History

Walter C. Aman, Hillsboro, Oregon
Ancestral villages: Landau (Beresan District) and Güldendorf

I was born and raised in Campbell County, South Dakota where my grandfather, Jacob Aman, homesteaded after arriving from Landau, Ukraine in 1889. My father, John J. Aman, was 12 years old when he came.

In 1885, my mother's parents, Gottlieb and Johanna Grenz came to South Dakota from Güldendorf, Ukraine. My mother, Karolina Grenz, was 2 years old when the family came to America.

During World War II, I served in the U.S. Army from Dec. 7, 1941 - April 4, 1946, spending 2 years in China, Burma and India. In 1950, I graduated from the University of North Dakota and started teaching. Later, due to housing shortage, I moved to Bismarck to work as an employment counselor. In 1955, I started work for N.D. Vocational Rehabilitation Division as a counselor and supervisor. In 1967, I moved to Hillsboro, Oregon where I worked in the same capacity until 1986, when I retired.

In 1948, Ella Mae Grueneich and I were married in Bismarck. We raised 3 wonderful children there. They are all married and raising my four grandchildren. We lived in Bismarck until the big move to Portland, Oregon in 1967. We enjoyed the northwest very much - the tall fir trees and the abundant rain.

I like gardening, especially roses - am a garden club member here. We had good schools, church, great camping near the Pacific beaches and the Cascade Mountains.

In 1973, our world changed. After two years of intense medical care, my wife of 25 years died at age 46.

Since my retirement in 1986, I have done some family research. I hope that going to the villages where my parents were born will help to continue my sporadic effort to put something in writing for my family.