My grandfather Henry Frericks was born in Germany on May 10, 1852. In 1877 he married my grandmother Bilda Tiedens, who was also born in Germany in 1857. They lived in Hollen Ostfriesland Germany until 1892 when they came to the United States. They settled in Butler County where they were engaged in farming. They had seven sons, one being my father George, and four daughters. They continued to live in Butler County until their deaths. My grandmother died on April 28, 1835. This was 3 years before my birth. Grandfather died September 27, 1940. I was just 2 years old, so I never knew them. On my mother’s side of the family my great grandfather Louie Wedeking married Louise Lauring. They were also from Germany. They were my grandmother’s parents. My great grandfather William Wedeking married Caroline Bucholz. They were my grandfather’s parents. Louie and William were brothers. My grandfather August Wedeking was born in Guttenberg, Iowa on March 4, 1866. On January 15, 1897, he married my grandmother Alvina Wedeking. She was born in Butler County Iowa on November 14, 1877. Their fathers were brothers, so they were first cousins. They lived on a farm North of Clarksville, farming until 1934. They then moved into Clarksville where they continued to live until their deaths. They had two sons and four daughters, one being my mother Pauline. My Grandmother Wedeking had diabetes and both of her legs were amputated so I only remember her being bedridden or in a wheelchair. My grandfather died when I was six years old and my memories of him are that he was ill with dementia and my parents visited without us at times. He died in 1944 and grandmother died in 1947.