Hilda Ida Kirmse visited her relatives in Nebraska for two weeks during the fall of 1927. Hilda had almost fifty aunts and uncles and about one hundred first cousins so she had a lot of relatives that she could visit.

Miss Leona Arndt was pleasantly surprised Friday evening, November 11, when thirty young folks gathered at her home in observance of her birthday anniversary.  Those present from a distance were Miss Hilda Brunken, of Meno, Okla., Henry Buss, of Lincoln, Wm Borcherding and Raymond Arndt, of Seward.

  • WHAT: Hilda attended a birthday party for her cousin, Leona Arndt, shortly after she arrived.
  • WHO: Leona Arndt
  • WHEN: November 11, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska – probably
  • SOURCE: Newspaper clipping in Hilda Brunken’s Album
Visiting Aunts
  • WHAT: Hilda visited with two of her aunts.
  • LEFT TO RIGHT: Anna Hagelman, Hilda Brunken, Ida Brunken
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska – probably
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
  • NOTES: Anna Hagelman, sister of Hilda’s mother, was a frequent visitor to Oklahoma.
Kramer High School
  • WHAT: Hilda visited the new Columbus, Nebraska Kramer High School.
  • WHO: Hilda Ida Brunken
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
  • NOTES:  “Officially dedicated in December 1925, Kramer High was named in honor of a long-time school board president Carl Kramer who had died in 1924.” Downloaded December 12, 2014.
The Herman Karlin Family
The Herman Karlin Family
  • WHAT: Hilda Brunken visited her aunt, uncle, and cousin while she was in Columbus.
  • LEFT TO RIGHT: Herman Karlin, Louise (Bunken) Karlin, Mildred Karlin, daughter of Louise (Brunken) and Herman Karlin
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
  • NOTES: Louise (Bunken) Karlin, was the youngest sister of Hilda’s father and the Karlins were frequent visitors to Oklahoma.
Carrol Brunken and Mildred Karlin
  • WHAT: Hilda Brunken’s cousins
  • LEFT TO RIGHT: Carrol Brunken, son of Rose Marie (Hupp) and Otto Brunken; Mildred Karlin, daughter of Herman and Louise (Brunken) Karlin
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Hellbusch Children
  • WHAT: Hilda visited with her cousin, Lucy Margaretha (Hagelman) Hellbusch, and family while she was in Nebraska.
  •  WHO:
    1. Clarence Hellbusch, Born 04 Mar 1915
    2. Alex Ray Hellbusch, Born 19 Jul 1926
    3. Arlo Hellbusch, Born 15 Jun 1921
    4. Leona Hellbusch, Born 28 Apr 1918
    5. Rueben Norvin Hellbusch, Born 19 Dec 1923
    6. Elton Hellbusch, Born 13 Nov 1916
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Humphrey, Platte, Nebraska – probably
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Herbert Arndt
  • WHAT: Hilda visited with her cousin, Herbert Arndt, during her stay in Nebraska.
  • WHO: Herbert E. Arndt (1905-1980)
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Arndt Corn Picker
  • WHAT: Hilda’s uncle, Edward Arndt, and her cousin, Herbert E. Arndt, are in a corn field with their tractor pulled/powered corn harvester.
  • LEFT TO RIGHT: Edward Arndt (1875-1951); Herbert E. Arndt (1905-1980)
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Near Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
J.L. Brunken Family
  • NOTES: Hilda visited her aunt, Lina (Schneider) Brunken, and uncle, John Louis “Louie” Brunken, and cousin, Laura Brunken, at their home in Columbus, Nebraska.
  • LEFT TO RIGHT: Lina (Schneider) Brunken, wife of John Louis Brunken; John Louis “Louie” Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken; Laura Brunken, daughter of John Louis Brunken
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
J.L. Brunken Home
  • WHAT: Home of John Louis Brunken Family
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE:Columbus, Nebraska – 1816 11th Street[2][3]
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
  • NOTES:
    1. Laurel Brunken emailed “I put an all points bulletin on John Louis’ house and this is what I came up with. Several people looked him up in the directories and I got several addresses, but someone posted the picture I attached at 1816 11th Street in Columbus.
      1816 11th Street, Columbus, Nebraska

      It is almost exactly as it was.  I knew I had seen it.” January 20, 2015.

    2. In the 1920 US Census, John Louis Brunken is living at 1816 Eleventh Street. I cannot find John Louis Brunken in the 1930 US Census which would be a closer date to this November 1927 picture. However, there is a border crossing from Canada with the Kiwanis Club dated 17 Aug 1926 for Laura Brunken which states that her home address is 1816 11th St., Columbus, Nebr.
Johanna Brunken and Children
  • WHAT: Hilda’s grandmother, Johanna Wilhelmina (Plath) Brunken, and Hilda’s Brunken aunts and uncles gathered while Hilda visited relatives in Nebraska.
  •  WHO:
    1. Charles Henry “Charlie” Brunken
    2. Henry Frederick Brunken
    3. Johanna Wilhelmina (Plath) Brunken, mother of the others in the picture
    4. Louise Wilhemmia (Brunken) Karlin
    5. John Louis Brunken
    6. Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    7. Otto Brunken
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Johanna Brunken and Children
  • WHAT: Hilda’s grandmother, Johanna Wilhelmina (Plath) Brunken, and Hilda’s Brunken aunts and uncles gathered while Hilda visited relatives in Nebraska.
  •  WHO:
    1. Charles Henry “Charlie” Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    2. Raymond Victor Brunken, son of Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    3. Herman Henrich Karlin, husband of Louise Wilhemmia Brunken
    4. Leonard John Brunken, son of Henry Frederick Brunken
    5. Edwin Arnold Brunken, son of Henry Frederick Brunken
    6. Henry Frederick Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    7.  Johanna Wilhelmina (Plath) Brunken, wife of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    8. Carrol Otto Brunken, son of Otto Brunken
    9. Louise Wilhemmia Brunken, daughter of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    10. John Louis “Louie” Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    11. Mildred L Karlin, daughter of Herman Henrich Karlin
    12. Anna Grace (Hueschen) Brunken, wife of Henry Frederick Brunken
    13. Lina (Schneider) Brunken, wife of John Louis Brunken
    14. Anna Ida (Schlosser) Brunken, wife of Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    15. Ferne Elaine Brunken, daughter of Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    16. Otto Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    17. Gustav “Gus” Brunken, son of Johann Diedrich “John” Brunken
    18. Irene Dorthea Brunken, daughter of Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    19. Adeline Brunken, daughter of Gustav “Gus” Brunken
    20. Etta W. (Weyen) Brunken, wife of Charles Henry “Charlie” Brunken
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Petersen Family Gathering
Petersen Family Labeled
  • WHAT: Descendants of Carsten Petersen, Sr. have gotten together.
  •  WHO:
    • a = Unidentified
    • b = Unidentified
    • c = Unidentified
    • d = Unidentified
    • e = Unidentified
    • f = Lorena Ida Griepentrog
    • g = Unidentified
    • h = Melvin Carsten Petersen
    • i = Charles Frederick “Charley” Grossnicklaus
    • j = Minnie Christina (Petersen) Grossnicklaus
    • k = Alwina Johanna (Hoefelman) Petersen
    • l = Carsten Petersen Jr
    • m = Anna Catherine (Petersen) Hagelman
    • n = Unidentified
    • o = Christian Broder “Chris” Petersen
    • p = Lucia Bertha “Lucy” (Petersen) Griepentrog
    • q = Unidentified
    • r = Unidentified
    • s = Frieda Ida Petersen
    • t = Unidentified
    • u = Mathilda (Petersen) Arndt
    • v = Unidentified
    • w = Herbert Arndt
    • x = Edward Arndt
    • y = Unidentified
    • z = Leona Arndt
  • WHEN: November, 1927
  • WHERE: Platte Center, Nebraska – Carsten Petersen farm – note the house in the background
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album
Nebraska Cousins
  • NOTES: Hilda’s cousins have gathered while Hilda visited relatives in Nebraska.
  •  WHO:
    1. Walter Mueller
    2. Emil Mueller
    3. Edna Petersen
    4. Hilda Brunken
    5. Walter Arndt
    6. Leona Arndt
    7. Adele Mueller
    8. Elsie Hagelman
  • WHEN: November 20, 1927
  • WHERE: Columbus, Nebraska
  • SOURCE: Hilda Brunken’s Album

Miss Hilda Brunken will leave tomorrow for her home in Enid, Okla., after a two weeks’ visit with relatives here.
SOURCE: A clipping found in Hilda’s scrap book.

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Oklahoma Brunken Cousins Copyright © 2018 by Dale William Kirmse is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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