The Sidney herald., 1956-10-04
BEN WEIBLERS
VISITORS FROM
YAKIMA. WIN.

Mr.. and Mrs. Ben Weibler
arrived here Sunday night, Sep
TENDER %, accompanied by their
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.. and
Mrs. Ed Nelson, from Yakima,
Wn., and have been houseguests
at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. j.
j. Niehenke. They made the trip
by car with the Nelson's who left
t o return to their home at Ellens-
burg, Wn., after a few days here
last week.
The Weiblers were early day
residents of this community, of
which Mrs. Weibler (nee Agnes
Kelly is a native, born and
raised in the area.
MIR. Weibler, born and raised
in Chicago, started his career
as a blacksmith at Cransburg,
S. D., where he worked three
years when he went to Mohall,
North Dakota, where he worked
in a shop until coming to Sidney
in 1908 to lille on a homestead.
While he was farming the home
stead he also worked in the Rip
ley blacksmith shop in Sidney
located on the present site of
Calls Conoco service station.
Homestead neighbors near Lam
bert early settlers will remem-
Der, were Mr.. Behan and Henry
Winkus, both gone, Ben Backes,
still in Lambert and Harry
Ketcham, still in Sidney and
owner and editor of The Sidney
Herald from 1908 until he sold
it to this writer in 1928 Henry
Winkus' brother located Weibler
and Ketcham on their homesteads
four miles north of Lambert and
Weibler sold his to Fred Setback
when he bought the Ripley black
smith shop in which he had been
employed.
In 1916 Weibler bought the two
corner lots of the present Trac-
tor and Equipment site where he
built the original building still
the corner section of the enlarged
structure which houses the Trac-
tor & Equipment Co., using He
bron hollow tile in the construc-
ton. The front part of the build
ing he used for his blacksmith
shop and the rear for a garage,
with his brother Tom, who came
out from GAINESVILLE, Wis, In
charge.
In the meantime, Joe Mckenzie
arrived in Sidney from Cotton, Wn.,
where he grew up and worked
in the shop for Weibler who sold
him the business and retired In
1921 to seek a better climate for
rheumatism with which he had
been afflicted. They also sold
their residence property to the
Niehenkes when they moved to
Yakima, Wn., now a city of over
As, 1000. The Weiblers built a
home on an orchard site outside
the city which has since expand |
ed two miles beyond their resi-
dence. The Yakima valley, he
told us, is famous as the Fruit
Bowl of the Nation" He worked
in Yakima for the Valley Iron !
Works after locating there until /.
going with the State Highway
Department until reaching the !
retirement age, since which time !
he has been employed part time !
by the State Fisheries and State !
Game departments. !
The Weiblers were married here
in 1918 and have n daughter, !
Ilene Mrs. Ed. Nelson), and two !
sons, Bernie and Joe, both mar {
ried. Mr.. Nelson is with the Ma I
Lional Grocery Co. and Mrs. Nell I
son is bacteriologist in the Cen 5
eral Hospital at Ellensburg. Ber- I
aie is with the Pacific Power & :
Light Co. at Walla Walla and Joe is
associated with his father-in-law
dairy farming near Yakima. .
Mrs. Weibler is a sister of Mrs.
Mckenzie, Mrs. Mary Obergfell, 4
and Pat and Joe Kelly, all here. {
Mr.. Weibler's last previous visit !
lere was 10 years ago, but Mrs.
.eibler and ilene have been here :
several times since then. They are :
eaving next week to get home :,
or the opening of the elk hunt :
ng season, and in the meantime :
le IS enjoying a little hunting {
with the opening of the :
season last week. :
pran LCpnJn MT rs I