The information compiled for this page is from notes and stories told to me by my grandmother, Leona, the story of Pete and Katie written for their 50th anniversary, and from information shared from Reta Britton. Some of the photos are from Reta also. I am grateful to each one who took time to write these stories down and share them.
The life of
Aka. Katherine, Kathrine, Katharine, Katie, and Katy
John and Mary (Johann and Maria) Katie’s parents.
Johann Glaesman’s parents, August Glaesman and Renata Schaak migrated from Germany to Russia when John was very young. August was killed in a train accident. After the accident, Johann was placed in a foster home. The family’s name was Miller and Mr. Miller was a miller by trade.
Maria Friesen G
laesman was German and Swedish. She and Johann were married in Russia January 16, 1888. Their first two children were girls. The girls both died from cholera during an epidemic.
In 1891 John (Johann) and Maria Glaesman were living in Kouban, Transkaukasien, South Russia, near the Black Sea, when on March 21st, their home was blessed with a daughter whom they named Katarina. This area is called Kaukasus (German translation: Transkaukasien). Some German-Russian villages were close to Tifilis. This area is on the East side of the Black Sea.
Katherine remembered crossing the Black Sea with her mother to go visit her grandmother. Katie saw storks there and thought it odd that they would be making nests when they should be delivering babies. Later, Katie’s home would include brothers and a sister. They were: John J., b.1893, Henry b. 1895, Gustav b. 1900, Jacob F 1903, Renata (later Schultz) b. 1906, and William b. 1909.
When Katie was 10 years old, John and Maria left Russia and immigrated to America seeking religious freedom and a peaceful world. They were joined by some uncles and their families. The name of the ship they came to America on was named the Konigin Luise. Their arrival was scheduled for July 30, 1902.
By the time they reached Ellis Island, New York, the passengers on the ship had been exposed to an illness (small pox?) and they were rejected in port. The ship was not allowed to dock and was deferred to the port of Galveston Texas. Once there, they were not allowed to disembark until August 22, 1902.
They lived near Fairview Oklahoma for a short time, they then moved to Corn Oklahoma and by 1903 they were homesteading in Roll, Day County, Oklahoma Indian Territory. Day County later became Roger Mills County. John Glaesman made a “dugout” (like a cave dug into the side of a hill) on his homestead where the family lived for a few years.
Two of Katie’s uncles and their families lived nearby. John got his citizenship papers while living on the homestead. No other German people lived nearby, so John and Maria decided after 5 years, to move back to Fairview.
Katharina, Renata John Berg, Marie Berg, Leona Berg, Fred Berg. (In order of size)
During Kathrine’s girlhood, (or Katie as her friends called her), she always enjoyed taking care of children. Where ever there were children, you could find Katie. In 1905 Katie at the age of 14 years old she accepted the Lord as her Savior and throughout the rest of her life she enjoyed reading the Bible and teaching children about the Lord from infancy on.
Katie was baptized when 17 years old by the elder Martin Just at Fairview and became a member of the Mennonite Church. Katie longed to attend
Tabor College and was working to try to earn enough money. In 1907 when she was 16, Katie and her friends attended a singing convention that was held in Corn, Oklahoma. The friends she was with visited the home of the Gottfried Berg’s. This was the first meeting of Peter Berg and Katie. Katie says to herself, “That freckled face boy holds no interest for me.” Katie and her friends returned to Fairview.
Two years passed between Pete and Katie’s first and second meeting. Pete went to visit his brother John and his wife at Fairview. He found out they were good friends to Katie and they met for the second time. Pete found that Katie had grown into a nice woman and didn’t even notice the few remaining freckles. Katie found that Pete had grown into a handsome young man. This was in the spring and during the summer they corresponded and then in the fall, Pete asked Katie to be his bride.
On December 5, 1909, in Fairview, in the M.B. Church, Reverend M.M. Just performed the marriage vows. This happened to be during the rainy season and only a few people were able to attend.
Because of Pete’s mother being ill, they took the train back to Corn. Pete had a home ready for his bride and was proud to show his farm to her, also the 3 work horses, 2 colts, 3 cows, and 2 sows with pigs, and was also proud to give her a ride in his new top buggy.
This place was rented, and after a year they decided to purchase 80 acres of land. It was here their first son was born. They named him Edwin. Katie developed erysipelas. Edwin was diagnosed with acute febrile disease with localized swelling of the skin, and he passed away on March 30, 1911 at 17 days old. Their first year every baby animal on their farm died and their crops failed. A year later another son was born whom they named John.
In 1909 John and Maria Glaesman, Katie’s parents, had moved to Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada. Pete and Katie had 3 years of total crop failure, because of drought and they lost their 80 acres. In the fall of 1913 they moved to Canada, and remained there only a year but during this year their first daughter, Marie, was born.
In 1914 Katie’s parents, John and Maria moved to Reedley, CA while Peter and Katie moved back to Corn, Oklahoma and rented Pete’s folk’s farm. Within the year, Katie’s mother, Maria Glaesman passed away in Reedley, CA. at the age of 48 of a heart attack.
Katie and Marie
In Corn they lived in a sod house (soddie) for several years.
Leona going into the soddie.
John and his children, Jacob, Nettie, and Willie moved back to Corn and lived with Katie and Pete for one winter. During the 12 years on Pete’s folk’s farm, he and Katie had 2 sons and 3 daughters (Leona, Fred, Ruby, Evelyn, and Harold).
In the fall of 1926 they decided to move to Friona, Texas. Here they farmed for 10 years and during this time another son and daughter were born (Lenora, LeRoy).
During the years at Friona, not having a Mennonite Church to attend, they attended the Assembly of God Church. This is where several of Pete and Katie’s children accepted the Lord as their Savior.
In 1936 after losing everything because of drought and sand storms, they decided to move to Premont, Texas. During the summer when they were living in Premont, Texas, they were visited by Katie’s brother Henry from San Diego, CA. Katie decided to return with him to visit her dad and step mother at Reedley, CA.
After a few weeks, Pete decided to join Katie in Reedley, because he could not support his family with a wage of 10 cents per hour.
In the fall of 1942 they bought a farm by Kingsburg and moved out to California with the remaining 5 children, the others having married and established homes of their own.
The house in Corn in later years.
During the 13 years at the farm the rest of the children married. It was while they were here that Katie suffered a stroke which impaired her speech. In 1955 they decided to retire and move to Reedley. They purchased 3 houses on Church Avenue, between Stanley (south) and (the ditch now gone) Huntsman. Katherine suffered a fatal heart attack March 10, 1966. She left a legacy of love for others and for sharing her Savior even after her death.
Peter and Katherine’s 50th Wedding Anniversary
LeRoy, Harold, Fred, John, Peter, Katherine, Marie, Leona, Ruby, Evelyn, Lenora
The story of Peter Berg and Kathrine Glaesman
Our story begins in South Russia where Gottfried and Elizabeth Berg were living, when on June 15, 1886 their home was blessed with a son whom they called Peter. In 1892 they immigrated to America, with 5 sons, to find freedom of religion and a peaceful nation.
They settled in Peabody, Kansas, and after a year they moved to Oklahoma where they homesteaded 160 acres of land 6 miles southwest of Corn.
In the meantime, John and Marie Glaesman were living at Kouban; South Russia, when on March 21, 1891, their home was blessed with a daughter whom they named Kathrine. She was one of four children, when in 1901 they immigrated to America seeking religious freedom and a peaceful world.
Settling in Oklahoma, near Fairview for a short time, they then moved to Corn and after a year homesteaded in Day County. After 5 years, they moved back to Fairview. During Kathrine’s girlhood, (or Katie as her friends called her), she always enjoyed taking care of children. Where ever there were children, you could find Katie.
Katie was 14 years old when she accepted the Lord as her Savior and through the years she enjoyed reading the Bible and taught the children about the Lord from infancy on.
She was baptized when 17 years old by the elder Martin Just at Fairview and became a member of the Mennonite Church.
Katie longed to attend Tabor College and was working to earn enough money. A singing convention was held at Corn. Katie and her friends attended. The friends she was with visited the home of the Gottfried Berg’s. This was the first meeting of Pete and Katie. He say to himself, “That freckled face girl I don’t want.”
Katie says to herself, “That freckled face boy hold o interest for me.” Katie and her friends returned to Fairview.
As Pete and his brothers grew up in a Christian home they became conscious of their need of a Savior. Pete accepted the Lord at an early age and was baptized at Corn, Oklahoma in 1898 by elde4r Isaac Harms and became a member of the M.B. Church.
Two years passed by after Pete and Katie’s first meeting, when Pete went to visit his brother John and his wife at Fairview. There he found they were good friends to Katie and they met for the second time. Pete found that Katie had grown into a nice woman and didn’t even notice the few remaining freckles. Katie found that Pete had grown into a handsome young man. This was in the spring and during the summer they corresponded and then in the fall, Pete asked Katie to be his bride. On December 5, 1909, in Fairview, in the M.B. Church, Reverend M.M. Just performed the marriage vows. This happened to be during the rainy season and only a few people were able to attend. Because of Pete’s mother being ill, they took the train back to Corn.
Pete had a home ready for his bride and was proud to show his farm to her, also the 3 work horses, 2 colts, 3 cows, and 2 sows with pigs, and was also proud to give her a ride in his new top buggy.
Since this place was rented, after a year they bought 80 acres of land. It was here their first son was born. The Lord saw fit to take him when he was only 17 days old. A year later another son was born whom they named John.
After 3 years of total crop failure because of the drought, they lost the 80 acres. In the fall of 1913 they moved to Canada, and remained there only a year but during this year their first daughter was born. They named her Marie. They moved back to Corn and rented Pete’s folks farm. During the 12 years on this farm, 2 sons and 3 daughters were born (Leona, Fred, Ruby, Evelyn, and Harold). Katie lost her mother in 1915.
In the fall of 1926 they decided to move to Friona, Texas. Here they farmed for 10 years. During this time another son and daughter born (Lenora, LeRoy).
In 1935 they went to Enid, Oklahoma to help Pete’s folks celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.
In 1936 after losing everything because of drought and sand storms, they decided to move to Premont, Texas. During the years at Friona, not having a Mennonite Church to attend, they attended the Assembly of God Church. This is where several of the children accepted the Lord as their Savior.
During the summer when they were living at Premont, they were favored by a visit from Katie’s brother Henry from San Diego, CA.
Katie decided to return with him to visit her folks at Reedley, CA. After a few weeks, Pete decided to join Katie at Reedley, because he could not support his family with a wage of 10 cents per hour. John and Marie having married and established homes of their own remained in Texas. Pete lost his father September 4, 1938 at the age of 88.
In the fall of 1942 they bought a farm by Kingsburg and moved out with the remaining 5 children, th others having married and established homes of their own.
In 1943 Katies step mother died at the age of 91, and in 1946 Pete’s mother died at the age of 95.
During the 13 years at the farm the rest of the children married. It was while they were here that Katie suffered a stroke which impaired her speech.
In 1955 they decided to retire and move to Reedley. In 1956 Katie’s father died at the age of 89.
During the years they have acquired 4 sons, 5 daughters, 4 daughters-in-law, 5 sons-in-law, 30 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. This was written for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration on December 5, 1959.
Things my grandma Leona Courtney told me:
The Glaesman family had royalty in their blood from their French heritage. During the 30 year war the Glaesman family lost all their money. They were of Lutheran religion.
John (Johann) Glaesman came from Switzerland to Prussia, and from there moved to Russia.
John Schaak came from Holland to Prussia and from there to Russia.
August Glaesman was killed in a train accident. John Glaesman was raised in a foster home.
A Walk in Time 
