My Genealogy Hound

HIPPE YELKEN, one of the most extensive farmers in Franklin county, Nebraska, was born in Germany, October 19, 1845, and is a son of John H. and Jedy Yelken, both of whom are natives of Germany. The father was quite an extensive farmer in his native country. The mother is now living in America. There were four boys and three girls in the family. Hippe Yelken, the subject of this sketch, lived in Germany until nineteen years of age, when he sailed for America. His youthful days were spent in attending school and laboring on the farm. May, 1865, after a six weeks’ voyage, he landed on the shores of America, and settled thirty-two miles south of Chicago, Ill., where he lived on a farm a short time, then moved to Menard county, same state, where he resided on a farm for seven years. He came from there to Franklin county, Nebr., May 28, 1872, and was the first settler and homesteader on the divide in Franklin county. The “Divide,” as it is called, is an elevated tract of land lying between the Republican and Platte valleys, and was by the first settlers of that section of Nebraska considered worthless for farm land. It has, however, since proven to be the best farm land in Nebraska, and is improved far beyond that of any other section. His homestead lies in section 20, township 3, range 15 west, on which he still resides. At the time of his coming to the county there was not a house between the Republican and Platte rivers, a distance of forty miles, and buffalo, deer, elk and antelope were plentiful. He killed some buffalo, and for the first few years lived principally on buffalo meat. Antelope, for a number of years after he settled there, were often seen strolling over his farm. His first dwelling consisted of a log house fourteen by eigheeen feet, made from the small trees grown along the creek bottoms. He lived in this house six years and then built a twelve by twenty-six-foot sod house, which he lived in seven years, and then built the present fine frame house, which is one of the very best in the county. When our subject came to Franklin county he had only a team and one cow and was in debt $450. During the grasshopper period of 1874—76 he lost nearly all his crops. The first few years he had to go to Lowell to trade, a distance of thirty-seven and a half miles, and down to the Republican river for his fuel. During the great Easter snow storm in 1873, when the snow blew for three days and nights so that no one dared venture from doors, he lost one colt and six head of cattle. Notwithstanding all these losses he has been one of the most successful farmers in Franklin county. By persevering hard work he has got his four hundred acres in a splendid state of cultivation, which, with its excellent improvements, makes it one of the best farms in the county. Mr. Yelken devotes his time principally to raising good stock, and in this line he has been equally successful.

Our subject was married, February 27, 1868, to Miss Mana Blank, who was born in Germany, September 21, 1850. This union has resulted in the birth of six children, namely — Katie, Thomas, John, Martie, Frank (deceased), Anna. He has also an adopted son, Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Yelken are members of the Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Yelken is a democrat, and has held the offices of road overseer and treasurer of Macon township since 1888.