Oachs and Ward Family Website

William Oachs was born November 18, 1884 in Lyra Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota. He was the son of Peter and Elizabeth (Stoppelmann) Ochs. Peter Oachs was born in Rynes, Prisum, Germany. Elizabeth was born in Ontario, Canada and she was the daughter of John and Mary Stoppelmann. Her parents immigrated from Hamburg, Germany to Canada. Peter and Elizabeth Oachs had eight children: Frank, Emma, John, Ida, Anna William, Edward and Milton.

William was born in a log house in rural Mapleton. He told his children of times there would be snow on their beds in the morning that had sifted through the cracks between the logs in the upstairs room.  Bill grew up on a farm. He played the trumpet with the Miles Averill boys.

In 1902, Bill and Bob Taylor went to South Dakota and staked a homestead claim, in Murdo, Jones County. Bill worked on the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Railroad. While there they had many experiences with rattlesnakes and Indians. Bill came back to Minnesota and was married to Minnie Ward on July 16, 1907 in Mapleton, Minnesota.

Minnie Myrtle Ward was born on December 2, 1890 and was the daughter of Charles and Mary (Stratton) Ward. Bill had intended to take his new bride to South Dakota and live in the house that he built on his claim. But one day while driving past the Capp Pratt farm in rural Mapleton, Mr. Pratt stopped and asked them to operate his farm for him.  Bill and Minnie decided to live there and operate the farm for Mr. Pratt.  They lived here for seven years. Bill traded his South Dakota property for a business property in Mapleton, now Kern’s Variety Store.  He rented the building to the Hamm’s Brewing Company for $45.00 per month.  Envelope.

Bill was 6 ft. 2 inches tall and a heavy boned, lean man. He could speak, read and write the German language. He was a man of working skills, a good farmer and always knew when it was the proper time to plant and harvest.  He many times used the “moon signs”. He did sheep shearing, grain stacking, ice cutting, built buildings, grain threshing, butchering, horse shoeing, cutting and sawing wood having his own equipment for this kind of work, doing these jobs for others as well as himself. He was the only man in the neighborhood who could properly stack grain bundles so the rain didn’t get in, and also the only to do butchering. Bill loved his horses and kept them until he died of old age. He grieved terribly when his aged horse, Floria (23 years old) fell on the ice and broker her leg and he had to shoot her. He had a team of black work horses named “Trinket and Trumpet”. They would, when scared by a bee or something take off and have a “runaway”. One time they smashed the hay wagon to bits. They also ran home to the barn.  Bill was the caretaker of the township road going past the Oachs farm for a few years, using horses to drag the road.

Bill and Minnie purchased a farm consisting of 80 acres near Vernon Center and lived here for three years.  They then bought a 40 acre farm in Sterling Township. Minnie had inherited 40 acres and the farm was located one and half miles from her land. Here the family lived for twelve years.  (Quit Claim Deed)

Sixteen children were born to William and Minnie. Bill delivered all of his children. They are: Elta, Cecil, Lorna, Doris, Donald, Florence, Beulah, Lawrence, Birdell, Leslie, Calvin, Whilma, DaWayne, Willis, Roger and Dennis.

Bill lost his lease to the Hamm’s Brewing Company in 1922, during the Prohibition. In 1929, the depression hit.  Bill and Minnie had 13 children at this time. They left the farm and moved to Mankato. They had mortgage their property to keep food on the table.  Finally, they lost it all. The large family caused the loss of the real estate property. The Oachs children had a natural flair for music. They organized a dance band called “The Kato Kids”. They became very popular and played at house parties and then at county fairs and talent shows. Minnie played the piano, Lorna played saxophone and beat the bass drum with her foot.

Florence played the accordion, Birdell played the Hawaiin Guitar and Beulah played the drums. The younger kids, Calvin and Willis, would sometimes play the Kazoo.  Bill drove the “Kato Kids Band” bus for ten years. He also worked on WPA projects through the depression.  (See newspaper article, page 2.) (Barn Sign)

Minnie was a very strong woman, in mind and body. She disciplined her children with her good and decent principles. She loved people, children, and animals. She always had her “Cable-Nelson Piano” in the house. Minnie’s father, Charles F. Ward, bought her the piano, it being the first piano to be sold in Blue Earth County.

Williiam and Minnie Oachs lived their final years in Mankato at 801 West 5^th Street. William died on April 26, 1954 of hardening of the arteries. Minnie died on April 15, 1955 after suffering a stroke.  William and Minnie are buried in the Sterling Cemetery.

Written by Florence Oachs Schaible Standfest.

1912 Certificate for Engine

1941

Military Registration Card

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