PRINDLE, ERNEST AND MARY (SNYDER)

by Opal Buechler

Entry F350 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Ernest Prindle was born in Stockton,
Kansas on Sept. 16, 1889 to Jessie (White)
and Selwin Prindle. He was the second born
in a family of ten children. He along with his
parents and sister moved by covered wagon
from Kansas back to Gibbon, Ne. Shortly
after their return his brother Homer was
born. Ernest and Homer grew to manhood in
and around the Kearney, Gibbon area. They
worked on farms and also helped their Dad
farm a large amount of leased land.

In 1913, they moved to Cherry County
north of Whitman, Ne. where they each filed
on a homestead, later they sold their homes-
teads and leased a ranch together. In 1917 one
of them was going to have to go to the service.
Homer chose to go, due to the fact Ernest had
interest's at home. Oct. 21, 1918, Ernest was
married to Mary Snyder. When Homer
returned from the Army, he, Ernest and
Mary continued to ranch together. They
made several moves from one leased place to
another. The first of Jan. 1920, they moved
on to the Bob Marshall place north of
Whitman, Ne.

In Sept. Ernest took Mary to Ashby, Ne.
to spend some time with her mother while
waiting for their first child. On 1920
Georgia was born. Two years later on
1922, Walter "Jake" was born.

On Aug. 8, 1924, there was some bad
looking clouds rolling up. They were watch-
ing them very closely, all at one it got real
dark and very still, they decided they should
take the children and go to the cellar which
was under the house. Homer, Ernest and
Georgia were already down in the cellar and
Ernest was holding the cellar door up for
Mary. At that time the wind sucked the
kitchen door open. When she went to close
it the tornado hit, it picked her up with Jake
in her arms and put them through the window
in the door. After this Home carried them
down into the cellar. Jake received one bad
cut on his arm. When the storm was over all
the corrals were gone as well as some of the
out-buildings. There was a lake out south-
east of the buildings a lot of things out of the
barn blew into the lake. They found Homer's
chaps later that summer several miles from
the house. On 1924, after the storm
Mary said we better go to your sisters, Ernest.
They loaded up in the old Model T. Ford and
headed for Maggie Marshalls. A short dis-
tance from the house the lights went out on
the old car. Homer rode on the fender with
a lantern so they wouldn't run into the fences.
Shortly after arriving Clifford was born. Four
years later in 1928 they leased the Sherman
Wright place 21 miles north of Whitman, Ne.
On 1930 Opal was born.

Ernest's and Mary children attended high
school in Mullen. In 1946, they bought the
Bob Daniels ranch north of Seneca and
continued to ranch for several years. Homer
never married, but was like a second Dad to
Ernest and Mary's children. Due to poor
health Homer moved to Mullen and lived the
last three years of his life with Cecil and Opal
Buechler and family. He passed away in June
of 1960.

Ernest and Mary remained on the ranch till
1970 when they sold the ranch and built a
home in Mullen where they retired. Ernest
passed away in May 1979 and Mary passed
away on Nov. 4, 1982.