Henry A. Schaecher

Henry Schaecher received his 8th grade education in St. Bernard, NE. His mother died when he was 4 1/2 years. They lived with their grandparents most of the time. He attended a Franciscan seminary in Leutopolis, IL for 2 years. He then worked as a hired man for farmers in the St. Bernard area until he married. Henry and Katie met at a social dance. He would go to see her in a horse and buggy. They were married at Holy Family Church in Lindsay, NE on October 5, 1915. They rented a farm between Lindsay and St. Bernard, and less than a year later rented a 160 acre farm west of Lindsay that belonged to her father. They lived there for 15 years and during that time had 10 children, Antonette, Ambrose, Edward, Gertrude, Isabelle, Katherine, William, Rosemary, Marguerite, Henry.

After being very ill for 6 weeks, Katie died on December 17, 1931, which was a very sad and trying time for the children for a number of years. Henry and family farmed for 8 more years. This was during the drought and the Great Depression. Crops didn't amount to much, because of no rain, grasshoppers and hot summers. In February of 1940, they had a farm sale. He bought a truck and put furniture and belongings on it. On April 1, 1940 Henry and 8 of the children left Nebraska for Mt. Angel, Oregon. It took them one week to get there. Antonette was already married with a 3 month old daughter (Patty), so they left the next year on February 20, 1941. Gert also married, stayed in Nebraska where she and her husband Ray raised their family. Henry had several different jobs in Mt. Angel, he retired from the Farmers Union when he was 65. He died at age 88 on February 7, 1979, and left his 10 children and spouses, 69 grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren.