In 1893 in February John got married, brought his wife in the house, and I and my wife made a trip East for visiting our relatives. On the 7th of June we left home and went to New York. My wife stayed with her sister and I went to Germany. I left with the Bremen steamer " Lahn ", New York, June the 13th and arrived in Bremen June the 22nd, visited my old home in Germany, my relations, and so forth and so forth, and arrived in New York again August the 17th. (For particulars of this trip see my daybook.)

My wife had visited relatives in New York and Boston during this time. September the 2nd we arrived again on Ottawa Lake, Michigan.

In 1894 my son John went hunting in Ogemaw County and he took such a like to the country that he bought 120 acres of land there and when he came home gave such a glowing account of the country that William sold his place for $3000 and wanted to go North.

Now I went with him to convince myself of the country. I found the country to be quite fair and plenty cheap land. William bought an 80 acre farm for $1100 and so I bought an 80 acre farm adjoining to William's for $1000.

Now the two boys moved up Sept. 1st, 1895, William on his place, and John on my place. In 1901 I, and my wife, moved up to live on my place, while John had moved on his own place. I build me a new house that first summer, into which I moved in the fall.

This very time we had the misfortune that our oldest son Christopher died. The sad news came to us on Sunday, very unexpected as we had been down to see him while he was sick and was getting better.

He died Oct. 19th 1901 and was buried Oct. 22nd in Sylvainia, Ohio. His widow and two daughters remain on his homestead.

Nothing particular has happened, we all lived the quite country life, we were visiting back and forth a few times between here and Ottawa Lake and within these times I sold my old home in Ottawa Lake for $3300.

In 1909 on the 23rd of August, I and my wife we celebrated our Golden Wedding being 50 years that we been married. Our daughter-in-law Louise and our two granddaughters, Kathie and Anna, Kathie's husband Dale West and their little girl, our Great-Granddaughter, they came from Ottawa Lake by an excursion train to be here on this occasion. On their account, we had the celebration two months in advance, for it really should have been Oct. 23rd, but in order to have it handy for all to be present, we changed the date of 2 months in advance.

We had a nice time. Our family was complete - two sons, three daughters-in-law, 10 grand-children, and one Great-Great-Grand child.