Hi There -
When we were at Schmeckfest ["Taste Festival"] in South Dakota last month, my cousin Dean [your uncle - once removed] tried to find a cassette tape deck to play the recording of the interview his brother Delbert [father of Katherine, Megan, Barbara, Janet and John] did with their father - your great-grandfather referred to as PJ - Preacher John. When you see PJ refer to "grandfather," they are talking about your great-great-grandfather.
Dean never could get the tape to play, but this transcript was eventually made. I'm going to clean it up and add clarification where I can. Some will remain a mystery for us all, but I felt you needed to have a copy.
My "clarifications" may themselves seem confusing, but since the tape didn't play I can't hear the various voices and the transcript and original recordings were undoubtedly a bit strained given my grandfathers age when the recording was made. I welcome any corrections!
Location: You may have to pull up a map of South Dakota and Kansas to find the specific places mentioned.
Definitions:
A "section of land" was a square mile - 640 acres. So 1/4 section was 160 acres. For comparison: The national median for new single-family homes is roughly 8,456 square feet (about 0.2 acres)
The names Allen, Delbert, Paul and Silas refer to your grand uncles - the brothers of my father - your grandfather.
Abbreviations;
g-gf = great grandfather
g-gm = great grandmother
g-g-gf = great-great grandfather
g-g-gm = great-great-grandmother
Here we go:
This tape was made in the summer of 1962, in Marion SD., in the home of our parents, Rev. JohnJ. A. Schrag, and our mother Katrine (Miller) by son Delbert. In 2019, son Allen put the swiss-German used at times into the English language.
First question asked.
Delbert: Did the Schrag's come from Russia?
PJ: Yes we did. Some also came from Germany and Switzerland. Did not know from what city.
Their group went direct to Yankton SD. Lived in Gayville for two years. I (dad) was born there and my brother Pete. From there we moved to where Allen lives. That was open to file claims.
[Putting This together, gave me(Allen) some off my own ideas. They must have had 4 people that could apply]
[This is my Uncle Allen talking]Their were no roads. A wagon trail was even visible when I worked the land. Dad [PJ] said that was the trail that led to Yankton. When roads and sections were made, I think this is the way claims were recorded. Grandpa: [g-gf] NE ¼ of Sec 30, Marion Township; Joe: NW ¼ of Sec. 30 Marion Township; Andrew: NE ¼ of Sec. 29 Marion Township. And Anna: SW ¼ of Sec. 20. This puts allthe land 3 miles south of Marion, split 3 ways.
The first house grandpa [g-gf] built was a. sod house,built close to what we called the old granary. That could have been the house dad's [g-gf] older brother, Andrew, built. Dad [g-gf] was 10 years old when he plowed with the oxen. He also broke sod for some of the sod houses. Next was a stone house. That was located where Dean's garage is now. Our folks [My grandparents - Dad] were married in 1905 and built the house where we younger ones were born in 1907. Now Dean and Lori live there. [On that land.]
This seems to repeat information from above.
This tape was made in the Summer of 1962. Delbert Schrag interviews his father, Preacher John (P) and his mother.
Delbert: Did your dad [g-g-gf] come from Russia?
PJ: Oh sure, from Russia.
Delbert: Where from before Russia?
PJ: I don't know from Switzerland...Pennsylvania; those that were in PA were from Germany. His [Here he is talking about your great-great-grandfather] group came to SD.
Delbert: Did he come to SD direct?
PJ: In two years in Gayville. I am born there and Peter also. Those were the two that were born in America. The others were all born in Russia. [Here again he is talking about your great-great-ancestors]
Delbert: Did he [Your g-gf] build the stone house? Was that stone house on the home place where Allen now lives [This is a little confusing. Dean and Lori now live on the land that was "the home place." I think Delbert was mixed up here.] or across the road?
PJ: The stone house was exactly where the summer kitchen is standing now. [Knocked down to make way for Dean and Lori's home]
Delbert: Grossvater [Literally "grandfather" Your g-gf, I think] the land that is the old home. Before the stone house.
Mother and Dad [Your g-grandparents] don't agree.[I think Delbert is saying] That across the road, that is where Andrew, one of the older brothers built.
Mother: [Your great-grandmother]They broke the sod with the oxen to built the sod shanty, the other house was built across the fence. (Delbert: which we now think is the south Marion "Road)
Your Granduncle - once removed Allen says that there was no road there yet. He remembers when it was threshing time they had a big prairie there. There were wagon tracks that the folks said went to Yankton.
Dad's [Your g-gf, but I have no idea who the folks being discussed are.] sister, Bulger's wife, [I'm guessing this is still your g-uncle Allen talking. He stayed in SD farming, so might have a better knowledge of the history.] Anna, her quarter would have been directly north of Andrew's quarter, that is why those trees were there - you had to plants so many trees, to make a claim. Andrew built a house there and put in the trees. There were 3 quarters there, close by.
She [Perhaps your g-gf's sister]. was on her dying bed and she told her family, that she has a brother in SD by the name of Joe. So they wrote a letter to Joe Schrag, Freeman, SD. It ended up by the other Joe Schrag. They brought it over to Ben [Perhaps the author of a small orange paperback I have on the Schrag family] and Mildred Schrag. They said, we have a letter [from?] her [Mildred?] and we don't know who it is.
The Juckleys' [No idea] figured it out they talked to My dad (Preacher John) [your g-gf] and he said of course. He said, [Your g-gf speaking] I wanted to go. Uncle Pete [Your g-gf's brother] refused to go along. So I don't know, there could have been some bad blood,. I was still in school, so I drove them there. I know what work means. Day after day I plowed with oxen at the age of 10.
Allen: I remember in those days you could not move the blower He (Dad) [Your g-gf] worked on the pile,
spreading the pile out, he worked for 50 cents a day.
the Well-driller, welder and jack of all trades. His Dad,[Your g-g-gf] Joe, Ben Juckley continued the trade.
D: Wasn't he older?
Mother [Your g-gm] Susan was born here too. (We question that as PJ always said it was just he - PJ b. 1877 and
Peter b. 1875 born here She was the one that stayed over to Peter and Marie.) Daniel and Katerina were born in Russia.
[Not sure who made this comment] 160 acres was the government grant for homesteading.
Allen: Daniel ended up in Yankton. He was trying to understand scripture and lost it! I wonder if they
did not have the whole half mile going to the school house because she says 160 acres.
Mother: [your g-gm] Andrew never got married. She talks about moving a barn.
Allen: Andrew died before dad and mom got married. Daniel died young. I took that barn down. There
was an old barn to the north -a lean to, that was probably the one they moved. That is a good
possibility, that makes sense. That was really an old one.
Delbert: did you remember when granddad died? [your g-g-gf] 1906?
Mother: [Your g-gm] 1908. Edna and Emma [my aunts] were small when Dad died. She talks about Felix [My father, your grandfather] is first born in the Stone house.
Allen: The house Dean [my cousin] took down, was built in 1907. The folks got married in 1905. Delbert says he
does not remember Grandfather Schrag, [Your g-g-gf] (d, 1915) | remember Grandfather [g-g-gf] coming over with a team of horses. But Dad's parents [g-g-grandparents] must have died before us. Paul and Silas [My uncles] must have remembered something. Paul was born in Kansas. That was when Dad [g-gf] went to Bethel College after he was appointed minister of North Church.
Delbert: Do you know how old granddad [g-g-gf] was when he died?
PJ: 82
Mother [g-gm]: 85
PJ: No, it was 82
Mother [g-gm]: two years in he was a helper with the hogs.
Delbert: Dad [g-gf?] was on the farm all his life then?
PJ: yah
Delbert: They were a higher class. It wasn't right for you to marry?
Allen: the Millers were considered upper class. They had a little extra money. He donated the land for the North Church and the Cemetery. The Schrag family were of a lower class. There was a question as to whether mom and dad should get married. There was 9 years difference between mom and dad. Her Dad gave permission when Dad was going to be a minister - that helped.
Delbert: Isn't that right dad? Didn't they used to think they were better? Didn't grandfather [I think this must refer to your g-gm's father] object?
Mother: Age was probably the biggest concern,
Allen: She was around 18 which was one of the concerns.
Delbert: Did not they come from the old country? A different section?
Mother: [Your g-gm] I really don't know.
PJ: My dad had 900 dollars, and Mary only came no Freni ( Delbert: the two families are getting intermixed in this discussion)
Allen: It seems to cover both mom and Dad's families. [The families of your great-great-grandparents.]
Allen says PJ preached in high German. Some of these words are in high German,
Mother: the grandfather 84? [g-g-gf] My father? [g-gf] 84-85?
Delbert: who were some of the first people to come to this community? Was your dad [g-g-gf] one of those?
PJ: Yes, he was some of the first. But some went to KS
Allen: Some of Dad's first cousins were in KS. I remember Chris Gerhing; we knew his as "Kleine chris" he was kinda small.
Delbert: Dad had some brothers that came with him too.
PJ: They landed in NY and then from there they went to SD. Jacob Vetter is mentioned. (so we think he was naming the honorable men who came with him.)
Allen: Vetter is a distinguished way of saying some one's name. More of an upgrade to their name. Jacob Vetter, It is used among the ladies too.
Stella: [My Aunt Stella, Delbert's wife.] Was great-grandpa married when they came across?
PJ: Oh, yes.
Delbert: Dad and Uncle Pete were born
Mother: [g-g-gm] and Susan
Delbert: your grandfather did not come over? Did he stay in Russia
PJ: no, no, he was dead already. Gross vater and Grossmater.[g-g-gparents].. Jake Albrecht. He could write a book
Allen: Dad and Menno Albrecht [not sure:-)]- when they first went to Bethel, they went by bicycle. The roads were dirt and gravel. After dad [g-g-gf] married they went by car. It was just Emma and Edna stayed here. Dad and Menno went to Bethel for the school term. Paul was born in KS. The girls stayed with mom's relation.
Pete Albrecht was Menno's Dad. Once dad [g-g-gf - "elected" means received the pastorship of the North Church] got elected, he wanted to get more education. He served 'til 1908 until 1934's. Early on, the community recognized his leadership in the church.
Delbert: a family tree
PJ: Yes, a family tree.
Allen: I heard dad [g-g-gf] preach many times. One Sunday in German, one Sunday in English. Dad preferred to read the scripture in German because he said it was so much clearer, then he would translate the meaning to the congregation.
Mother: [g-g-gm I don't know what this date refers to.] 1899.
