Berndt Reunion

Members Have Enjoyable Time at J.H.’s North Lancaster

Fennimore Times, Fennimore, Wisconsin 1 Nov 1905, page one

The Berndt brothers, Jacob and Louis of North Lancaster, Peter of the same township, and Phillip of Sough Lancaster, is having a series of family reunions in honor of their father, Peter Berndt, Sr., and their other brother Adam, both here from Ironton, Ohio, on a visit.

Their coming was in the nature of a pleasant surprise as they had not let the boys know anything about it. This is the senior Mr. Berndt’s first visit to Wisconsin and he expresses himself as incredibly pleased with our state. He is a prominent farmer of Lawrence County, Ohio, and came from Germany to this country in 1857. [1880 census gives his place of birth as Bavaria and Peter’s wife as Prussia].

His deceased wife was a sister of Fred Heberlein, Jacob Herberlein, and Mrs. Joseph Kasper, Sr., her name being Dora Heberlein. She died three years ago.

Peter Brandt, Sr. is 80 Years Old

Mr. Berndt is a remarkable man. He will be 80 years old on Nov. 23rd, but there is not a gray hair on his head. Of small stature, he is yet very active and extremely well preserved. He greatly enjoys being with his sons, as the last time, prior to this, that the entire family was present, was 23 years ago, 12 March 1882, back in the old Ohio home.

His son Adam now manages his farm, they have two houses on the place. The family had their first reunion on this happy occasion a week ago yesterday at Peter Berndt’s; last Sunday they all met at Jacob Berndt’s and next Sunday they will be at Phillip Berndt’s. [Adam Berndt was living in Elizabeth Twp. in 1908, per Ironton City Directory]

The editor had the privilege and honor of being a guest at the reunion at Jacob’s and greatly enjoyed the sociability and good dinner provided. It was hardly a fair test, so soon after getting up from the table, but someone suggested that the members of the party get weighed, so the scales were brought into service and nearly everyone present mounted them; Louis Berndt, who had made a dandy waiter before, now officiating as weighmaster and the editor as a clerk.

Weighing Everyone at the Reunion

The score was as follows: Peter Berndt, Sr. 108 lbs; Jacob Berndt, 147; wife 117; Adam Berndt, 155; Peter Berndt, 159; Phillip Berndt, 162; wife 127; Louis Berndt, 142; Jacob Heberlein of North Lancaster, 156; wife 156; J.F. Heberlein of Fennimore 167; Mrs. Joseph Kaspers, Sr. of North Lancaster 140; Miss Louisa Heberlein of Liberty 198; Louis Heberlein of Lancast 157; wife (estimated) 158; Henry Kasper of North Lancaster 167; wife (estimated) 135; Miss Nora Kasper, Libert, 115; Henry O’Hara, Mt. Ida 149; wife, 128; Fred Kemper of North Lancaster 129; Louis Wolf of North Lancaster, 172; sisters Emma and Lizzie, estimated, 200; John Roth of Mt. Ida, 134; Chris Maier of Mt. Ida, 181; wife 147; Dora Brendt, 85; Freda Heberlein, 114; Sylvia Berndt, 62; Wilma Heberlein, 47; Hilda Berndt, 39; Victor Berndt, 75.

The editor? Oh! he only weighed 142, the same as the weighmaster, Louis Berndt. They were the two “runts” of the company.