Taken from the history compiled by Caroline Alwine Swanson Bosworth Bunn and information supplied by Bill's sister Alwine Frenzel Adelman and other relatives. Written and edited by Thomas Bunn in 2024

Born in Görlitz, The Kingdom of Prussia in the North German Confederation in the province of Silesia. Baptized into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany. He went to school in Görlitz until he was 14 years old and participated in compulsory military training until his parents bought his release from the German standing army so that he could come to America. Ref: sister- Alwine Frenzel Adelman. Lived near Görlitz Prussia from 1848 until he emigrated to the United States in 1869 when he was 21 years old. He was a stonemason by trade for 3 years in America and then a farmer for over 50 years. He homesteaded 80 acres in Otoe county, Wyoming Precinct, Nebraska, starting in the spring of 1872. He was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Otoe County, NE. When he came to Nebraska, he bought a farm for his folks, and with the help of a carpenter built a frame house on the land with a stone foundation and a cellar under the house.

In 1873 he married Sophia Wehling, a widow, who came with 2 daughters, Dora Wehling and Minnie Wehling, from her previous marriage. Bill and Sophia raised to maturity, eight children – Mary Johanna Frenzel born 9/28/1873; Edgar Edwin Frenzel born 11/12/1875; Richard Frenzel born 9/30/1877; Louise E Frenzel born 10/29/1879; Gertrude Wilhelmina Frenzel born 4/30/1883; Otto Bismarck Frenzel born 10/26/1886; Henrietta Frenzel born 4/8/1889; Elizabeth Frenzel born 4/7/1892. Three children died in infancy or were stillborn. They resided on the original homestead place, bought and farmed other land near Berlin (now Otoe) NE. The farms prospered and they bought more farms. Uncle Bill was the first to have a reaper in this neighborhood; then four or five years later was the first farmer to have a binder which tied the bundles. [Ref: niece Alma Beccard] He was a cheerful and sociable man as were most of his children especially Richard, Louise, and Bismarck. When his mother's estate was settled, Bill bought that farm as well. He died at his farmhouse in Otoe county, Nebraska.

Obituary clipped from the Nebraska City, NE newspaper - Dated May 30, 1924

"F.W. FRENZEL DEAD. Died at the Farm He Homesteaded Fifty Years Ago"

"Frederick W. Frenzel died early this morning, at his home, eleven miles northwest of this city, after an illness of about a year. He was one of the very few men who homesteaded and lived on the land for more than half a century. "

"Mr. Frenzel was born in the province of Schleslein, Prussia, November 19, 1848, where he was educated, and in 1869 decided to try his fortune in a new country. He learned the trade of stonemason and for 3 years followed that occupation and decided in 1872 to turn his attention to farming. In the spring of 1872 he came to Otoe, County, and homesteaded eighty acres of land in the Wyoming precinct, where he has since resided, and at the same time purchased some land in Berlin. He tilled the soil to best advantage, adding some improvements, becoming one of the best farms in that section of the county. At the same time, he prospered and added other farms to his possessions."

"In March 1873, he was married to Mrs. Sophia (Karsten) Wheling, who died April 17, 1918. He is survived by the following children – Mrs. Mary Ahrens, Alvord, Iowa; Edwin Richard, of this city; Mrs. Louise Meyer, Otoe; Miss Gertrude and Bismarck, of Peets, Colorado; Mrs. Hattie Herring, of this city. [ Note of insert: His youngest child - Elizabeth Earnestina Herring - is for some reason omitted as a survivor] He also leaves four sisters, among them Mrs. Charles Spier, of this city; and one brother, Herman, who lives west of town."

"He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and a man who had many friends. The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the family home and the internment will be at Union cemetery, near Otoe."

Note of German History

Father: Traugott was born in the Kingdom of Prussia during the Confederation of the Rhine Mother: Christeanna was born in the Kingdom of Prussia during the German Confederation

Siblings: Wilhelm, August, Augusta, Ernestine, Herman, Alwine; born in the Kingdom of Prussia during the North German Confederation; Ida was born in the German Empire.

All were born in the same locality.

In Görlitz, Germany the Frenzel's church was Saint Peters Lutheran; Oftentimes, the pastor was also schoolteacher.

Prussia emerged in 1701 (Silesia eventually ceded to Prussia).