Howard, Clara, and Their Children
Introduction
Howard and Clara were married on April 17, 1887, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. They lived most of their married life in Juniata, with the exception of four years they spent in Golden City, Barton, Missouri.
About 1916, Howard built a house with the assistance of all of his children. Besides being a brick mason, Howard had also worked as a plasterer. Each of his children learned a construction skill, so they could contribute their labor in building their new family home on East 6th Street in Juniata.
Howard also formed the Sergeant Orchestra with all of his children participating. The group played at church and school functions for many years.
The Children of Howard Lafayette Sergeant and Clara Emma Robertson
Raymond Leroy Sergeant was born on March 25, 1888, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. Raymond’s father acquired 320 acres of land in Colorado under the Homestead Act of 1909. In November 1909, Raymond and his father went to Washington County, Colorado, where the land was transferred to Raymond. He built a house and engaged in farming and masonry1.
Raymond married Alice Josephine Lewis on June 28, 1916, in Kansas, and they had one daughter: Grace Muriel. Alice was also born in Juniata, and she and Raymond were wheeled in the same baby buggy, since both of their mother’s were friends. Alice’s family moved back to Kansas when she was about five; and Raymond and Alice renewed their friendship when they became adults.
Raymond and Alice worked on the farm for several decades, and by 1950, they had moved to Akron, Washington, Colorado. Alice died there at age 72 on September 12, 1961. Raymond married Kathryn “Kay” Lena (Sleicher) Ormond on May 15, 1965, in Holdrege, Phelps, Nebraska.
Raymond died at age 84 on October 23, 1972, in Akron, Colorado, and he is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata, Nebraska. Kay remarried, and she died at age 92 on October 14, 1985, in Arizona.
1 See Raymond’s Homestead under Resources.
Clinton Elwood Sergeant was born on August 30, 1889, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. On November 14, 1912, Clinton married Clema Marsha Perry in Pattonsburg, Daviess, Missouri, and they had two children: Alice Pauline and Clinton Elwood Jr.
From A Sergeant Saga: “Clinton Elwood Sergeant took the examination for Railway Mail Clerk in May of 1909. He received his grades in August and had an appointment in September of the same year. After sixteen months as a substitute clerk, he was assigned to the Burlington Terminal in Omaha. He was transferred to the Omaha-Kansas City run for two years, then transferred again to the Omaha-Denver run, which he continued for 42 years and 10 months. His “runs” on the Burlington Railroad took him through Juniata and the Morris D. Sergeant farm. The children loved to go out into the pasture and wave to beloved “Uncle Clinton” who always found time to open the door and wave back. He retired July 1, 1952.”
Clinton and Clema made their home in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, where they raised their family. They were married 56 years until Clema’s death on April 7, 1969; she was 82.
Clinton died one day before his 104th birthday on August 29, 1993, in Omaha, and he is buried there at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Morris Dean Sergeant was born on September 10, 1891, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. Morris married Etta Estella Kriebel on September 10, 1913, in Kenesaw, Adams, Nebraska, and they had six children: Eleanor Loene, Howard Dale, Maurice Dean, Dwight K., Phyllis Marie and Clarys Ann. All of their children lived to adulthood except Dwight who died at one and half months old.
Morris and Etta began their married life on a farm two and a half miles east of Kenesaw where they lived for about five years. They later moved to a farm two miles west of Juniata which was later turned over to their son, Dale. From 1940 to 1949, Morris served on the Adams County board of supervisors. In 1949, Morris and Etta moved to Tucson, Pima, Arizona, where Morris was an artistic flagstone designer-layer. Morris and Etta were married 56 years until Etta’s death on June 21, 1970, in Tucson; she was 76.
Morris died at age 79 on May 4, 1971, in Tucson, and he is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata, Nebraska.
Neal Robertson Sergeant was born on October 1, 1893, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. He married Jean Ruth McHarry on April 30, 1917, in Juniata, and they had three daughters: an infant that died shortly after birth, Elfie May and Bonnie Jean. Neal and Jean divorced about 1945. Jean remarried, and she died at age 90 on November 7, 1986.
Neal was a mail carrier for 38 years. He retired in 1953 and said, “I started with a team of horses and a mail wagon. I traveled 26 miles daily and had 50 patrons.” Back then, there were no gravel roads, but by the time Neal retired, his 53 mile route was all graveled, and he drove a new car.
On December 29, 1958, he married Lucille D (Koch) Munson, and they lived in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska until Lucille’s death on July 7, 1968; she was 63. On August 28, 1971, Neal married Harmka (Ellermeier) Itzen in Arizona.
Neal died at age 87 on May 16, 1981, in Sun City, Maricopa, Arizona. He is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata. Harmka died at age 94 on April 17, 1994, in Peoria, Maricopa, Arizona.
Mary Ruth Sergeant was born on November 21, 1896, in Golden City, Barton, Missouri. After attending Kearney College, Ruth started teaching in 1915. She was living with her parents in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska, while she worked as a rural school teacher. Ruth drove a horse and buggy to school every day, and she was courted by her soon-to-be husband who would come along on his motorcycle and ride slowly beside her when she was going home.
On September 7, 1921, Ruth married Edgar Arnold Buskirk in Juniata, and they had three children: Ronald Edgar, Marilyn Ruth and Dorothea Anne. Edgar worked at several companies over the years as a bookkeeper, accountant and office manager.
From 1936 to 1949, Edgar and Ruth ran the “E. A. Buskirk Store” in Juniata in the same building that had been the post office when Howard was postmaster.
Edgar and Ruth were married 64 years until her death on December 26, 1985, in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska. Ruth was 89 years old and is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata. Edgar died at age 92 on May 20, 1989, in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas.
Luther DeWitt Sergeant was born on May 23, 1899, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska, and he lived there his entire life. By about 1917, he was working at the post office and for the next 40 or so years, he was a rural mail carrier.
On September 23, 1926, he married Verna Billups who was a teacher in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska. They had two children: Robert Duane and Carole Fay. Robert was killed on February 22, 1954 while serving in the Army during the Korean War; he was 23.
“Sonny,” as he was known by family and friends, was an active member of his community serving on the Juniata town board, volunteer fire department, and several other local organizations. Sonny retired from the Post Office in 1959, and about 100 of his patrons gave him a surprise party. Sonny told them he had gone through 52 cars during his 40 years of service. One of them noted that there had been many changes over the years with one exception – “Sonny always gave his horn a toot and a big wave as he went by.”
Sonny and Verna were married 45 years until her death on December 20, 1971, in Hastings; she was 73. Sonny married Fern Irene (Woods) Haynes on January 15, 1975. Sonny died at age 77 on April 3, 1977, in Hastings, and he is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata. Fern died at age 100 on November 4, 2007, in California.
Lucy Josephine Sergeant was born on May 28, 1901, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. She earned her teaching certificate from Kearney State Teachers College, and she taught in rural Kenesaw and Juniata elementary schools for about 50 years. She also taught Sunday and Bible school, and played the piano and organ for church services.
Lucy never married, and she helped take care of her aging parents in their later years, and then she continued to live in the house that Howard had built for his family.
Lucy died at age 90 on June 16, 1991, in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska. She is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata.
Helen Gertrude Sergeant was born on June 29, 1903, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. Helen taught school in Juniata from 1922-1926; and in Doniphan, Hall, Nebraska from 1926-1928. She was a bookkeeper in the Cincinnati area from 1928-1931.
On August 30, 1927, Helen married Adrian “Mac” Delmar McFerren in Mankato, Jewell, Kansas, and they had three children: James Don, Kenneth Lee and Roger Lynn. For the first few years of their marriage, they lived in Covington, Kenton, Kentucky. By 1935, they returned to Juniata, and in 1939 Mac and Helen started Midwest Distributors, Inc. which became one of the largest distributors between Omaha and Denver. Mac worked there until he retired in 1977. Many members of the Sergeant family also worked at Midwest over the years.
Mac and Helen were married 50 years until Helen’s death on April 9, 1978, in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska. She was 74 years old and is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata. Mac died at age 76 on June 7, 1982, in Hastings.
John Anjer Sergeant was born on October 1, 1905, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska. He married Ina Mae Sisson on July 14, 1933, in Akron, Washington, Colorado, and they had two children: Donald Ray and Neal Eugene.
From A Sergeant Saga: “John worked in the overhaul shop of L. J. Clossey in Detroit; was a service station attendant for Bob Osborne in Hastings, Neb.; signal construction mechanic for C.B. & Q. Railroad and then he began employment with Boeing Air Transport at Cheyenne. He continued when United Air Lines took it over. He resigned from United Air Lines in 1952 as assistant general manager of the San Francisco Maintenance Base. He has been warehouse supervisor for Midwest Distributors, Inc., at Juniata, Nebraska, for over 20 years.”
John and Ina were married 55 years until his death on March 26, 1989, in Hastings, Adams, Nebraska. He was 83 years old and is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata. Ina died at age 94 on August 29, 2006, in Hastings.
Doris Winifred Sergeant was born on July 3, 1908, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska, the last of the ten children of Howard and Clara. She studied a liberal arts curriculum at Hastings College and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where she became certified as a high school teacher and was awarded Phi Beta Kappa for academic excellence. Doris taught Latin, geography, English, mathematics and music in several rural Nebraska communities and coached girls sports.
On October 10, 1936, Doris married Rev. Dr. Louis Joseph Kovar in Jewell, Jewell, Kansas, and they had three children: an infant daughter who died at birth, Linn Sergeant and Mary Lou. Louis served as pastor of Presbyterian churches in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Webb City and Hannibal, Missouri; St. Paul, Minnesota, and Port Arthur, Texas, where Louis died on March 1, 1961, at age 53. Doris relocated her family to Juniata and then Hastings, where she taught piano, high school math and served as Music Librarian for the Hastings College Department of Music.
On October 28, 1982, Doris married Hastings resident Frank Elbert Morhart and relocated with him to Santa Rosa, Sonoma, California, for seven years before returning to Hastings. Frank died at age 89 on August 16, 1999. Doris continued residence in Hastings and was active in the First Presbyterian Church until her death on October 27, 2013, at age 105. She is buried at the Juniata Cemetery in Juniata.
