A small wooden cabin, now used as a smokehouse for curing meat, marks the site of a farmstead, which has been in the Schlichtemeier family since 1864, when Franz Heinrich Schlichtemeier declared it his home.

Franz left his home in Bremerhaven,Germany on July 28, 1863, and came to the United States. He had gone west to the gold mines in Salt Lake City, Utah, but "disliked the way of life." He then homesteaded the Lancaster County farm, living at first in the crude log hut built by a former settler, who claimed 40 acres of land. Franz purchased the 40 acres for $1.00 per acre, in addition to the homestead.

He brought his bride, Catherina Elsabein Furstenau, to America and married her on September 11, 1867, at Nebraska City. She had been the maid for his parents. Catherina was born in Ausnabruch, Germany, on September 29, 1845. At the time of his marriage, his brother, Wilhelm and sister, Marie Bredehoff, lived near Nebraska City. Another sister, Minnie Zobel, lived near Auburn.

Franz and his wife had eight children, William H., born in 1868, Louise, born in 1869, Mary M., born in 1870, Henry, born in 1872, Charles, born in 1874, Anna Mina, born in 1876, Frank, born in 1881, and Katherine, born in 1883. The youngest son, Frank, remained on the homestead, and at the present time, the farm remains in the family with Melvin, the youngest son of Frank, as its owner.

Melvin remembers his grandfather telling how he made his first trip to Nebraska City for supplies after he was married. He used oxen, and the trip took him two weeks. The Indians had a camping ground about one-half mile west of the farm cabin and often traveled by the cabin while going to a nearby spring to get water. Melvin recalled his grandfather telling him, "the Indians liked to stop and admire the new baby boy, which was William, but grandmother was afraid and took the baby to another settler's home while grandfather was gone getting supplies."

Franz had built another cabin, a two-roomed structure, but the cabin was removed, despite efforts to save it.

Melvin, and his wife Gladys, still smoke their cured hams and bacons in the log cabin, as well as ring sausage, which is fast becoming a lost art. Anyone stopping at the Schlichtemeier farm around lunchtime, knows there will be smoked sausage on the table.

Thank you for attending a Schlichtemeier Family Reunion on the Homestead.

July 31, 1993

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