Hermine Mathilde "Mathilda" Popken (H248) was born 13 Oct 1876 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany to Johann "John" and Anna Margareta "Mata" (Gorath) Popken (H243 and H244).
Mathilda immigrated to America with her parents at the age of 8. They sailed 29 Apr 1885 on the ship "Fulda" from Bremen, Germany and arrived 9 May 1885 in the port of New York, New York.
Mathilda married Hermann Diedrich Rudolph "Dick" Suhr on 22 Feb 1898 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States. Dick was born 16 Jun 1876 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States to Johann Dierk and Johanna Wilhelmina (Rastede) Suhr (H86 and H87).
Mathilda and Dick had the following children:
- Friedrich Johann Diedrich "Fred John" Suhr - born 2 Jul 1899 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 100 on 14 Aug 1999 in Stockton, San Joaquin, California, United States.
- Alam Johanna Margareta Suhr - born 9 Sep 1901 in Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 80 of 23 Dec 1980 in Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States.
1900 - US Federal Census - Cuming Township, Dodge, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer)
1910 - US Federal Census - Tulare, San Joaquin, California, United States (Occupation: Farmer, Home Farm)
1910 - US Federal Census - Tulare, San Joaquin, California, United States (Occupation: Farmer, Home Farm)
In 1913, we find that Dick is caught up in the "Hops of Wrath" that occurred that year in the hop fields in the Sacramento Valley (California). The greedy owners of the Durst Brothers Hop Yard near Wheatland in Yuba County, California created an environment for those harvesting the hops that was atrocious including providing contaminated drinking water, no outhouses in the fields and no garbage disposal, resulting in an outbreak of dysentery. They even implemented a "bonus" system for harvesting that resulting in decreased wages for the earlier picking time and higher toward the end of the four-week season so they had to stay through the season so they would get their true wages. The Industrial Workers of the World ( IWW), also known as Wobblies, was a labor coalition that existed at that time to support workers like the hop pickers. A grievance committee was formed and the Durst Brothers were approached with the grievances. The owners did not agree to all the demands, so a riot started. The Sheriff Department attempted to control the riot, but was unable to prevent the murder of a District Attorney, a Deputy and two pickers. There were many others injured and shot. In order to prevent other "Wobblies" from around the country to come in and create more chaos, the California Governor sent the state's militia to Wheatland to help keep the peace. Eventually, the Durst Brothers gave in to all the demands. Two leaders of the IWW were prosecuted for second-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, even though neither was present at the riot. Those two leaders were Richard "Blackie" Ford and Herman Suhr. They were considered martyrs for fighting against the poor working conditions that eventually resulting in drastic improvements in the conditions of the farm workers in the area. They were both pardoned in 1925. The full story printed in the Sacramento News Review can be read here.
[Photo shared to Ancestry by user LaRusso59]
Dick was imprisoned in Folsom Prison in California until 1925, when he returned to Nebraska and settled in Walthill, Thurston, Nebraska, United States.
Mathilda and Dick divorced (assumed).
Matilda is living in Stockton, San Joaquin, California as Mrs. William W. Swinford from 1928 to 1943 (Source: 1928, 1936, 1937, 1943 and 1943 Stockton, California City Directories). Mathilda marries William W. Swinford on 18 Sep 1943 in Carson City, Nevada, United States.
Dick dies at the age of 78 on 24 Nov 1954 in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, United States. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Walthill, Thurston, Nebraska, United States [Find A Grave Memorial #180424131]. His obituary was published 2 Dec 1954 in The Walthill Citizen, Walthill, Thurston, Nebraska, United States:
Dick Suhr Laid to Rest November 27th
Last rites were conducted for Dick Suhr at the Racely Chapel at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon, Nov. 27, with Reverend Charles Cates officiating. Richard Casselman sang "The Old Rugged Cross," accompanied at the piano by Mrs. G. A. Dudley. Interment was in the Evergreen cemetery at Walthill. Pallbearers were Dean Reynolds, Walter Whaley, Clayton Waltermire, Rheinhold Suhr, Orville Pearson and John Kal.
Herman Diedrick Rudolph Suhr was born in Hooper, Nebraska, June 16, 1876, the son of Diedrick and Johanna Suhr. He passed away in Sioux City, Iowa, November 24, 1954, at the age of 78 years, 5 months and 8 days.
He was raised in Dodge County and confirmed in the Lutheran Church at Hooper at the age of 14. In 1898 he was married to Matilda Popkin. He has lived in this vicinity since 1927.
Preceding him in death are 6 brothers and 6 sisters. He leaves to mourn his passing, one sister, Mrs. Johanna Schutt, Pender, Nebr.; son, Fred, and daughter, Alma Cole, both of California; four grandchildren and two great grandchildren, plus a host of friends.