Person:William Krull (1)

WILLIAM W. KRULL William W. Krull, a representative citizen of Lancaster county, alert, enterprising and progressive, is now serving as assistant cashier of the Bank of Sprague. He represents one of the old families of the county, his birth having occurred in Centerville precinct, April 8, 1875, his parents being Frederick and Dora (Haas) Krull, both of whom were natives of Germany. They came to the United States in young manhood and womanhood and were married in La Forte, Indiana. The father was a horseshoer and worked at his trade for a number of years. In 1861 he arrived in this state and spent two years in farming at Nebraska City, after which he removed to Lancaster county. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres on sections 23 and 26, Centerville precinct, on which he resided until the time of his death, which occurred. May 4, 1888, while his wife, long surviving him, died October 8, 1908. At the time of their arrival this entire section was a frontier region, and it required great courage to meet the hardships which must be endured. The country was a wilderness in which deer, antelope, wild cats and catamounts were to be seen in abundance and the Sioux Indians outnumbered the white settlers, Most of the homes were dugouts, save here and there a log cabin. Mr. Krull constructed his dugout in the middle of December but did not have it finished, when on Christmas Day, a heavy shower filled it with water to the depth of a font. That night it turned bitter cold and in a short time the water was frozen solid so that there was no opportunity of finishing the digging until the following spring. The family, however, occupied the dugout as it was, covering the ice with hay and a few old blankets, on which they spent their first night. The following day a fire place was built in the comer and by keeping a good fire they managed to get the ice thawed out sufficiently so that it could be broken up in chunks and carried out. The following spring the dugout was completed and served as the family home for seven years, when they began the construction of the present residence, which was built entirely of limestone, quarried near Roca. All the lime used in the construction of the building was burned by Mr. Krull. Money was scarce and he had no thought of buying anything which he could make himself. All building material was hauled from Nebraska City, nearly sixty miles distant, and there were only two loads of lumber in the entire building. About twice a year a trip was made to Nebraska City for supplies and for the mail, for at that time it was their nearest post office. It was not considered safe for one or two men to attempt the trip alone because of fear of Indian attacks, and yet all hated to leave home because it exposed the wives and children to to danger. William W. Krull, reared on the old homestead farm, was educated in the district schools and at the Lincoln Business College. He then returned home and for twenty years was engaged in the raising of Duroc Jersey hogs, shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. In 1912 he removed to Sprague and purchased an interest in the Bank of Sprague, since which time he has given his attention to duties in that connection. On the 17th of November 1911, Mr. William W. Krull was united in marriage to Miss Blanche Graham, of Sarpy county, Nebraska. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, nor has he ever been an office seeker. He possesses considerable native musical talent, which has found expression in both vocal and instrumental music and which renders him popular in social circles. Mrs. Krull is a talented pianist, having pursued her studies under capable masters, including Professor Jones of Omaha, Professor Menzendorff of Lincoln, and Professor Frank Nagel of Des Moines. She is studying at the present time under Professor Menzendorff. Mr. Krull belongs to Hickman Lodge, No. 256, A. F. & A. M., and Damocles Lodge, K. P. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church in which he is serving on the official board, and both are members of Rosemary Chapter, O. E. S. Their musical taste and talent are among the strong points of congeniality between them and they have been able to add much to the enjoyment of social occasions through their gifts in this direction.

1.   Mary Frances and Harold Eugene Krull, USA R#1 - Box 19 CC, Tonganoxie Kansas 66086. Krull Family from Woebbelin,Germany, The History of the. (via email Jan. 10, 2008 from Larry Krull)
   13 Jan 2008.