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Berg
Buffalo Tales, Volume 1,
No. 8, August, 1978,
EARLY
POST OFFICES IN BUFFALO COUNTY, by Alice Shaneyfelt Howell
Berg was the
community center of the Saxon Colony which settled in
Schneider Township in 1873; Wilhelm Freyburg became
postmaster there February 3, 1875.
Buffalo
Tales, Volume 12, No.6, June, ROOTS OF BUFFALO COUNTY -
THE GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS, Part I,
by Margaret Stines
Nielsen
[In the Saxon colony settlement
area]
In 1874, a town to be called
Berg was surveyed; Friedrich Friedrich became first
postmaster. Although no town developed there were three
churches in the area: Lutheran, Presbyterian and Catholic.
The Zion Lutheran Church flourished for a number of years
but was removed to Ravenna in 1910.
Buffalo Tales, Volume 19,
No. 3, May - June, 1996, HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
CHURCHES IN BUFFALO COUNTY, Part I, by Alice Shaneyfelt
Howell
Other early Presbyterian
congregations were organized at Shelton, Miller, Sweetwater,
Sodtown and Berg in Schneider Township.
Buffalo Tales, Volume 19,
No. 4, July - August, 1996, HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
CHURCHES IN BUFFALO COUNTY, Part II, by Alice Shaneyfelt
Howell
The number of churches and their many
denominations during the years 1871 to the early 1920's
confirm the importance of religion to our pioneer
settlers. The first settlement was on or near the
transcontinental Union Pacific completed through Buffalo
County in 1866. However, a very early group was the
Saxon Colony from Germany which settled in Schneider
Township in October of 1873. Dr. Schneider, a native of
Saxony, joined the colony and became its president. They
settled "on the south bank of the Loup River opposite
the mouth of Beaver Creek" and all thirteen colonists
spent the winter in a 16' x 24' sod structure which they
built. In the spring they found their own land, built
soddies and planted crops and gardens, getting
established in their new location. In 1874, a town to be
called Berg was surveyed and a post office established.
Although no town developed there were three churches
established: Lutheran, Presbyterian and Catholic. The
rural Zion Lutheran Church flourished for a time but
joined Ravenna in 1910.
History of Buffalo County and Its People, by
Samuel Clay Bassett, pp. 133 &140,
CHAPTER XXX , THE
SAXON COLONY--CAME FROM SAXONY IN 1873--MADE SETTLEMENT
IN BUFFALO COUNTY IN FALL OF 1873--CROPS DESTROYED BY
GRASSHOPPERS IN 1874 --REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF ENDURANCE
ON PART OF SAXON WOMEN.
Schneider Township in
Buffalo County was very largely settled by emigrants from
Europe and even at this date the names of quite eighty per
cent of those residing on the 150 farms in this township
indicate that the present occupants of the farms either came
from Saxony, Germany, Bohemia or other European countries or
are descendants of those who in the preceding generation
emigrated from one of those countries to Schneider Township
there to make a home….
140
In 1874 a survey
was made with a view of establishing a village on
section 22-11-14 in Schneider Township to be named Berg,
but no village ever grew there although a postoffice
named Berg was established at that point in 1874 or '75
with Friedrich Friedrich as postmaster. As recalled
there was a mail route from Gibbon to Berg….At a quite
early date there was erected in the immediate vicinity
of Berg postoffice a Presbyterian Church and a Catholic
Church.
Cemeteries in Schneider Township
Burgess
- This cemetery is located on the north side of section 28
in Schneider Twp. Take Hwy. 10 5 1/2 miles south of
Pleasanton or 11 miles north of Kearney to Husker Rd. Turn
east and go 10 miles to Maple Rd. Go 1 mile north on Maple
Rd. to 235th. Rd. and then 1/4 mile west.
Owen Burgess. Sr. purchased 160 acres in 1885 and used a
small part as a family burial ground.
Dow
- This cemetery is located in the middle of section 30 in
Schneider Twp. From Pleasanton, travel 5 1/2 miles south on
Hwy. 10,
or from Kearney travel 11 miles north and turn east on
Husker Rd.
Go 7 miles, then turn north and go another 1/2 mile. There
is a
farm lane that goes east between an alfalfa field and a corn
field.
The cemetery is 1/2 down this lane.
Established in Dec. 1889 on land donated by one of the three
Mr. Dow’s living in the area, all of whom served on the
original cemetery association board.
St. Joseph's
- This cemetery is located in section 21 of Schneider
Township.
Take Hwy. 10, 3 1/2 miles south from Pleasanton or 13 miles
north from
Kearney. Turn east on Grand Island Rd. and go approximately
10 miles.
Established in Aug. 1899. A Catholic church was built there
also. Wind destroyed it in June 1950. Plans were made to
rebuild but the Bishop discouraged it and most parishioners
went to Ravenna
St. Wenceslaus
– This cemetery is a public cemetery and is located in north
eastern Buffalo County. Travel 13 miles north of Kearney or
3 1/2 miles south of Pleasanton on Hwy. 10. Turn east on
Grand Island Road and go 11 miles. The cemetery is on the
south side of the road.
Bohamian National Cemetery established in 1884 in the NW
corner of Section 23. In 1912 a Presbyterian church located
a mile west was purchased and moved to the cemetery grounds
and renamed St Wenceslaus Catholic Church. It served the
Czechs of the community until 1969.
Private Burial Grounds
-
In Schneider Twp. , in Sec. 2. One burial, a young
boy with Surname WEIDNER.
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