Henry and Lina bought the Wheeler farm in Platte County, Nebraska, but the
date of purchase is not known. Mr. Wheeler and his mother-in-law had home-
steaded the farm and had built a house on the property line between the two 160
acre sections of that farm. Herman, Frederick (Fritz), Heinrich (died in infancy),
and Johann (Jack) were born on the Winnekamp farm. Emma was born on the
Wheeler farm.
Lina and Henry attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, six miles south be-
tween Leigh and Creston. Their children were baptized and confirmed in this
church and attended school there. The children would ride their horses to attend
school at St. Paul’s.
Hard work characterized Lina’s life. She struggled through the winters,
which were so much colder than those she knew in Germany. Lina had an easy go-
ing nature. She never lost her temper or her faith. She was always able to bear the
tragedies and disappointments that came her way. “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
was the song that guided her life.
Henry Hillen was a very aggressive man. He acquired 480 acres of the best
land in Platte County. In the last five years of his life, he was very hard to live with.
He was ill with pernicious anemia and was in and out of a Lincoln, Nebraska, hospi-
tal, but in those days there was no cure. He passed away June 23, 1913, and was
buried in the Creston Pioneer Cemetery, rural Leigh, Nebraska.
After Henry died, the farm was operated under the name of Hillen Bros. for
several years. The last 160 acres of the 480 were not paid off when he passed
away. Lina and her sons worked together and paid off the farm.
Lina’s firstborn child, Herman, was born November 6, 1889, near Creston in
Platte County, Nebraska. Herman was strong and was a respected man in the com-
munity. He frequently did custom threshing and corn shelling. He did a small
amount of bootlegging in his time, but for a good cause—supplying the doctors in
the area during the flu season. He was involved in civic endeavors and was missed
when he passed away on June 2, 1939, because of a brain tumor. He is buried at
the Creston Pioneer Cemetery, Platte County, Nebraska, near his parents.
Fritz Hillen, baptized Frederick, attended winter classes at Lincoln Auto Me-
chanics School and York Business College before his marriage. Fritz became
much opposed to the use of alcohol after his younger brother developed a drinking
problem. Fritz’s entire business life and livelihood evolved around his occupation,
farming. His younger brother Jack was unmarried. Jack had set out to farm but
was unsuccessful and had to give up his farm when his sister Emma and Painter
Cook were forced to foreclose against him.
Emma was the youngest child born to Lina and Henry. She married Emil H.
Eggers on June 7, 1922, and worked at farming. Emma and Emil did not succeed in
their farming venture. Financially broke, Emma left Emil in August of 1946 and
went to Oregon with her seven children. Emma spent her remaining years in Ore-
gon. Her family was her life and her joy and was worth millions to her.
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