When Clara Pfeifer became the bride of Frank Zimprich, they went to live on the farm, which was to be their home their entire married life. Frank Jr., Eveleyn, Lillian, Bernard, Beatrice and Leonard were born to this union and on this farm.
When Frank and Clara were expecting their first child, Frank Sr. spent many hours whittling a crib with his jack knife. This crib was used for all six children, is still in excellent shape, and treasured by the whole family.
Money was scarce in those days and the circus was coming to Cooperstown. Frank really wanted his children to see it, so he took on the job of painting the schoolhouse. He started painting at 6 AM and painted till dark so he could finish before that wonderful circus came.
No spray or sprayers were available, but there was no mustard in the Frank Zimprich fields. All the children would walk through the fields and pick each mustard plant. They were really thrilled when they finished and their parents took them to town for a banana split - their only wages for many days of mustard picking.
Every winter Clara would fry down the side meat and pork chops from 6 to 8 pigs. She would fry the meat, put it in a large crock jar and pour melted lard over each layer. This kept the meat until the next fall when they could butcher again. She cut all this meat with a small hand meat saw and refused all help except to carry the meat into the house.
Sunday Mass was a must and although they had 51/2 miles to Jessie, only the most severe blizzards kept them home. Frank and Clara piled all the kids in the covered "rig" with fur robes around them and bricks that had been heated in the oven to warm their feet. Frank Sr. took great pleasure in having a snappy well-groomed team that was all dressed up with bells. What a beautiful sound to hear those bells coming on an early, cool, crisp, clear morning. The sleigh track wasn't always so good, especially after a thaw, so more than once the sleigh tipped over, the older children and Dad would jump out, tip it back, and be on their way.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 469