Seated: Henry and Anna Steltenpohl.

Back: Elsa, Henry, Herman and George.

Photo taken ~1910

Henry Steltenpohl Family History

Henry John Steltenpohl was born Brownston, Indiana, on July 4, 1861. On March 11, 1886, he married Anna Marie Stelljes in Palmer, Kansas. Henry and Anna lived in the Palmer/Strawberry area the first 4 years of their married life and during that time, their first 2 children (Henry Fred and Herman George) were born. The family moved to Sheridan County, Nebraska, locating on a farm about 4 miles northwest of Rushville (his grandson, Ivan Hindman, still lives and farms that land). Two more children, George Frederick and Elsa Anna, were born in Nebraska. Other than a year spent in Wisconsin (1900), Henry and his wife spent the balance of their lives in the Rushville area.

Their 4 children are as follows:

• • Henry Fred Steltenpohl born Dec 31, 1886 in Strawberry, Kansas. Henry was married to Elizabeth Molzahn (1890-1985). Henry and Elizabeth had no children. Henry died Dec 17, 1965 in Rushville, Nebraska.

    • Herman George Steltenpohl born Dec 5, 1889 in Strawberry, Kansas. Herman was married to Agnes Higgins. Herman and Agnes had two daughters, Leona and Erma. When the children were quite small, Agnes divorced Herman. Herman did most of the raising of the children after that. Herman died October 28, 1965 in Rushville, Nebraska. (Note: Herman was named after Anna Marie Stelljes's brother Herman George Stelljes, born July 9, 1853, died Jan 22, 1930)

    • George Frederick Steltenpohl born Nov 1, 1891 in Rushville, Nebraska. George homesteaded one section of land five miles west of of Spotted Horse, Wyoming in June of 1915. George married Eleanor (Ellen) Higgins in Alliance, Nebraska on Oct 13, 1915. They lived in a tent until they could build a sod house and then lived in the "soddy" until a house was built. George and Ellen had two children, Irene (b. 1916) and Wayne (b. 1920). George died from a pulmonary embolism on May 27, 1934. Ellen died Jan 23, 1965.

    • Elsa Anna Eliza Henrietta Steltenpohl born Jan 14, 1895 in Rushville, Nebraska. Her middle names were for her mom and for 2 of her mom's friends. It is possible that Eliza and Henrietta helped deliver Elsa. Other than the year that her family spent in Wisconsin, Elsa spent her entire life in the Rushville/Hay Springs area.

Henry and Anna kept the farm for much of 30 years and retired to Rushville around 1920. Henry then operated a Cream Station in town for a number of years. After a long siege of illness, Anna died on July 23, 1933 at the age of 67. Henry died 6 years later on February 14, 1940. Both Henry and Anna are buried in the Rushville Cemetery, Nebraska.

Gravestones for Henry and Anna (Stelljes) Steltenpohl.

Rushville Cemetery, Rushville, Nebraska.

Obituaries are available on the Obit page for Henry and Anna Steltenpohl, as well as their son Herman.

Back to Steltenpohl History

Back to Homepage