Eva Gohring (Ida's Mother)

Snap Shot - Ida Eva Gohring

Ida was born in the Berlin settlement area (near Fredonia, ND) in a sod house.  In 1920 she moved to Bismarck (11th Street) with her parents.  Her mother was suffering from TB and needed hospital care.  She attended grades 1-9 in Bismarck Wachter Elementary

About 1929 she moved to the Napoleon area to farm 5 miles north, 2 miles west where she helped farm with her father and step-mother Hilda.  Milked 2 cows. Had poor relationship with her step-mother.

Ida was saved on February 23, 12932.  She was baptized on July 10, 1932 by Rv. C Knopp at Round Lake, southwest of Napoleon.

She began piano teaching in 1949.  She also worked at brother -in-law John Grenz's Cafe located in the napoleon Hotel from 1949 - 1952 with Edwen during school hours.  She made her famous Kuchen "coffee cake" and many other pastries for the farmers who would come in for meals and coffee breaks.  Edwen helped with general cleanup and kitchen detail work.

She moved to Bismarck in 1952, worked at Vi's Cafe for 1 year, then began a full-time piano teaching career for 45 years.  At the height of her teaching career working out of her home, she had 109 piano students during one week!  She would teach before school during the lunch hour when students came from nearby elementary schools, during the day when students came from out of town, evenings until 10PM, and Saturdays.

She was a pianist, singer, and loved all music.  She was very active in Bismarck Baptist Church as pianist, choir member, Women's Society, and sang in a ladies Trio for 25 years with Esther Schlaufman (her best friend for over 40 years) and Laura Hoffer.

Buried in Bismarck Sunset memorial Gardens, next to husband Edwen.  Memorial Services were at Bismarck Baptist Church, Rev. John Thielenhous officiating, with Boelter Funeral Home visitation for several days prior.

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Ida E. Grenz Obituary

Snap Shot - Edwin Grenz

Edwen was born in the Streeter Flat area, 13 miles east of Napoleon, ND.  In 1910 the family moved into Streeter, ND for 1 winter, then moved to a farm 4 miles east of Napoleon after the farmhouse burned down in 1913, they built a new barn with a shed attached for use as a home for the next 4 years.  They moved to Burnstead for 2 years.  Edwen finished grades 1-6.

He was saved in the spring of 1919, and was baptized June 8, 1919 in Red Lake by Rev. A. Herringer.

He met Ida Gohring at her father's second, marriage.  After dating in the Napoleon area, Edwen asked Mr. Gohring for permission to marry Ida.  After the wedding they honeymooned to Bismarck, driving a 1931 Chevy.  They lived with Fred Grenz's in a second floor, 2-rooom "apartment" for three weeks, then moved to the "Melby" farm five miles east of Napoleon on Hwy37.  There, Clinton was born.

Their first transportation from 1931 - 1939 was a wagon with a box, and two horses.  The farm consisted of 80 acres, a two-room house, a small barn for three cows and twelve chickens.  They built a new lean-to for five horses.  Additional 160 acres was rented for cash crops of approximately $80 per year.

In 1936 they moved to the Craig farm near the Gohrings.  The rented 160 acres, but had no crops that year.  In late 1936 they moved into the Gohring farm to take care of it while the Gohrings went to Oregon.  In 1937 the Gohrings returned and sold the farm, so they had no place to live.  They moved into the Fred Grenz's farm again (second floor) for three months while looking for a place to farm.  In the spring of 1939 they rented the Lachenmeier farm three miles east and one mile north of Napoleon.  The farm was on a hill overlooking the Napoleon area, with pasture lands in the hills north of the farm.  and the farming lands in the lower flat areas south of the farm.  They rented the farm for about three years, then bought it.  Renovation of the farm began almost immediately, by moving the old two-room house onto a new foundation.  They rebuilt the interior into a living room, dining room, kitchen, and entrance, with a full two-bedroom basement.  Edwen built a new barn and chicken brooder house.

In 1939 they purchased a 1932 black Chrysler for $50 (49.50 sale of a bull, 50 cents cash).  They acquired 38 cows, milking thirteen.  They had two horses, a tractor, 300 chickens raised to sell dressed out for 1.24 each.  Their crops included wheat, oats, flax on 160 rented acres; they owned 160 acres mostly pasture.

Their second son was born in 1943, delivered at home by his father.  the doctor from Napoleon came soon after the deliver and declared everything OK.

Edwen suffered from bad "nerves" and spent some time in the Bismarck Hospital around 1942 - 1943.  Clinton and Ida drove tractor and did much of the planting in the spring;  in the evenings after their second son was born, Ida had to take the baby to the barn at nights when he cried.

They sold the farm in December of 1952 and moved to 1721 4th ST., Bismarck ND.  Edwen worked on his father's farm in Napoleon for 1 1/2 years, staying there during the week and driving back to Bismarck on weekends.  He then found work at the old Oscar H. Will, Inc. in Mismark as a garden seed/sunflower seed plant production manager until he retired in 1972.

He built a new home at 1425 23rd St., then purchased a new condominium unit at 2027 Kavaney Dr. in 1977.

Edwen liked to try to invent things.  He worked for 30 or more years on a concept of a rotating engine which he was never able to complete' the Wenkel rotary engine, mass produced in the 1960's, was very similar in design.  He also designed much of the processing machinery used in pressure vacuuming, drying, and packaging of the salted sunflower seeds which was the mainstay of the business ruby Oscar Will's son, George during the 60's and 1970's.

In 1978 he suffered a stoke, was in Bismarck Hospital for several weeks, then went to the Bismarck Baptist Home where he lingered on for about 8 months.  Ida was there daily during his stay, to help with his care until he died.

Edwen was a life-long member of the Baptist Church in Napoleon and Bismarck.  He sang in church choirs most of his life, sang in the Grenz Brothers Quartet, and sang duets with his wife Ida.  He loved listening to violin music, always wishing he would have had a chance to learn how to play.

Edwen buried in Bismarck Sunset memorial Cemetery.