JURSHAK

    John (Stephen) Jurshak was born 20 May 1873, in Zapinch, Austria. In 1890 he joined his brother Peter, in Portsmouth, Iowa. He lost his way while going to visit an uncle, and wandered to the Stennett area, where he was employed at a stone quarry, living with a family in the old Packard house for six months. Later he was employed by Joseph Brown. Joseph Brown (1831-1910) was born in Germany and in 1863 married Kunigunda Reuter (1840-1922), and they immigrated to the United States the same year.  They settled in Pilot Grove Twp. Their niece, Margaretta Kletzer of Bavaria, came to live with them in the late 1890's. She was born 18 May 1875 at Untersteinach, Germany. John and Margaret were married in 1909, and lived on that farm the rest of their lives. Margaret died Oct. 1930, John 25 Jan 1945. They, the Browns and Joseph are all buried at Pilot Grove Cemetery. John and Margaret had two sons. Joseph Edgar was born 15 April 1910 and died 21 April 1936. Walter Brown Jurshak was born 28 Sept. 1914, attended Pilot Grove Center School and Elliott High School. On 20 April 1937 he married Ethel Leola Selders (2 June 1918) at Savannah, Missouri. She lived with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. M. Selders, and attended Waveland Center school, Griswold and Carson High Schools, graduating from Griswold, 1935. She is also a graduate of California School of Beauty, Omaha. They have lived on the home farm since their marriage. Walter retired from farming in 1970, due to his health.  His interests were mechanics and cattle. Ethel has been active in church and Federated Club work. They are members of Pilot Grove U. M. Church. They have one son, Stephen Walter (3 Mar 1953). He is a graduate of Griswold High School, and attended Iowa State University at Ames, then Northwest Missouri State University at Maryville, Missouri; where he earned a B. S. in 1975 and an M. S. in 1976. On 28 Aug. 1976 he married Deborah Kay Wolf of Harlan. She received her B. A. from NWMSU in 1976. They now live at Osceola, Iowa where he is a design engineer. All four generations have lived on the same farm, in a house which dates back to 1873. Part of the farm has been owned by the family since 1880. .