Johannes Christ

Born: 10 Sep 1841
Died: 11 Apr 1896, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA
Buried: St Josephs Cemetery, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA

PARENTS Father: Philip Christ, born ca 1804, Germany
Mother: Catherina, born ca 1810, Germany

SPOUSE Margaritha Becker, born 1846, died 1918 at Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA, and buried at St Josephs Cemetery, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA

Married: 24 May 1869, Darlington, Lafayette, Wisconsin ¹

CHILDREN      1. Catherine Christ

SOURCES:
* FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0
Husband: JOHN CHRIST; Wife: MARGARET BECKER
Marriage: 24 MAY 1869 Darlington, Lafayette, Wisconsin

Johannes Christ and Margaretha Becker - Census Reports

1850 , Wisconsin, Lafayette, Willow Springs
Series: M432 Roll: 1001 Page: 356
Dwelling 1 family 1
CHRIST, Phillip, age 46, male, Farmer, real estate value-$500, born Germany
CHRIST, Catherine, age 40, female, born Germany
CHRIST, John, age 8, male, born Germany
CHRIST, Henry, age 5, male, born Missouri

Also in Lafayette County: Enger Christ born ca 1823; Frances Christ born ca 1823; Mary J Christ born ca 1844; James J Christ born ca 1847; Sarah H Christ born ca 1849

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1860-Federal Census, Wisconsin, Lafayette Co, Willow Springs
KLAUBER, John, age 34, male, farmer, real estate value 2000, personal value 400, born Bavaria
KLAUBER, Catherine, age 54, female, born Bavaria
CHRIST, John, age 19, male, farm laborer, born Bavaria
CHRIST, Henry, age 16, male, born Missouri
CHRIST, Catharine, age 9, female, born Wisconsin

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1870-Federal Census, Wisconsin, Lafayette Co, Willow Springs
CHRIST, John, age 28, male, white, farmer, Real Estate value 8900, personal value 584, born Germany
CHRIST, Margaret, age 23, female, white, born Germany
CHRIST, Henry, age 24, male, white, farmer, born ??
CHRIST, Catharina, age 59, female, white, boarder, born Germany
CHRIST, Catharine, age 18, female, white, born Wisconsin, attended school
KLEIN, Henry, age 70, male, white, laborer, born Germany
COFER, John, age 40, male, white, laborer, born Germany

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1880-Federal Census, Nebraska, Platte Co, Looking Glass Pct
CRIST, John, white, male, age 37, farmer, born Germany
CRIST, Margaret, white, female, age 33, wife, born Germany
CRIST, Catharine, white, female, age 9, dau, born Wisc
McDERMOTT, John, white, male, age 28, boarder, farmer, born Wisc
McDERMOTT, Phillip, white, male, age 26, partner, farmer, born Wisc
MCDERMOTT, Ellen, white, female, age 30, boarder, born Wisc
KOABER, John, white, male, age 53, boarder, farmer, born Germany
(NOTE: check this out for accuracy)

The Christ Family - A Terrible Accident

“A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT”
From: Homestead Fever by Marie Kramer,
published by Marie Kramer 1993.
Told by Joe Ziska's daughter, Mary Ziska Krysl.
** John and Margaret are the great-great grandparents of Leo Seger of Atkinson (1992). The little girl, Catherine Christ, married Paul P. Seger 1897.

John and Margaret Christ** (pronounced Krist to rhyme with list) and their little girl, Catherine, suffered shocking misfortune when they first came to the Atkinson community. They set out from Wisconsin in 1878 and settled for two years in Platte County, Nebraska. They then yielded to the intoxicating urge to press westward to the frontier where they could obtain free land. John was handy with tools and constructed a canvas cover for their ordinary wagon.

Margaret had baked bread before they began the trip, and whenever they stopped to eat, she made coffee. For a stove, she used a flat, square piece of sheet iron that was propped up on either side by a few shovelsful of sod. Under this iron they made a fire, using dried grass.

After two weeks of travel, they arrived at the place (about ten miles north of Atkinson) where they intended to homestead. At the time, it was assumed that Atkinson would spring up south of the river, but even though the town had been platted, there were no buildings on that location. However, on the north side of the river was Bitney's little frame cabin which was simultaneously a general store, a post office, and a drug store.

The Christs were disappointed in their new home site, for there was absolutely nothing to be seen except prairie and sky - a limitless nothing on every side.

It was nearing dark, and John was anxious to unhitch the horses and prepare for the night camp. As he was doing so, one of the horses - for some unexplainable reason -lurched and fell on him, pinning him to the ground. Probably the animal had either a heart attack or a stroke.

The terrified wife and daughter worked frantically to move the animal aside and managed to do so before John smothered.

Little Catherine was only nine, and it required several hours for her and her mother to get the broken man into the wagon and onto a make-shift bed spread on top of their boxes of belongings.

There was no doctor for many, many miles. The injured man lay all summer, unable to do anything toward making a home or planting crops.

Finally, with winter approaching, he dragged himself out of the wagon and began to consider how they might fashion some kind of shelter for Margaret and Catherine, for he must use the wagon to go to Neligh (seventy miles distant) for supplies.

First of all, they dug a hole about a foot deep and six feet square and placed sticks and poles - whatever they could find among their few provisions - in the comers. These sticks were leaned together at the top, teepee fashion, after which dried grass was collected and piled against them. They could gather only enough grass to enclose three sides, and thus the south side was left open. This little structure would be the canopied bed for Margaret and Catherine.

The shelter was so low that it was necessary for them to creep in on hands and knees. They spread their blankets inside, and at one edge, they piled their clothes. After John departed with the wagon, this covered bed was their only protection against foul weather.

One night a heavy blanket of snow fell. They could do nothing but huddle under their quilts, shivering, while the snow piled up more and more deeply as the hours passed. How difficult it was to creep out of their nest the next day when the storm ceased, and face the task of getting their clothes and bedding out from under the snow bank! However, once out, they found a shovel among the field supplies that were piled nearby.

As they removed the snow from the outside of their hut, they piled it on the south side, molding it to form the fourth wall of their tiny bedroom.

After about ten days, John returned with food and fuel. Suffering from one snowstorm to the next, this courageous family did manage to survive the winter. In the spring, John, even though he was still crippled, managed to break some sod. He, with the help of his wife and child, built the walls for their soddy.

Next, he went thirty miles (probably to the Niobrara River area) to get trees and branches to form the roof. Last of all, the family removed the hay which covered their bed and placed it on top of the new dwelling.

When the spring rains began to fall, they discovered that their thatching ability was deficient, for the roof began to leak. That night at bedtime, Margaret opened an umbrella, and they huddled under it as best they could. By morning it was raining harder in the soddy than it was outside.

The leaky roof turned the earthen floor into a mudhole. Each morning Margaret removed the ashes from the stove and spread them underfoot. The mud eventually dried, and the ashes made a hard floor-until the next time it rained!

When John traveled to the Niobrara River area to gather wood, he had to be alert and careful. The Indians claimed the trees and did the best they could to frighten the settlers away from them. Once, they shot a gun, striking John's wagon wheels. The loud explosion (probably coupled with John's quick application of the whip) frightened the horses, and thereafter the team was skittish, jumping at every sudden noise.

During times when there were Indians camped nearby, the Christs kept their horses harnessed day and night in the event that they would need to make a fast get-away. However, their home was never attacked.

John and Margaret Christ Tombstones

Grave markers at St Josephs Cemetery, Atkinson NE

Johann Christ Research Notes

Arrived 25 Oct 1844 at New York, departed Rotterdam Netherland, origin Deutchland.
Christ, Phillip born abt 1804
Christ, Catherina born abt 1810
Christ, Johannes born abt 1844
Christ, Johannes born abt 1830

Wisconsin Land Records
Christ, Philip, Sec 28, Twp 3N, Range 3E, 36.75 ac, Doc #10658, signed 1849/11/01
Christ, Philip, Sec 28, Twp 3N, Range 3E, 40 ac, Doc #16316, signed 1854/10/02
Christ, Philip, Sec 28, Twp 3N, Range 3E, 0 ac, Doc #1848, signed 1848/04/01
Christ, Philip, Sec 28, Twp 3N, Range 3E, 80.44 ac, Doc 6992, signed 1848/04/02

Catherine Christ

click on photos to view full size and print Photos courtesy of Paul Seger, Atkinson NE
Born: 15 Dec 1870, Darlington, Lafayette Co, Wisconsin, USA
Died: 23 Jun 1962, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA
Buried: in Atkinson (St. Joseph Cem), Holt Co, Nebraska, USA

PARENTS Father: John CHRIST (Cir 1841-1896)
Mother: Margaritha BECKER (1846-1918)

SPOUSE Paul Peter SEGER, son of Donat SEGER (1828-1909) and Margareta SONTAG (1833-1894),was born 21 May 1869, Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois, USA, died 14 Jul 1956, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA and was buried at St Josephs Cemetery, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA

Married: 24 May 1897, St Joseph's Church, Atkinson, Holt Co, Nebraska, USA

CHILDREN

1. Margaret Catherine SEGER (22 Feb 1898- --)
2. Mary Josephine SEGER (19 May 1901- -- )
3. Gertrude Marie SEGER (3 Oct 1903- -- )
4. Joseph John SEGER (20 Aug 1905-Mar 1981)
5. Leo Francis SEGER (30 Apr 1907 - 2 Jul 1962)
6. Catherine Eugenia SEGER (29 Mar 1909- -- )
7. Agnes Amalda SEGER (28 Aug 1911 -- )
8. Edward P SEGER (8 Jun 1914-19 Nov 1948)

Catherine Christ and Paul P Seger - Photos

click on photos to view full size and print




Photo courtesy of Paul Seger, Atkinson NE

Paul P Seger Family by Margaret Langer

PAUL SEGER FAMILY
Written by Margaret Seger Langer

Donatus Seger, Baden, Germany and Margaret (Sontag) Seger from Luxemburg immigrated to America and lived for some years at Chicago, Illinois.

Paul Seger was the third son of Donatus and Margaret Seger. He was born on May 21, 1869 at Chicago. Other members of the family were Leopold, Donatus, John, Max and one sister, Jennie (Mrs. John Bauman).

When Paul was 9 year old he moved with his family to Omaha. Two years later the family came west in a covered wagon drawn by an ox team. They had one cow which the boys took turns prodding along behind the wagon.

They were looking for a place called Atkinson where land was available for homesteading. On April 1, 1880 they arrived at a cluster of three buildings standing on the prairie. They stopped in front of one of the buildings and Paul went in to ask the way to Atkinson. “You are in Atkinson right now, sonny”, said the storekeeper, who was Frank Bitney, on whose land the original town of Atkinson was established. At that time the nearest railroad point was at Neligh and supplies had to be hauled from there.

It was important to be near water so the family homesteaded on a place along the Elkhorn River, about five miles west and a mile north of the settlement. The place is now owned by Edward Kramer.

Paul grew up on this place and as more settlers moved in, he helped on other farm as a hired hand.

Whenever new settlers arrived, the ones who were already established were eager to become acquainted with the new comers and to find out where they came from. It is an interesting fact to note that a covered wagon camped one night along the river near the Seger home. Mr. Seger and the boys went over to get acquainted. It happened to be the John Christ family from Darlington, Wisconsin, whose daughter Katherine, later became Mrs. Paul Seger.

The Christ family homesteaded about ten miles north of Atkinson. John and Margaret (Becker) Christ had only one child, Katherine. They moved later to a hay claim about ten miles northwest of Atkinson where Mr. Christ passed away in 1896.

Both families being members of staunch Catholic faith they were among the founders and supporters of St. Joseph's Parish in Atkinson.

Paul Seger and Katherine Christ were married at St. Joseph's Church on May 24, 1897 by Rev. E. A. Klemenz, and lived on the Christ hay claim for several years.

Paul then purchased a farmstead about five miles northwest of Atkinson. The house was moved from its original place to the new farm. Mrs. Christ lived with the Paul Seger family until her death in 1918.

Grandmother (Margaret Seger) passed away in 1894, and Grandfather (Donatus Seger) made his home with his son, Donatus, and wife Josephine. He passed away in October 1909.

In 1909, Paul Seger and Donatus Seger purchased a farm implement business in Atkinson, owned by J. J. Stilson. In 1910 they established the first Ford car agency west of Norfork. The business, known as Seger Brothers, was located on the south side of the street but later they erected the building on the north side which is now the Miller Theatre building, where they operated for some 25 years. Paul retired from business in 1941.

The family lived in a house just northeast of the Chicago, Northwestern depot till 1917 when they built the large house one block north of St. Joseph's Church. This was the family home until after the death of Mrs. Seger when it was sold.

Mr. and Mrs. Seger, like the rest of the sturdy pioneers of this community, believed that you could accomplish most anything by honesty and hard work. And that is the standard by which they lived. They observed their 59th wedding anniversary in 1956.

Paul Seger passed away on July 14, 1956 at the age of 87 years. He was preceded in death by all the members of his family. Katherine Seger passed away on June 23, 1962 at the age of 91 years.

Eight children were born in to this family:
Margaret (Mr. and Mrs Joseph Langer, Denver, Colo.)
Daughter Joanne (Mr. and Mrs. Gayle Hector, Denver, Colo.)
Children: Jeff, Gayla and Brad
Son Donald (Mr. and Mrs. (Annabel Doran) Donald Langer,
Arvada, Colo.)
Children: Jeanette, Cheryl and Joseph

Mary (Mr. and Mrs. Ray White, Atkinson)
Daughter Gayle (Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tushla,
Correctionville, IA)
Children: Tim and Tom

Gertrude (Mr. and Mrs. Judd Bond, Atknison)

Joseph (Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Seger, Atkinson)
Daughter Joan (Mr. and Mrs. James Harm, Seattle, Wash)
Children: Jim, David, Paul and Dean

Leo (Mr. and Mrs. (Pat Bigelow) Leo Seger, Atkinson), Leo passed away in July 1962, Pat passed away in April 1964
Daughter Patricia (Mr. and Mrs. Ed Callahan, Omaha, Nebr)
Children: Patrick, Michael, Catherine, Mary,
Colleen and Danny
Son Paul (Mr. and Mrs. (Karen Kaup) Paul Seger, Atkinson)
Children: Sharon, Patty, Leo, Michelle, Sandra, Peggy,
Tammy and Matthew
Daughter Margaret (Mr. and Mrs. Gary Burkholder,
Omaha, Nebr)
Children: Jennifer and Paul
Daughter Mary (Mr. and Mrs. Orlan Braun, Atkinson)
Children: Lori and Brian

Catherine (Mr. and Mrs Harry Bose, Sheldon, Iowa)
Son Richard (Dr. and Mrs. (Marlyn Schaecker) Richard Bose,
Estherville, Iowa)
Children: Ricky, Terry, Kathy, Lisa, Michell
Daughter Karen (Mr. and Mrs. Mike Schaaf, Algona, Iowa)
Children: Lori, Ricky, Julie and Brian

Agnes (Mrs. Gus Leininger, Atkinson) Mr. Leininger passed away in August 1964
Son Charles
Daughter DeeAnn

Edward, passed away in Nov 1948, Atkinson

Frederick Seger, a nephew (son of Max Seger), joined this family at the age of three weeks, after the death of his mother. Fred has always been a treasured member of this family and remained with Mr. and Mrs. Seger until their deaths. He now resides at Atkinson.



Home of Paul Seger and Catherine Christ Seger

Paul P. Seger & Catherine Christ Seger
at Atkinson Nebraska

Paul Seger & Catherine Christ Seger
Fiftieth Anniversary
Photos courtesy of Paul Seger, Atkinson NE

Paul P Seger and Catherine Christ - Census Reports

1900-Federal Census, Nebraska, Holt Co, Stuart Twp
* Seger, Paul,head, white, male, born May 1869, age 31, married 3 yr, born IL, Farmer
* Seger, Catherine, wife, white, female, born Dec 1870, age 29, married 3 yr, 1 child, 1 living, born WI
* Seger, Margaret, dau, white, female, born Apr 1898, age 2, born NE
* Christ, Margaret, Mo-in-law, white, female, born Mar 1846, age 54, born Germany, immig 1855, 45 yr in US

1910-Federal Census, Nebraska, Holt Co, Atkinson Twp
* Seger, Paul, head, male, white, age 40, married once-13 yr, born IL, occup- ??
* Seger, Catherine, wife, female, white, age 39, married once-13 yr, 6 child-6 living, born WI
* Christ, Margaret, mo-in-law, female, white, age 64, born Germany
* Seger, Margaret C, dau, female, white, age 12, born NE
* Seger, Mary J, dau, female, white, age 9, born NE
* Seger, Gertrude M, dau, female, white, age 6, born NE
* Seger, Joseph J, son, male, white, age 5, born NE
* Seger, Leo F, son, male, white, age 3, born NE
* Seger, Catherine, dau, female, white, age 1, born NE

1920-Federal Census, Nebraska, Holt Co, Atkinson Twp, Atkinson town
Dwelling 193 Family 203
* Seger, Paul P, head, owns home, male, white, age 51, married, born Ill, father born Ill, mother born Ill, auto business-Ford garage
* Seger, Catherine, wife, female, white, age 49, married, born WI, father born Germany, mother born Germany
* Seger, Margaret K, dau, female, white, age21, single, born NE, teacher
* Seger, Mary J, dau, female, white, age 18, born NE
* Seger, Gertrude M, dau, female, white, age 16, born NE
* Seger, Joseph J, son, male, white, age 14, born NE
* Seger, Leo F, son, male, white, age 12, born NE
* Seger, Katherine U, dau, female, white, age 10, born NE
* Seger, Agnes E, dau, female, white, age 8, born NE
* Seger, Edward P, son , male, white, age 5 1/2, born NE
* Seger, Fredrick ?, son, male, white, age 11/12, born NE (Note: son of Max)

1930-Federal Census, Nebraska, Holt Co, Atkinson Twp, Atkinson City
* Seger, Paul, head, own home-value 7000, male, white, age 60, born IL, proprietor-garage
* Seger, Katherine, wife, female, white, age 59, born WI
* Seger, Joseph, son, male, white, age 24, born NE, laborer-garage
* Seger, Agnes, dau, female, white, age 18, born NE
* Seger, Edward, son, male, white, age 15, born NE
* Seger, Freddy, son, male, white, age 11, born NE (Note: son of Max)

The Segers at Upper Elkhorn

From: Before Today, A History of Holt County Nebraska,
Centennial Edition
Settlement on the Upper Elkhorn
Page 232
. . . Another Illinois family that came to Atkinson in 1880 was that of Paul Seger. His parents, Donatus and Margaret Seger, had left Germany for Chicago before Paul was born. In 1878 the nine-year-old boy, with his parents, four brothers, and a sister, moved to Omaha, and from there to Atkinson in a covered wagon. They had one cow which the boys took turns prodding along behind the wagon.

On April 1 they came to a small cluster of buildings on the prairie. They stopped and Paul went into one to ask the way to Atkinson. “You are in Atkinson right now, sonny,” the storekeeper, Frank Bitney, told him. To people who had lived in Chicago or even Omaha, so few buildings did not look like a town.

The Segers homesteaded on the Elkhorn, five miles west and a mile north of the settlement. There Paul grew up, working at home or as a hired hand for the neighbors. Covered wagons were coming to and through the region every day, and camping wherever night took them. The Segers made a practice of visiting those who camped near them, interested in finding out who they were, where they came from and where they were going. One evening the campers they called on were the John Christs, from Darlington, Wisconsin.

John and Margaret Christ had one little daughter, Katherine, and Paul Seger had no inkling, that evening, that he had seen his future wife in the settler’s camp. The Christs homesteaded about ten miles north of Atkinson. Both families being Catholic, they were among the founders and supporters of St. Joseph’s Parish, and Paul and Katherine were married in St. Joseph’s church in 1897. They made their home on the Christ hay claim, west of the homestead, and became parents of eight children.

Paul and his brother Donatus in 1909 bought J.J. Stilson’s farm implement business in Atkinson, and the following year established the first Ford car agency west of Norfolk. Seger Brothers operated this business for twenty-five years or more. Paul and Katherine observed their fifty-ninth wedding anniversary in 1956 and Paul died shortly afterward at the age of eighty-seven, the last of his father’s family.

Page 444
Back in the day when the Seger Brothers started their Ford Car dealership in Atkinson, writes Mark Hendrick, I was about 6 years old. One day in the spring of 1912 Paul Seger drove into our yard in a new Ford Car, or Tin Lizzy, as many called them. After a littler persuasion Paul got granddad to get in and go for a ride. When Paul left, the Joseph and O N Hendricks Ranch has a new 1912 Ford.