Cornelius B. Duerksen
Born: April 29, 1868
Place: Gnadenthal, South Russia
Died: July 24, 1949
Place: Marion County, Kansas
MOTHER:
Aganetha Balzer
FATHER:
Johann Duerksen
SIBLINGS:
Maria B. Duerksen
Johann J. Duerksen
Heinrich J. Duerksen
Helena B. Duerksen
Peter J. Duerksen
Katherina B. Duerksen
Jacob J. Duerksen (1/16/1867-1/25/1867)
Aganetha Duerksen
Gerhard J. Duerksen
Eva B. Duerksen
Anna B. Duerksen
Susanna B. Duerksen
David B. Duerksen
SPOUSE:
Maria Rose (1/15/1871 - 7/28/1903)
Married: May 1, 1890
Place: Hillsboro, Kansas
CHILDREN:
Maria R. Duerksen (4/13/1891 - 11/1/1918)
Cornelius R. Duerksen (6/16/1893 - Unknown)
David R. Duerksen (4/18/1896 - Unknown)
Wilhelm R. Duerksen (7/12/1898 - Unknown)
Helena R. Duerksen (7/14/1903 - 7/14/1903)
Widowed: July 28, 1903
SPOUSE:
Anna Nickel Ediger (2/2/1865 - 12/27/1946)
Married: November 4, 1903
Place: Marion County, Kansas
CHILDREN:
Gerhard (George) R. Duerksen (12/20/1904 - Unknown)
Widowed: December 27, 1946
A TRIBUTE TO CORNELIUS B. and MARIA (ROSE) DUERKSEN
Written by Son George N. Duerksen
Father was the eighth of a family of thirteen children. Their home was on the banks of the South Cottonwood River - a farm that must have been extremely well managed by our grandparents in spits of adversities such as fire, horse epidemic and the sudden passing of Grandfather. In spite of all the losses, and primitive farm equipment by today's standards, the family prospered to the extent that, upon becoming of age and on their own, every child inherited an above-average-start acreage.
Father related many incidents of how he and his brothers and sisters would work hard about the home and in the fields. One could easily sense that all enjoyed their home life, working together and had pride in accomplishment. It was interesting as well as humorous to hear father tell about handling the obstinate oxen when doing fieldwork. One very warm summer's day, he and a brother hitched two oxen to a wagon and drove to their watermelon field which was on the opposite side of the river. When they returned with a load of melons and were crossing the stream, the oxen decided to enjoy the cool water and laid down. In all the excitement and oxen coaxing, the wagon partly upset and emptied some of the melons in the stream (a form of refrigeration). He also told of his firm team when he started farming. It consisted of one horse and one ox. His first grain harvest was oats, just a few acres and a rather poor yield.
Father was always concerned about the needs of others. To satisfy his concerns, he was always ready to volunteer aid physically and morally. He lived the philosophy that Mind and Hands produce and furnish all of the needs for our lives to function in a useful, productive Christian society. His daily life, citizenship, religious loyalties were totally a response to a firm belief and reverence to our Creator - God Almighty and the teachings of Jesus Christ as handed down to us in the Scriptures.
Cornelius B. and Maria (Rose) Duerksen
with children Maria, Cornelius R., David R.
Taken 1897
