The Herman Riefers Family

Herman Riefers was brought to the United States in 1886 by his parents, Henry and Catherina Riefers. He was born in 1879 in Germany.

Herman and the former Ella Maehlmann were married in 1907. Ella was born in Freedom Twp. in 1885, the daughter of Henry and Emma Maehlmann.

They lived their entire life in Freedom Twp. except for 1 yr. Their first home was in Section 27 on what was known then as the Scheele farm. Here Ferdinand was born in 1908.

They later moved to the N.E. corner of Section 29. Also during this time a daughter was stillborn in 1919.

Herman and Ella bought 80 acres in Section 30 from Fred Behnfeldt in 1920. Wishing to move on the farm but unable to since the present tenant had already put out wheat, they farmed a year in Liberty Twp., Section 27.

Herman then moved his family to the farm along Rd. T., and he and Ella lived there until their deaths, Ella, 1950, and Herman, 1958.

Their son, Ferdinand, married Hilda Biederstedt, daughter of William and Frieda (nee Gerken) Biederstedt from Defiance Co. in 1933. They made their home in Section 20 on the Maehlmann home place, and have lived there to the present time.

Four children were born to them: Walter, born 1933 and died while serving in the U.S. Army in 1954; Arlene, born 1936 and died 1941; Elmer, born 1939; and Marilyn, born 1943.

In 1960, Elmer wed Linda Kryder, daughter of Theodore and Margaret (nee Sickmiller) Kryder of Damascus Twp., Henry Co. They have three children: Robert, born 1961; Kathryn, born 1963; Thomas, born 1967; and a son John born 1960 lived two days. They have made their home on the Riefers' farm in Section 30 since 1960.

Marilyn Riefers married David Meyer, son of Karl and Irene (nee Maag) Meyer of Dayton, 6hio, in 1964. They have two sons, Richard, born 1966, and Steven, born 1970. They live in a home on the Maehlmann farm. This house was moved onto the S.E. corner of the property in 1913 from the Henry Bostelman farm on Rd. 18 in Freedom Twp.

These families were and are members of St. John Lutheran Church in Freedom Twp. and since its establishment all the children have attended parochial school there.

Submitted by the Family