Son of German immigrants. Grew up in the German-American community of Macon in Franklin County, Nebraska and married Matilda (Tilda) Kleen of that community. German was spoken in the home. German was spoken in church, in public institutions and on the telephone until World War I.
Paternal grandparents: Thomas Heeren Blank b. September 9, 1806 and Jantje Janssen DeJonge b. June 5, 1816.
"On February 22, 1900, Tilda and John were united in bonds of Holy Matrimony at the home of Mom's parents. It had taken weeks of driving to homes of relatives and friends to invite them to the wedding as telephones were not the order of the day and free mail delivery had not come to the area. A heavy snow had fallen a few days before but with Opa (Grandpa Kleen) and Uncle George busy cleaning away the snow on the farmstead -- there was ample room for the carriages, buggies, and lumber wagons that brought the 100 guests to the gala affair."
--by Marie Blank Rademacher, 1982
Children of the union include Thomas William, Marie Anna, Herman John, Rosena Matilda, Edna Louise, Helen Nora, Helena Dora, and Clarence George.
Everyone in the family except Clarence became ill during the Spanish influenza epidemic of World War I. Six-year-old Edna died.
John and Tilda farmed near Macon, NE and retired in Franklin, NE.
Paternal grandparents: Thomas Heeren Blank b. September 9, 1806 and Jantje Janssen DeJonge b. June 5, 1816.
"On February 22, 1900, Tilda and John were united in bonds of Holy Matrimony at the home of Mom's parents. It had taken weeks of driving to homes of relatives and friends to invite them to the wedding as telephones were not the order of the day and free mail delivery had not come to the area. A heavy snow had fallen a few days before but with Opa (Grandpa Kleen) and Uncle George busy cleaning away the snow on the farmstead -- there was ample room for the carriages, buggies, and lumber wagons that brought the 100 guests to the gala affair."
--by Marie Blank Rademacher, 1982
Children of the union include Thomas William, Marie Anna, Herman John, Rosena Matilda, Edna Louise, Helen Nora, Helena Dora, and Clarence George.
Everyone in the family except Clarence became ill during the Spanish influenza epidemic of World War I. Six-year-old Edna died.
John and Tilda farmed near Macon, NE and retired in Franklin, NE.
Son of German immigrants. Grew up in the German-American community of Macon in Franklin County, Nebraska and married Matilda (Tilda) Kleen of that community. German was spoken in the home. German was spoken in church, in public institutions and on the telephone until World War I.
Paternal grandparents: Thomas Heeren Blank b. September 9, 1806 and Jantje Janssen DeJonge b. June 5, 1816.
"On February 22, 1900, Tilda and John were united in bonds of Holy Matrimony at the home of Mom's parents. It had taken weeks of driving to homes of relatives and friends to invite them to the wedding as telephones were not the order of the day and free mail delivery had not come to the area. A heavy snow had fallen a few days before but with Opa (Grandpa Kleen) and Uncle George busy cleaning away the snow on the farmstead -- there was ample room for the carriages, buggies, and lumber wagons that brought the 100 guests to the gala affair."
--by Marie Blank Rademacher, 1982
Children of the union include Thomas William, Marie Anna, Herman John, Rosena Matilda, Edna Louise, Helen Nora, Helena Dora, and Clarence George.
Everyone in the family except Clarence became ill during the Spanish influenza epidemic of World War I. Six-year-old Edna died.
John and Tilda farmed near Macon, NE and retired in Franklin, NE.
Paternal grandparents: Thomas Heeren Blank b. September 9, 1806 and Jantje Janssen DeJonge b. June 5, 1816.
"On February 22, 1900, Tilda and John were united in bonds of Holy Matrimony at the home of Mom's parents. It had taken weeks of driving to homes of relatives and friends to invite them to the wedding as telephones were not the order of the day and free mail delivery had not come to the area. A heavy snow had fallen a few days before but with Opa (Grandpa Kleen) and Uncle George busy cleaning away the snow on the farmstead -- there was ample room for the carriages, buggies, and lumber wagons that brought the 100 guests to the gala affair."
--by Marie Blank Rademacher, 1982
Children of the union include Thomas William, Marie Anna, Herman John, Rosena Matilda, Edna Louise, Helen Nora, Helena Dora, and Clarence George.
Everyone in the family except Clarence became ill during the Spanish influenza epidemic of World War I. Six-year-old Edna died.
John and Tilda farmed near Macon, NE and retired in Franklin, NE.
Family Members
Siblings
