CHRISTOPHER BAUER.-In order to properly realize the phenomenal development
within the space of a few decades not only in Hall but in other neighboring
counties of Nebraska, one has but to turn back the pages of history a
little way, and consider what the fathers and mothers faced in the way of
living conditions when they came to Nebraska. Christopher Bauer, one of
Hall County's representative men, can tell of pioneer days in York County,
and of experiences that might just as well be applied to Hall County. Mr.
Bauer was born at Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin, January 19, 1856.
The parents of Mr. Bauer, Christian and Dorothy Bauer, were natives of
Germany. He was born near Stuttgart, and she near Hiedelberg. They came to
the United States in 1855, locating on the land the father bought in Dodge
County, Wisconsin, where the family made their home until February, 1880,
when removal was made to York County, Nebraska. There were three children
in the family: Freda, Christopher and Mary. Freda is the widow of William
Kastner, and lives at Jamestown, North Dakota. Mary is the wife of
Frederick Spoerl, they live at Marion, North Dakota. When the Bauers
located in Wisconsin, the country was heavily wooded and the great trees
had to be cut down in order to make clearing on which the primitive log
cabin could be built of green logs. The roof of the cabin was of rough
timbers covered with hand made shingles, while the earth was the only
flooring. After locating in Nebraska the cows the family brought with them
from Wisconsin, had, at first to be used as beasts of burden, for oxen were
high priced and scarce. Wild animals were by no means extinct, bears
sometimes being seen, while a watch had to be kept in order that deer did
not invade the newly cleared fields and trample the growing grain. There
were many Indians, but they were never menacing to the Bauer family, who
divided their food with the travelers as they came to their cabin door,
even when they had but little themselves. In spite of hard work, toil with
their hand and many privations, Mr. Bauer's parents lived into comparative
old age, the mother dying in 1887 and the father in 1889. At that time he
owned eighty acres of improved land.
Christopher Bauer attended school in Wisconsin and remained with his
parents until he was twenty-one years old. In 1877 he came to York County
with a team and covered wagon, spending over three weeks on the way. He
invested in land and worked for other settlers up to 1880, when he married.
The ceremony uniting Miss Lydia Wissmann with him took place February 21,
1880, at Long Hope, York County. Her parents were George and Catherine
(Gesberg) Wissman, natives of Germany who at an early day came to Iowa and
later to York where the father died in 1883. The mother died at the home of
her daughter, Mrs. Bauer, in July, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer became the
parents of six children: Frank, who lives in Western Nebraska; Laura, the
wife of Frederick Ehlers, of Prairie Creek township, Hall County; Rena, the
wife of William Hardekopf, near Palmer, Nebraska; Edna, the wife of
Reverend Goeffert, of Culbertson, Nebraska; and Paul and Myrtle, both of
whom are at home. Mr. Bauer and his family belong to the Methodist
Episcopal church, as did his parents.
Mr. Bauer continued to live in York County until 1890, when he came to Hall
County and bought one hundred and sixty acres in section two, Lake
township. Here he has carried on general farming and stockraising ever
since. While living in York County he was quite active in public affairs,
serving frequently as school director, road overseer and treasurer, but he
has confined his energies entirely to business since coming to Lake
township. In his political convictions he is a Republican, On many
occasions he has demonstrated his good citizenship and neighborly feeling,
and with his family is held in much esteem in Lake township. As he looks
over his well cultivated fields and notes his fine stock, his improved
machinery and commodious buildings, his thoughts often turn to the little
log cabin in the woods, and the courageous, resourceful people who made it
an endearing home, so many years ago.
