Bob's Maternal Grandparents
Bob's grandparents on his mother's side were Jacob and Catherine (Bitter) Harris. They were both born and grew to young adulthood in Russia.
Jacob immigrated to America. I would guess the time to be the early 1890's. He settled in the South Bottoms and eventually built a home on 4th and B Streets.
Eventually he sent for Catherine. With a great deal of courage, she left her family and joined him in the United States. She would never see her family again.
Catherine and Jacob built a home in the South Russian Bottoms of Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a community made up of Germans from Russia. The primary language was German. Jacob learned to speak English as soon as possible; however, Catherine never did become fluent in English. Jacob handled all of the family business.
In the early years, when Bob's mom was a little girl, they were migrant workers The entire family would pack up and follow the beet harvest. It was hard work from sunup to sundown for very small wages.
In the latter part of his life, Jacob worked as a custodian in a couple of the buildings in downtown Lincoln.
Catherine spent her days close to home. She was a very good cook and I remember well her homemade noodles. They were so thin and delicate. Sometimes at Christmas she would give us a gift of her noodles. Bob always said his Grandmother could make the best Rye bread.
Bob's Paternal Grandparents
I do not have the given names of his grandmother and grandfather Robertus. They immigrated to America sometime around 1910 and settled in the South Bottoms. Bob's dad was just a young boy when they came to America. They bought a home on First Street which they eventually sold to Bob's mom and dad. One of the stories I was told is that Bob's grandfather died (or his grandmother divorced him) and eventually remarried. Bob's dad did not like the step father and they were estranged.
Bob's Great Grandfather
The father of Bob's grandmother Catherine (Bitter) Harris was reported to have been an officer in the Russian Army
I have no other information except that his last name was Bitter. The writing on the back of the picture is either in Russian or German.
He is the person standing in the picture.
