The Frederick Joseph and Catherine Seiborn Nahlen Family

Frederick Joseph and Catherine Seiborn Nahlen lived and were reared in Koblenz, Germany. In the

1870's, the railroad and the Catholic Church advertised extensively in Germany and other foreign

countries for people to come to and settle in the United States. The Nahlens saw the ad an it really

got their attention. It read "Come to Arkansas in the U.S.A., the land of milk and honey, apples,

peaches, and especially grapes grow wild in abundance. wild turkey, rabbits, deer, and wild hogs are

everywhere. Corn, peas, sorghum and other crops grow with all ease. The ground is so fertile, just

plant the seed and harvest a bumper crop each year. The growing seasons are long and have very

mild winters."

The Nahlens were wine makers by profession and the wild grape story really got Frederick's attention.

He thought if grapes grow wild in Arkansas, just imagine how well they would do in a well cared

vineyard. The Nahlens sold their possessions in Koblenz and also their interest in the vintage and

decided to come to Arkansas. Catherine convinced her brother Frank on the idea and he also agreed

to come to the new country with his sister and brother-in-law. Frederick brought with him grape

cuttings to set out when he got to the new country.

The trio came to Conway in early 1881. The land that the railroad had to offer along the way did not

suit Frederick and finally the trio ventured out about three (3) miles to a little settlement south of

Conway and located on what is still known as the old Nahlen home place. There was a one-room log

house, 160 acres of land, one team of oxen, one horse, two cows, four goats, a few hand tools, and a

plow or two. A man by the name of Williams owned the place and wanted to sell all and return to

England. The deal was made and the work began. First they set out the grape cuttings that they

brought with them. They needed a wine cellar if Frederick was to continue his profession and also a

better house. They began digging the cellar and also planted a crop and a garden. Field crops were

planted, including corn, sorghum, and peas.

By the fall of 1881, the cellar was dug and they also cut lots and hued them for the floor joists over the

cellar and the house construction was about to start. There was a steam powered saw mill about

three (3) miles southwest of the present house, down what is now known as Nutter's Chapel Road.

After Frederick visited the mill, he decided to buy sawed lumber to build the house for it would be

better and faster.

The lumber was hauled from the mill with oxen. The frame work was 2x4s and 2x8s, ten and twelve

feet long. The outside walls were 1x12s with 1x4 batten over the joints. With one hired hand and

some of the parish people from St Joseph Catholic Church, three (3) rooms were built over the cellar

and a lean-to-kitchen. The three (3) original rooms still remain, but others have been added to it since.

The cellar still remains, but the walls and floor have since been concreted to replace the rock and dirt

walls.

In 1881, the couple lost their first child, a girl, in that desperate year of 1881, the worst drought on

record hit Conway and other parts of Arkansas. The crops failed and a lot of Frederick's new grape

plants died. By late 1881, the house was livable and their second child, Martin, was born, November,

1882, in the new country. In 1882, the trio and son wanted to return to Koblenz, but had no money

and due to the drought no one wanted to buy the farm so they had to stay. In 1882, being in the

country two (2) years, it was time for Frederick to file for his citizenship papers. After filing, there was

a minimum waiting period of five (5) years; so he filed April 15, 1882; still thinking he might return to

Koblenz if he could. "The land agents promised a land flowing with milk and honey, but before the first

year was out, they were grateful for a little cornbread and molasses."

Three (3) other children, Fred - 1884, Margaret - 1889, were born in the same original house. The

Nahlens also were the parents of a foster child, Theresa Darchied. They raised her as their own, but

never changed her name. They educated her and she became a registered nurse and worked at the

old St. Vincent Infirmary until she retired. Theresa died in 1969.

The Nahlens, parents and children, knew little except hard work, strict economizing, and frugal living.

By 1890, the vineyards were doing pretty good and Frederick decided there was no way they could

return to Koblenz, so he finalized his citizenship papers and became a citizen of the United States on

August 30, 1890. Also in 1890, Frank contacted malaria and died and was one of the first to be buried

in St. Joseph Cemetery.

The cross on his grave has the name, Frank Nahlen on it, even though his name was Frank Seiborn.

Frederick said no one would know who he was when there was no others from the Seiborn family

here, so he had Nahlen put on the cross, he said there will always be Nahlens here in the United

States. It was said that Catherine did not like it, but agreed it was the best.

Around 1890, Frederick bought and made some vintage equipment and started to put his grapes to

good use. A few years later, he also built a general mercantile store located about thirty (30) feet

southeast of the house. This business did well for several years.

Around 1895, Frederick decided to add to the house and remodel. The battens were removed from

the joints of the 1x12s, two (2) rooms were added to the upstairs and a permanent room added to

replace the lean-to-kitchen.

Martin was ordained a Catholic priest and was known as Rev. Paul M. Nahlen (Benedictine Father,

Subiaco, Arkansas) and a celebration was held for him, inviting St. Joseph Parish as well as most of

the people from the Conway area. Martin was the first man from St. Joseph Parish to be ordained a

priest. He taught school at Subiaco Academy from 1908 to 1920, headed a boys high school in

Corpus Christi, Texas from 1920 to 1939; when he was elected to Abbot of the Benedictine Order at

Subiaco. He held that office until his death in 1957.

Fred Nahlen married Mary Kaiser and they were the parents of five (5) children, - Rose Marie, Paul,

Martin "Spatz", Raymond and Willomenia "Doodle". Paul is now deceased.

Margaret Nahlen married Jerry Grummer, one of the founds of Grummer Hardware, now known as

Massey Hardware at the same location and in the same building. They had seven (7) children -

Gerald (Father Norbert OSB), Carl, Joe, Margaret, Anthony "Tony", George, and Anna Marie. Gerald,

Joe, and George are now deceased.

Joe Nahlen married Christine Rumker and they were the parents of ten (10) children - Christine (now

Sister Josita OSB), Joseph, Andrew, Anthony "Tony", Clarence, Gertrude, Anna Marie, Theresa,

Theodore "T J", and Paul. Paul died at birth, the same day as his mother Christine died, on October

19, 1935, and was buried in her arms.

Shortly after Frederick's death in 1916, Catherine decided to divide the farm between Fred and Joe,

and she would line in the home with Joe, which she did until her death in 1923. In 1920, Joe added

two more rooms to the upstairs on the east portion and put a porch across the front as the house

remains today.

As the depression hit had in 1930, things got desperately tough for Joe and Fred. Fred got injured in a

power saw accident in 1930 and never did fully recover and died July 6, 1933 from a stroke.

By 1935, the depression was worse and Joe, having lost his wife, and having nine (9) children to

raise, had four (4) different operations and spent much time in the hospital; while doctor bills began to pile up. The children did the farming, but could nbot make enough to feed the whole bunch and pay

the bills, so the farm was mortgaged and for a time the Nahlen farm looked as if it was doomed.

Christine's sister, Anna Rumker, was helping raise the family, traveling back and forth from her home

east of Conway, on November 28, 1939, Joe Nahlen married Anna Rumker, his deceased wife's

sister. With the help of the whole family the mortgage was paid off.