Jacob Wendel Sr. was born January 16, 1878 in Peppenkum, Germany to Katherine Hurt and John Wendel having two brothers and six sisters. Two brothers died during World War II. Mr. Wendel also served as a soldier in the Army in his native land. There was also a set of twins in the family he came from, one which became a nun. Cardinal Wendel, of Germany was a cousin of Jake's. One sister was married to a brother of old John Weber, his buddy who immigrated to the United States with him in 1901 and they worked in the woods logging in Minnesota for awhile. One of his sisters Mrs. Misho had settled in St. Cloud, Minnesota a few years before he came.
After some time he came to North Dakota and worked on the railroad before engaging in farming in 1907. He was married to Katherine Geisinger of Grand Island, Nebraska in 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kronebusch were their attendants. They were blessed with six daughters and four sons starting from the oldest Mrs. Gertrude Harstad, Jamestown, North Dakota, Mrs. Rose Simmons, Hopkins, Minnesota, Mrs. Cecilia Zeidler, St. Paul, Minnesota, Mrs. Polly Demarais, Buffalo, Minnesota, John Wendel, Sanborn, North Dakota, Mrs. Mary Weshnevski, Tower City, North Dakota, Mrs. Hildegarde Kehl, Moses Lake, Washington, Wilfred, Rudolph, and Henry of Sanborn, North Dakota. He has 32 grandchildren and 56 great grandchildren.
Mrs. Wendel passed away at her farm home May 15, 1936. Mr. Wendel died May 17, 1964, spending his last 18 years with his youngest son Henry and family on his family farm enjoying life and nature. Though times had been hard, Mr. Wendel enjoyed life to the fullest and was always happy.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 264