George J. Buhrman (H290) was born 31 Jan 1873 in Germany to John and Gesine (Petershagen) Buhrman.
George immigrated to America in 1889. He sailed on the ship "Saale" from Bremen, Germany and arrived 23 Feb 1889 in the port of New York, New York.
George married Sophie Louise Catharine Koester (H311) on 7 Nov 1908 in Beemer, Cuming, Nebraska, United States. Sophie was born 29 Dec 1888 in Elsfleth, Niedersachsen, Germany to Johann Heinrich "John" and Johanna "Sophie" (Michael) Koester (H302 and H303).
Sophie immigrated to America with her parents and siblings. They sailed on the ship "Karlsruhe" from Bremen, Germany and arrived 11 Apr 1890 at the port of Baltimore, Maryland.
George and Sophie had the following children:
- Elsie Sophie Buhrman - born 24 Aug 1909 in Iowa, United States. She died at the age of 20 on 26 Sep 1929 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States.
- Hazel Margaret Buhrman - born 27 Aug 1913 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. She died at the age of 75 on 20 Apr 1989 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, United States.
- Helen Martha Buhrman - born 18 Jun 1916 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. She died at the age of 84 on 14 Aug 2000 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States.
- Alice Louise Buhrman - born 23 Jul 1919 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. She died at the age of 57 in Dec 1976.
- George John Buhrman - born 24 Jul 1924 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. He died at the age of 82 on 2 Jun 2007.
1910 - US Federal Census - Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Clerk, Rural Mail)
1918 - Residence - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Ry. Mail Clerk, U.S. Govt. - Omaha, Neb. to Cheyenne, Wyo.) Physical Description: Tall, Stout Build, Blue Eyes, Dark Hair. (Source: World War I Draft Registration)
1920 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Mail Clerk, Steam RR)
1925 - Nebraska State Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States
1930 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Postal Clerk, Steam R.R.)
1940 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States
1918 - Residence - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Ry. Mail Clerk, U.S. Govt. - Omaha, Neb. to Cheyenne, Wyo.) Physical Description: Tall, Stout Build, Blue Eyes, Dark Hair. (Source: World War I Draft Registration)
1920 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Mail Clerk, Steam RR)
1925 - Nebraska State Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States
1930 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States (Occupation: Postal Clerk, Steam R.R.)
1940 - US Federal Census - Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States
George died at the age of 71 on 6 Dec 1944 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. Sophie died at the age of 91 on 12 Apr 1980 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, United States. They were buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery (Section 12, Lot 138, Graves 4 and 5), Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States.
These are excerpts from a eulogy of Sophie (Koester) Buhrman:
Sophie Koester was born in Elsfleth, Germany on December 29, 1888. That was a time to be born; it was in the midst of the great exodus from Europe to that new country called America. Sophie didn't know or understand much about what was going on, however, for she found herself on shipboard even before she could walk. Maybe this is one of the reasons that her feet stood so firmly on the ground throughout her entire life, for she learned to walk on the listing, rolling ship... enroute to America. She was part of a large family, a family of eight children, and it must have been very challenging, and frightening, and exciting... as they all went on that ship headed for a far away place called Nebraska. They moved in to a friend's home in Hooper, Nebraska, and lived with them as they began to get their feet on the ground here in America. She grew up there, and later, she and her family once again moved. It was the time when they would begin to be on their own, so they headed for Beemer, Nebraska, on the Elkhorn River. Interesting enough, one of the men who helped them move had the name George Buhrman. Now he must have moved more than the boxes and the crates, for a few years later he moved Sophie's heart and then were married in 1908.
In 1899 when she was not yet 12 years old, she traveled from Beemer to her older sister Caroline's home in Pender. She went by herself, her father (John) put her on the train and explained that she would be met at the station at her destination. If someone did not meet her, all she had to do was go to the lumber yard. He was certain that there would be a person there who was building a house near her sister and he would be picking up some lumber. Somehow her father got her on a smoker by mistake, and she traveled on that men'd smoking car all the way to Pender. It is hard to picture Sophie in that predicament. Her sister Caroline (married to John Henry Koopman) was having her first baby, and believe it or not, Sophie was the one who had to help with the delivery. A baby girl was born and named Sophie Johana Koopman. (married Charles Wageman).
After Sophie and George Buhrman was married in 1908 they moved to Omaha. They had four girls and one boy. Elsie died at age 20, and Sophie saw Alice Cade precede her in death in 1976. Sophie was the last of her entire generation, she lived for 91 plus years. Tragedy struck the family in 1946 on Valentines Day when the city water tower fell on their house with Helen and Alice in it. Alice's daughter almost 4, and Helen's baby were killed. But Sophie through all of the losses, never once condemned the water company or expressed anger toward them. Sophie traveled to Europe in 1949 to see her birthplace. She was a volunteer at the Vet's Hospital and was selected to go to Washington, D.C. One of the highlights of her life was to be invited to the White House to meet the President's Wife, Ladybird Johnson.