#40 Harvest. Sugar Beet. Family Tradition

#40 Harvest. 52 Ancestors

Agriculture roots are extensive in my family; maternal, paternal, husband, and in-laws.  My life as well as my ancestor’s life has revolved around harvest.  Harvest is where a family in agriculture is paid for the year’s worth of work as well as the money invested in a crop.  And if the crop is poor, the money generated doesn’t pay the bills.

And what crops have the ancestors grown?  I include livestock as a crop as the product of the factory are gathered and sold once a year.   The factory might be cows or ewes or sows or does (goats).   Families depend on that harvest for income.  My ancestors (and my husband’s) have harvested cattle, sheep, wheat, corn, hay, pinto beans, sugarbeets, malting barley, canola, peas.  

My current involvement this year in harvest is sugarbeets.  Sugarbeets have been a crop for 4 generations of Gabel’s in Montana.  It is a unique crop, high labor and high management crop.  But a crop that a Germans from Russia excelled in growing.  

We had the opportunity to attend a fall festival at the Legacy of the Plains museum in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in September.  We were able to watch the digging (lifting) of the beets with mules, and the hand work involved in harvesting the crop.  You had to want to grow sugar beets in that era but it was a cash crop and the Germans from Russia were used to hard work.  We were able to see restored one row diggers in the field and Leroy was given the opportunity to dig with the international tractor and the one row International beet digger.  It was a digger like his parents had when he grew up.  In fact, the last year it was used was in 1972, 47 years ago!  He was excited, but thankful that he could return to his 6 row digger!

Leroy's grandfather, Henry Gabel on a beet digger (lifter)

The digger lifted the sugar beets up out of the ground, one row at a time.

The men then pulled the beets from the row as they were "lifted" and put them in row 

with the tops all pointing the same direction.

picture from  the 1930's.

After the beets were laid in the windrow, they came back and topped the beets and laid them in a pile on a fresh dirt path that had been cleared by a team pulling a sled 

After the beets were topped, the men used a "beet fork" and pitched them on the truck.

Henry Gabel with a loaded beet truck.

Notice the piles of beets

 They were forked onto a truck

Leroy's Dad, Roy, on an International tractor with the one-row beet digger

1972

The last year the one row digger was used.

Leroy in Scottsbluff on an Farmall International Tractor with the International one row digger

September 2019

Today, digging with a 6 row digger

#39 Map It Out. Dad's map. 52 Ancestors in a Year

 #39 Map It Out

The ranch on Grasshopper Creek, Beaverhead County, Montana

I was 14 & my sister was 10 when my dad bought the ranch on Grasshopper Creek.  

Dad was a veterinarian and we lived in town.   His brother was buying a ranch and needed to sell one.  Since Dad’s goal was always to ranch, Dad’s opportunity was created.  With the ranch purchase came 4 horses.  The horses for my sister and I were old gentle Morgan horses. 

I am not sure if dad’s purchase was his retirement plan or a plan to make sure my sister and I knew how to work.  Or maybe it was a place we where we could all work together!  Regardless, it was the place we learned lots of life’s lessons plus learned to work, usually together.  Sometimes together met just my sister and I; sometimes with Grandpa, sometimes with Dad, sometimes with the neighbor girl and sometimes with someone Dad hired to help us. 

Since the ranch has a creek running through it, it was normal for the cows to want to “hang around” the creek area on hot summer days.  There were no fences to keep them off the creek.  There was plenty of grass on the hills, but the creek is where they liked to water and stay.  Cattle can do lots of damage to the riparian area so it was necessary to always gather the cattle along the creek and move them (cowboy slang: push them) to the higher hills where there was plenty of grass.  And push them, we did as cows don’t like to leave the creek area and climb hills!

Since Dad was working at his veterinary clinic, and didn’t want to keep a hired man during the summer; who best to ride daily and push the cows off the creek bottom.  Well…his daughters and their trusty horses.  At first Grandpa rode with us to show us the country.  Weekends were working with Dad and he taught us the “methods”.  Mom did not like horses, didn’t like to even hold the halter rope but she had to be the driver to take us to the ranch so we could ride.  Since I was the oldest, I usually had the task of getting the horses gathered if they were not in the corral.  I also had the task of saddling the horses or my sister often stood on a box to saddle her horse.  Sometimes the neighbor girl, Kathy, rode with us.  Once saddled, and lunches in our saddle bags, Mom waved to us as we took off.  I often wonder at her bravery and what she thought.  The ranch was 10,000 acres, rocky, lots of rattlesnakes and we were on horses.  If a problem developed, we had to solve it.  (long before cell phones!). There was a cabin at the ranch and a phone.  When we got back from our ride/work/adventure, the rule was that we had to call the veterinary hospital and tell Dad we were back.  

When Dad didn’t ride with us, he drew a map the night before and explained to us where we would probably find cows and calves and where we were to  take them.  Each summer was different as the practice was to rotate pastures.  I wish I had saved those maps, drawn on the back of envelope or any other piece of paper that was handy.  Of course after a few trips, my sister and I knew the where to go without a map.  When dad was able to hire a hired man, he created the map that hangs in the porch at the ranch.

Lots of country!

Our work area or playground when we grew up!

#38 Cousins Learned to work 52 Ancestors in a Year

#38 Cousins   A common ancestors,  52 Ancestors in a Year

If you are lucky to grow up with cousins, you are lucky as well as fortunate to have friends too.

Shaffner Cousins

1987

Gradpa's 100th Birthday celebration

Back row:  Bob, Geoffrey and John 

Front row:  Sydney, Gail, Grandpa & Donnee

I grew up in a small town of Dillon, Montana with family & cousins.  Holidays and birthdays and work were shared with family.  It helped that the patriarch of our family, my grandfather, John F. Shaffner lived until he was 103.  He was a central figure in my life for 41 years.  

Grandpa was a central figure in the lives of his grandchildren, my cousins.  We all got to experience Grandpa in many different ways.  One of the ways he influenced us was his work ethic.  He came west, working with the railroad and homesteading.  He worked 2 jobs to keep “afloat”.  Work was normal for the family and we learned to work until the job was finished.  We learned long days were the norm; work was not just eight hours a day.  There were a few others things he taught us such as reading a recipe is important, putting all the parts back together when working on machinery and living life, looking forward to tomorrow as yesterday is history.

The oldest, Donnee, worked with Grandpa for years with getting his pictures labeled and working with the genealogy.  She may have been his favorite.  I ruined her thunder when I arrived on the scene, (her words) but regardless we shared many interests.  My first horse was her hand me down!

Sydney, next in line, had many experiences with Grandpa!  I should write a book and have others contribute too!  I share his love of family history and genealogy.  He was maybe the 1st babysitter I remember.  At least horseback!  When Dad bought the ranch, Grandpa was our babysitter!  Or maybe my sister & I took care of Grandpa! 

Bob, a rancher, horse trainer and saddle maker & equipment operator, is very talented.  He probably had more experiences with Grandpa.  Since we are the same age, I have a few memories of "family time" while skiing or haying or horseback!  Another hard worker!

John might be the most talented of the cousins.  We all admire his work on many TV show sitcoms.  Another hard worker who learned from Grandpa to work until the job is done.  Grandpa often stayed with John's family in Missoula, helping!  Helping is a used very loosely....but it always involved work.

Gail, also very talented with sewing, crafts, works hard on the ranch.  Too hard. Her experiences with Grandpa even involve looking for him and his black horse at night!  She & her husband lived with him for a few months.  She may have a few stories!

Geoff, a logger and bookbinder, learned about hard work through family work at the ranch, at the bindery and working in the forest.  Geoff grew up working along side Grandpa at the bindery and at a ranch in Bannack.  

Cousins are the legacy from a common ancestor.  Learning life from an ancestor is priceless.  We were the lucky ones!  And yet, I think Grandpa felt he was the lucky one sharing his life, lessons, principles and history with his grandchildren.

#37 Mistake I should have paid attention 52 Ancestors in a Year

#37 Mistake  52 Ancestors in a Year

A mistake not to listen, write down or pay attention.

My mother, Helen Lloyd Shaffner, was interested in her family history for as long as I can remember.  There was a trip to a cemetery in Oregon in an effort to find a headstone.  I vaguely remember, as I was young, but I do remember a hill, trees, grass and probably rolling my eyes at the thought of this stop.  I think my Dad probably led the way of “wasting time doing this" attitude.  

Helen Lloyd
She graduated from high school in 1942

1938

What I would give to know where and what she found in that cemetery.  If only she had taken pictures or written a story down.  So far I have not discovered those 2 pieces of information in her genealogy collection. 

It was normal that we went to Mom's hometown of Waitsburg, Washington for Memorial Day festivities, which included a class reunion.   We took flowers and toured the cemeteries and decorated graves including my great great grandparents.

Mom never called herself a genealogist. Nor did anyone else.  But she was.  I have files, pictures and scraps of paper written on them.  Mom created family group sheets.  I have duplicates of many of them.  She shared her information with others too.  My mother, Helen Lloyd Shaffner, inherited a collection from her great aunt, so those letters and scraps of paper are also included.  

One of the many Family Group Sheets in her collection.

Many of her family group sheets have notes written on the back

Mom also created scrapbooks.  I think the earliest one I have is 1930.  Many include newspaper clippings of obituaries or other family information.

Mom had paid attention to her grandparents and knew many stories.  She did write a few down, but I want more!  But I wish I had written her recollections down or recorded them.

What a mistake I made by not spending more time learning the family history!

Mom was most proud of her heritage, especially the ancestors who came across on the Oregon Trail.

#36 School Days Della Kurtz Graduation 1905 Salutatorian Speech

#36 School Days  52 Ancestors in a Year

Della Kurtz Shaffner was my grandmother.  She was Salutatorian of her High School Graduation Class at Muncy, Pennsylvania in 1905.  We are lucky to have the memorabilia of the program and her Salutatorian Speech.  Written 114 years ago, the message is still valid!  Please read!

Della Kurtz

Graduation 1905

The Voice of the World

Essay by Della Kurtz, Class of 1905

Salutatorian Speech

There is one question in the minds of modern people that is doing much harm, and that is “what will people say”?  This question influences a greater portion of the actions of the people.  It is the fear of what people say that prevents them from doing that which they ought to do and promotes them to do what they are not to we do.

We do not live as we want to live but according to the standards by which we fancy others will judge us.  We dress ourselves for the eyes and opinions of the world.  We visit people not because we have an interest in them, but because we consider it our duty to do so. We would rather be dishonest than discourteous.  How much of the present “calling” would remain if by some x-ray force the minds of the average hostess and caller would be revealed at the time of the call.    

Now the question naturally arises how long are we going to remain under this thraldom? Are we going on year after year not daring to do what our own conscience tells us is right?  

There are a few of us who are brave enough to simply when we say of such people, that “they are sensible and go their own way.”  We really mean that they are, what it is a pity that more people do not dare to be, simply themselves.  In the final analysis it is always true that people are not one-half as much interested in us as we sometimes choose to think they are.

If we preferred to live simply: to do only the things worthwhile, then you say people will talk.  By the word talk we mean gossip or criticism.   But what if they do?  They cannot harm us so long as we do what we think is right. There are some people who are wisely leading lives fashioned upon their own convictions. They live simply, dress plainly and educate their children sensibly. They are happy, rarely ill, their nerves are strong, their skin clear and their eyes sparkle. They are just plain happy. And they are called sensible people

These people differ from the majority in that they do not allow anything to become a part of their day, that isn't worthwhile. The people of same, simple life always have the advantage they do not waste their energy and burning with ardor for that entire human family.

Instead of walking through life with their eyes fixed on some marvelous reforms and treading on the toes of those nearest them, they see first the duty which lies nearest.  They are first of all about their own duty. The base of our operations should be in the field of our own immediate duty and happier indeed would be countless people today if that immediate duty were

more clearly seen by them. The duty which they overlook in a senseless and fruitless chase after distant wrongs to right.   There is a book called “The Simple Life”, by Charles Wagner. It is this savest book on the simple living that has been published and inits words that there are health and salvation for thousands of American people. It dwells in the main intentions of our lives. We must be simple in our thoughts to become simple in our actions

Such is the lesson the American people need to learn; That the way to live a simple life is to be simple and that means first  and foremost to make our  own mind simple. Simplicity is purely a thing of the individual, a personal state. A man who is rich and happy is not happy because he is rich but because he knows how to be happy. To have small means makes the problem of simple living easier.  The way to simple life and truest happiness begins in a mental attitude born of simple contentment. There must be no invitation of others.  Friends we want and must have, but let us be sure that we seek our friends for themselves. Let are words speak for something: stand for something, be interpreters of our ideas and intentions

The true life is in other words forgetting accessory and remembering the essential.  The more simply we live and truly, the more sincere is our future. And from it come those most precious of all blessings, contentment of mind and perfect health.  There are no nervous breakdowns in the simple life. The capstone of its structure is health.  From its alter Springs love:  it days give rest and it's old age is of quiet repose.  Only happy people dwell in the realm of simple life

The first page of the speech

It is a copy and located in the Kurtz Scrapbook

The High School Graduation program and banquet menu

A page in the scrapbook of her report cards.

The report cards are glued down & I haven't tried to remove them.

#35 Work.Agriculture work is genetic!

#35 At work—Agriculture work is genetic!  52 Ancestors in a Year

Agriculture and farming is genetic in the Gabel family.  

At Work in the Gabel family has always been centered around agriculture, primarily farming.  

The first generation of farmers that we know of would be Philip Gabel (Gobel), who immigrated from the Volga region of Russia in 1907.  Since he was a farmer (occupation listed in census records), it is presumed he was involved in farming in Russia.  Although no records exist of his occupation in Russia, we know from other sources that farming in Russia was primarily self subsistence farming.  And any product grown was taken by the Russian government & whatever was left over was used by the family.

Immigrating to the United States and being employed or having your “own” without government interference was a huge incentive to emigrate from Russia.

Philip was in Nebraska first, then the Huntley Project area of Yellowstone County, Montana and finally located in the Richland County, Montana area.  I believe he owned land but need to research for those records.

The second generation to farm in the United States was Henry Gabel, who came with his  parents in 1907 at the age of 6.  Marrying in 1920, he soon began a life in agriculture. While Henry never owned land, he worked or rented land to farm.  With 13 children to provide for, much of what he raised was consumed.  The family had the normal chickens, pigs, dairy cow and cattle and sheep.  The major crop raised was sugar beets.

Henry Gabel with a truck load of sugar beets, loaded by hand with a beet fork!

That was lots of work!

The third generation of Gabel farmers was Roy.  He began farming in 1946 after marrying.  He farmed in Hardin area for a year, before renting a farm in Huntley.  It was several years before he owned land.  

Roy Gabel in 1972

Last year for the one-row digger.

Truck could be loaded from the digger.

Owning land that you have saved and worked for is huge.  You remember all the sacrifices that you & your family made, so you could have your own land, is a huge accomplishment.  One not taken lightly!  Owning land to farm guarantees you a job and your destiny.  A farmer works hard to keep it!

It is hard for those not involved in production agriculture to understand the draw to the occupation of farming. Perhaps it is all a farmer knows, perhaps it is became they are their own boss, perhaps it was what they enjoy doing or perhaps the challenge of production is the draw to remain in agriculture.  Planting a crop and watching it grow it something that is definitely in the blood, but receiving the satisfaction of what you did to achieve that record crop is huge.  The daily challenge of obstacles simply becomes a challenge accepted.  There are never any 2 days alike!

The 4th generation of Gabel farmers is my husband, Leroy.  The task of learning to farm began at an early age with setting irrigation water, or watering cattle.  The type of farming done in 4 generations is the same, mainly sugar beets.  Ground is prepared the same way, seeds are planted, crop is irrigated and harvested.  But in 112 years, since great grandfather Gabel began his work in the dirt of America, a lot has changed.  From the type of seeds, technology to protect the crop from insects, technology to control weeds to the type of machinery needed to raise a crop have all been improvements to agriculture.  But there is more to the work of farming than just planting the seed.  In 112 years, farmers have had to learn to market the crops grown, as well as continual education in the production of animals and crops.  

6 Row Beet Digger

Bigger tractor

But still lots of work, just not as physical

Leroy Gabel with a sugar beet

Leroy At Work

Production agriculture work

#34 Tragedy Who is Anna? Gabel family---52 Ancestors in a Year

#34 Tragedy. Who is Anna? And what happened to her?

Researching the Gabel family is challenging.  They were Germans from Russia, Volga Germans, or German-Russians.  The history of the Germans from Russia is laced with tragedy.  Leaving their homeland of Germany, at the invitation of Catherine the Great, in 1766-1767, they arrived in a new land full of promises.  Unfortunately the promises made to entice the Germans were never fulfilled.  The newcomers in a hostile land overcame many problems and issues to thrive.  Again, promises were not kept, such as not having to serve in the military.  Many began emigrating to various countries, leaving behind family as well as their culture.  Arriving in new countries, adaption to the new culture & society was difficult but events at the time made it difficult to trust others.  Were they Germans or were they Russians?  During World I and World II, neither nationalities were favored by other people.  So the Germans from Russia, who spoke German, adapted.  Often that meant keeping "quiet" about their previous life, learning a new language and "forgetting" their previous life.  Favorite foods may be the only link to their history.  Their history is definitely a tragedy.

One of the goals of family research is to locate passenger records to determine the date of arrival.  Since no family history stories existed in the Gabel family (my husband's family) of their arrival, the only clue was census records.  In three census records, 1910, 1920 & 1930, the year of arrival was listed as 1907.  A starting point.  The next problem encountered was names.  Germans seem to be famous for using a two or three names as first names and regularly changing which first name they use!  In addition, just how is Gabel spelled? Various family members have used Gable, but then the German way might be Goebel, Gebel, Gobel, or Gibel.  See the problem?


After various research struggles, I believe I have found the passenger record (Ancestry.com) of my husband's great grandparents, Philip & Katharina Gabel.  

I found a record in the database of Ancestry and Ellis Island which I believe to be the great grandparents, Philip and Katharina Gabel.  Heinrich Gebel & his wife Mary and children Mary & Philip.  The ages are correct for the family, although the names appear to be mixed up.  They arrived on 10 June 1907 aboard the ship Arconia from Libau, Latvia after leaving on May 20th.  But there is a name crossed out, Anna, 11 months old.  The family was going to Henry Gabel’s at 925 I. W. In  Lincoln, Nebraska.  What happened to Anna?

Following all leads in research, led me to an August Gebel who arrived in 1907, a few weeks before Philip.  How are they related?  They are both going to their brother's in Lincoln, Nebraska.

August  & Catherina Gebel arrived 31 May 1907 in the port of New York from Libau, Latvia.  There is a child listed with them, Anna, 11 months old, but her name is crossed out.  The family was going to his brother Heinrich Gebel, 925 I. W. In Lincoln, Nebraska.  They left 13 May 1907 from Libau, arriving the 31 May 1907.  What happened to Anna

August left Libau, Lativa 7 days before Philip & Katharina and arrived at Ellis Island 10 days before Philip & Katharina arrived. 

 A question on both passenger records is "who is Anna"? 

And what happened to Anna?

Since Anna is on the first passenger list,  was she, August & Catherine’s daughter?  Why was her name crossed off in the first passenger list in May?

Why was Anna in the passenger list of Philip & Katherina in June?  Why is her name crossed off?

Was Anna sick when her parents left in May?  Was she left behind with other family, hoping hopes she would be well enough to travel?  Did she die in Libau, Latvia?  

A friend, Trudie, visiting Ellis Island continued my research there.  

From an Ellis Island researcher in an email, 26 April 2017:

After studying the two entries into the US and reading both detained alien list- it is clear that the infant Anna was not on board. I explained in my earlier email, that the parents were detained because the didn't have enough money and had to telephone August's brother in NE for money. The same reason is listed for the 2nd journey with Henry.

Furthermore, if you look at both passenger manifests, you will find a number on the bottom of the page. The number is 28. That "28" means only 28 out of the 30 passengers boarded the ship. On both manifests, you will see 2 lines crossed out. One of them on each sail, was Anna's line.

What we can confirm for you... is that she never did board the ship with her family.

So we are left with the question of "who is Anna"?  

Genealogy research in Libau or Lativa is difficult.  Few records and the records are in German or Russian.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a family story?

What a tragedy that no one knows anything about Anna.  

A life remembered only in census records.  A tragedy.

Arconia, the ship that brought Philip & Katharina to the United States in 1907