| Notes |
- George G. Neuharth (son of George Neuharth Sr. and Barbara Schnabel) was born 20 Nov 1861 in Kassel, South Russia, and died 02 Mar 1958 in Eureka, McPherson, South Dakota. He married (1) Fredericka Goehring in Aft 1937, daughter of Christoph Goehring and Fredericka Kugel. He married (2) Christina Goehring on 16 Jan 1883 in Menno, Hutchinson, South Dakota, daughter of Gottfried Goehring.
Includes NotesNotes for George G. Neuharth:
George G. Neuharth & Christina (Goehring) Neuharth ? Pioneer Homesteaders
This history of George G. and Christina (Goehring) Neuharth is taken from the Eureka Golden Jubilee Book ? 1887-1937. It tells of the struggles, endurance and perseverance of these early pioneers who came to settle in this new area.
"Hey! Yippee! Youuu, get along there! Haww! Haww!" might we1l have been the shouts of young George G. Neuharth in 1885 as he wearily trudged the long dusty miles from Men1o. S.D. to the "'Eureka Country" with a herd of forty frisky, hard-to-manage young cattle. Prairie fires, raging blizzards, which piled snow shanty high. stock raising, wine business and promoting the worthwhile hospital project have been just a few of the many experiences of this fine Eureka citizen.
George G. Neuharth, born November 20, 1861, at Kassel, South Russia, accompanied his parents as a young lad to the United States in 1814. The family first settled thirty five miles northwest of Yankton, S.D., then the farthest point west of settlement in that section.
Life was a hard battle during those first few years in this country. The necessity of a cash income prompted the performing of varied tasks. The winter of 1880, one of deep snow. was spent in cutting wood which was hauled as fuel to Menno. During this winter period, trains had stopped running and desperate measures had to be taken to supply fuel to homes in order to keep from freezing.
On January 16. 1883, George G. Neuharth married Christina Goehring, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gottfried Goehring, at the Bright Church in Menno.
Experiencing difficulty in providing water for stock in that vicinity, young George Neuharth decided to look for another location. Land was being opened for homestead entry farther north, and as a result the young couple determined to push on into this wild new country. The following year (1884), Mr. and Mrs. Neuharth, accompanied by a large party of settlers, left Menno for what is now the northern part of the state. Included in this group were the following families: Mr. and Mrs. George J. Hieb, Jacob Burrer, Christ Burrer, Val Mettler, John Knapp, Fred V. Mettler, Nick Lechner, Henry Schnabel, Jacob Meidinger. John Becker. Karl Fink, John Quaschnick. Dan Quaschnick, Martin Bickel, Andrew Hoff. Fred Hoff, and Phil Thurmaier.. The party traveled west from Frederick (the end of the railroad) where Mr. Neuharth loaded his team with lumber and provisions and entered McPherson County on May 10, 1884. They joumeyed as far west as the present site of Herreid, S.D., and not being impressed with the land ahead, turned back and finally settled in the territory about fourteen miles northeast of the present site of Eureka. At that time the county was surveyed only into townships, so to determine present day sites is now rather difficult. .
The first week after their arrival was spent in a tent until a 12 by 16 ft. shanty had been erected. In the fall a more substantial dwelling, a sod house, became their home. Eight years later, their economic circumstances permitted the construction of a frame building which is still occupied (1937) and in good condition. The shanty was used as a church for years.
Mr. Neuharth was resourceful and his activities were varied. He spent much of his time assisting newcomers in locating their claims. Carpenter work was plentiful, and he worked at it intermittently. One of his prize possessions is a small workbench, which he made when he was seventeen years of age.
Trading during the first three years was done at Frederick and Ipswich, SD. Buffalo bones were the stock-in trade. They were picked off the prairies, loaded on wagons, hauled to distant towns and bartered for provisions. A load of buffalo bones varied from $8.00 to $12.00 in value. Travel was by ox team, and exceedingly slow; several days were spent on the trip (The first train to arrive at the townsite of Eureka was on July 27, 1887).
A prairie fire that ravaged the countryside made the fall of 1884 a very gloomy one. Feed and fuel had been destroyed. After a torturous winter of weed burning to provide warmth and fuel for cooking, the warmer days of spring were hope-renewing. Mr. Neuharth had returned to the Menno country during the summer of 1884 and had harvested a 600 bushel flax crop which he sold for $400.00. This sum was a godsend during the dreary winter that followed.
His first flax crop sown here, mainly for seed, was picked by hand. The lack of implements hindered progress and sometimes accidents and weather conditions apparently stopped it temporarily.
During the spring of 1885, Mr. Neuharth walked back from the Menno territory with forty head of young cattle which were later sold as oxen. His livestock during that year consisted of two horses, two oxen, and one cow.
At this time 200 acres of grain were usually seeded each year. One or two young men, as yet unsettled, were hired to assist with the work.
The winters of 1886 to 1889 were especially severe with heavy snowfall. Mr. Neuharth took care of about seventy-five head of stock through the winter months of these years. The snow was so deep that the house was entirely covered and tunneling from house to barn was a common necessity. The snow crusts were so hard that it was nothing unusual for the stock to walk over the tops of the buildings. The men had to carry all the feed by band and they often labored in the barns all day. Lights were required in the daytime because of the snow blockade.
Although the hardships were at times discouraging, every year brought some progress. More land was acquired. Life became somewhat easier as closer markets removed the necessity of making tedious journeys to market; increased settlement brought about a more normal social life. When a church had been established, Mr. Neuharth spent many years as a Sunday School teacher and as an organist for cburch services.
A severe diptheria epidemic during the winter of 1896 claimed many lives in the community. At this distressing time the Neuharths lost two sons and-a daughter within a period of three days. In 1904 Mr. Neuharth gave up farming, moved to Eureka, and acquired an interest in the general merchandise business of Fred Preszler and John Pietz. In 1905 because of his son George's health, Mr. Neuharth disposed of his business interests and moved his family to Lodi, California. The son, George died there. Not satisfied with California surroundings. the Neuharths returned to Eureka where they engaged in the wholesale wine business, dealing with former associates in California. Ten years in this occupation resulted in the disposal of an even 100 carloads of wine. After prohibition was declared, the fruit business occupied his interest for three years, after which he entered the hardware business with his son, John. They operated in connection with the Eureka Bazaar.
After retiring from active business in 1923, Mr. Neuharth has devoted much time to civic activities. He served for several years as first chairman of the Eureka Hospital Association, and is at the present time still interested as a director of the board. At one time he served as a bank director, and was interested in the Dakota Utilities Company and the Dakota Land and Loan Company. As city alderman for several terms, Mr. Neuharth displayed fine citizenship.
The Neuharths happily celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on January 16, 1933. Mrs. Neuharth has the distinction of being the only woman of the eighty-four immigrants, with whom she arrived, to be living in Eureka today (at the time this history was written. however, Mrs. Neuharth died March 27, 1937, age 73, about three months before the Eureka Golden Jubilee Celebration, June 16, 17 and 18, 1937).
The family of fourteen children consisted of nine sons and five daughters. Seven of this number are living today (1937) and there are twenty-five grand eleven great-grandchildren. The living children of this union are: Christina, born January 12, 1885, now Mrs. Christian D. Opp, Eureka; Katherina. Born February 10, 1888, now Mrs. Fred Hoff; Margaret, born June 3, 1889, now Mrs. Christ J. Ehresman, Roscoe; John, born May 22, 1898, Eureka; Gottfried, born April 24, 1900, Aberdeen; Elisabeth, born January 17, 1902, now Mrs. Theophil Mehlhaff, Eureka; and Edwin, born April 8, 1905, Eureka.
George G. Neuharth Pioneer Homesteader
GEORGE G. NEUHARTH was born November 20, 1861 at Kassel, South Russia to George, Sr., and Barbara (Schnabel) Neuharth. He married Christina Goehring who was born September 13, 1863 to Gottfried and Margaretha (Neuharth) Goehring at Kassel, South Russia. Christina died March 27, 1937 and George G. died March 2, 1958. They had 14 children. After Christina's death, George married Fredericka Mehlhaff (widow of John Mehlhaff, Sr.).
Gottfried Neuharth (1883-1896).
Christina Neuharth (1885-1963), married Christian D. Opp.
George Neuharth (1886-1905).
Katherina Neuharth (1888-1968 ), married Fred Hoff.
Margaretha Neuharth (1889-1982), married Christian Ehresman.
Philip Neuharth (1891-1891).
Jacob Neuharth (1892-1892).
Frederich Neuharth (1893-1893).
John Neuharth (1894-1896).
Elisabeth Neuharth (1896-1896).
John G. G. Neuharth (1898-1977), married Maggie Kallenberger.
Gottfried Neuharth (1900-1967) married Maxine Siltman.
Elisabeth Neuharth (1902 - ), married Theophil Mehlhaff
Edwin (Dutch) Neuharth (1905-1985), married Nonna Trieck. .
George G. Neuharth and family farmed until 1904 when the family moved into Eureka and George was involved in several successful business ventures. In the fall of 1937 he married Fredricka Mehlhaff, widow of John Mehlhaff, Sr., and they enjoyed many years of retirement together in Eureka. Fredericka's parents were Christoph and Fredericka (Kugel) Goehring. After Fredericka's death. Mr. Neuharth lived with his daughters in the area, enjoying helping with various chores. He enjoyed traveling and visiting grandchildren and the numerous relatives. He was always willing to lend a helping hand and appreciated small favors. He enjoyed remarkably good health all his life and died at the age of 96. George and Christina Neuharth are buried in the Eureka City Cemetery. At the time of this writing, December 1993, daughter Elisabeth, Mrs. Theophil Mehlhaff, lived at Lodi. California.
More About George G. Neuharth:
Burial: 1958, Eureka City Cemetery, Eureka, McPherson, South Dakota.
Residence: 1904, Eureka, McPherson, South Dakota.
More About George G. Neuharth and Fredericka Goehring:
Marriage: Aft 1937.
More About George G. Neuharth and Christina Goehring:
Marriage: 16 Jan 1883, Menno, Hutchinson, South Dakota.
Children of George G. Neuharth and Christina Goehring are:
Gottfried Neuharth, b. 1883, d. 1896.
+Christina Neuharth, b. 1885, Eureka, McPherson, South Dakota, d. 12 Apr 1963.
George Neuharth, b. 1886, d. 1905, Novi, California.
Katherina Neuharth, b. 1888, d. 1968.
Margaretha Neuharth, b. 1889, d. 1982.
Philip Neuharth, b. 1891, d. 1891.
Jacob Neuharth, b. 1892, d. 1892.
Frederich Neuharth, b. 1893, d. 1893.
John Neuharth, b. 1894, d. 1896.
Elisabeth Neuharth, b. 1896, d. 1896.
John G. G. Neuharth, b. 1898, d. 1977.
Gottfried Neuharth, b. 1900, d. 1967.
Elisabeth Neuharth, b. 1902.
Edwin (Dutch) Neuharth, b. 1905, d. 1985.
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1861 - 1958 (96 years)
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