wringer
then out on the line to dry. In winter there were several lines drawn through
the living room and dried there. This was usually done just before bedtime so
it was out of the way and by morning it was dry if there was enough heat in the
house. Those that were lucky and had a basement could hang it there, but we had
no basement. Can you imagine what a chore it was to wash the big blankets and
all the other bedding or the men's long underwear which was all in one
piece--long legs and long sleeves and how dirty when they worked in the field.

After a few years we were able to afford a kerosene stove, oh, what a luxury
this was to cook and bake on this stove.

We always had our own milk, cream and churned our butter, had our fresh eggs,
baked our bread and raised our own meat. There were no such things as
refrigerators or freezers. Many things especially meat had to be hung down the
well to keep cold. There were no push buttons to do the laundry, the cooking,
light the rooms or watch TV.

All in all the thirty-seven years we were farming we lived through two
tornadoes, lost three fairly good crops by hailstorms and a few years no crop
at all during the 30's.

If the Lord willing we can celebrate our 65th anniversary in a few months. We
have reason enough to thank the good Lord for taking such good care of us"

Jacob and Christina were blessed with three children, nine grandchildren and
two great grandsons; one son-in-law and two grandsons have died. Orville
married Wilma Opp, their two children are, Marcia Kay and Sheila Ann. Orville
died May 1, 1986. Myra Marietta married Elmer Bentz (deceased), her children
are Jacob Dean, Carol Christina, Sara Lisa and Shirley Jean. Phillipina
Kathrina married Leon Halstead, her children are Gerald F., Christopher Alan
and Laura Luise.

Jacob and Christina are life long members of the Reformed Church. They live in
Eureka were Jacob keeps busy with yard work while Christina enjoys crocheting,
quilting and cooking.

Jacob married Christina Opp on 5 May 1921 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. Christina (daughter of Jacob D. Opp and Catherina Neuharth) was born on 9 Jul 1901 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Johannes married Philippina Körner. Philippina (daughter of Jakob Körner and Philippina Frey) was born on 19 Jan 1862 in Odessa, Ukrayina; died in in Odessa Township, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

BIOGRAPHY:
http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/r/David-Alan-Christianson/FILE/0004text.txt
JACOB D. AND KATHARINA OPP Jacob D. and Katharina Opp Jacob D. and Katharina (Neuharth) Opp settled 15 miles northeast of Eureka in 1884. Jacob, son of Daniel and Katharina (Gohl) Opp, was 14 when arriving in this area with his parents, three brothers and one sister. Jacob's ancestry has been traced to Birlenbach, Canton of Weissenberg, Lower Alsace, France, when his great grandfather, Urban Opp, and his wife, Maria-Anna, emigrated to Hungary in 1807. They traveled on to settle in Glucksthal, South Russia in 1809. Urban was born in 1777. For 75 years, the Opp family remained in Glucksthal as farmers. Urban's eldest son, Daniel, and his own son, Daniel, Jr., remained until the Russian government began to take away the numerous freedoms held by the German immigrants. At that time, Daniel, Jr. and his family emigrated to McPherson County coming through New York City, to Yankton, Menno and McPherson County, leaving in September, 1884. Jacob D. was born April 25, 1870 at Glucksthal, South Russia. On December 11, 1892 he married Katharina Neuharth, born December 23, 1874 to George Neuharth and Elisabeth (Rosin) Neuharth in Menno, South Dakota. A short historical thesis on the Opp family was written by Jacob's brother, Daniel D., which gives interesting stories about life on the prairie before the turn of the century. Ten children were born to Jacob D. and Katharina. Katharina, born November 11, 1893, is still living in Eureka, South Dakota. She was the wife of Rudolph Hilgemann, now deceased. Elizabeth, born April 8, 1895, was married three times--Gustave Hilgemann, John Schumack and Fred Mayer, all deceased. She died December 3, 1950. Jacob, Jr., was born August 23, 1898 and died June 30, 1973. His wife, Frieda Pfeiffer, is deceased. Christina, born July 9, 1901, resides at Eureka with her husband, Jacob Knapp. Rosina, wife of Julius Krein, was born August 19, 1903 and died December 10, 1985. Ada was born May 9, 1905 and died December 20, 1979. She was the wife of Calvin Mehlhaff, deceased. August, born August 28, 1907, resides at Eureka with his wife, Emma, nee Ladner. Martha, born June 28, 1910, resides at Rapid City, South Dakota with her husband, Gustave Mettler. Erna, born March 25, 1912, resides at Eureka with her husband, Bert Stroh. Eugene was born August 23, 1915 and resides in Aberdeen, South Dakota, with his wife, Martha, nee Weishaar. Jacob D. and Katharina farmed 13 miles northeast of Eureka near the old Opp homestead until 1942 when they retired in Eureka. The couple moved to the Lutheran Home in early 1961. Jacob D. died March 10, 1961, and Katharina died April 2, 1966. The couple had been wed for 68 years.

Jacob married Catherina Neuharth about 1892. Catherina (daughter of Georg Neuhardt Neuharth and Elisabetha Rosin) was born on 23 Dec 1874 in Menno, Hutchinson County, South Dakota, USA; died on 2 Apr 1966 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jakob married Philippina Frey on 5 Nov 1852 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina. Philippina was born on 6 Dec 1831 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina; died on 26 Mar 1867 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Johannes married Katharina Gohl about 1866. Katharina (daughter of Friedrich Georg Gohl and Anna Maria Klein) was born on 5 Apr 1847 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina; died on 16 Mar 1937 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA; was buried in Glueckstahl Cemetery, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Georg married Elisabetha Rosin on 2 Feb 1864 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina. Elisabetha was born on 11 Apr 1839 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina; died in 1916 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]