Saga into the Twentieth Century

About the Book

In the late 1800 hundreds, several immigrant families landed in New York hoping to homestead in the prairie lands of North Dakota. Going to the railroad they engaged the use of boxcars for each family to carry their belongs as well as their families as they traveled to claim the homesteads allotted them.

Amongst this group of immigrants was a young couple hoping to travel with the group, but the birth of their baby was at hand. The boxcars were scheduled to leave within the month.

The young woman was happy she had reached the soil of United States before her child was born. Now her baby would be a naturalized US citizen. By the light of the next day a son was born to this young couple, they named him Charley.

A month later, the young couple with their baby and all their possessions entered the boxcar to begin their trip to North Dakota to claim their homestead.

Arriving in North Dakota the box cars were put on side tracks where the families continued to living until men could help each other build cabins on their allotted ground. A community developed and Charley was documented the first baby in that area.

As time went on they helped each other with planting and harvesting of crops. Gradually they built homes.

Through the years, Charleys family evolved with the marriage of children who had immigrated with their parents from Germany.

The community settled along a river. In the winter this made for a great many fun ice skating parties.

They were a hardy group who drove the sad times away with old world dances, quilting bee's, old fashion charivari, and house raising for the young getting married.

As time passed a town was formed with cafes, bars, depot, lumber yards, dry goods store with mixed merchandise. A School and church were the first buildings to be built.

Charley grew to manhood and married a petite fragile girl. At the birth of his second daughter, his wife died. Charleys brother and wife took care of the two babies.

Charley loved to play his violin.  He played at many of the barn dances. At one such dance, he met a young women who had accompanied her brother to listen to the music.

Charley could not take his eyes of this girl, her dark hair tied back with a ribbon showed a lovely face.  When she stood her robust figure interested him. He thought she might be able to stand up to the hard life on the farm. Charley found it hard to make it through to the break; he so wanted to meet the girl before her brother took her home.

During the dinner break, he managed to acquaint himself with the brother and Before the night was over, he had arranged to hire the young man to help him on the farm and for him to bring his sister along.

Charley fell in love with Anna and persuaded her to become his wife.

Through the years Charley and Anna were blessed with six living children despite the loss of a son and daughter. With Charleys two children from his first marriage and the six living children they had an event filled life.

Fredrick was they second to the last child. He was a bright, energetic, adventurous, charismatic boy, always inventing ideas that put him in danger. He managed to escape death many times throughout his life.

Out west Lisa was born into a family with two brothers and a sister.  Lisas one brother, Phil, was also adventurous and always suggesting ideas that enticed her to do things that were not in the best interest of staying alive.

God must have been watching over these two mischief-makers for they managed to grow up.  In time Fredrick hopped the freight train boxcars and headed west where he met Lisa.  They fell in love and married and a new era was begun.

The books that follow this one will reveal Chuck and Annas extensive family into the new millennium as well as reach back in time and reveal Fredricks grandparents.

About the Author

LOUISE HAEGER (GIFFORD ) AUTHOR BORN IN IDAHO Born to an English-French father and a Dutch-Scottish mother, Louise has lived a life filled with adventure. She married a German boy at a very early age and lives with him still in Southern California. They have five children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.