Willms, Mr. & Mrs. Dirck J. (50th Wedding Anniv)

WILLMS, BOHLKEN, EDEN

Posted By: Glenna Rice, family researcher (email)
Date: 5/29/2012 at 16:24:09

LeMars Globe-Post
February 27, 1928

Oxen In An Awful Hurry For Water
Used No Lines To Guide Them

Willms Golden Wedding Calls To Mind Straw Covered Onions

At the top of the social events taking place in LeMars this week, is the
golden wedding anniversary, celebrated by Mr. and Mrs. Dirck J. Willms,
which was celebrated at their home in LeMars on Sunday. Many relatives,
neighbors and friends attended the gathering.

Dirck J. Willms came to this country in the year 1872 and made his first
stop in Jones county, Iowa at Monticello, where he worked for farmers. In
1876 Mr. Willms came to LeMars and has lived here ever since.

Mr. Willms started farming in Preston township with a yoke of oxen, and he
said on a cool day he could do just as much work as a team of horses. On one
warm day, Mr. Willms tells of an experience that is will worth mentioning.
He and his old friend, Bert Post, went to Elkspoint (sic Elk Point) where
they got a load of timber and on their way home, the oxen would not go by
"ge" or "haw" and went straight for a pond of water, where they made a short
turn and upset the whole load of timber in the water. In those days no lines
were used in horses or a team of oxen, using only the above expressions to
guide the animals.

Hoppers Like Onions

On February 26, 1878, Mr. Willms was united in marriage in Grant township,
Rev. Cramer, a mission minister, officiating. Mr. and Mrs. made their first
home on a farm in the same township and in those days went through many
hardships. The grasshoppers took the crops and every plant in sight. Mrs.
Willms had a little patch of onions and she tried to save them by covering
with straw. Even this failed to stop the grasshoppers. During this same
period, fuel was scarce and about all the pioneers had to burn was hay and
dry weeds. After that year, things commenced to get better and Mr. and Mrs.
Willms bought more land and kept on selling and buying and still own a large
tract.

For the last 23 years they have made their home in LeMars. Mr Willms is 76
years old and Mrs. Willms 80, and both are very active and doing all their
home work alone.

They have three children: a son, John Willms, of LeMars; Mrs. Geo. T.
Frerichs, of this city and Mrs. H. C. Popken of Craig. They also have 11
grandchildren and six great grandchildren, all living in this county, except
one daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frerichs, Mrs. Sophia Rasmussen, who is farming
at Howard, S. D., and one daughter of H. C. Popken, Mrs. Sophia Deppelding,
who lives in Sioux City. All the children and grandchildren were present,
except Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen, of Howard, S. D., who could not come because
of bad roads. Old neighbors of fifty years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Albers of this
city, Mrs. Popken of Craig, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Frerichs of Brunsville, John
Willters of this city, Mrs. Siebels of LeMars, Mr. and Mrs. Saleburg
(Salberg), Mr. Bohlken, a brother-in-law and Mrs. Smith, were present, and
all had a nice talk of the old grasshopper times 50 years ago.

Rev. J. J. Vollmar delivered a very interesting talk and complimented Mr.
and Mrs. Willms on their splendid success made through life.

A four course supper was the feature of the affair.

Transcriber Note: Dirck J. Willms married Sophia Helling (Eden).