William Henry Paasch, son of William George and Mary Paasch, was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1868. The Family later moved to Arkansas City, Kansas. Mary Emma Koch, Daughter of George and Harriet Koch, was born in 1874 at Independence, Kansas.
Here Mary met and married William Henry Paasch in 1891. They lived near Bolivar, Missouri in the early years of their marriage, later moving to Kansas, where three of their children were born: George William, Maudie Ellen, and Marion James. They moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where twin daughters, Nora and Cora arrived to bless their home.
In the summer of 1906, they came to "Oklahoma Territory" to homestead on a claim. William Paasch and the the eldest son, William traveled by covered wagon. Mary and the four other children came on the train to Enid, Oklahoma. They were met there by the father and son. From there the family traveled together to the homestead north of the Beaver River in Section 29, Township 4, Range 27. They lived in the covered wagon until they could build a sod house.
Although Mary Paasch was a busy housewife and mother, she was a midwife for families in the vicinity. She also cared for the sick and helped in motherless homes or any place where her services were needed. She was interested in a school for her family and other children, and served as a clerk on the school board most of her life.
The trail that freighters traveled to Engle wood, Kansas, went near the family home. One day Maudie and Marion were left in charge of the twins while their parents were away from home. They saw a man walking along the trail and hid the twins under the bed. After the man had passed the house, Marion went outside to measure his foot prints. When she returned to the house she said, "The man was a tramp because he had big feet."
Three more children were born on the homestead, Elizabeth (Cross), Bertha (Bond) and Elmer. Elizabeth and Rufus Cross live in Beaver. Bertha and Merle Bond live near Knowles, on the H.P. Sagerty homestead. They have lived in Beaver County all of their lives.
Maudie and her husband, Homer Caven resided in Beaver County until 1940, when they moved to Atlanta, Kansas. Marion died in 1928. William George resides in Oregon, Nora Suddarth and Cora Wasemiller reside in Wichita, Kansas.
Elmer served his country in W W II as a part of the Army Engineers. He spent three years overseas, taking part in seven major invasions, from Africa to the Alps. He contracted malaria in Sicily, but after a time of hospitalization in France, he was able to join his company. He received the Purple Heart and other medals. He was married to the former Ella Burcham. He now resides in Wichita.
William Paasch hauled freight from Englewood before the railroad came to this part of the country. He brought themail to the early day post office and grocery store at Zelma. He later maintained the county roads from Knowles to Beaver River. The dirt to hard surface the road was hauled from his pasture, which he donated to build a better road.
He was a man of integrity and truly a friend of man. He was careful not to make debts. His homestead of 160 acres has never had a mortgage on the land. It has only changed hands one time. It is now owned by a daughter, Bertha and her husband, Merle Bond.
