Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Christian E. and Nancy A. (Schlegel) Lichty , 6 South 50 West



FindaGrave # 57390323 has a nice biography of Christian, born September 1, 1844 in South Easthope, Perth County, Ontario, Canada.

Christian E. Lichti was the son of Nicholas Lichti and Anna Ernst who lived just west of the village of St. Agatha (Lot 8, on the south side of Erbs Road). It is said that there was a log school at the corner of the Lichti farm and another one about the same distance from the village in the other direction. The same teacher taught in both schools. Classes were held for two weeks alternately in the two schools. In 1865 a stone building at the eastern end of the village replaced the two log buildings. Christian E. Lichti probably attended the log school on his father's farm, but his children had to go all the way to the village school.
At the old school site there was also a graveyard. According to the 1871 census Nicholas and Anna and their sons Christian E. and Nicholas E. and their families were farming two lots (400 acres) which lay between the cemetery and the village of St. Agatha. In 1885 the Wilmot Amish Mennonite Congregation built their second meetinghouse beside the Lichti cemetery. In the early days it was often referred to as the Lichti Church. It is now called the St. Agatha Mennonite Church.
On December 30, 1866, Christian married Nancy Ann Schlegel in South Easthope Township, Ontario. Their witnesses were Andrew Kipfer, probably cousin to Christian, and Daniel Gardner, Nancy's cousin who grew up in her home.
In the 1871 census the Christian E. Lichti family had three children. They also had a hired girl named Adelaide Euling and a hired man named Conrad Schaefer. In the home were also six-year-old John Sanders, who was listed as Irish and Catholic, and Susanna Brunk, age nine. Susanna was the daughter of Peter and Catherine (Ernst) Brunk. The Lichti and Schlegel families were accustomed to having orphans and relatives' children in their homes.
As happened with many Ontario families in the 19th century, Christian and Nancy pulled up stakes and headed west. Six children were born to them at St. Agatha. In about 1877 they moved to Wayland, Iowa where Samuel, Mary, Daniel and Mathilda were born. Mathilda was born on September 25, 1886, and died February 6, 1887. She is buried in the Sugar Creek Cemetery in Wayland, Iowa. Susanna Brunk may have accompanied the family because she married Daniel Roth, a cousin of Nancy's, who had also migrated to Iowa with his parents.

In 1880 Henry County, Iowa, Christian is 35, Anna 33, Barbara 12, Anna 10, Nicholas 8, Catharine , Christian 6, Lena 2, and Samuel 7.
Because of too much rain and no crops the family moved to Thurman, Colorado, and in 1887 (probably 1897) to Longmont, Colorado.
While on the prairie and far from a doctor, Grandma was always ready to help when anyone was sick or in trouble. In Colorado, doctors were few and although grandmother never had any special training in the nursing profession or study of medicine, she was called on many times to minister to the sick in their homes. She was the only attendant at at least forty births. Her own children were still quite small when a diptheria siege reached an epidemic and raged through the community. Many children died and in some families nearly all the children died. At that time there was no quarantine of such diseases and Grandmother would divide her time between her own family and caring for sick children in the community, and yet not one of her children contracted the disease.
In the earliest years of their married life, Grandfather went to town one day and found a homeless boy wandering the streets. As there were no welfare agencies or children's homes in these days Grandfather took the boy home with him and he remained there until he grew to manhood (perhaps this was John Sanders mentioned above). Also in those days there were many poor men and beggars who would walk across the country begging for food and shelter. Many people would not feed them much less give them a bed to sleep in. Our grandparents never turned anyone from their door and word of their hospitality spread among the neighborhood, therefore when a beggar asked at someone's door for food he was often told where the Lichti's lived and he would find food and lodging there. Upon receiving this information one beggar asked, "Is that the only place where they carry the Bible under the arm?" They put their professed chirstianity into practice regardless of the cost. Many times it was needful to rid the bed of lice and bed bugs after the beggar was again on his way.
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.
Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
v Bena Bender, grandniece of Nancy, remembers when Nancy visited in Ontario after having moved to the States and how she cried when it came time for her to leave again. She also remembers Nancy as a very friendly person. On her death card was this verse: "We shall be parted for a while, But will not forget her loving smile, And some sweet day, when life is o'er, We'll greet her on the other shore." Apparently she did not spend her time pitying herself because of having to be absent from her brothers and sisters. She lived a life of service for others.

They left Colorado because there was no Mennonite church there and moved near Shickley, Nebraska in November 1904. They shared life's joys and sorrows for forty-five years.

 

Christian E. Lichti cash-claimed a quarter in 5S 53W (Washington County, Colorado) in October 1891.

Christian timber-claimed a quarter in 2, 6S 50W in 1895. (Kit Carson County)

He proved up a quarter in section 12, 6S 53W in 1899.

(Christian S. Zehr had timber-claimed a quarter in 17, 5S 51W in 1893, and cash-claimed a quarter in 25, 5S 53W in 1898,

Christian Y. Zehr, 27, married Barbara Lichti on January 5, 1893 in Thurman, Colorado.

Christian E. Lichti was naturalized in Denver on December 5, 1898, birth in Great Britian.

January 5, 1900 " Mrs. Anna Kauffman of Iowa, is here visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Lichti."

In 1900 Boulder County, Christian "Lichte" , born Sept 1844 in Canada, with nancy March 1846 Candaa are farming. Nick S. born January 1871 in Canada, Chris S. July 1874 Canada, Sam S. Jan 1878 Iowa, Mary Setp 1881 Iowa, and Daniel May 1883 Iowa. Lena Slagle, daughter born Aug 1876 in Canada, married one year, is with them.

Next household is daughter Barbara Zehr, 32, married to Christian 36, with Chris 6, Aaron 4, and Nancy three months.

January 25, 1901 Longmont "Chris and Sam Lichti returned home from Cripple Creek last Tuesday."

August 16, 1901 "Jake Oakley and wife of Thurman, Colo., are here for a visit with C. E. Lichti."

October 21, 1904 "C. E. Lichti will sell all his goods at auction next Tuesday and will move his family to Nebraska."

" In 18?6, Christian Lichti wrote home reporting that they (he, his wife and his mother, Catherine Jantzi Lichti) had arrived safely at Mose Schweitzer's in Milford, Nebraska.
October 11, 1907 Longmont "The Lichti Bros. expect to move with their families to Nebraska soon after their auction which takes place next Wednesday."


NICHOLAS

March 18, 1904 Longmont "N. S. Lichti and Miss Lena Redigar were married last Sunday at the residence of C. E. Lichti by the Rev. Mr. Slagel of Nebraska."

June 2, 1905 "Mrs. N. S. Lichti and sister, Mrs. Sam Lichti, were called to Nebraska by a telegram a few days since on account of the serious illness of their father."

Nick 1871-1954 is buried in Fillmore County # 57390139, with Lena 1881-1948.

October 25, 1907 "The infant babe of Mr. and Mrs. N. S. Lichti died last Friday. They took the remains to Nebraska for burial."

BARBARA

Barbara Lichti Zehr, 1867-1927 is buried in Fillmore County, Nebraska # 19682451.
"Barbara Lichti was born Nov. 7, 1867, at St. Agatha, Ont.; died at her home in Shickley, Nebr., on Jan. 19, 1927; aged 59 y. 2 m. 11 d. She was a faithful member of the Mennonite Church from her youth. On Jan. 5, 1893, she was united in marriage to Christian Y. Zehr who with 2 sons, 1 daughter, 1 daughter-in-law, 3grandchildren, 3 brothers and 3 sisters survived her. Her father and mother, 2 sisters, and 1 brother preceded her in death. She also leaves many other relatives and friends to mourn her departure. Funeral services were held on Jan. 22, 1927, at the Salem Mennonite Church, conducted by Bro. George Miller and Bro. Joe Zimmerman of Milford, Nebr. "

"Lena was born on August 20, 1876 to Christian and Nancy Anna (Schlegel) Lichti at St. Agatha, Ontario, Canada. She was of a family of ten children. The family moved to Wayland, Iowa about 1877, then because of too much rain and no tilling, they moved to Thurman, Colorado about 1887 where they homesteaded. Because of too much drought, the family moved to Longmont, Colorado about 1897 where there was irrigation. In about 1904 or 1905 the family moved to the Shickley, Nebraska area. Ben Schlegel and Lena were married March 5, 1899, at Longmont, Colorado. The first year of their married life they lived in Milford, Nebraska. They lived on Ben's father's farm where his brothers Lee, 14, and Pete, 12, lived with them. They then moved to Leadville, Colorado where Ben worked in the gold mines and Lena kept boarders, which made their living. The money Ben made they saved. In 1905 they moved to Shickley, Nebraska. Matilda was born February 14, 1905 at the Chris Zehr home. Grandpa Lichti (Lena's father) bought an 80 acre farm. Ben and Lena bought the farm right across the road from there where Ben built a small new house. Just a few years later, they bought the General Merchandise store at Carlisle, Nebraska. Carlisle is now gone but was on the Western railroad between Shickley and Davenport on the county line. He also bought a store in Shickley where the opera house (Legion Building) now stands. He had both stores at the same time. At first they lived in the Carlisle store then later moved into the second story of the Shickley store where Dell was born on June 25, 1907. Some time later, about 1910-11, they again returned to farming on another farm where Anna was born on October 15, 1911."


SAM

Samuel S. Lichti 1879-1928 is buried in Fillmore County # 57389747, with spouse Katherina Ann (Rediger) Lichti 1884-1911 and Lena S+(Schrock (Lichti) Steider 1887-1973.

"ELSIE LICHTI LAVOO
Born 1910 Died 1940 at age 30

Buried July 22, 1940
Block, lot, space: 36 44 1
ROSELAWN CEMETERY
PUEBLO, COLORADO"

"Mathilda, daughter of Samuel S. and Katie (Rediger) Lichti, was born Sept. 26, 1904, at Longmont, Colo.; departed this life Feb. 5, 1952, at the home of Charles La Voo, (her brother-in-law) Pueblo, Colo.; aged 47 y. 4 m. 9 d. At the age of three she moved with her parents to Shickley, Nebr., where she spent the greater portion of her life. In her early youth she accepted Christ as her Saviour and was a faithful member of the Mennonite Church since that time. All thorough her years of suffering Mathilda never lost sight of her Lord and her earnest desire was to be in His will . She leaves to mourn her stepmother (Mrs. Sam Steider, Beaver Crossing, Nebr.), 4 brothers (Eluis and Lon, Huntsville, Ark.; Floyd, Los Angeles, Calif.; and Leonard, Hesston, Kans.), and 2 sisters (Goldie, Iowa City, Iowa, and Mrs. Florence Pointer, Seward, Nebr.). Her mother, father, and one sister (Elsie) preceded her in death. Funeral services were held at Valhalla Funeral Home, Pueblo, Colo., Feb. 6 in charge of Marcus Bishop and at Salem Mennonite Church, Shickley, Nebr., Feb. 8, in charge of P. R. Kennel, assisted by F. C. Reeb. Interment was made in adjoining cemetery."

"Goldie Mae Lichti Longtime Alaska resident died Tuesday, April 18, 2000, at the South Peninsula General Hospital in Homer. She was 94. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Presbyterian Church in Anchorage. Dr. David L. Bleivik will officiate. Interment will be at the Angelus Memorial Park in Anchorage at a future date. Ms. Lichti was born Nov. 22, 1905, in Thurman, Colo., to Sam and M. Katie Lichti. She was the second of eight children. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Nebraska where she was raised. She came to Alaska in 1957 where she made her home with her sister and brother-in-law Florence and Chlorus L. Pointer. In 1958, she went to work for the Anchorage School District as a cook; she retired in 1983. She then worked at the Aurora Preschool which was owned and operated by her sister Florence. When the school closed in 1992, due to Florence's ill health, Goldie cared for her younger sister until her death in 1993. After Florence's death, Goldie moved into the brand new Chester Park Senior Housing Complex in Anchorage. In 1998, she moved to Anchor Point, where she made her home with her nephew Vaughn Pointer and his family. The family wrote, "Goldie will be remembered for her indomitable spirit, courage, generous nature and strong Christian faith. Also, for her loyal service to the First Presbyterian Church in Anchorage and her many years as their toddler and nursery care attendant. Hers was a life well lived." Ms. Lichti is survived by her brother, Leonard Lichti of Heston, Kan.; 21 nieces and nephews, and numerous great-, and great-great-nieces and nephews, the most recent being Nathanael Vaughn Corey who was born Feb. 27, 2000. She loved each one."

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