i. SHARON SUE⁶ SODEN¹, b. February 10, 1946, West Point, NB¹; d. March 24, 1997, Yutan, NB¹; m. DOUG HARRISON¹, February 14, 1964¹; b. February 26, 1946¹. SHARON SUE SODEN: Cause of Death: Cancer^1,Christening: Methodist, Wisner, NB, conv to Lutheran.¹    DOUG HARRISON: Christening: Lutheran, Yutan, NB¹ Occupation: Gravel Pit Operator¹

ii. TERRY LEE SODEN^2,3, b. August 16, 1953, Norfolk, NB³; m. MARCIA LOUISE SCHRAGE^4,5, August 28, 1971, St Mary's, West Point, NB⁵; b. May 03, 1952, West Point, NB⁵.  TERRY LEE SODEN: Christening: Wisner, NB⁵ Occupation: Wisner, NB; Occupation: Police Officer / Chief of Police⁵ Religion: Methodist converted to Catholic⁵ ;   MARCIA LOUISE SCHRAGE: Christening: St Mary's, West Point, NB⁵

^{JAMES H. SODEN}

^{A retired farmer living at Wisner came to Cuming County in the spring of 1872.  He was born in Ontario County, New York, October 15, 1837,  the son of Joseph and Ann (Parks) Soden,  natives of England.  Mr. Soden was first married in England and while upon his voyage across the ocean, his wife died, leaving one child (Jabez) who died in the Civil War.  The father of our subject (Joseph Soden) located at Geneva New York, where he married Miss Parks.  He was a farmer and in a short time went to Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York, where he reared a family of four children: James H., of this sketch,  Joseph, John - of Geneva, NY, and Stephen - who enlisted in the Eleventh New York Volunteer Infantry at the time of the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Gettysburg.  Our subjects father (Joseph) and mother (Ann) died at Canandaigua,  the mother in 1848 and the father in 1854.  They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.}

    ^{He of whom we write (James H.) was reared in Ontario and Wayne Counties, New York, receiving his education in the district schools.  He was married in New York, in 1860, to Miss Sarah Wilson,  a native of Ontario County.}  

Sarah J. Wilson Soden Mrs. Sarah Soden Passed away at the age of 84 years. This is an excerpt from her obituary.       Sarah J. Wilson was born on August 25th, 1842 at Port Gibson, N.Y.  and there grew to womanhood.  On April 3rd of 1861 she was united in marriage to J. H. Soden and lived in Port Gibson until 1872, when they moved to Cuming County, Nebraska.        There were six children born of this union:     Howard G. Soden, of Sargent, Colorado    J. Monroe of Wayne, Nebraska    Jacob W. of Santa Anna, California    Mary L. Clark of Creighton, Nebraska    Henry A. Soden of Wisner, Nebraska    Mina Pollock, deceased at the time of the obituary.       There were also 32 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. The full obituary may be found in the obituary links. Golden Wedding This is a clipping commemorating the Golden Wedding anniversary of Sarah and James Soden. The last several lines are illegible, but the remainder is as follows:    Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Soden Complete Fifty years of Wedded Life.   Last Monday was the fiftieth anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Soden, and their six children gathered at their home in Wisner to celebrate the event.  It was an entire surprise to the venerable couple who had no warning of the pleasurable family reunion until the arrival at the parental home of the sons and daughters.  Owing to the fact that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Soden are very hearty, the children did not bring their families. The day was pleasantly passed in a quiet way; and doing ample justice to a generous dinner.  As they sat about the dinner(?) table, a photograph was taken of the group, which will be treasured by every member of the family and their children.  Mrs. Soden received from her children a wedding ring, engraved with the words "1861-April 3 1911".  Lesser favors came from other relatives and friends to cheer their hearts and fill them with tender regards for those who thus remembered them.      James H. Soden and Sarah J. Wilson Soden are both natives of New York state, and were married at Newark April 8, 1861.  In 1872, they came west and settled on the farm six miles north of Wisner, which is now the home of their son, J. M. Soden.  That was their home for twenty years until they retired to live in Wisner in 1892.  They are the parents of four sons and two daughters, all living and having families.  They are Mrs. A. J. Pollock, Wisner; Howard Soden, Sargent, Col; James M. Soden, Wisner; Jacob Soden, University Place, Neb;  Mrs. A. J. Clark(?) , Wisner; and Henry A. Soden, Wisner.  They have twenty five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.  Mr. and Mrs. Soden are seventy-four and sixty-eight years old respectively.      Theirs has been an active and successful life, Mr. Soden serving his county to a signal and creditable manner as a soldier in the civil war, and then devoting twenty strenuous years of his private life as a pioneer and farmer of Cuming County.  Mrs. Soden has always been his faithful helpmeet, and .....

    ^{The year 1861 James H. spent in Canada and then returned to New York.}

    ^{In 1872, he came to Cuming County, Nebraska, locating in Blaine Township, where he purchased a quarter section of wild land,  which he improved and added to until he now has six hundred and forty acres.  His first house was a 12 x 14 building, but his present dwelling is a two story structure forty feet square,  with an L;  he has also another house, 16 x 32, on the farm.  A beautiful grove of twenty five acres adds value and beauty to the premises.  In March, 1892, he moved to Wisner, where he is leading a retired life.}

    ^{Mr. and Mrs. Soden are the parents of six children:  Mina,  wife of A. J. Pollock,  of Lake County, Colorado;  Howard,  married Miss May Lotten, of Randolph, Nebraska;  Monroe, who resided on the old homestead;  Jacob and Henry,   also on the homestead;  Mary, wife of Alfred Clarke, of Creighto, Knox County, Nebraska,  now living on the homestead.}

    ^{Mr. Soden has the honor of being an ex-soldier of the Union Army,  having enlisted in 1862 as a member of the 14th NY Heavy Artillery.  He was mustered into service at Rochester, where he laid in rendezvous two months and was then sent to Staten Island, NY,  remained there six months and was sent to Alexandria, and joined Burnsides Army at the time of the Battle of the Wilderness and followed up with many skirmishes, and joined General Butler in front of Petersburg, Virginia.  He was there at the time the fort was blown up.  He was shot through both thighs, and was sent to the field hospital for a few days, and from there to David's Island Hospital;  transferred to Washington, December 16, 1864 and discharged 8-21-1865.}

    ^{Mate, Roe and Henry (H. A. or Doc) Soden stayed in the Wisner area. Mate and her husband farmed north of Wisner,  Roe farmed and raised sheep north of Wisner,  Howard went to Colorado and Jake to California.}

    ^{H. A. (Doc)} married Gertrude Spangler.  H. A. worked for the railroad as it built on west of Wisner.  H. A. and Gertrude had 5 boys: Claude, Lon, Mac, Henry, and Norman.  H. A. and Gertrude moved back to Wisner where he farmed north of Wisner and raised the boys.  In the 1930's during the depression the farm had to be given up.  H. A. and Gertrude moved into Wisner where he worked until retirement. 

    ^{Claude died in infancy.  Lon married Marie Frahm and had 2 children:  Stanley and Arlene.  Lon resided in Wayne County.  Mac married Alice Milligan and they had 4 children:  Darold,  Wanetta, Lyle (Dusty) and Russ.  Henry was killed in a car accident at 18 years old north of Wisner on a curve where Gary Bellar's home is located.  Norman married Francis Goebbert and they had 2 children:  Sharon and Terry.}

    ^{H. A. (Doc) after moving to Wisner owned a cream station on the corner of 9th and E. Avenue which was formerly Loui Purtzer Insurance Agency.  In the late 1930's and early 1940's H. A. worked for Henry Becker which owned the Derby Gas station and was located where Cenex is now.  His wife Gertrude worked for Ted Paulson in Paulson's Cafe which was located in Earl Simpson's building.  Spring chickens were raised in the upstairs to be served as chicken dinners down below.  In the mid 1940's H. A. worked for Ed Richard's hatchery and it was located in the Laundromat and the New-Used Crafts store.  Doc worked at the hatchery until retirement in the early 1960's.}

^{NORMAN SODEN}

   ^{Norman was born and raised on a farm north of Wisner.  He attended district 24 schools in Cuming County.  At the age of 18 his father, (H. A.-  Doc) moved into town.  Norman helped with farming for a year on a rental ground his father had.  At 19 years old, he drove truck for Bill Soden Trucking.  That was around 1934.  In the mid 1930's Norman also drove truck for Gus Wegner,  Rudy Kay,  John Graber,  and Clarence Horst.  In the late 1930's Norman started driving truck for the Farmer's Union Livestock Trucking in Wisner.}

   ^{On July 3, 1941,  Norman was drafted into the Army.  He took his physical at Fort Crook, Nebraska.  He took his basic training at Camp Walters, Texas.  He was in the 6th Infantry Division as a heavy machine gunner.  He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.  Norman was sent to special duty in Ohio for a short time  He then received orders to go to Arizona for desert training.  He thought they were being prepared for desert warfare.  Their orders were changed and they had to go to Hawaii for jungle training.  After they completed jungle training, he received orders to be shipped to New Guinea.  On September 26, 1943, he headed for combat.  On June 23, 1944, Norman was wounded in battle.  He took a bulletin the left arm, shattering his elbow and part of the arm.  Norman spent 6 months in field hospital's.  On November 19, 1944, Norman was shipped back to O'Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.  He spent the next 2 1/2 years in the Army hospital in Springfield.  At one time, they were considering amputating his left arm.  He described how they put maggots in his arm to eat the dead flesh.  They told him they could save his arm, but he would have to live the rest of his life with his arm either in a 90 degree angle or straight.  Norman chose the 90 degree angle, so he would still be able to drive a vehicle.}

   ^{While Norman was at the military hospital in Springfield,  he married Francis Goebbert, on August 1, 1945.  On January 19, 1946,  Norman was discharged from the service.  Norman received the following awards, decorations, and citations:}

^{The Purple Heart;  Good Conduct Medal;  Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with one Bronze star;  American Defense Ribbon;  American Theatre Ribbon; the Victory Medal.}

   ^{Norman and Francis returned to Wisner after Norman's discharge.  He continued to drive truck for the Farmers Union Livestock trucking.  The Farmers Union Livestock trucking went out of business in 1956.  Norman then started driving gravel truck for Einung Sand and Gravel.  He worked for them until his retirement in 1981.  While Norman was employed in Wisner, his wife Francis worked for the Wisner Hotel in the 1940's and for Hoover's Cafe in the 1950's.  She was also known for her seamstress work, sewing dresses.} 

   ^{Norman and Francis had 2 children:  Sharon and Terry.  Sharon married Doug Harrison of Carroll, Nebraska.  Sharon and Doug have 3 children:  Ken,  and twins Barb and Bev.  Sharon and Doug lived in Pilger for a short time where Doug was employed for Bob Pestel Welding.  Sharon and Doug moved to Valley and Yutan where they are today.  Doug manages All Spec Sand and Gravel.}   

^{TERRY SODEN}

^{Terry was born in Norfolk and raised in Wisner.  He attended Wisner Elementary,  Wisner High School, and graduated from Wisner-Pilger High School in 1971.  He then married Marcia Schrage on August 28, 1971.  Marcia was a 1970 graduate of West Point Central High School.  She was honored by having her name entered in the 'Who's-Who' of United States High School Students.  Marcia was working for Burlington Northern Railroads main office in Omaha as an IBM keypunch operator.  In 1971 Terry attended Denver Automotive and Diesel College and Marcia worked for Martin in the Denver office as a computer keypunch operator.  in 1972 they moved back to Wisner, Terry taking a job at the Automatic Manufacturer of Pender as a production welder and spray arc welder.  Terry and Marcia then moved to Thurston, Nebraska for one year, living on a rented farm north east of Thurston, paying $10 per month plus tending the cows.  On February 9, 1976 Terry was hired as a Police Officer for the City of Wisner.  Terry and Marcia lived in Roy Vollmer's rental on the corner of 9th and I Avenue's.  Completing his training at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, Michigan on February 18, 1977;  Terry was appointed Assistant Chief of Police by Mayor Willa Toelle on January 9, 1979.  Upon the retirement of Bob Meyers, Terry was appointed Chief of Police in Wisner on May 1, 1991.  Terry and Marcia now live at 525 10th Street in Wisner.  The house was purchased from Emma Koehler. Marcia is currently employed at a school bus driver, and a Mary Kay consultant.  Terry and Marcia have 4 children:  Chris living in Norfolk, Nebraska;  Eric, Marc, and Dawn living at home in Wisner.}