Yuma County, Colorado
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Klassen, Kirk
Catharina Klassen filed May 7, 1906 for the southeast of 19, 5S 47W, and claimed it in March 1913, witnesses Ogden L. Boone, Charles G. Preuss, Isaac N. Gleaves, and Burt Sell, all of Kirk.
Cathria C. Klassen "widow of Abraham Klassen, deceased" filed for the nw of
20, 5S 47W in 1906, witnesses Cornelius Fast, Jacob Fast, Abraham
Heinrich, Jr., all of Kirk, and Samuel Weaver of Cope.
As the family grew up and each
went his or her own way,
Katharine lived on the homestead
with her youngest son, Henry
until he married in 1927. At
that time she had a new wooden
structure house built and asked
her daughter Helen and
son-in-law Cornelius Heinrichs
to come and live with her with
their family. They did and so
took care of her until her death
in July 1941. During that time
she gave the chest to Helen for
caring for her.
During the 40's some time,
Helen's sister Emma felt that it
wasn't fair that Helen should
have the chest, but Helen wasn't
about to give it up. Finally,
caught in the middle, Cornelius
offered to "cut it in half",
which they both agreed to.
He did as best he could, trying to preserve all parts of it, cut it in
half lengthwise, giving each one
a handle, one half had the lock
and front part, and the other
the inscription on the back.
Using plywood he fashioned a new
front for one and a new back for
the other.
Each took their half with them. Finally Helen went to Oregon to live with
her daughter, Katharine, and
son-in-law, Gordon Fahlgren.
While there, she gave Katharine
her half. In the meantime, Emma
gave her half to Henry's
daughter Lillian back in
Colorado. In August 1977, Helen
died in her son Wesley and
daughter-in-law, Ann Heinrichs
home in Fresno, California. Emma
later died in the Mennonite
nursing home in Reedley,
California in March 1988.
In 1985 at a family Reunion,
Lillian asked Katharine if she
would like to have the other
half of the chest. She told her
she could have it if Katharine
would come to Colorado to get
it.
In July 1988, Katharine and
Gordon went to Topeka,
Kansas for the Klassen
family reunion. En route
through Colorado, they
stopped in Kirk and with the
help of Lillian's son and
daughter-in-law, found the
half chest in storage in the
old Kirk school house. It
was loaded in their van and
taken with the Fahlgrens to
Kansas and on the remainder
of their trip, arriving back
in Oregon the last part of
July.
During the winter of
1988-89, the chest was
rejoined and refinished by
Katharine and their son
Raymond. The tips of the
hinges and locks had been
cut off and lost when it was
cut in half. Ken Fahlgren
manufactured these by the
pattern on the top of the
chest, so as much as
possible it was back to its
original condition. If it
could only talk, it would
have many, many stories to
tell. It is now in a place
of honor in the home of
Gordon and Katharine
Fahlgren.
January 1914 "Abe Klassen, who is working in the mines near Pueblo, is visiting with home folks at present."
October 1914 "Frank Klassen was married to Miss May Dolmer last week."
1913 "Miss Maggie Klassen and Mr. Pete Brown were married at the bride's home Thursday Oct 16. Their many relatives and friends were present and after the ceremony they all joined in a wedding dinner."
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