Carl Arthur Telgren was born at Florence, Nebraska, July 2, 1891 shortly after his parents had moved there from the Kiron-Odebolt area. When he was two, he and his parents moved and settled in the Star Community south of Oakdale, Nebraska. He grew up on his parents' farm and assisted his father in farming for years. On January 16, 1910, Arthur married Lillian Maude Prevo in Neligh. Many described her as a sweet, gentle and kind woman. Arthur and Maude, as they were known, spent their early married years assisting Arthur's father, Gus in farming. They also farmed on their own.
In 1927 they moved into Oakdale where Arthur was engaged in road construction and became quite proficient. Arthur was well known in the community, belonging to the local I.O.O.F. order and also was a member of the Oakdale Volunteer Firemen Association. Arthur's musical abilities involved playing the piano for dances and other occasions in the area, and playing the Sousaphone in the Star Band. He and his children loved music and were equally talented.
Arthur was always an honest hard worker, which was to be the death of him. He started to feel some distress and consulted a doctor the Saturday before he died. On Monday morning he called again and then worked all day. After supper he felt worse and the family called for the doctor but it was too late. Family and friends were called at 12:10 and he passed away on May 20th, 1931. It was Arthur who shortened the Telgren name from its original form, Tellgren. His wife, Maude, later married Arthur's best friend Ferd Kinnan four years after he died. Though Ferd and Maude were married, there were no children born into this second marriage.
Arthur and Maude had six children two of whom, Helen & James, died in infancy. The surviving children were
- Joseph LeRoy
- Dorthy Mae
- Carl Arthur
- Evelyn lone
Joseph LeRoy was born July 5, 1910 in Oakdale. In his early years he helped his father and grandfather farming. On October 5, 1929, he married Nina Ruth Duncan of Oakdale in Neligh. He took his family to California for a number of years till after the Depression and moved back to Oakdale. They had six children, five of whom were boys; Arden LeRoy who married Yoshiko Tsuneto in 1955, Paul Arthur who married Vivian Edwards in 1951, Randall Ray who married Chong Tok Kim in 1963, Joseph LeRoy II who married Lydia May Gingerish in 1974, David Joe who married Chong Su Kim in 1966, and Kimberly Kay who married Michael Wiseman in 1974.
Dorthy Mae was born June 9, 1915. She married Edwin Moser of Elgin, they moved to Southern California and had one daughter, Lila who married William Brehm.
Carl Arthur II, born February 1, 1918 and died April 19, 1920 of cholera.
Evelyn lone was born October 4, 1922. She married Jesse "Jack" Miller on May 25, 1941. They had three sons; Kerry who married Judy Bressler, Jackie who married Sherry Patrick, and Kevin who married Joyce Zeigenbein. Evelyn and Jack were divorced in 1962. She then she married Donald Josten in 1963. After Donalds death, she married Kenneth Norris.
Arthur and Maude lived a good life and got to see the community around them grow. When Ferd married Maude, they spent their remaining years in Oakdale. After Ferd's death, Maude, her sister Rosa ("Aunt Rosie"), and their mother Lulu all moved into a house together in Oakdale across the street from Joseph and Nina Telgren's house. It was there that they spent the remainder of their years, three sweet kind old ladies that the town loved.
(9-23-11)
(Previous Section) (Next section)
