William Maassel

William Maassel and Amelia Arps, daughter of John and Louise, nee Rosebrock, Arps, were married on the Maassel Farm, in Monroe Township, on December 26, 1915. They made their home on this same eighty acre farm with his parents and grandfather and raised their five children there.

The children born to this marriage are Edna, born January 24, 1917; Elda, born January 6, 1920; Raymond, born April 18, 1923; Helen born May 25, 1925; and Louis born May 1, 1934.

William's grandfather passed away in 1918, but the other three generations made their home together. William's brother Henry lived on a farm about one-half mile distant and so much of their work was done together. As the children got old enough they also helped. Although there wasn't much cash available during these years, a good table was always set from big gardens and the produce of the hens, cows and pigs. Every winter butchering days were a big event with the Prigges, Drewes and Maassels joining together to do the work. In the summer the neighbors also got together for the threshing, the men to do the field work, the women to do the cooking, and the children especially enjoyed those days playing and riding the oil wagon behind the threshing machine from one farm to the next. William tended the grain separator for a number of years and after that ran the big tractor until the threshing ring broke up. An association of sixteen farmers owned the threshing equipment but the combines brought an end to this era. Another thing enjoyed by the entire neighborhood were the evenings when everyone got together to fish in the Turkeyfoot.

The children attended the one-room Dunbar School, and for their religious education attended summer school at Immanuel Lutheran church for three months. August was the one month of vacation. A short cut to the church was often taken thru the woods and then down the railroad track. In the winter months the children skated down the Turkeyfoot to school.

Edna, Elda and Helen all worked in Fort Wayne before their marriages. Edna was married to Ruben Panning of Wauseon in 1941. Elda was married to Rudolph Dehnbostel of Napoleon in 194; Raymond was inducted into the Navy in January 1944. Although they already had families Ruben was inducted into the Army and Rudolph into the Navy in 1945. All three came home in 1946 after Peace was declared. Raymond was married to Emma Inselman of Deshler in 1946. Helen married Arnold Imbrock of Hamler in 1947. Arnold had been an aide to a chaplain in the Army and at the time of their marriage was attending college to become a minister. Louis graduated from Ohio State University in 1957 with a degree in Industrial Engineering and since that time has been employed in the Patent Office in Washington D.C. He married Jean Geffert of Baltimore in 1959.

At the time of their retirement in 1957 William and Amelia moved to Hamler and Raymond and his family moved to the farm.`fhey enjoyed their retirement for many years by keeping very active and interested in many things. Amelia enjoyed her hobbies of sewing, crocheting, gardening, her many flowers, and just generally doing for others. She was also very active in her church. William also served his church in various capacities and also was a director of the Hamler State Bank for thirteen years.

In 1965 they were able to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary at the Immanuel Lutheran church with all of their children, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends. This was a very memorial day for them.

Amelia suffered a stroke in 1971 which left her partially paralyzed and passed away July 29, 1974. William continues to live in the home in Hamler. A grandson, David Maassel, has purchased an acre in a corner of the home farm and has built a home there.

Edna and Ruben Panning are making their home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They are the parents of Roger, Shirley (Thompson), Wayne, Thomas and Richard.

Elda and Rudolph Dehnbostel live in Fulton County outside of Wauseon. Their children are Barbara (Servos), Mary (Meese), Jerome and Sue Ann.

Raymond and Emma Maassel live on the home place in Monroe Township, R.R. 2, Deshler. They have three sons, James, Charles and David.

Helen and Arnold Imbrock are serving a congregation in LeMars, Iowa. They have six children, James, Timothy, Steven, Daniel, Ruth and Rachel.

Louis and Jean Maassel live outside of Washington, D.C. in Bowie, Maryland. Rhoda and Paul are their children.

Submitted by: Elda Dehnbostel