WIESE, ARTHUR AND GRACE

by Arthur and Grace Wiese

Entry F451 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Arthur and Grace Wiese 1945

Arthur T. (Art) Wiese, third of twelve
children, was born April 9, 1913 in southern
Cherry County, Mullen, Nebraska. His fa-
ther, Louis L. (Lou) homesteaded here. Lou
married a neighboring ranch girl, Edith M.
Clemens, daughter of Elmer and Almina
(Mina) (Gorsuch) Clemens on July 14, 1909.
With his parents, Art later moved to rural
Burwell and then to rural Omaha. When in
his mid-teens, Art returned to the Sandhills
with his parents and brothers and sister
remaining here when Lou and family moved
to Pine River, Minnesota in 1935.

When a young man he became employed
by Mullen trucker, Ray Sexton. Later he
worked for Franke Construction through the
summer and for the Big Creek and/or Carver
Ranches of Cherry County in the winter.

Art served in the 85th Battilion, Fifth
Army from May 1942 until his honorable
discharge in November 1945; seeing active
duty in Africa and Italy.

On November 16, 1945 he was married to
Grace C. Humphrey of Mullen, oldest child
of Guy and Ethel (Pierrard) Humphrey at
Mankato, Kansas.

Grace was born June 11, 1915 near Troy,
Davis County, Iowa. She attended schools in
Davis County until the fall of 1929 when she
came to Mullen, Nebraska to begin her junior
year of high school; living with her uncle, A.G.
Humphrey and family. She graduated in May
1931 and attended Kearney State College
that summer. When fall came, she taught the
Eclipse school, the farthest south school in
the county. When the eight month school
closed, Grace moved to her parents' home
near Callaway, Custer county, Nebraska. She
taught the next 8 years in 3 different districts
there.

She spent the summer of 1940 at the Harry
Mathews home, Mullen, and that fall became
County Assistance Director of Hooker and
Grant Counties. She returned to teaching the
fall of 1942 and taught in Grant County. In
1944 she came to the Mullen Elementary
school where she was teaching at the time she
and Art were married.

Art and Grace moved to Pine River,
Minnesota the spring of 1946, living there
until the fall of 1959 when they returned to
the SandHills; Grace to return to teaching
and Art to again be employed by Sexton
Trucking. Grace continued to further her
college education, this time at Chadron State
College, by attending school in the summers
and taking off-campus courses during the
winters.

Their five children: Josephine A., Thomas
A., Guy L., Rosemary E., and Eva K. were all
born in Minnesota.

Grace and children lived that first school
year in Ashby while Art boarded with the
Sextons. this arrangement was "for the
birds" so they moved to Mullen the spring of
1960. Grace continued teaching in Grant
County but at Whitman and the children
attended the Mullen schools where all com-
pleted their high school education.

Their family circle was broken when Tom,
who so loved his Sandhills and ranch life, was
killed in Viet Nam in March of 1969, age 19.
The circle was broken the second time when
Art was killed in a truck accident near
Humphrey, Nebraska in February 1978. By
now, the other four children were married.
Grace taught until May 1979 when she retired
to their home in Mullen. She is active in the
Episcopal Church, Retired Teachers, Hooker
County Genealogical Society, Hooker County
Historical Society, the Senior Citizens Cen-
ter, American Legion Auxiliary and a mem-
ber of the Order of the Eastern Star, having
been a member of that organization for more
than 50 years.

There are seven grandchildren ranging in
ages from 17 to 7 years.