Clemens Applehans was born on June 25th 1877 in Volga German colony of Rothammel, Russia. He and his sister Anna Elizabeth were given to relatives to raise after the death of their mother. Clemens worked for his uncle until 1897. Having heard of America the land of opportunity he and his good friend worked their way on a freighter to New York. After clearing immigration on Ellis Island the two boarded a train to Topeka, Kansas. While in Topeka Clemens was told of the availability of work and possibility of getting a homestead in Colorado.
Thus he came to the Sterling area, found and claimed a homestead. He became acquainted with Elizabeth Kloberdanz. She was also from Rothammel, Russia. Her parents were Michael and Apolonia Baskell Kloberdanz. The couple married in Sterling and made their home on the homestead located about five miles northwest of the North Sterling Reservoir. They were parents of nine children of which five survived. The children were; Barbara( Mrs. Ralph Degenhart),James(Jim) Applehans, Catherine Applehans, Elizabeth(Mrs. Pete Dillie), and Pauline(Mrs Henry Wickman).
Life for Elizabeth was short loved as she died in childbirth at the age of 37, on Dec 21, 1914. Clemens was left with five small children to raise. After much thought he decided to take then to the St Clare Orphanage in Denver. After a period of time to get his affairs in order he moved to Sterling on Riverside Drive where he made a home for his motherless children.
Clemens met a young widow, Susanna Spahn Sommers. She was also a Volga German who had come from the town of Pfeifer in Russia. On April 20, 1920 Clemens and Susanna were married in Sterling. Susanna had five children from her former marriage to John Sommers who were; John George Sommers, Mary Ann(Mrs. James John Applehans), Anna Barbara( Mrs. Howard Crooks), Thomas George Sommers, and Joseph Sommers who died in 1921.
To the union three more children were born; Clarence Thomas Applehans, Bridget(Mrs. George Haberkorn), and Susan( Mrs. John Scalva). The family lived on various farms in the Sterling Area where the worked beets and farmed the homestead. Milk was sold for 15 cents a gallon and 10 cents a dozen for eggs. These were sold to the Germans from Russia who lived in the northwest area of Sterling called the 'Rooshun Corner.'
On March 19, 1932 tragedy again struck this hard-working family. Clemens was killed as his vehicle was his by a train at the railroad crossing near their home. He had been on his way to town to deliver the milk and eggs to his customers.
Susasnna was left to raise and care for the children. They worked beets and whatever odd jobs the family could get. She was a widow for 31 years and on Oct 12, 1963 she left this world. She will live on through her children and their children and the future generation of her decendants.
∼Born in Rothammel, Russia. Immigrated to US some time between 1897 and 1904, going first to Kansas, then homesteading in Sterling, Colorado. He married Elizabeth Kloberdanz and raised 5 children. After Elizabeth's death, he married widow Susanna Spahn Sommer, who also had 5 children. Clemens and Susanna then had 3 more children. Clemens died in 1932 when his car was struck by a train as he was going to market with products from his farm.∼Interred 19 Mar 1932. Lot owner: Clarence & Susanna Appelhans. https://cms6.revize.com/revize/sterlingco/Riverside%20Cemetery%20Web-Directory.pdf