Carl Neirenberg and Wilhelmina Gabert were both born in Germany. They came to Ashland, Wisconsin. In 1871 they came to Sibley County, Minnesota where Carl died in 1876. The large family farmed there for about 10 years then moved to Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Oscar worked at different jobs around Casselton, North Dakota and surrounding places.
In 1884 Oscar, Ed, and Theodore came by train to Cooperstown, North Dakota All they could see on their way was prairie, except here and there a sod house and barn. Like many other pioneers, they worked on Cooper Ranch. One night a dance was held in the courthouse. There weren't very many women living here then. Thirty men and three women attended. A band was organized in 1884. It consisted of R. A. Melgard, Mr. Stevens, and Pete Nelson.
OSCAR (1863-1954) and Hattie Mielke (1874-1964) were married in 1891. To this union were three children:
Fredrick - who died in 1913, Mrs. J. N. (Laura) Skein of Minnesota, and Carl of Cooperstown who died in 1966.
The first year of their married life he worked out threshing etc. In 1892 he took a homestead on Section 8 and built a lumber shanty. They lived on the homestead till they moved to town. He commented that he had good crops all those years, and he was thankful he stayed in North Dakota.
THEODORE lived to be 96 years old. While he was working for R. C. Cooper he wintered 100 head of cattle on Section 5. He watered and fed these cattle all alone.
Later he homesteaded and the homestead is still in the family.
Theodore's first wife Viola Ashby died in 1936. They had one son named Edward, who married Clara Fluto. His second wife Eva Williams also preceded him in death. He fathered two more children, Mrs. Carrie Menord and FRANK who married Minnie Clemens and they live on the homestead with their family. When Theodore was 90 years old his family held a very large birthday party for him. He had a cake with 90 candles.
EDWARD also lived to a very old age (1869-1953). He married Jenny Williams at Cooperstown January 22, 1898. She died in 1931. Ed also took a homestead where they lived with their only child. A daughter Florence. Florence married Carl Urness and their son, Edward, still farms the family homestead.
Two brothers Charles and Fredrick came to Cooperstown later. Charles was a carpenter. He built the house on Theodore Neirenberg's farm, and several other buildings, and then went back to Minnesota to live.
FREDRICK (1872-1957) married Ida Borchert in 1903 from this union 6 children were born:
Clarence, Gerald who married Margaret Houghton in 1933, Ralph, Mrs. Merle (Elenore) Haugen, Lester and Fred Jr. on the farm. Fredrick was famous for making delicious sauerkraut. When asked his secret he said, "I tramp it with my bare feet."
The Neirenberg boy said that from 1884-1892 this country was full of wild geese. They covered a stretch of 15-20 acres and the land looked like huge snow-banks. At night it was difficult to sleep - the geese made so much noise.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 277