Waddel Family

WADDEL

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 22:21:27

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Waddel Family
By Rita Kay Waddell Gerking

August 10, 1867, James A Waddell, son of Robert and Sarah Stemson Waddell, born December 19, 1837, died January 28, 1917, and Sarah Ann (McKenzie), born August 22, 1842, died January 27, 1923, settled in Grange Township, along Camp Creek, upstream from the settlement of Camp Creek. Sarah and James farmed here until 1915.

The settlement of Camp Creek, consisted of a school, Baptist Church (which was later moved to Climbing Hill), and a house. A preacher, by the name of Eisenhower lived in the house. The last occupant was Bill Rowe. Mr. Rowe made the school, after consolidation, into a combination auto repair shop, blacksmith shop, filling station, and sold a few groceries. It was a custom of students from the Bronson Consolidated School, to walk to the Camp Creek site on the last day of school, with their sack lunches to enjoy a picnic on the bluegrass pasture beneath the trees. Later, a dance hall was added on the north side and it was known as Rowe’s Bowery. Mr. Rowe moved to Riverside, tearing down the buildings at Camp Creek, and taking the lumber with him. All that remains of Camp Creek today is two lone cedar trees standing vigil over a fruit cellar marked Twin Pine Ranch on land currently owned by Gene Waddell.

James A and Sarah had nine children. They were: Mary, born October 29, 1862, died July 12, 1931; Robert N, born 1864, died 1925; Alice, born 1886, died 1933; Fred, born October 7, 1874, died November 10, 1945; Walter S, born 1876, died 1956; Arthur; Jim E , born September 22, 1868, died September 1915; Arzie, born, February 7, 1872, died September 1, 1936; and Clyde.

Fred, Walter and Robert Waddell went to Nebraska and homesteaded in the Norden area. Fred bought the homestead of James Luton as well as homesteading other land. The land was sold to his brother, Arzie, who remained there until his death. The other brothers returned to Iowa.

Fred Waddell was married on January 8, 1902 to Minta Luton at Springview, Nebraska. Minta, October 13, 1884 to September 9, 1975, was one of nine children of James Wesley Luton, born January 15, 1857, died November 1, 1926, and Amanda Ellen Bordwell, born July 31, 1858, died May 29, 1933l Sisters and brothers of Minta were: Pearl (James), born March 23, 1882; Ray, born September 28, 1883; Fern (Kanouce), born July 31, 1887; Arman Elmer, born, November10, 1890; Blanche Opal (Dinzel), born January 28, 1893; Goldie Maude (Pehle), born December 13, 1895, and twins Dewey Russell and Donald Franklin, born May 20, 1898, died July 4, 1919 and May 19, 1921, respectively. The twins both were victims of drowning. Pearl was born near Vinton, Iowa, while the other children were all born in KeyaPaha County, Nebraska.

The farm along Camp Creek was then divided among the nine children of James and Sarah Waddell. Later, partials were purchased by Fred and Minta Waddell after returning from Nebraska. Children of Fred and Minta are: Ralph Norland, May 1, 1904; Eva Myrle (Jahde), August 7, 1907; and Clifton Gayle, October 9, 1910, all of whom were born in a log house in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, P O Box, Norden, Nebraska, which is located near Springview, Nebraska.

Fred and Minta brought their family to the Iowa farm in April 1913, from Nebraska, by way of the Great Northwest Railroad. This farm is located four miles southeast of Bronson. One cattle car was used for the possessions of the family. The livestock consisting of five horses and four cows, along with the machinery was on one end of the car, while the household items were in the other end. The Waddells unloaded their belongings in Dakota City, Nebraska, and drove the livestock across the Combination Bridge. They proceeded on Morningside Avenue, and down what late became old Highway 141. The household items were loaded onto wagons and pulled from Dakota City, by a team of horses. Fred farmed with horses and Minta had beautiful flower gardens, enjoyed poetry, kept scrapbooks of clippings of unusual happenings, made dolls and doll clothes.

After graduating from Bronson High School, Ralph N, oldest son of Fred and Minta, purchased all for forty acres of the original farm which belonged to James A and Sarah Waddell. On February 21, 1929, Ralph married Myrtle Marie Bardsley in Sioux City, at the home of Myrtle’s parents, Joseph Thomas and Emma Cohrs Bardsley.

Ralph and Myrtle lived on this farm until 1962, when they purchased the adjoining George Hunt Farm, that was being operated by George Hunt’s son, Darrell Hunt.

Children of Ralph and Myrtle are Gene LaVern, born January 1, 1936, and Rita, Kay, born March 25, 1944. Presently, the farm was recognized as a Century Farm by the Woodbury County Farm Bureau in 1967. Gene Waddell is presently living on the original site, the fourth generation of Waddells to live on this site.

Grandchildren of Ralph and Myrtle are: Teresa Marie Waddell, born March 6, 1956; Douglas Gene Waddell, January 1960, daughter and son of Gene Waddell and Bryce Walker Gerking, born August 16, 1976, son of Rita Kay Waddell Gerking and Richard Dwight Gerking.