Bernhard Martin Christoph Grone (H300) was born 8 May 1874 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany to Hinrich John and Sophia Margarethe (Helmers) Grone.
Bernhard immigrated to America at the age of 15. He sailed on the ship "Munchen" from Bremen, Germany and arrived 17 Sep 1889 in the port of Baltimore, Maryland.
Bernhard was naturalized on 8 Nov 1897 in Dodge County, Nebraska, United States.
Bertha immigrated with her family in 1890. They sailed on the ship "Karlsruhe" from Bremen, Germany and arrived 11 Apr 1890 in the port of Baltimore, Maryland.
Bernhard and Bertha had the following children:
- Mathilde Martha Grone - born 27 Feb 1900 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 89 on 16 Jan 1990 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States.
- Sophie Johanna Grone - born 28 Aug 1901 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 88 on 8 Mar 1990 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States.
- Emma Katheline Grone - born 15 Jan 1904 in Wayne County, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 87 on 13 Oct 1991 in Los Alamitos, Orange, California, United States.
- Dora Louise Grone - born 7 Jun 1906 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 71 on 21 Mar 1978 in Hartington, Cedar, Nebraska, United States.
- George Heinrich Grone - born 18 Apr 1908 in Wayne county, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 74 on 15 Feb 1983 in Norfolk, Madison, Nebraska, United States.
- Ernest Carl Grone - born 27 Jan 1911 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 80 on 27 Oct 1991 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States.
- Bertha Helena Grone - born 3 Jul 1913 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United Staes. She died at the age of 66 on 19 Dec 1979 in Lynwood, Los Angeles, California, United States.
- Lilea Anna "Lillian" Grone - born 21 Mar 1916 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 67 on 25 May 1983 in Anchorage, Alaska, United States.
- [living] (128)
- Edward Herman Grone - born 22 Aug 1921 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 83 on 30 Jul 2005 in Norfolk, Madison, Nebraska, United States.
- [living] (127)
- Arthur Martin "Art" Grone - born 25 Feb 1927 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 80 on 23 Mar 2007 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States.
1900 - US Federal Census - Plum Creek Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer)
1910 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Farmer, General Farm)
1918 - Resience - RFD 3, Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer) Physical Description: Medium Height, Medium Build, Blue Eyes, Light Brown Hair. (Source: World War I Draft Registration)
1920 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, General Farm)
1930 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer)
1940 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, Farming)
1910 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Farmer, General Farm)
1918 - Resience - RFD 3, Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer) Physical Description: Medium Height, Medium Build, Blue Eyes, Light Brown Hair. (Source: World War I Draft Registration)
1920 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, General Farm)
1930 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer)
1940 - US Federal Census - Strahan Township, Wayne, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, Farming)
Bernhard Grone Services Friday
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2:00 at Redeemer Lutheran church for Bernhard Grone, 74, who died at a local hospital early Tuesday morning. Rev. S. K. deFreese will officiate at the rites. Mrs. Fred L. Ellis is soloist with Mrs. Martin Ringer as accompanist.
Pallbearers will be grandsons of the deceased: Raymond Reeg, LeRoy Barner, Melvin Barelman, Clifford Baker, Dean Otteman and Ronald Grone. Burial will be in Greenwood cemetery.
Bernhard M. C. Grone was born May 8, 1874 in Ollenburg, Germany the son of Hinnin Grone and Sophie Helmers Grone. As a child he was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church.
At the age of 15 he came to America and settled near Hooper, Nebr. In 1899, he was married to Bertha Koester in Dodge county. Shortly after their marriage, the Grones moved to a farm near the old settlement of LaPorte in Wayne county. A year later they moved to the George Berres farm south of Wayne where they lived for four years. They then moved to their own farm southwest of town which was their home for 43 years. In March, 1947 they moved into Wayne.
Mrs. and Mrs. Grone were the eldest couple in the Redeemer Lutheran congregation. They would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary next Jan. 26.
Survivors besides his wife are 12 children: Mathilda, Mrs. Fred Reeg of Wayne; Sophie, Mrs. Milford Barner of Winside; Emma of Long Beach, Calif.; Dora, Mrs. Martin Otteman of Hartington; Bertha, Mrs. William Atkinson of Compton, Calif.; Lillian, Mrs. James Woodard of Oakland, Calif.; Mary, Mrs. John Scott of Los Angeles; Alice, Mrs. Richard Breitkreutz of Wisner; George of Randolph; Ernest, Ed and Arthur of Wayne; 22 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Sophie Hollman of Wayne and two brothers in Germany.
His parents, a son, two sisters and a brother preceded him in death.
The body will lie in state at the Beckenhauer funeral parlors until 1 o'clock Friday afternoon.
Transcript of Bernhard's Will (written 6 Jun 1947):
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
I, Bernard Grone, of Wayne, Wayne County, Nebraska, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament in the words and figures following, to wit:
1. I hereby direct that my executrix, hereinafter named, shall, from my estate, pay all my just debts, funeral expense, expense of last illness, expenses of administering my estate and all State and Federal Inheritance and Succession Taxes which might be due therefrom, first using the personal property therefore.
2. All the rest, residue and remainder of my personal property, of every nature and description, I give and bequeath unto my wife, Bertha Grone, for her absolute use forever.
3. I give, devise and bequeath unto my wife, Bertha Grone, a life estate, together with the rents and income therefrom, in all real estate owned by me at the date of my demise, and the remainder therof, I give, devise and bequeath the same, in fee simple, to my children: Mathilda Reeg, Sophia Barner, Emma Grone, Dora Otteman, George Grone, Ernest Grone, Bertha Atkinson, Lilia Woodard, Mary Scott, Edward Grone, Ellis Grone and Arthur Grone, share and share alike, for their absolute use forever, as tenants in common.
4. Should my wife precede me in death, then in that event, I give and bequeath the property, so given to her under this Will, unto my children, in equal shares, and in the event that any of the aforesaid children should precede me in death, then the share that I have given to said child shall descend to their children, but should any child die without issue surviving, then said respective share shall descend to my other children, living at the time of my demise.
5. I hereby name, constitute and appoint my daughter, Mathilda Reeg, executrix of this my Last Will and Testament.
6. I hereby revoke any and all former Wills by me made.
Dated and signed at Wayne, Nebraska, this 6th day of June, 1947.
(signed) Bernard Grone
We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do hereby certify that Bernard Grone, the testator, subscribed his name to this instrument, consisting of two pages, in our presence, and declared, at the same time in our presence and hearing, that this instrument was his Last Will and Testament, and we, at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other, do hereby subscribe our names hereto as attesting witnesses.
(signed) Kathryn Lou Felber of Wayne, Nebraska.
(signed) Burr R. Davis of Wayne, Nebraska.
Bertha died at the age of 66 on 18 Dec 1948 in Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States. She was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Wayne, Wayne, Nebraska, United States.