Our father, John F. Siemens was born Feb. 3, 1859 at Furstenwerder, South Russia. He was one of ten children born to the union of Johann Siemens, for many years teacher in the Furstenwerder village school, and Maria Froese. Four of the children, Anna, John, Jacob and Mary preceded him in death in their childhood, ranging in age from two to six years and passing away within a space of four days. He came to this country with his parents and five sisters in 1874 where the family sattled [sic] in the neighborhood of Buhler and where in Feb. 1900 his mother and in Oct. 1902 his father died. In his early married life two infant children preceded him in death. In recent years he was preceded in death by two sisters, the late Mrs. Peter Buller and Mrs. Abr. J. Williams and in Sept. 1929 his beloved wife, and is now survived by three sisters, Mrs. B. G. Doerksen, sen, Denair, Calif., Mrs. G. B. Doerksen, Denair, Calif., and Mrs. Simon Reimer, of this city.
After his parents had lost four of their children in quick succession John became the only boy in the family, and adding to it a pleasing and attractive Christian character, he became an object of special devotion to his parents. Upon his confession of faith and baptism he was received into the Hoffnungsau Church 8-24-1879 by Rev. D. Gaeddert and by him united in marriage to Sara Franz in Feb. 24th 1881.
His home training manifested itself remarkably all thru his life and not only became a strength in his own circle but its influence went out into religious, civic and social life of every community in which he lived. He reared his family of twelve children almost entirely on a farm five miles southeast of Buhler with the exception of nine years on a California farm at Reedley. He went thru the usual pioneering circumstances common to early settlers, and prospered with the average. He was active physically and in various church and fraternal organizations until four years ago when several light paralytic strokes manifested themselves and from which he did not recover. Soon came the death of his beloved wife and this intensified his condition so that it was necessary to take him to an institution for special care and under the observation of a physician. Consequently he was brought to the Old Folks Home and Hospital at Goessel where the best of care was given him. Yet whether it was here or at his children's, he always desired to go "HOME."
On Jan. 9, 1931 the fatal stroke came and maimed him so that all he could do was breathe and drink. In this condition without saying a word he remained until his death, at 10:40 A. M. June 8, 1931. "A struggle, but a glorious victory for him." He brought his age to 72 years, 4 months and 5 days. The children that survive are Mrs. Peter T. Ratzlaff, Shafter, Calif., Peter H. of Perico, Texas, David H. of Burrton, Jacob J. of Newton, Curt of Moundridge, John, Henry, Marie, Mrs. A. B. Froese, Mrs. C. B. Froese all of Buhler and Lydia of Hillsboro. He is grandfather of forty children and has four great grandchildren.