Charles F. Berg was born in Sweden, in 1835.  His early years were in an orphans' home in Stockholm.  When he was five years of age a farmer took him and raised him as a son.
     In 1864 Mr. Berg married Katerina Ekstrom, born 1839 in Sweden.  In 1869 they came to America and first settled in Indiana for a short time and then came on to Iowa.  In 1878 they came to Wheeler Township, Sac County, Iowa, and purchased a farm for six dollars and sixty cents an acre.
     Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Berg were parents of Amanda (Mrs. P.G. Lundell); Matilda (Mrs. Sherman Stolt); Charles O.; Anna (Mrs. S. Salmonson); Henry; and Martin.

     August Bettin was born 1853 in Germany.  August was reared to young manhood in his native land, his father dying while he was young, after which his mother Wilhelmina Bettin came to America with her young son in 1871.  They settled in Lee County, Illinois and his mother spent the rest of her life there.
     In 1876, August was married, in Illinois, to Kate Glein, a native of Germany.  In 1884 they came to Clinton Township and purchased a farm.  At that time it was prairie tract, destitute of trees, buildings or any improvements.
     Mr. and Mrs. August Bettin were parents of Charles; Will;; Mary (Mrs. Daniel Ogren); John; Emma (Mrs. Charles Lenz); Lizzie (Mrs. Chris Blass); Fred; and Carrie (Mrs. Herman Herrig).
     Charles Bettin married Anna Lenz; their children:  Lloyd; Lester; Everett; Melvin; Ralph; Carl; Fern; Cecil; Avis; and Glen.
     Will Bettin married Mahalia Hillman.  Their children:  Lawrence; Katherine (Mrs. Alvin Lange); Helen; Sarah; Robert; Wesley; Esther; Wanda; Joseph; twins Doris and Dennis; Billy ; Dale; and Jim.
     Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ogren were parents of Clarence; Elmer; Wayne; and Lois (Mrs. Wm. Story).
     John Bettin married Molly Prestin:  their children: Leone (Mrs. C.J. Sampers); Earl, married Helen Fleuhr; Elmer, married Marvel Quistorff: Alice (Mrs. Walter Kelly); Donald, married Leora Kutz; and Duane, married Lorraine Stock.
     Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lenz were parents of Edward; Leo; Frances; and Shirley.
     Mr. and Mrs. Chris Blass were parents of Dorothy; Raymond; George; Marjorie; Delmar; and Delores.
     Fred Bettin married Christena [sic] Schwanz; their children:  Leland; Dorothy (Mrs. Marvin Stehr); Kenneth; Vern, married Ardine Paulson; Roy; Richard; Paul, married Maxine Sigwalt; Donna; and Ronnie.

Fred & Christina Bettin
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(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977) 

Adam Bernhardt

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     Mr. and Mrs. Adam Bernhardt and family of three sons and three daughters farmed on farms south of Odebolt and east and north of Odebolt.  They retired and moved to town in 1918.
     Chris farmed and later moved to town where he worked in the lumber yard.  Fred farmed near Odebolt, retired to Odebolt and passed away a year ago. [1976]
     Robert passed away in World War I.  Helene (Mrs. Milton Reinhart) lives in the neighboring town of Schaller.  Dorothea (also known as Dora), Mrs. Harry Witt, worked in the A.R. Peterson Store and Knudsen Brothers Store and Telephone office, and now lives in Denison, Iowa.  Edna (Mrs. B.A. Kelley) taught country school and worked in the Cracker jack office.  She lived in Miami, Florida for a number of years, is now retired and lives in Storm Lake, Iowa.

(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977, 
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977) 

Hans Bonnichson

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     Hans Bonnichson, born in Nord Schleswig, Germany, married Anna L. Andresen who was born September 14, 1860, in Nord Schleswig, Germany, daughter of Hans Peter and Andrea Andresen.  They were married in 1887.  In 1888 they came, with their baby Katherine, to the United States and made their home at Odebolt, Iowa.
     Hans first hired out to August Dannenberg, for corn picking, with the understanding if he picked two double boxes full of corn a day he would get $1.25 a day; otherwise he would receive $1.00 a day.  Later he worked for Mr. Kallmer until 1894, the year everything in the way of crops burned up from lack of rain and dry winds.  In 1895, he hired out to Northwestern Railroad as a section hand receiving $1.00 a day.  In 1896 he went back to farming.
     Children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bonnichson were Anna (Mrs. W.C. Fertig); Mary (Mrs. A.W. Burrows); Esther (Mrs. Ray Roth); Helen (Mrs. A.L. Newland); Emma (Mrs. Reuben Hokanson); Martin; and Anton.  Two daughters died in infancy.

(Transcription and scanning by B. Horak)

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