A short Biography of Mr & Mrs August Sasse so that our Children may have some idea who Their parents are and Country They came from, and it may possibly be an Ointment on Their Troubled Thoughts and a pleasant memory; in many years after we have gone to our last resting place — Heaven: our new home – for we are positive that our lives have been such that we are Entitled to a seat, with our dear Savior:

Your Mother Mrs Dorothy Sasse (nee.) Dorothea Margaret AufdenBrink was born May 31st 1840 in Bramsche (now) Province of Hannover, Germany; a small town of about 1500 inhabitants; her parents were in the Merchandize and Grain Business. After she went through her Schools and confirmed in The Evangelical Lutheran Church at the age of 14 Years, she was a pupil in The College at Osnabrück for the Completion of her studies such as Needlework, Knitting, housekeeping, and especially Cooking for The higher Classes. And she made such headway that in Two years Time she was granted a Diploma, in all her studies. After This, she staid home for one year when she took a position at Mr Schroeders —a Wine Merchant and Senator in the City of Quakenbrück, located some 12 miles from her own home — here she was employed for seven years spending her time for six month every year in Amsterdam, Holland — where the Schroeder family went every winter – to spend a part of their large income, and for the more interesting amusements to be had.

It was at This Time, in the spring of 1865 when she married — of which will be shown — as I take up the short and unimportant Story of my own life:

I, August Sasse, was born in the City of Quakenbrück (now) Province of Hannover, Germany, on the 20th day of August 1837. My father was a discharged Soldier, of Blüchers Army; who fought and defeated The great Napoleon, at the Battle of Waterloo. At the Time of his marriage to my mother, he was the Regimental Shoe or rather Bootmaker, for the division he had served in; my mother took a course of Midwifery in The City of Osnabrück and plied that Business in her home in Quakenbrück, until she Came to America and died in 1876 in the City of Chicago, Illinois.

My Schooldays to The age of 14 were many, and at times very short ones, for in between the Schoolhours I had to work in a Printers' Office – stripping tobacco, running Errands over the whole City for the high mucky mucks at The Enormous price of Three Cents per day. Or 15 cents if Engaged by the work. At Times when out of Employment, I went and helped Theatrical Companies in the nearby towns, taking part in some of Their plays and getting besides my living Expenses Nine Cents per day. Then I felt all The glory of being rich and my mother shed tears of joy when I came home and gave her my savings. In Those last two years, from 12 to 14, I had learned The Cigar Trade and was then able to earn from 1 ½ to 2 ½ thaler every week.

In the spring of 1853, I came to New Orleans, America and landed in near Havana, Mason County, Illinois. I hired to a farmer for 20.00/100 a year with The privilege of going to the District School the following winter to learn the English language. Well, I went 30 whole days but never learned what the teacher talked to me about, but all the same, I had lots of fun with the nice young girls – some of Them I remember at this late day, such as Bess, Ida, Lizzie, Martha and Jane.

The next year I hired for $70.00/100 and a pair of blue Overalls if I would help to milk 4 Cows. You bet I earned them and lots of other stuff beside, for I had then learned already how to get my Clothing free! The third year I hired at $120 and a free horse to ride every other Sunday, which was my day off – to see the girls of course, [illegible] had no other ones to see!! – Yes I forgot – 10 Times a year a Preacher would come in our settlement – which is called to this day: Long Bend or Quiver settlement, and such a day would be a big Jubilee; when old and young would turn out, on foot or with the bandwagen, to see the great and holy men. By this time I was well initiated in the farm work, and always willing to do my share; I hired to Wm Bruning, for the nice sum of $240.00/100 a year, besides all the Overalls and workshirts I needed and washing and mending of Clothing Thrown in, besides two horses and a second hand lumber wagon, were at my command at any time on Sunday If I wanted to take my best girl to Lumberwagon riding on moonlight nights.

These several years, I would be at the Creek or a rich Cornfield, with my shot gun to Kill Duck Geese or any other game that came in my way and There was a great abundance of all kinds, Especially Ducks, Geese & Cranes. The meat I gave to the farmers, for the shot and powder I needed – and the feathers and skins, I saved up, until the end of the season, and sold them for a nice little pile of Cash.

After these years of hard knocks, and making a little money besides, I rented 40 acres of fine land, boarded with a friend at $2.00/100 per week, bought a Yoke of Oxen, and went to farming on my own hook. I helped around in The neighborhood for 50 Cent a day, and boarding myself. That Year I had a good Crop and made some money, so I traded my Oxen for an old mare, and bought a filley to work with her, rented a 120 acre farm about one half very sandy, and the other good, but low bottom, so the high water took everything. And This brought me back, to the Year before, besides being in debt for about one half years board money. The next year I went to Prairie breaking, traded my horses for two yoke of Cattle, and that year I made enough money to pay my debt, and had $175.00/100 to the good. Now I felt encouraged – bought 80 acres of bottom land – paid $200.00 down, and the balance in two years. I worked here – There – Everywhere – at good wages.

Of my own land I broke about 30 acres, planted the same in Corn, and harvested a [illegible]. The next year I broke some more of the corn land, and served Timothy, on the [ ] years everything. The spring showed up very nice, and my Corn showed up very fine. Then a very rainy time set in and I lost everything!! Even one of my Ox teams, mired in the mud and perished after night. Now I sold off everything that I had left – so as to get enough money together to pay for my Land; and get my Deed! Yes; Prunes! When I offered the money; I found the man had no tittle [sic] to the land himself and I had to loose my $200.00/100 besides some interest I had paid. Now I took my money and bought me another span of horses, rented better and higher land and till the War broke out, I had accumulated a nice sum of money and about 1500 bushels of Corn in The Crib on the place where I boarded.

We had now gotten to the Year 1861 - the Year of the Rebellion hadbroken out!! I studied every inch of Newspaper That I could get hold of, listened to the many speeches of The great men, Especially to our afterwards beloved Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, The best speakers of them days, and many others. What I didn’t understand, I talked over with my dear old friends in Bruning, Westing, Walker, Neikirk – Yes, and a number of others; whose memory will not be forgotten for they were all dear to me and had always treated me as one of Their Sons.

On August 1st, 1861, I enlisted in Camp Butler near Springfield, Illinois in Company (A) 28th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. I served in the 3rd Brigade 4th Division 13th Army Corps; Army of the Tennessee - A part of my time we were attached to the 16th Army Corps - Not having enough men left to keep our own Corps complete. I was honorably discharged on September 10th, 1864 at Springfield, Illinois, after having served my time of enlistment of 3 years and 3 months!!!

What shall I say of all bloody battles and skirmishes? Or the more important battles such as Fort Henry and Herman, Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Mississippi, Matamoras, Hollys farm, Black River, Grand Gulf, or yet the more bloody ones of: Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi.

With the thought of all these slaughtering days it makes me shudder even now; and I wish they had not been!

Counting the skirmishes and all other small affairs where blood flowed freely, I have taken part in 28 fights or Battles – in fact from Cairo, Illinois or Birds Point, Missouri to Pittsburg Landing. Then the Siege on Corinth, Mississippi, where we had a fight every day and every night, dug trenches to protect ourselves the following day from the Rebel hordes; and that on, from the 7th day of April 1862 until the following 30th day of May when the Rebels evacuated the City. After setting fire to all their Commissary stores and forage, which they could not take away with them! And when we marched in, the whole City was indeed a glare of fire brands in all directions!! From here, we were on many weary marches through the interior of the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. On These long marches we had many little skirmishes near Bolivar, LaGrange, Collierville, and Holly Springs.

As before stated, I was discharged in September 1864 at Springfield, Illinois. From there I went for a short visit to my old Camping ground: Havana Illinois, then went on a trip across the Ocean to my old Birthplace and found my dear old Mother alive and well!! In my stay there that winter, I saw – admired – and loved your dear old mother, in The Lutheran Church at Bramsche (Your Mothers Birthplace) in The presence of your Aunts: Elizabeth Hland, Anna Mundt, Hermione Kreiling, Caroline Rentsch, and your Uncle C. F. W. Sasse and many other relatives of your mother.

On the 20th day of February 1865, your dear old Mother and Myself, bid farewell to our beloved ones and one month later, arrived at Havana, Illinois where we rented a farm, and went to housekeeping. In this part, we rented and farmed for 7 Years in which time four Children were born to us: Caroline September 26th 1865; Anna [Novor] = 1867 who died when 10 months of age; Minnie Febr 18th 1869 – August, October 15th 1870.

In the spring of 1871 we sold our spare horses and other belongings; and loaded a Car for Lincoln, Nebraska. In the summer our Son Christian was born but died a few month later. Here at Lincoln, I worked my two teams, excavating cellars and hauling freight, from [illegible] City and other places. In the fall of 1872, I drove my Mule team to The Republican Valley where I homesteaded my farm in Section 35 – town 3 –Range 20 west 6th Principal Meridian. During the colder weather, I drove back to Lincoln, and in The spring, took my wife and Baby’s along and arrived on our homestead, on the 12th day April 1873.

On the 13th day of April, just after unloading our belongings, a most fearfull rain and snowstorm set in; which lasted over Three days; and we had neither food nor shelter for our poor teams – and fed them the husk out of our strawticks. We ourselves found a little protection, in an open Log shanty without any roof on the same. What your dear Mother and Myself suffered to keep our little Baby’s warm and dry, you can not imagine – and my pen is too poor, to describe the same!! Our horses and mules broke loose from cold and hunger the second night and it was on the 3rd day after the storm that I Tracked Them to the mouth of the Sappa. Soon after this, I found a couple of homesteaders, hired them to help, put up our first Log Cabin in which our daughter Elizabeth was born July 25th 1873.

Now we went to work with a good free will: digging a well, putting up a shed for the teams, breaking a little of the Prairie sod, and put in a few acre of Corn, and the rest of the time I used the Armstrong machine and put up as much Prairie hay as possible. Of course our harvest didn’t amount to much, for we planted so little but the pesky Grasshoppers came along anyhow and looked over the location, so as to be able to find it the following Year.

The next year, we broke out about 15 Acres and would have had a nice bit of Corn, but The hoppers Came and saved me the trouble of husking it. Then came the Year 1875 and with it our Son Adolph, on April 21st. Now we had on hand five hungry little ones, a part of our happy lives!! But they had to be fed and Clothed and the measly hoppers took ever thing That we Expected to harvest. So There were many heartaches of what to do in The future!! We kept on a planting and sowing, but even The Year 1876 our entire crops were distroyed when we almost had a big Corn Crop in our reach. At times we were much discouraged; but Yet we held on and struggled for our little Band.

The Year 1877 was a blessed one for all of us, besides an abundant Corn and Wheat Crop, we harvested a bouncing Baby girl, for on May 2nd our Catharine was born to help us to chase the hoppers but she came to late, for the Bugs must have got scared and They never bothered us afterwards! From now on, Time passed somewhat easier, for The Children grew up like Sunflowers and were soon able to help a little here and there.

In the Year 1879, our daughter Maggie was born but died a few months later. The Year 1881 brought us our Son Henry who also died when but a few month old.

So time passed with Sorrow, Grief, and happiness for all of us. Excepting The Year 1880, we raised fair to good Crops, and with The Childrens help we got along pretty well, but yet we needed Help, for if one on the top of the list got married, it was nessessary that another took her place. So on The 11th day of October 1882, our Son Nicolai was born and promised to take The burden off The old mans shoulders, but that still left your Mother to carry her big and heavy load. Therefore kind providence was with us; and on The 15th day of August 1884 our daughter Dorothy was born.

This made it an even dozen That the good Lord had given to us, and as we now look back over the past we must say: Father in Heaven we Thank Thee, Amen!!

In the Year 1885, we sold off our stock on hand; for I was too sickly to do the farm work any longer. We rented a house in Orleans where we lived until The fall 1889, when we moved to our farm 12 ½ miles west of Orleans and which I had prepared while living in The City. During our residence in Orleans of four years, I worked in a store and one winter I taught German to a Class of Eleven, all grown Men & women.

While here I was thrown down on my sick bed for a couple of month, suffering from Neuralgia of The heart, and at the same time of Erysipelas over the whole head. What I suffered when near death door; nobody Knows but me – and The almighty father in Heaven.

From The fall of 1889 untill the spring of 1910, we lived on our farm west of town; then we moved into one of our houses which we had built in 1909 and where we now live happy and contended, spending our old age in peacefull retirement, and will not go forth to any other home until The good Lord says: Come!!

Now in conclusion, of This short and Yet long life of your old parents, let me say to you, our dear Children; That at all times, we never looked for trouble in The future!! We always took the bright side of happenings, as They came to us; and were always trying to face The Sun So That we couldn't see any shadow! And to you each and every one we would say:

Always try and face the Sun!!
Don’t hunt for trouble!
But look for success
You will find what you look for
Don’t look for distress
If you see but your shadow
Remember, I pray,
That The sun is still shining
But you are in the way.
Don’t grumble, don’t bluster
Don’t dream and don’t shirk
Don’t Think of your worries
But Think of your work
The worries will vanish
The work will be done
For no one sees his shadow
Who faces the Sun!!!


Yours with Eternal Love,
your Mother and Father
Dorothy and August Sasse

October 15, 1911
Orleans Harlan County, Nebraska

courtesy of Nancy L. Ruder